The Word in Focus with Dr Larry Taylor

Thoughts on Unity

The Christian church today is badly shattered in disunity, so much so that this group won’t even talk to that group. We are divided by doctrine, polity, ethnicity, musical styles, political views, history, and numerous other things. Churches publish belief statements on their websites, which are ways of saying, “If you don’t agree with all this, you’re not one of us.” 

The likelihood of the approximately 45,000 Christian denominations ever unifying into one organization is both nil and undesirable. Nil because it won’t happen; undesirable because it would create a bureaucratic nightmare.

That said, in his high-priestly prayer, Jesus prayed (John 17:20-21):

“I ask not only on behalf of these but also on behalf of those who believe in me through their word, that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be one in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 

The Apostle Paul made church unity one of the major themes in his letters. 

Unity should be based on what we all have in common as Christians. We should be able to come together over the essentials and lovingly discuss the nonessentials.

In necessariis unitas, in non necessariis libertas, in utrisque caritas.

(“In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity.”)

– German Lutheran theologian Peter Meiderlin (1582–1651)

Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Restorationist, and Independent Christians all agree that:

1. The Bible (Hebrew and Christian Scriptures) tell the story of God rescuing creation through Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. The Scriptures are central to us, not creeds or statements of faith.

2. Baptism marks initiation into the family of God. Yes, they do it that way and we do it this way, but if it is trinitarian baptism, it is Christian.

Pretty much everything else is non-essential. Important, but non-essential.

If we would recognize that, we might then join with Christians of other denominations in prayer, Bible discussions, sharing meals, and working together to bring God’s love to our communities. 

Neighbors having dinner together and praying for their community and families.

This church has a great ministry to the disabled, another to the homeless, still another to the food insecure, and a fourth to those in recovery. Rather than reinvent the wheel and compete, let’s join those who are doing good things. Rather than form massive megachurches that try to do it all at the expense of true koinonia and godly relationships, smaller groups based on mutual love for God would be a blessing.

Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. (1 John 4:7-8)