Ecumenism and Church

The modern use of “ecumenism” pertains to a narrow problem in a wide swath of differing Christians.  And within that context it’s regarded ambiguously, either with hope or suspicion.   Between these poles sits a taught unspoken proposition that the Church is divided.  Since Christians know that the Church can’t be truly divided, the proposition finds no voice.  Instead ecumenism proposes to solve dividedness.  While it may have some impact on unity as a qualitative experience, ecumenism has offered little with regard to the universality of the unified Church.

The very notion of dividedness is ambiguous; just consider the grammar.  “Dividedness” as a noun seems concrete, but its verb root (to divide) already has a standard noun form as “division,” which is the concrete result of dividing a whole.  “Dividedness,” on the other hand, begins with something that has already been divided, abstracts the quality of that division, and then treats this quality as the issue of concern.  And when considering ecumenical efforts of the 20^th century (WCC, Vatican II, Evangelicals and Catholics Together), this is precisely what we find:  differing groups extending goodwill toward others, looking to emphasize common ground.  We do not find, on the other hand, the different groups offering to merge.  This approach implicitly supports something like a confederate view of the Church while avoiding any mention of it or of any other notion of “Church.”

Ecclesiology, the teachings on the nature of the Church, is that proverbial elephant in the room.   All Christians know with marriage, “What God has joined together, let no man separate.”  We also know the same applies to the Church:

There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling;  one Lord, one faith, one baptism. (Eph 4:4,5)

And to tie the loop completely St. Paul sets the Church as the very model for marriage.  Consequently the first and most obvious ecclesiological statement is that the Church ought not to be divided.

So that is the question: is the Church divided?  My honest belief is, “no,” and I must quickly add that within the Church we often do behave like siblings.  In short, the body of Christ is one; his members fall prey to weakness and sibling rivalry.  In this sense we have dividedness without division.  When a division occurs, then the word “sect” applies, where it is the sect that splits off from the Church.  A classic conundrum arises where each regards the other as the sect, which amuses me as an Orthodox when speaking with Catholic friends.  Who split from whom, exactly?  The same holds with Catholics and Lutherans (or Protestants more generally).  Who split from the truth, and who stayed true?  This conundrum-turned-question strikes me, however, as a distraction which preoccupies both the faithful and their leaders with condemning and self-justifying behaviors.  Nothing could be further from what Jesus asked of his disciples, or from what the Apostles handed down.  Rather, when a sect has split, the first efforts must be for reunion, not invective.

So, what is the honest assessment of Christianity at large, and what’s to be done?  Honestly, the word “sect” must be rehabilitated, but lacking that we have the word “group,” so I’ll continue to use it.  Across the world, and within any large city is a huge number of Christian groups.  Their aggregation does not constitute the Church, and such a superset dishonors many of those same groups given the serious differences of belief and practice between them.  Further, any expectation of unity that includes an absence of such groups is neither apostolic, nor biblical, nor rational.  Therefore I recommend these simple guides for addressing the saddening situation of division between Christian groups.

• Regard the group to which you belong as The Church, and be obedient to Her; condemn no one
• Regard all other Christians, individuals and groups, charitably, condemning no one
• Occasionally revisit the meaning of Church (your ecclesiology); if you find you have misunderstood it, consider changing, condemning no one

Since I have adopted this way of behaving, dialogue that might be called “ecumenical” has been much more positive.  Has it been more productive?  That depends on what you want to produce.  The Lord said, “Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.”  The Apostles said the same.  That command aims at myself, and therefore, repenting is my business.  The Lord also commanded, “Judge not lest you be judged,” and “if you do not forgive you will not be forgiven.”  Since adopting the above guides, I have been much more productive in repenting of pride that judges and withholds forgiveness, and conceives of Church in a tribal way.  There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and there is The Church, which is His Body.  If I regard others as the Lord regards me, then from within His Body, I regard others not with condemnation but with kindness.

For He makes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.  For if you love those who love you, what reward have you?  … And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? (Matt. 5:45‑47)