Johann Christoph Arnold: 1940-2017

Latest

Johann Christoph Arnold.

 
With great sadness, the People’s Tribune notes the passing of Johann Christoph Arnold, who died in Rifton, New York on April 15, 2017 after a months-long battle with cancer.
Arnold was a senior elder of the Bruderhof, a movement of Christian communist communities which originated in Germany in the 1920s. He was born in England, the country the Bruderhof fled to after being driven out of Nazi Germany because of their opposition to fascism.
As a young boy, Arnold lived with his parents in a Bruderhof community in Paraguay. There, the conditions of extreme poverty deepened his sympathy for the poor of the entire world. In 1954, he moved to New York. During the 1960s, his interest in the civil rights movement led him to the American South where he worked with Martin Luther King, an experience that changed his life.
Arnold was ordained a pastor in 1972 and served as a pastor until his death. His pastoral work took him into hospitals, nursing homes, juvenile detention centers, and Death Row.
Those of who first met Pastor Arnold in the 1990s know that he worked tirelessly to achieve the united action of all those opposed to the injustices of that time, especially the Iraq war and the increased use of the death penalty in the United States.
Because he was a man of great patience, humility, and sincerity, Johann Christoph Arnold was able to play an important role in bringing together religious and non-religious revolutionaries in the fight to transform society. We are proud to have published his words and the words of other members of his religious community in the pages of this newspaper. The finest tribute we can all pay to his memory is to intensify the effort to unite the revolutionaries of all backgrounds in the fight to create a new, cooperative society.

PT Logo collage
+ Articles by this author

The People’s Tribune opens its pages to voices of the movement for change. Our articles are written by individuals or organizations, along with our own reporting. Bylined articles reflect the views of the authors. Articles entitled “From the Editors” reflect the views of the editorial board. Please credit the source when sharing: peoplestribune.orgPlease donate to help us keep bringing you voices of the movement for change. Click here. We’re all volunteer, no paid staff. The People’s Tribune is a 501C4 organization.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Featured

ICE Fears Put Pregnant Immigrants and Their Babies at Risk

Fear of deportation is deterring people without permanent legal status from critical care. Doctors are worried for the health of pregnant immigrants, and the health of their pregnancies. This story was originally reported by 19thnews.org.

Government Shutdown and the Blame Game

Using a bold-faced lie President Trump and Vice President Vance blamed immigrants, particularly the undocumented, for the government shutdown now in effect throughout the country. The Republican plan would increase Obamacare payments and make Medicaid cuts.

Emmy-Winning Journalist Deported After Reporting on Anti-Trump Protest

Emmy award-winning journalist Mario Guevara was deported to El Salvador – a country he fled over 20 years ago — in retaliation for filming law enforcement activities, says the Committee to Protect Journalists.

A Salute to Chicagoans Fighting ICE

A salute to Chicagoans fighting ICE and to the food delivery worker on a bicycle who outrode ICE agents after they tried to kidnap him on the streets of downtown Chicago.

Over 60 Lawmakers Launch Investigation Into Trump Administration’s Disappearances

Some Democrats in Congress have announced they are investigating the Trump administration’s practice of disappearing immigrants to other countries.

More from the People's Tribune