This morning, in an e-mail discussion I participate in, someone lamented the Reformation. They wished and hoped we could all come together again soon.
That’s a nice dream, and I applaud the sentiment. But in my view it’ll never happen.
Here’s the thing — who’s going to be in charge of this new universal church?
The pope? Then how will you force all the Christians who think the pope is the Antichrist into your church?
Local congregations? How will you persuade the people who think an episcopacy is necessary?
You won’t be able to do this without some kind of coercive force. A new Inquisition.
And I don’t think even Catholics want that.
Besides which, the divisions are far deeper and more complex than just Rome vs. Wittenberg.
The divisions in Christianity go way beyond denominations. I have Catholic friends to whom I am far closer, in the fundamentals, than I am with many of my Lutheran friends.
Even if you somehow shoehorned all the denominations into your new World Church, the conservative vs. liberal divisions would persist.
And would probably, if history is any guide, lead to new institutional divisions.
I already posted this on FB, but it seems more appropriate here, so here it is again: As a kid we used to sing “we pray that all unity will someday be restored,” but as I got older, I began to realize that denominationalism is a good thing. “The Church,” the eternal Bride of Christ, has never been disunified, nor can it be. However schisms started before Jesus was even Crucifided, and He was pretty laid back about it.
My own thinking is that denominations are more about our own emotional and psychological needs than anything else. I believe Catholics are Christians, but I find their denomination to be cold, uncaring, officious, and altogether bad for your skin. I once told a friend “i will pray to cosmo and wanda from the fairly odd parents before I’ll pray to any catholic saint.” My sister in law, however, really really needs all that catholic hoo-hah, or her life doesn’t work.
I’ve got a friend who was Church of Christ like me, but it didn’t work for him, so he converted to russian orthodoxy, and is now a priest, and a beekeeper (the beekeeper thing isn’t relevant, I just like the fact that I know a beekeeeper). Orthodoxy is nicer than Catholicism in my mind, but it doesn’t work for me. It absolutely saved his life, though. He’ve been dead on the floor of a bathroom decades ago if not for the ROCOR.
Denominationalism is a good tng in that it allows us to have worship that suits our individual needs much better an a one-size-fits-all organization.
Your reasoning would be great if church were all about worshiping the all encompassing ME. Rather, the Bible tells us in Deut. 6:13 “It is the Lord your God you shall fear. Him you shall serve and by his name you shall swear.” (ESV)
Every schism and split among congregations and denominations that I have ever researched includes some reflection of the brokenness of this fallen world. Sometimes it is straying from the truth. Sometimes it is pride or power struggles or a host of other reflections of our fallen nature. Yet at the same time we worship a God who works all things together for good for those that love him, who are called according to His purpose. So, even though all denominational splits have their roots in human foibles, God redeems the situation so that we may find good in the various denominations. One good result I have seen is that the various approaches to worship are able to highlight and emphasize the many facets of God’s Nature and Character. The Bible in various contexts describes him as a God of Love, a God of Justice, Kind & Compassionate yet a Jealous God whose wrath burns against sin.
Still, even though God redeems the wrong actions of fallen mankind, those actions are still wrong – abandoning truth, fostering pride, promoting sinful behavior. Therefore we need to continue to pray for unity. Not unity based on enforcing conformity in statement and practice. Not unity based on ignoring our differences. Rather a unity that comes from the work of the Spirit as He Calls, Gathers, Enlightens, Sanctifies and Preserves us in the one true faith – a unity of heart.