Grassroots Christian Unity Is On Fire!

 

Below the surface, unseen connections and strength.

A big part in the movement for Christian unity is reconciliation between the denominations themselves.  People often look to their church leaders to work out the details.  Indeed, there have been many extensive efforts to reconcile nuances of theology between large churches with hierarchical structures.  Teams of theologians and clergy members have been working tirelessly for decades on behalf of the cause of unity.  They have made great progress, but there are reasons to believe this method has either run its course or needs to be paired with something else.

In the evangelical world, this is generally not even an option.  Most evangelical Christians do not even belong to churches with that kind of structure.  There is no one to speak for them. Church membership is a much looser concept than it is with churches that have stages of initiation in the sacraments and structured leadership.  Even if people look to their local pastor for this kind of leadership, there are literally thousands of independent pastors and churches all over which makes for a substantial logistics puzzle.

The only way unity can happen with evangelical Christians is that it has to be built person by person and church by church.  The cause has to be taken up by the people, because there is simply no other mechanism.  Everybody has a role to play when it comes to Christian unity.  Even large churches such as the Catholic Church would affirm this.  Vatican II's Decree on Ecumenism states that "the attainment of union is the concern of the whole Church, faithful and shepherds alike. This concern extends to everyone, according to his talent." Subsequent popes have affirmed this.  Every Christian is tasked to work for unity. In the case of dialogue with evangelicals, circumstances make this recommendation non-negotiable.

Whether this is a barrier or a blessing to the movement for Christian unity remains to be seen.  Longtime workers in the ecumenical movement may scratch their heads and wonder how Christian unity can be achieved when so many evangelicals are "independent."  Even if another unifying figure such as Billy Graham were to rise up, it would be debatable whether this person would have the authority to speak for the whole evangelical community. 

It is hard enough to work through existing structures, but what about when there are few structures at all?  While that is a very reasonable concern, the evidence from our world indicates otherwise:  The official movement for Christian unity has found itself stalled with an uncertain future, according to many experts. 

Documents of understanding have been made with questionable impact on the people in the pews.  Some differences remain that have no reconciliation in sight.  Even still, churches may resist formally integrating with each other.  There is a potential loss of culture, identity and, admittedly, power, than can come with that.

Catholics and Lutherans, for example, have been working hard at unity for decades and have many official documents to show for that work.  There has been some disappointment that the breakthroughs between Catholics and Lutherans had not filtered down to the local levels. The main church dividing issue for Lutherans has always been on justification by faith.  Catholics and Lutherans released a joint statement on justification in 1999 that some would argue ironed out those differences.  Yet, the two respective churches still basically function as they have.  Perhaps more time is needed for those changes to filter down.  Perhaps another method is needed.

However, at the local level the movement is on fire.  Individual Christians are not waiting for their leaders to hash our documents of understanding.  They are largely unaware of the documents that do exist.  Evangelicals largely do not have this option in the first place.  What Christians are doing is meeting in table fellowship for common prayer while advocating for common causes.  They are reading each other's books and learning from each other's practices.  They are enjoying each other's presence in their lives and in their thoughts.  This is where we will find our common Christian identity. 

Cross Pollination of Ideas.

Cross Pollination

20 years ago, it was not uncommon for Catholics to come up to me and say something like:  "I'm a Catholic, and I plan to remain one, but I quietly attend an evangelical Bible study that is a huge part of my spiritual nourishment."

Last summer, I heard the following from an evangelical leader, which is not an uncommon thing to hear these days:  "I am an evangelical, but honestly the only people I read these days are Catholics... mostly the ascetic tradition, Thomas Merton and the Church Fathers."  In addition, some evangelicals are studying what have traditionally been Catholic practices, such as natural family planning, as mentioned in my previous post.

Dr. Stephen Long of Marquette University self-describes as an "ecumenical hybrid."  He shared this at the National Workshop on Christian Unity:  "I was baptized by Anabaptists, went to college with evangelicals, was pastorally formed by the Methodists and by the time I finished by PhD, only the Jesuits would hire me!"

This amazing thing about his story is that it is not very amazing anymore.  A couple generations ago, this would have been either the feat of a daring trailblazer or a chaotic romp into blatant heresy, depending on the philosophical bent of the observer.  In just a short time, this has become much more commonplace.  For better or for worse, people are rarely just one thing, anymore.  Add on to that the fact that around half of all marriages are between people of different traditions, we have quite a mixing going on.

My own history is equally mixed:  I have spent considerable time with Dominicans, Franciscans, Glenmarians, the Catholic Worker movement and "regular" diocesan parishes--and this is just the Catholic part of my experience.  I cannot also underestimate the importance of participating in evangelical prayer and mission activities as well as friends and teachers across the religious spectrum--both in person and in print.

This kind of cross pollination is happening everywhere.  Long sees it as a true "sign of hope" in the midst of an ecumenical stalemate at the leadership level, and describes it as "minding each other's traditions."  Sometimes it translates into conversions.  Most often, it does not.  But even when it does not result in a conversion, each piece of formation does exactly that--it forms and shapes a person and leaves them changed.  The sum total of all this is moving the entire Body of Christ toward a new horizon.  Who is not an ecumenical--or interfaith--hybrid these days?

Many Church leaders simply do not know what to do with this.  Denominational structures have largely not kept up with the changing landscape.  The old categories just do not fit lived experience.  It has been widely publicized that church membership has fallen in recent years, and perhaps this is due more to folks having a more inclusive identity than a lack of spirituality.  Many folks today have a religious formation that comes from a variety of sources.  In some cases, it calls people to question the value of belonging to a specific denomination or community.  Those who still find value in denominational membership usually do not attach the same level of seriousness to it that was the norm a short while ago.

Cheers!

Meeting in the Spirit Over Spirits

An evangelical Christian said the following at a public Catholic-evangelical dialogue:  "The movement for unity took a giant leap forward when evangelicals warmed up to the use of alcohol!"  The comment was met with raucous laugher, as intended.  Still, there was a seriousness to it.  As Catholics and evangelicals recounted some of their favorite memories of interacting with each other, the stories often involved sharing food, drink and friendly conversation late into the evenings.

I debated whether or not to include this point.  The use of alcohol has been extremely controversial in Christianity.  Many evangelical Christians remain staunchly opposed to its use.  Many others recoil when thinking about the history of alcoholism and its impact.  That being said, wine flows very freely in the Gospels.  Table fellowship is an integral part of the ministry of Jesus.  In fact, the Kingdom of Heaven is often likened to a feast.

Alcohol itself is not an essential requirement--personally, I virtually never drink alcohol and I work for Christian unity full-time.  I am not saying alcohol is essential by any means.  This point is less about the use of alcohol specifically than about the importance of table fellowship in the cause of unity.  The kind of unity that is happening between Catholics and evangelicals is less scholarly and more friendly.  It seems to happen better at the dinner table than in the board room.  In many cases, there simply are no agreed upon leaders to facilitate another kind of process.  I prefer to see this as an opportunity.  When we eat and drink together and share our faith in Christ over warm regard and laughter, I have to imagine that Jesus would be quite pleased.

 

You Cannot Outsource Christian Love

I will go on record and say the absence of hierarchy in evangelical churches is actually a blessing in the cause of Christian unity.  Yes, it challenges the role of longstanding denominations as individuals place the most importance on their in personal spirituality and less on the role of the community to facilitate or mediate that in an exclusive way.  But it also forces the whole people to be involved.

Some may say that promoting unity through person-to-person encounters is a kind of last resort, since previous methods are not applicable.  I am here to suggest that this may be an incredible blessing.  We cannot outsource brotherly and sisterly love for our fellow Christians, passively letting our leaders do all the work.  This is where the blessing lies.

Christian people are making huge strides toward each other.  This post is not meant to discount the documents between denominations.  For all we know, the current efforts happening are probably at least partly inspired by those pronouncements.  This may be true even of independent evangelical Christians who are seeing those dialogues and responding in subtle yet profound ways in their lives. 

The good news is that it is happening.  The people in the pews are exploring what unity means in everyday life and are making thousands and thousands of unique connections to each other.  The results are coming in different ways than leaders have expected.  There is a oneness forming among the people even as institutions have stalled trying to figure out how to merge into a more formal visible unity. 

Ultimately, they will know we are Christians by our love, not by our theological treatises, however important they may be.  The lack of hierarchy in the evangelical world forces us to live into this:  We are either going to find our Christian unity through a groundswell of friendship or not at all.  It has to be grassroots. 

For additional thoughts on this topic, I recommend: Cadinal Kasper Speaks on New Hope for Ecumenism.

7 Reasons We Are in a Kairos Moment in Catholic-Evangelical Relations

"Kairos is the time of God's activity, a time where we sense God may be trying to get our attention, where we anticipate He may be up to something and it would be wise for us to pay attention in this suspended time and place." -- J. R. Briggs

The relationship between Catholic and evangelical Christians has been frosty throughout history, to say the least.  It has even been downright hostile at times, and there are parts of the world where it still continues to be dangerous.

Reverend John Armstrong is an evangelical minister and lifelong advocate for Christian unity.  He argues that something special is happening right now, and it has been intensifying over just the last few years.  The Holy Spirit is drawing Catholics and evangelicals into positive relationships in many and varied ways.  He asserts that we may be in the middle of a true kairos moment.  "Something is happening," he says.

The following points are loosely adapted from a talk he gave at a Catholic-evangelical dialogue session at the National Workshop on Christian Unity (NWCU) in Charlotte, NC, in April.  Additional comments have been added from other speakers as well as my own thoughts.

Are we in a kairos moment?  See for yourself!

Rev. John Armstrong speaking at CharlotteONE in April 2015.

 

1. Pro-Life Movement

Many Catholics and evangelicals first "met" each other in the protest line at abortion clinics and at the March for Life.  While they may have previously interacted in the workplace or elsewhere in the community, this was for many the first time they were getting to know each other as people of faith.

Their solidarity was not instantaneous.  A Catholic priest recounted to me an instance in Arkansas.  He helped form a pregnancy crisis center with other evangelical leaders in the early 2000s.  He and other Catholics supported the effort with funding and sweat equity.  However, when it was time to form a Board of Directors, the priest was snubbed out.  Potential candidates were given a statement of faith to sign, and he was not even afforded the opportunity.  The message was clear:  Catholics were welcome but only in a very cautious and limited way.

The walls only began to come down as Catholics and evangelicals continually stood shoulder to shoulder, professing their common belief in the sanctity of unborn life and enduring the repercussions together.  As Armstrong points out, "they were often in same jail cell together.  They started talking and discovered they have so much in common.  This was really the narrative."  Veterans of the pro-life movement developed an affinity for each other that might not have happened otherwise.

2.  Pro-Family Movement

Along with the pro-life movement, many Catholics and evangelicals have been finding common ground in their approach to the family.  This includes a wide array of aspects.  Armstrong offers the example of Natural Family Planning (NFP) as an unexpected point of convergence between the two groups.  He tells Catholics:  "You might be surprised how significantly NFP has influenced young evangelicals who are not convinced that many forms of birth control are the way they should go as people of faith." 

He admits that NFP has often been dismissed as a silly Catholic tradition among evangelicals who have traditionally had few qualms about artificial contraception.  Today, it is younger evangelicals who are exploring NFP with great sincerity.  "There are books coming out now by young evangelicals giving testimony to their views on NFP, and when you read one, you would think you are reading the testimony of a young Catholic," he says.

A phrase comes to mind that has been echoing in my consciousness since the NWCU:  At the grassroots level, people are "minding each other's traditions."  That insight was shared by Dr. Stephen Long of Marquette University, and it resonates here strongly.  In this case, evangelicals are learning about and carrying the torch for something they learned from Catholics--perhaps more fervently than many Catholics.

3.  Pope Francis

When the humble Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Archbishop of Buenos Aires, was being introduced to the world as Pope Francis in March 2013, there was a stirring in the evangelical Christian community.  Evangelical leaders who worked with Bergoglio in Argentia began circulating reports to their friends and colleagues.  Within 5 days of the pope's election, Armstrong started hearing from other evangelicals about him.  They were saying things such as:  "We know him.  We pray with him.  He's our friend."  They were not talking about isolated incidents or casual encounters.  On the contrary, Bergoglio has been cultivating, "friendship, trust and love" with evangelicals for many years.

Pope Francis has been reaching out to evangelical Christians in unique ways during his time as pope.  He has invited evangelical leaders to Rome, has spoken at evangelical churches and still prays with a small group of evangelical Christians on a regular basis, just like he did as Archbishop. 

Pope Francis even recorded an impromptu video address to Copeland Ministries on a smartphone with an appeal for Christian brother and sisterhood.  He asked Copeland Ministries to pray for him, and after the video address the assembled crowd was more than willing to oblige.  This and numerous other events have shown an unprecedented witness from the papacy towards the evangelical community.

"We could not have imagined this even two years ago," says Armstrong.

Left to right, top then bottom: Bishop Tony Palmer, Francis with Rev. James Robinson,
Kenneth Copeland with Francis, Francis' video address to Copeland Ministries.

4.  Public Recognition by Leaders

Pope Francis is certainly in a category all to himself.  That being said, Armstrong affirmed that there are efforts being made by other leaders from both sides--including Catholic bishops and evangelical pastors--to reach out to one another in public ways. 

These can be muddy waters, since the evangelical world is largely non-hierarchical.  "Who do you talk to?" asks Armstrong.  Who can speak for the evangelical world?  It is not as easy as it is in a hierarchical institution, but there are pastors and other leaders whose words carry weight with evangelical Christians.

The National Workshop on Christian Unity where Armstrong gave this talk is a perfect example.  For over 50 years, Catholic and mainline Protestant ecumenical workers have gathered together to roll up their sleeves and plot the course for unity.  The last couple of gatherings have started to feature non-denominational evangelical Christians.  Armstrong himself is on the national planning committee. 

Likewise, the Lusanne movement has been a voice for the unity among evangelical Christians since 1974, evolving in large part out of the ministry of Billy Graham.  In recent years, it has begun to recognize Catholic and Orthodox churches more openly.  Representatives from those churches have participated in the movement, including the significant Cape Town Congress held in 2010.

5.  Marketplace Ministries

"Our people already know each other in the workplace," Armstrong asserts.  "Catholics and evangelicals are the ones who get into Bible studies together and talk about marketplace ministry.  They talk about what it means to bring their Christian values into the workplace.  They are the ones having the serious conversations about not just making money but prospering people and creating [Christian] culture through business.

"The proliferation of marketplace ministries in the last 5-8 years has been a phenomenon that Catholics may not have not tracked the way that some evangelicals have.  It is a great form of mission."

6.  Catholics Immersed in Evangelical Experience

The last two points I am adding from my own experience.  The first one is not recent, but I believe it figures prominently into what is happening today.  For the past few decades, Catholics have learned about the evangelical Christian world and its language.  When I was going to college 20 years ago, it was common for evangelical Christians to encourage Catholics to put down their rote prayer books and instead talk to Jesus as a personal friend.  American Catholicism had gotten stale for many people, and most were poorly catechized in the first place.  For them, Catholicism had degenerated into empty "rules and routines" that had gotten divorced from their meaning.  The freedom to be expressive in prayer and worship in evangelical worship was a breath of fresh air.  It was attracting Catholics in large numbers, many of whom converted.

In addition, evangelicals witnessed to many Catholics (including me) what it is like to have a private and personal relationship with Scripture outside of Mass.  The Catholic Church as an institution has always had a vibrant, living relationship with the Bible.  Scripture has always been intimately woven into all the theology and doctrine as well as the official prayers of the Church, including the Mass. The Catholic Church is inseparable from the Bible.  However, over the centuries that has not filtered down to individual people very well (illiteracy and ecclesial control over Biblical interpretation figured prominently in previous centuries).  That has changed dramatically in recent years. Individual Catholic are developing a relationship with Scripture in both academic study and personal devotions.  The influence of evangelicals to model and encourage this cannot be understated. 

Catholic converts helped fill the pews in evangelical churches in recent years.  Perhaps they also brought a worldview that may have unexpectedly paved the way for the next point . . .

7.  Surge of Interest by Evangelicals in Catholic Tradition

It is fascinating to watch the pendulum swing.  What was unthinkable 20 years ago is now becoming commonplace.  Just like many Catholics fell into a lull in the relationship with their tradition only to be reignited in their faith through evangelical Christianity, so too now many evangelicals are finding nourishment by exploring parts of the Catholic tradition that they previously have kept at a clear distance. 

The freedom to pray to Jesus in a spontaneous, ordinary conversational style can be freeing to someone who has always recited prayers out of a book.  However, after a while of praying spontaneously, people can find themselves running out of things to say or losing direction.  Structured prayer can bring a focus and a discipline.  It is like a workout--it can be great to go to the gym and randomly use different exercise machines.  That can invigorate the body and be a great spark to health.  However, it is also significant to have a structured program to develop strength and endurance in a focused way.  You can benefit from the wisdom of exercise experts, making sure each muscle group gets proper attention.  This sometimes means doing exercises you may not feel like doing.  A structured program can push you farther and deeper than you might have gone if left to your own initiative.  Fitness experts say that both "free days" and structure are important for health.

Long offered another example: The strongly evangelical Wheaton College recently opened up a center for Patristic Studies.  The Patristics are the early church thinkers, hermits, martyrs and saints who wrote in the first few centuries after Christ.  They lived long before the Protestant Reformation, so virtually all Christians today can claim that they are descendants of their wisdom, too.  That being said, until recently most evangelicals were reluctant to embrace or even engage with them at all.  That resistance has softened considerably as evangelicals are robustly exploring this tradition and finding a place within it for themselves.

Today, many evangelicals know far more about the Patristics, the monastic traditions, liturgy and Catholic Social Teaching than many Catholics.  Not only are they keeping alive precious traditions, but they are breathing new life into them with an evangelical fervor.  We are indeed "minding each other's traditions."



Wildflower bloom in Colorado.

A Bloom Seasons in the Making

The proliferation of Catholic and evangelical relations has been as least "several decades in the making," as Armstrong attests, and he would know having been at the forefront of the movement since the early 1980s.  While it may seem like all this activity has just spontaneously appeared, the reality is that the seeds have been planted long ago.  What we are seeing now is a bloom.  It is our call to pay attention and be receptive to the harvest that the Holy Spirit brings us.

"It all comes full circle back to that friendship, trust and love," says Armstrong, referring to the example Bergoglio showed all those years in Buenos Aires before becoming pope.  The flowering in his relationships with evangelicals did not just happen overnight.  People Francis built those relationships in the same way that any of us can build them--through conversation, friendship, mutual prayer and genuine care and concern.

"In this kairos moment, we need to do everything we can to know each other, to love each other, to pray for each other, and to take this not only into our ecumenical relationships, but to take it right down to the level of the parish, to our people."

Indeed, the energy and enthusiasm at that Catholic-evangelical dialogue at the NWCU was the strongest of any I experienced there.  There is a freshness as Catholics and evangelicals have truly discovered each other and are taking their relationship seriously.  This is not to downplay energy elsewhere--some denominations have been in dialogue for decades, and there is a well cultivated maturity to those discussions that comes with the passage of time--but the vibrancy of the Catholic-evangelical dialogue is a telling sign that yes, something is happening.



Artistic depiction of a kairos moment.
http://fireflyimageworks.com/blog/?p=705

This post is the second installment in a series about the National Workshop on Christian Unity.  See the first part, called The Untanglers.

The Untanglers

Stop #2 on my Religious Unity Tour!

The National Workshop on Christian Unity, part 1

 

Jesus calls us to be "fishers of men," but our nets are all tangled up.

It is absolutely wonderful when Christians can demonstrate profound unity when gathered for a common purpose, such as the social justice activism featured in my previous post.  There is no question that these expressions inspire our imaginations as to the unity that is possible.  Nevertheless, the fact remains that the denominations themselves still have on the books doctrinal differences which make for greater and lesser fractures in the Body of Christ. 

Some folks see beyond those differences, focusing on the unifying aspects and trusting that in a mystical way Christ unites what people think is divided.  Still, those differences--and what they mean for the life of the community--can only be waived away for so long before they require attention.  They found their way onto the books for good reasons.  Their continued presence on the books says something about who we are and what we mean to each other.  Centuries of separation, misconceptions, theological and even physical battles have left the visible unity of Christianity in a tangled mess. 

In the midst of all this, some people have the noble calling to meet these differences head-on.  They do the painstaking work of untangling this mess bit by bit--reconciling what can be reconciled, differentiating between style and substance, healing wounds, building relationships and trusting in the Holy Spirit to help Christian communities transcend this quagmire.  They are on a quest to discover that New Testament ideal of unity in diversity in a very imperfect but blessed world.  Someone has to come along to cross the t's and dot the i's.  This is the setting for the National Workshop on Christian Unity (NWCU). 

The modern ecumenical movement has been going strong worldwide for over a century.  The Catholic Church officially joined the conversation during Vatican II with decrees on both ecumenism and interreligious dialogue.  It was in the wake of Vatican II that the NWCU began.  It is an event guided by the official ecumenical officers from Catholic, Episcopal, Methodist and Lutheran churches.  Representatives from other denominations are present, as well, with a hope for more denominations in the future.  A growing presence of evangelical Christian leaders has been featured in recent years, as well.

Advice from Islam and Judaism

Given that 2015 marks the 50th anniversary of Nostra Aetate--the Catholic Church's groundbreaking document from Vatican II on its relationship to non-Christian religions--there was a strong focus on interfaith relations at the NWCU this year.  While it may seen incongruous at first glance for a workshop on Christian unity to feature non-Christian voices, it is those outside voices which can offer both refreshing and challenging perspectives.

Dr. Sandra Keating (pictured at left) shared valuable insights from her decades-long work in Catholic-Muslim dialogue.  Her words during the opening plenary were challenging and seemed to hang over the assembly as the week progressed.  She brought this perspective:  "For many Muslims, the fact of Christian disunity is a clear sign of the lack of truth of Christianity."  She points to statements in the Koran which demonstrate that even in the fifth century, "the infighting among Christians was already an obstacle to bringing people to the faith."  That was 1,000 years before the Protestant Reformation and 500 years before the schism between Catholics and Orthodox.

Keating affirmed strongly the importance of the work of Christian unity.  She mentioned that a lot of Christians are not concerned with "visible unity," thinking it has little relevance outside of the church.  However, a Muslim in dialogue with a Catholic may wonder what that dialogue means since a Catholic does not speak for all Christians.  In addition, to many Muslims, "divisions in Christianity are a sign that Christianity is dying, not protected by God and not chosen by God." 

Keating points out that the ecumenical movement in the past 50 years has gone a long way to help this perception with denominations doing a lot together out in the open.  Much work remains.  "Interreligious dialogue has told us that the need for some kind of Christian unity is essential for Christian witness in the world.  However legitimate the differences and divisions may be, on the outside it seems very different."  Many outside of Christianity see a "lack of charity" in these disagreements, she says, which calls into question the credibility of Christianity itself.  This is feedback she has gotten over and over through the years.  Islam partially came out of this context and looked to Christian divisions as an example of what not to do.  Why take Christianity seriously if Christians themselves cannot even agree on what it means?

Most westerners may think that the same kinds of divisions exist in the Muslim world.  Keating pointed out that those divisions are perceived as less doctrinal and more political.  The average Muslim would not see them the same way that Christianity has splintered over nuanced interpretations of theology and doctrine with some groups claiming exclusivity of the tradition over others.  While there is certainly room to interpret whether this is a fair estimation of the world of Islam, nevertheless, it is a common belief of many mainstream Muslims and it impacts their perception of Christianity. 



http://edeio.org/2015/04/24/nwcu-resources-part-one/

Dr. Amy-Jill Levine (pictured at left) treated the assembly to extended discourses on the nature of Judaism.  In particular, she pointed out places in which Christian preachers tend to misrepresent and misunderstand the Jewish tradition, both in Scripture and history.  She focused on what Christian preachers get wrong in their readings of the parables and other Gospel narratives by not understanding Jewish tradition well enough.  Check out this interview or her books (which you can find online) for a more in-depth study. 

"The more you know about first century Judaism, the more profound the parables become," she argued.  As the article says and which her talks expressed so well, "a better understanding of Judaism can make one a better Christian."  Without that background, we can miss so much of the symbolism and meaning.  For example, Jesus was born in a manger, which happens to be a feeding trough.  It is related to the word mange, in modern Italian. "Where else would you put the person who was going to become bread for the world?"

There is not room here to present all that she taught, but it is enough to say how vitally important a Jewish perspective can be for Christians.  As Levine pointed out, Scripture is clear that the disciples of Jesus were often unaware of the depth of Jesus' teaching and the meanings of his stories and parables.  With that in mind, we should consider that the wisdom handed down to us through our respective traditions (which comes handed down from those very disciples) may benefit from some additional perspective.  As a result, a place where Christians can find unity is in scientific, historical evidence.  On this plateau, we are all united as we have access to the same information.  We may go beyond what history teaches based on what our respective traditions have taught, but we can all be on the same page as far as historical understanding.

Visible Partial Unity

The NWCU features worship services at local churches of various denominations, talks on relevant topics and breakout sessions where denominational representatives discuss the current state and stage of their dialogue.  The worship services themselves tell a story on a visceral level that perhaps cannot be understood any other way.  

The opening worship was at Little Rock African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church.  It calls to attention the history of the Methodist Church which has been divided more along the lines of race and worship style than by theological differences.  The history is long and complex, and I do not want to oversimplify it here.  It is enough to say that race often comes up as a critical factor in the quest for Christian unity. Churches segregating themselves by culture can be either benign or oppressive depending on the circumstances, so it is always worth keeping that discussion at the forefront with a watchful eye.  On a related note, Rev. Ted Sample offered two sessions during the workshop on "The Talk and Practices of Poor People."  How we use language matters, and differences in economic class and race must be considered when working toward the whole, unified Body of Christ.

The choir at Little Rock AME Zion Church.



St. Peters Catholic Church, Charlotte, NC.

The next day featured a Roman Catholic Mass at St. Peter Church, with Eucharist offered to only those in "full communion" with the Catholic Church.  The following day, a Eucharist service was held at St. Peter Episcopal Church.  A Lutheran minister gave the sermon, a testament to the unity between Lutherans and Anglicans.  Yet, Catholic policy would have Catholics abstain from communion there.  Songs and Eucharist prayers were intentionally repeated between the two services to show parallels and suggest continuity.  The fact that both churches are named "St. Peter's" adds another level of symbolism.


St. Peter's Episcopal Church, Charlotte, NC, full view of the pipe organ.

Evangelical Christianity enters the discussing by offering itself as an example of how to break through all this.  Christian identity to them is rooted almost entirely in an individual profession of faith in Jesus Christ and his Scriptures.  Christian unity can be built on that and that alone, they argue. 

In light of this, an excursion was made to CharlotteONE.  This is a worship service targeted to millennials.  It is open to all, regardless of denomination.  It typically features contemporary Christian music and preaching.  It was showcased as a possibility of how to transcend denominational lines, especially with a younger generation which has far less allegiance to denominational membership than previous generations.  It acts in some ways as an entry point to Christianity, and organizers can help participants discern a formal church membership with any number of denominations.

CharlotteONE:  A new way to bring young people to church.

The setting for CharlotteONE:  An historic Methodist Church.

The difficulty with "non-denominational" events is that they are mostly expressions of evangelical Christianity rather than something fully inclusive.  Like most efforts at unity, they shows positive "signs of the Kingdom" which call us to imagine what is possible.  But while they are open to all, they require some Christians to give up or downplay many pieces of their Christian identity in order to participate.  As a result, they are oddly fully open and very limited at the same time.  CharlotteONE seems to offer evangelical Christianity as the unifying force in Christianity.  There is promise is this method but also shortcomings, and it is important to acknowledge both.

While most hierarchical denominations would agree that there are pieces of their tradition that are more central than others, the evangelical alternative falls short to many.  Evangelical Christianity can have a strong role to play in the quest for Christian unity, but by itself it cannot be the answer, because for better or for worse it has become one tradition among many--albeit a popular and powerful one, perhaps even a meta-tradition. Focusing on a few core beliefs in common is a healthy exercise for all Christians.  However, I have to believe that the answer to the prayer of Christian unity is not stripping away all of tradition down to a few fundamental building blocks, but rather acknowledging all of our traditions in their sum total and reconciled with each other.  Still, that core relationship with Jesus Christ is the foot in the door that brings us all together, and the importance of that in creating a common language and family bond between Christians must be acknowledged.  To the extent that evangelical Christianity has loosened the denominational approach of Christianity and reclaimed Christianity as a movement of the people, much fruit will come of this.

Contemporary Christian music at CharlotteONE.

All in all, this is a snapshot of how far we have come and how far we still have to go.  It is worth pointing out that 50 years ago it was often forbidden for members of one denomination to attend services of other denominations or even step foot into their worship spaces, except for extraordinary events such as a funeral.  We have certainly come a long way in a short time.

VIDEOS:  Some videos and audio recordings of the NWCU are available from EDEIO (Episcopal Diocesan Ecumenical and Interreligious Officers).  Their first installment includes portions of Dr. Sandra Keating's talk on Muslim perspectives on Christian unity and the song "By the Grace of God" by the Little Rock AME Zion Church.  More will be uploaded to their site later.

Coming Up...

In the next installment, we will look at the National Workshop on Christian Unity in terms of the vibrant Catholic and evangelical Christian dialogue!

Christian Unity in Full Bloom

Stop #1 on the Religious Unity Tour!

 

Ecumenical  Advocacy Days

 

In the halls of Congress. Photo: advocacydays.org.

 

A vibrant gathering has been taking place in Alexandria, Virginia, one weekend every year since 2003.  In the shadow of the Pentagon, Christians from dozens of traditions pray, study and act on a specific theme of injustice which has been chosen for that year.  Vibrant interdenominational worship and challenging discussions prepare participants in mind, body and spirit for the culminating event: A Lobby Day on Capitol Hill. On that final Monday, this ecumenical assembly divides up by Congressional district to advocate for the less fortunate.

 

There are over 60 sponsor organizations for Ecumenical Advocacy Days (EAD).  These include the official justice and advocacy offices of church denominations, religious orders and faith-based non-profits.  It is hard to define a group of people by a single expression.  Calling this "the peace movement" or a collection of diverse "social justice movements" only goes so far as descriptors, but for the sake of simplicity I will use these terms interchangeably in this post. 

 



Under the watchful eye of Abraham Lincoln, faith leaders discuss
 mass incarceration from a Gospel perspective with Congressional staff members.
Photo: advocacydays.org.

The theme for this year was Breaking the Chains:  Mass Incarceration & Systems of Exploitation.  Racism, for-profit prisons, "mandatory minimums," torture, solitary confinement, immigrant family detention, human trafficking and related issues were all explored in great detail and passion.  The economic and cultural impact of mass incarceration was shown in its debilitating reality.  The verdict is clear:  The prison system in the USA is in dire need of reform as it does not come close to living up to Gospel values.  Over 1,000 advocates participated in the lobby this year.

 

Click here for the Lobby Day asking points.

 

The event kicked off with impassioned preaching by African Methodist Episcopal and United Church of Christ pastor Rev. Traci deVon Blackmon, shown below:

 

Rev. Traci deVon Blackmon. Photo: advocacydays.org.

Bishop José García from the Church of God of Prophecy led the interdenominational worship on Sunday morning. He compared the gathering to the "school of prophets" mentioned in 1 Kings.
 

 

Bishop José Garcia. Photo: advocacydays.org.

Recordings of the talks are available here.

 

This is a multi-racial, multi-lingual, multi-denominational gathering that includes mainline and evangelical Christians.  Participants and sponsors range from American Baptist to Christian Scientist to Catholic along with the full range of mainline Protestants.  Presbyterians are one of the strongest core members of this gathering.

 

It might be more curious to mention what is absent.  In the worship services, workshops and talks, there are few appeals for Christian unity.  There are no extended dialogues in which speakers try to convince the participants to reach across denominational lines for a common purpose.  It is mentioned, but very few people are spending energy making the case for Christian unity.  On the contrary, the unity of all Christians is simply a given. 

 

As a result, it is very difficult to talk about Christian unity in the peace and social justice movements.  Unity happens so seamlessly, so well and it has been going on for so long that it is puzzling to even know what to say, other than just to say that much.  It is quite an impressive tradition.  People get along so well, religious harmony is taken for granted and working ecumenically is second nature to most folks.  It is not shocking, novel or new to work across denominational lines for peace and justice.  In fact, it is assumed.

 

The ecumenical story here is that there is not much of a story.  Paradoxically, that is quite a tale to tell.

 

Visible Signs of the Kingdom

 

EAD is a faith-based movement.  It comes from denominations, and it comes from individuals.  It attracts people with certain theologies, and over time, it has developed its own styles, attitudes and faith perspectives.  A Catholic at EAD may feel she has more in common with a Mennonite at EAD, for example, than with members of her own congregation.

 

What is interesting is that it has not become a denomination in its own right.  Folks still pretty much remain as members of their respective denominations.  In this way, they act as salt of the earth.  They pray, study and act on the nonviolence of Jesus and the social activism that they feel called to through the Gospel.  They gather for mutual encouragement and collaboration in mission. Afterwards, they return to flavor their respective churches and communities back home.  When folks talk of Christian unity, often the first thing that comes to mind is the relationship between denominations. The role of non-institutional, organized-but-informal movements in my opinion has always been far underrated in their importance as a representation of the Body of Christ.

 

There is probably no other group that embodies religious harmony as well as the peace and social justice movements. Unity is just the context through which business is done for them.  Perhaps it is because when you work for social justice, you realize very quickly that you simply cannot accomplish much by yourself.  Helping to usher in God's Kingdom and promote peace, harmony and justice on earth takes a village and more.  It requires all hands on deck.  It has to happen through community; it has to happen through collaboration.  It means reaching out to people that at one time you would not normally reach out to.  Through that work, a unity has been realized that the official denominations have yet to fully implement themselves.  Still, a visible sign of the Kingdom has been seen, and we cannot now un-see it.  The Body of Christ clearly extends beyond the reach of denominational bounds, leaving to those denominations the task of figuring out how to catch up (we will see how those denominations are coming along in the next post!)

When it comes to the story of Christian unity, the peace and social justice movements are strong witnesses.  Perhaps it makes sense that this would be the first stop on my journey of religious unity.  This is Ecumenism 101.  Christians united for a common purpose is THE primary starting point.  Having written that, I have to also wonder if the peace and justice movements do not represent an intro to unity but are rather the experienced, advanced level students.  It is easy to get the sense that these folks are so far ahead of everyone else when it comes to unity, simply waiting for everyone else to catch up.  They accept and appreciate their differences and seamlessly work together with a common spirit.  

 

Part 2 of this Religious Unity Tour will showcase the National Workshop on Christian Unity: Exploring the work that denominations themselves are doing to express in their structures the unity of the Body of Christ.  Stay tuned for that post!

The Starting Line for Catholics and Evangelicals

 Where does the quest for Christian unity begin?

The 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation is coming up in 2017.  Catholics and Orthodox have been divided even longer than that, since the schism of 1074.  There are other churches where the divisions go back even farther.  Many strides have been made in the last century toward reconciliation, or at the very least, politeness.  However, the wounds and misunderstandings go deep.  Further still, the sheer impact of being divided for so long has left people with very different histories and traditions.  What can a person do to attempt to bridge this gap?

The following applies to all Christians but is especially geared toward Catholics and evangelicals.

Ecumenical exchanges are doomed to frustration if people believe that their group is the only place where truth resides.  The quest for unity ends up being reduced to an exercise in missionizing others in an attempt to convert them.  The implied message is: "Everything about you that differs from me is wrong and must be eradicated."  This is nothing more than zero-sum thinking in disguise, and there is a sinister violence which underlies it.  Instead of expecting others to simply join our particular group, how can we maintain the truths of our respective faith traditions while at the same time crossing denominational barriers in order to realize the unity that Christ prayed for?  This takes innovation.  It is a transcendence, not a simple lateral move from one group to another.

This does not mean that people have to give up the claims of their specific tradition!  Some people believe that their denomination holds the fullness of truth.  They sincerely want to reach out to others, but at the same time they do not want to undermine their own church.  The good news is that the methods outlined here do not require people to give up these deeply held beliefs.

For other folks, reaching out to other denominations is easier, because they already believe that most denominations are roughly equal and that differences are more a matter of style and context. 

Many Catholics appreciate evangelical Christianity but worry that it lacks the fullness they find in the Sacraments.  Many evangelicals respect the traditions of Catholicism but fear than many individual Catholics lack a personal relationship to Jesus Christ.  The path of Christian unity does not require that people give up the claims of their tradition or the concerns about their neighbors--it just requires opening up to the possibility of the good elsewhere.  I believe this is good news.

 

A Catholic Perspective

The Catholic Church admitted at Vatican II that "many aspects of sanctification and of truth can be found outside her visible structure [i.e. the Catholic Church]" (Lumen Gentium no. 8). 

This is very freeing.  It has freed us from an all-or-nothing fallacy.  Whether someone is a staunch traditionalist or a progressive-minded reformer, this speaks to all.  You see, from this vantage point it does not matter if a person thinks the end result is that everyone needs to convert to his or her denomination or not.  The end goal is not as important as the task to do today.  When we meet someone from another church, we can seek out the good that is there.  We can name it and celebrate it as the gift from God that it is.  We do not have to know ahead of time what the Holy Spirit will do from that point forward.  There may be a transformation in store, perhaps even a mutual one.

In previous time periods, there was a general fear commonly held to even acknowledge that anything could possibly be good about other denominations.  This has long since been put to rest.  We can expect that good things are present everywhere, as we know that God is always speaking to everyone in every place.  There is no need to be suspicious about things that seem good which are outside of our tradition or be threatened by them. 

 

For a Catholic, this is the starting line:  A sharing of gifts.  We can stand strong on the shoulders of Vatican II and all subsequent popes and live out the mantra for unity that St. Pope John Paul II so often named.  It works this way:  When two people from different denominations meet, they can both testify:  "This is what God has done in my life and in my church community.  Please share with me what God has done for you and your community."  We share by word and by deed.  And we keep sharing and sharing and sharing.  Through this sharing, we come to realize new things.  We listen with our minds as well as our hearts.  Walls break down, glaciers melt and coldness is replaced by warm regard.  Perhaps in time the various groups move into a new form of unity that in our present context we cannot imagine.  Such is the Kingdom.

 

The Catholic Church acknowledges that all Christian Baptism is a valid incorporation into the Body of Christ.  This is huge.  It signifies that the Body exists in part outside the boundaries of the Roman Catholic Church.  This is important for Catholics to remember.

When Catholics bring their non-Catholic friends and family to Mass, many report that they feel embarrassed that communion is closed.  The Catholic Church officially allows the sharing of Eucharist only with Catholics.  While this may feel unwelcoming, and it is certainly a painful reminder of the separation of Christians that still exists, we must also remember that the Catholic stance on Baptism is extremely open and welcoming.  There is a very wide space for grace and creative possibilities.

 

An Evangelical Perspective

Evangelical Christian leader Kevin Offner (pictured at left) shares where he believes the starting points are from the vantage point of his own tradition in this talk:

"The centrality of the gospel and the authority of the Bible—With this lowest-common-denominator, non-ecclesial mark of orthodoxy, the room for unity across denominations and traditions is great. In fact, this surely is one of evangelicalism’s most significant legacies to American Christendom: the ability to cross denominational lines for the sake of the gospel.”

 

Offner is urging Christians to focus on what they have in common.  Stick to the basic core beliefs in Jesus Christ and His Gospel, he says.  By being freed of the other "stuff" of religious tradition, evangelical Christianity becomes a very swift and mobile phenomena.  It can adapt and assimilate many people to itself and itself to many contexts easily. 

 

While evangelical Christianity is often very adamant about these fundamentals, it also can, in some cases, lower the stakes about some of the other nuances.  This is not to say that evangelical Christians do not take very seriously some very detailed theological points.  What Offner is suggesting, however, is that inherent within evangelical Christianity is the ability to move forward from a few basic, fundamental points. Once folks can mutually affirm these basic core beliefs, then they have a platform for conversation in true brotherhood.  This implies saving energy for the non-negotiables of the faith and letting secondary differences be secondary.

 

While evangelical Christians have historically been more reluctant about the movement for Christian unity than other groups, Offner sees a bright potential:  "Evangelicalism is uniquely capable of promoting ecumenical gatherings of Christians."

 

For Both Catholics and Evangelicals

We can all start from a standpoint of humility.  All of our churches bear some responsibility for divisions.  The Catholic Church is not living up to its mission to be truly universal.  Evangelical and Protestant churches have splintered into many denominations and they just keep on splintering.  We have all failed to maintain oneness and no group can claim a blameless record in this long and sometimes even bloody history.

It can start with friendship.  The difficulties of navigating sensitive theological matters is often best weathered when there is true mutual regard on a personal level.  "I don't know where it can go, but I can tell you where it can start:  With friendship" says Pentecostal Pastor Bryan Wheble (pictured at left) from Revival Vision Church of God in Maynardville, TN, speaking Christian unity.  Friendship opens the heart as well as a space for true dialogue.

For Glenmary Brother Craig Dignmann, the first step is "you just start talking."  He was struggling for a while trying to discern the direction of his ecumenical ministry.  He knew he wanted to reach out to Christians outside of his denomination, but he did not know how.  The answers just started falling into place once he was present and in conversation with people.  One conversation lead to another question which lead to another contact and so on and so forth.  The Spirit did the rest.  

What we have above are several different yet very similar ideas of how anyone--a lone individual or an entire church parish--can start the process of building bridges between Christians:  Start a dialogue of mutual testimony centered around how God has gifted you and your community.   Be open without giving up the claims of your faith. Stay rooted in common, core beliefs.  Be humble.  Open the door to friendship.  And just start talking.

This is not an exhaustive list.  There are many more methods and practices for the journey.  But like the subject matter of this post itself, this is a start.

Only the Holy Spirit knows where this will lead.  We do know, however, some good places where the process can begin.

Religious Unity Tour in the Spring!

Presence. 

Participation. 

Sharing the Story. 

Representatives from Glenmary's Commission on Ecumenism will be hitting the road shortly to build bridges with various religious groups in many settings. 

We will be reaching out to religious movements, collaborations between faith groups as well as to individual denominations themselves.  Unity happens in many ways in many contexts.  While our focus is the relationship between Catholics and evangelicals, we will be interacting with folks across the Christian spectrum and even going beyond that into interfaith relationship building.  It promises to be a wild ride!

Without further adieu, here is the spring lineup:

Ecumenical Advocacy Days

As the name suggests, Ecumenical Advocacy Days in Alexandria, VA, is a large assembly of faith groups from many denominations that gather to pray, study and act for social justice.  Advocacy work on behalf of the poor and marginalized is one of the most longstanding ways that Christians have joined together in unity.  This gathering starts with weekend worship services and breakout sessions on topics and ends with a Lobby Day on Capitol Hill meeting with Representatives and Senators.  This year's theme is: Breaking the Chains: Mass Incarceration & Systems of Exploitation.  EAD began in 2003 and has since become the most noteworthy event of its kind.

It is powerful indeed when individuals cross denominational lines to meet with the offices of their elected officials.  I attended in years past, and I enjoyed roaming the halls of Congress with about a dozen other folks from my state.  My group included secular Franciscans, Lutheran and Presbyterian ministers, a Quaker, students, clergy and lay people alike.  We were all speaking with a common voice:  That our diverse religious and cultural traditions have all led us to virtually the same conclusion that our common purpose is to build a more just and peaceful world for all. 

National Workshop on Christian Unity

The National Workshop on Christian Unity is one of the largest ecumenical conferences every year.  It is in many ways part of the "official" dialogue between denominations.  It is already in its 41st year and in 2015 it will be in Charlotte, NC.  The groups have traditionally been Catholic, Episcopal, Methodist and Lutheran, but this year promises to have a large evangelical Christian component, as well.  

North Carolina Glenmary Missions

Glenmary has two mission parishes in Windsor and Plymouth, NC.  They are rural parishes a little over an hour from the Atlantic Coast.  They are having a 3-day multi-parish retreat coming up in partnership with non-Catholic parishes, and our Commission is coming to visit.  While this is not a national gathering like the others, it is worth mentioning because it comes up in the middle of all these other events, and it represents the kind of work Glenmary typically does.

One of the five core categories of mission for Glenmary is ecumenism--the unity of all Christians.  Through our "boots on the ground" approach, based out of our mission parishes, we reach out in dialogue, friendship and mutual service with Christians of other denominations.  This ongoing grassroots work is typically the focus of this blog.  The work is slower than we may want it to be, but the results are often solid and longstanding.  The unity of Christians often happens church to church, pastor to pastor and person to person. 

 

Festival of Faiths

The Festival of Faiths is a major national interfaith event in Louisville, KY, with speakers, meditations, tours and art features all week.  This year is the 20th anniversary of the festival itself, and it also dovetails into the 100th birthday of Thomas Merton, with related events.  It unfolds more like a week-long pilgrimage than a typical festival.  As a true interfaith event, it involves all of the world's religions.  There promises to be strong glimpses into Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Judaism, Sikh and Native American traditions.

 

While there are differences between ecumenism (the unity of Christians) and interfaith work, I have found that they both require many of the same themes and attitudes for success.  Patience, understanding, true respect and openness to where it may lead are all crucial.  Glenmary has been consistently involved in this festival in years past, and we hope to be in the future, as well!

Southern Baptist Convention

The Southern Baptist Convention is an ideal time to deepen our relationship with the largest denomination in the regions where Glenmary serves.  This is the major national gathering for the SBC, so it is both a privilege and an honor for our group of Catholic missionaries to be invited into the Press box.  Glenmary has generally had someone attend this almost every year since the late 1960s.  We are still the only Catholic group to have this honor.  Our role is to observe and be present.  In the past our members have enjoyed both the warm Southern hospitality and many good conversations throughout the Convention.

Wild Goose Festival

The Wild Goose Festival is our connection to the emerging church movement at a major 4-day outdoor festival in Hot Springs, NC.  They describe themselves this way on their website:

"Wild Goose is a community gathered at the intersection of justice, spirituality, music and art . . . “Wild Goose” is a Celtic spirituality metaphor that evokes unpredictability, beauty, and grace."

While there have been Catholic speakers and many attendees in years past, we were the first Catholic group last year to have an official presence as a table sponsor--a small but visible statement that we want to be there and be in touch with this very dynamic, creative group that is doing much to envision--and actually fashion--the future of Christianity.

 

CADEIO Summer Institute

 

CADEIO stands for "Catholic Association of Diocesan Ecumenical and Interreligious Officers."  It is a professional association within the Catholic Church to support personnel as they help foster the commitment of the Church to reach out across denominational and religious lines.  This Summer Institute near Washington, D.C., is a time to train, network and find support in this important work.  While this is mostly a closed group, it is mentioned here to show the seriousness with which Glenmary, and the Catholic Church in general, consider the work of Christian unity and interreligious dialogue.

In Summation

These events are all strategic because they offer a chance to be in dialogue with some of the major groups and movements in ecumenism:  The social justice movement, the Southern Baptists, the emerging church, denominational relationship-building, interfaith dialogue as well as continued grassroots ecumenism at the Glenmary missions. 

In some cases, just having an "official" presence is a form of outreach in and of itself:  Our presence says that we want to be in relationship and that we matter to each other.  Being present can be both simple and profound. 

 

However, we also hope to go beyond that into making connections and advancing the discussion of Christian and religious unity, always on the lookout for visible signs of the Kingdom.  We plan to be present, participate and then share the story widely.

 

Stay tuned as we share stories and insights from these events in the coming weeks!