How Conversations Can Heal Our Divisions

It is something deep in the way human beings structure their organisations, that things do not always turn out the way they were expected to turn out.  This is the problem we face when we contemplate the history of the Franciscans and Dominicans (see my last post ). 

People do not set out to be evil.  We tend to have a Dr Evil view of evil.  The villain in the Austin Powers series, is evil because he enjoys being evil.  Usually, we set up our organisations for the good of humanity.  Something goes wrong and this particular group of people, with the best of intentions, sets off down the wrong road.

I have written about Walter Wink's analysis of the Powers  in my other blog and repeat here that the spiritual world is the power of our organisations to dominate, exploit and destroy us.

There is therefore a flaw in the ecumenical enterprise if we conceive of it as the building of a single united church.  Some Christians will resist the idea (quite right too in my view) and at some stage, the others are likely to take oppressive steps to incorporate them into their one true church.  This has been repeated time and again throughout Christian history.

So, what is the alternative?  Our divisions are a scandal, are we to do nothing about them?  In our conversations with other churches we need to do the following:

1. Remember the history of our churches and how easy it has proved throughout our history to take the wrong road.  Such memory will lead to conversations in a spirit of humility .
2. Engage with other theologies, not as an exercise in finding a single truth, but as a means to clarify our own beliefs.  This is the practice of receptive ecumenism .
3. Be a part of the tradition we belong to, not embarrassed by it, but as a people who treasure the  insights their tradition brings to the table.
4. Trust in the Spirit.  As we face the challenges of today, we can trust that through our conversations, the Spirit will show us ways to act as if we are one.
5. And our unity will be expressed not in a single church but in the development of myriad ecumenical structures to support widening and deepening collaboration.

Our goal should not be the unity of the church but the unity of humanity.  Oikoumene is not restricted to the churches it is the reconciliation of all things to God.  Perhaps a divided church, remembering but not fearful of its past, might show through the ways in which it learns to collaborate that there is a way for all people to live together in peace.

There can be no strategy to take us to this place; it involves 2 billion people.  And yet, if we allow the Spirit to inhabit our conversations, conversations rooted in love and compassion, we have to trust the churches will find a way to a unity based not on coercion but on trust.

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[God Space]

God will raise you up and position you for the work that is in the heart of God.
We need to step out and fulfill the purposes and plans of God. Work the fields in the
Passion that He has placed in your heart.

For out of the heart flow the issues of life. Your true life flow will be and expression and release of the waters of life that our Lord has placed in you. What are your true hearts desires. Seek the Lord to reveal how these godly desires and passions are to be release to work out the plan of God. One good place to start, is how can this passion of your heart be a blessing to others.

Jesus came to give life, to comfort and heal the wounds and hurts of the people of his land. To reveal the love of God and to let the world know that our heavenly Father is a true loving compassionate father and will do everything is his power to protect, guide and comfort his people. His people are the men and woman that love Him and seek His face and their hearts desire is to please their heavenly Father. To serve Him with all their heart.