Subversive Christian Unity

The place where separation and division are most obvious, from one church denomination to another, is in church government: the question of whose hierarchy and ecclesiology and methods of organization are going to be in control. There is nothing peculiar about that, I suppose. But it is an obstacle to unity, for it raises the question of who shall be in charge in, and after, any unification effort. People can be a bit touchy about that. Defending their doctrines and stances and historical witness becomes wrapped up with, simultaneously, protecting their own power and prestige. No one seems willing to become the lesser so that unity can be gained, as the greater objective. That is human nature, but we will need something beyond merely human nature to solve our schisms. Thus I propose a little challenge, a thought experiment. Can you conceive of any circumstances in which you would support surrendering your accustomed form of church government, and/or putting new people in c...

I make a distinction among the kerygma of Christianity, the apostles' illuminations and applications of it and teachings of lesser import: core Christian doctrine from Jesus and the apostles as opposed to denominational opinions on various tangential matters. Perhaps I should say something about the content and limits of the kerygma. As I use the term, the kerygma consists of the things Christ taught the apostles, by word and deed--which they then proclaimed. As it turns out, this includes not only the sayings and parables and commandments we all think of, but also the messianic prophecies of the Old Testament.   ...beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.  (Luke 24:27) I find it a little disappointing that the Bible does not provide a list of those passages. But at the time of writing, giving a list would not have been necessary. The apostles, to whom Christ is here sp...

A certain type of unbeliever, whose trust is in science and whose faith for the future is in more of the same, loves to make fun of a certain sort of Christian. That Christian is the fellow who insists that the earth is of recent origin, some five to ten thousand years old, mankind was contemporary with the dinosaurs and science's dating of the creation is all wrong. I do not object personally to Christians who believe that view of the world's origin. But by proclaiming it to the world, as if it were a central or even an important doctrine, they do harm to the cause of the gospel. The whole idea repels the unbeliever whose education has told him everything to the contrary. All anyone needs to know about origins, for full Christian orthodoxy, is to understand that God is the unmoved first mover in creation, however it happened. Let us not place a stumbling block in the road that leads to Christ, by insisting on a narrow and particular view of an event none of us saw. Chr...

This posting kicks off a new blog to promote unity among all the Christian faithful, regardless of our differing church denominations. The times call for unity. We cannot delay further. The world is changing. In the West there previously was an underlying pro-Christian tone in politics and culture; that is evaporating. In many other parts of the world, hostility against Christians is openly shown. Nearly anywhere, you can hear people speak all manner of evil against Christians, falsely for the most part. If we stand together, it will be a better and stronger testimony before those who imagine themselves our enemies. What has gone wrong with the West is that it has lost its former regard for the gospel. The rest of the world never had regard for it. The cultural tone in very many places is one of arrogant contempt for truth: Might makes right, and the narrow interests of my particular tribe or sect define right action. Whatever we Christians do to make our central message cl...