Loving Unity
Christian Unity is a beautiful thing, but should it be the goal of Christian Communities? A couple years ago I wrote about Christian Unity, and having just re-read that blog post, I believe it still relevant. So I’m going to ask a question and request that you take a few moments to ponder an answer before reading further:
Will a Christian community be more likely to find Unity if the people love one another, or would people be more likely to love one another if seeking Unity?
Take a few moments to consider before reading further.
I believe that Unity for the sake of Unity is a symptom of a religious spirit, something that can draw us away from who we are called to be. Focusing on Unity as a goal will instead destroy the love that should characterize an healthy community of believers. The call for unity could easily silence individuals who may feel like they are unable to express a different viewpoint from others or ask a difficult question. Remaining quiet is to remain unknown, and if we are not known, we are invisible to others, and how can we feel loved? Loving relationships and authentic communities explore difficult topics together, accept different opinions and explore Scripture together praying together for better understanding.
Yes, Unity is desired, but it shouldn’t be the goal. I believe it similar to C.S. Lewis’ quote in Mere Christianity:
Aim at Heaven and you will get earth 'thrown in'; aim at earth and you will get neither
In the context of Love and Unity, I would rephrase it as:
Aim at Love and you will get Unity 'thrown in'; aim at Unity and you may get neither
If we pursue loving each other, we get Unity as a by-product, but if Unity is the goal, love can often break down so that Unity devolves into conformity. The truth is that loving God overflows into loving others, and if our Christian Communities are known for our love for each other, we will work through our differences and be truly unified, one with God and each other. Our differences will cause us to grow both individually and collectively.
So please stop calling for Unity and instead cultivate godly and genuine love for others.
