The Christian Community

PREFACE This book speaks of the Christian Community as an integral part the human community. Communitarian life implies that men relate to one another in a unifying and edifying manner by virtue of sharing in the same human nature, which is innate to all of them. The Christian community, in specific terms, is a way of life whereby men, in addition to relating to one another, also relate to Christ, the God incarnate, the Son of Man. In its religious dimension, the Christian community transcends the limitations of a historic entity, and, in its earthly dimension, is subject to the historic and evolutionary laws proper to the human race. In its first chapters, this book describes the original human community as a form of live where men live in equality and harmony. What equality are we talking about? The equality existing in men as a result of possessing the same human nature. Therefore, it goes without saying that such equality does not refer to the individual attributes, which make each person unique within the human collectivity. These attributes, when used properly, have the potential of contributing to and solidifying human unity. What harmony we are talking about? The harmony which generates peaceful coexistence among men, and, systematically, eradicates destructive conflicts. This peaceful coexistence does not necessarily imply absence of conflicts but rather the capacity of men to resolve them before causing mutual destruction. Communitarian life is, precisely, the fertile field for resolving conflicts. The reader will find frequent references to the differences between men’s life in common unity (or communitarian life) and men’s life in a class society, with the latter being the most prevalent in the world since men divided themselves in antagonistic classes. The biblical quotations contained in this book are taken from “The New American Bible – Revised Edition”. The criterion for the selection of the biblical texts is based on their relevance to the human community, in general, and to the Christian community, in particular. The purpose of the book is to offer readers an opportunity to understand the society in which they live, to allow them to gain awareness of the existence of societal conflicts, and to assist them in taking an active role in the resolution of said conflicts following the model and example revealed by Christ Jesus. The author.