VATICAN CITY (CNS) – The search for Christian unity is a long and difficult journey because it is a process of repentance and humility, Pope Benedict XVI said.At the same time, he said, over the past 40 years God has given Christians "broad spaces of joy, refreshing pauses, from time to time allowing us to breathe freely the pure air of full communion."At his weekly general audience Jan. 24, during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, Pope Benedict offered a list of the ecumenical encounters he had in 2006 which he said provide proof of progress in the search for unity among Christ's disciples.
The pope listed his meetings with leaders of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, the World Baptist Alliance and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America as well as his meetings and prayer with the spiritual leaders of the Anglican Communion and the Orthodox Church of Greece and his visit in Turkey with Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople.
I have held out hope for a long time concerning the issue of Christian unity. I can remember nearly 10 years ago believing and hoping in the possibility that the Lord's prayer for unity might be answered. What a great sign it would indeed be!
Undoubtedly there have been signs of hope and encouragement along the way. Regardless of how far-fetched something might seem, if we don't at least try to believe, try to pray and to act for unity, then there cannot be hope for unity at all. Like many things in the environs of faith, unity seems to depend mostly on us. Christian action reflects both individual and collective responsibility.
It may be that we must face forces that despise the idea of Christians being one, but such forces tend ultimately to fail when they are met with faith. The key to unity is twofold--open, honest, frank, dialogue or discussion, along with its difficult theological and doctrinal ironing out, has to occur. Then secondly we must be willing to work together in a common cause first. I have long believed that before meaningful dialogue toward unity can take place, separated Christians--on both sides of the separation--must at least recognize the commonality of their being Christian and then work together to achieve an agreed upon task.
The great value of interfaith organizations has to do with community building activities where Christians of all denominations work toward a common cause. If we cannot yet be one in doctrine then at least we should be one in specific causes--at least it's a start.
True. :-) As special groups coordinator for our city's soup kitchen, I also was sent to the table of cooperative food ministries once a month to simply touch base with other coordintors and brainstorm for any better ways to serve or ways to expand. There were people there from all the churches in the city - Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Quaker, and also from the Temple. It's a different set-up now, but working together for a common good proved to us immediately and without strain that laboring for the common good can be blessed and become blessing, immediatley and without strain. We all, as people, are more alike than not, and we all know need, even if we don't all know actual hunger. Of course, we had an angel's help..the lady who had gotten the whole thing started had cooked and served with us only a few times before she succumbed to brain cancer, but it can be done even without the prayer of such a sterling soul. People are more beautiful than not, all. Surely that is also what Christ saw in every gathering of many interfaith thousands, or He couldn't have sent others to serve.
Posted by: C | January 25, 2007 at 06:23 AM