The question of unity within the Church is a thorny one. Unity... or at least the fact that the Spirit of God binds all beleivers in a mystical communion... is a reality. The pratical working out of that communion is less than a reality. This should trouble every Christian since unity and love for the brethren is the first mark of belonging to Christ. Yet the Protestant and Evangelical wing of the Church Universal continues to splinter and work in isolation of the broader Church (even with other evangelicals). The reasons that keep us apart are many: confessional differences, historical tradition, territorality, arrogance and even just inconvenience.* In my own poor attempts to work with brothers and sisters across denominational lines, the answer I simply get is: we just can't do it. Such obstinence has helped spawn non-confessional movements (or if not movements, an ethos) within Protestantism, mostably the Emergent. Some see this evolution as the best means of preserving the Church but a 'generous orthodoxy' may end up giving away faith in the very Spirit which binds us together.
This is an important issues, for the reason I just stated but also because this student generation is so drawn to relational integrity (and repulsed by what they perceive to be petty bickering). In seeking to follow Christ faithfully and reach out to the emerging generation of leaders, what we need is not to abandon our confessions but to abandon our conceit. We should begin working first with people who essentially share our values and missional goals. But before we can talk about proper structures or lines of authority, we need leaders committed first to each other... believing the idea that our unity (both confessional and organizational) is more important than the details. We need such committment to each other that we will be willing to suffer patiently with each other. When I see that quality in a Christian leader, he earns my trust.
I had a meeting today with such a leader. He is not the pastor of a large or even influential church. He is not a well known Christian author. I don't even know what he is for others, but for me he is an inspiration. I pray that our conversation today was a practical step in working out that communion the Spirit has established and to which God calls us.
*This list was inspired by a presentation Dr. Dan Doriani gave on working across denominational lines.
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Good words. I think you're right on the money with the territorality and inconvenience factor of unity. Our present infrastructures within the church, which seem to reflect more of a business model than anything (I realize some of which is necessary), work against us when pursuing any form of visible brotherly ties. Perhaps the reasons for our problem stems from the same reason, sadly, that employees and VPs from competing companies never do lunch or seek lasting relationships. They're convinced it would jeopardize either their job and/or their company, and it's just plain inconvenient.
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