'I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will 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 in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
John 17:20-26
There are reportedly 38,000 different denominations within the Christian faith. The church has undergone schism after schism. A schism is defined as a division or a split, usually between people belonging to an organization or movement, most frequently applied to a break of communion between two sections of Christianity that were previously a single body. This is not a new phenomenon. There was the Great Schism of 1054, which resulted in the split between the Eastern and Wetern Christian Churches. Then there was The Great Western Schism between the years of 1378 - 1417, which was resolved by the Council of Constance in 1414-1418. The Reformation brought about more schism in the 16th century.
How then do we reconcile ourselves to the passage from John? Here, I think, we need to fall back on love. We sometimes forget that Christianity is about following a way of life, a way defined by Jesus of Nazareth. The way of life is concerned with two basic principles: love of God and love of neighbor. Most likely there will never be a time when all denominations of Christians are of one mind with regard to doctrine, scriptural interpretation, ministry roles, or church practice. We should, however, remember to love. And with loving God and eachother, there should be a component of mercy and forgiveness that comes with it. Maybe if we so focussed on serving others, we would find a place of common ground. For, here is the goal: That the world may believe that God sent Jesus to show us the way to God.
Here is the challenge: find one or two people that are currently in your life that you have a hard time loving, Christian or non-Christian, it doesn't really matter. Then, explore ways of serving them: pray for them, learn about their lives, listen to their opinions, forgive them their sharp edges, take them out for coffee. Once we learn to practice this kind of love, it is easier to extend it to other people that we come across. As individuals we cannot heal all the brokenness in this world, but we can build one bridge at a time.
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