Fellowship focus 2 - March 1997
Church unity
Ecumenism or Ichneumonism
Symbol or Symbiosis
Etymology or Entomology
Often when people with differing opinions discuss religious matters they find they are using the same words. They may think they are therefore in a measure of agreement. Two questions spring to mind when discussing church unity: What is the church? What is unity? You will find the FIEC answers in item 7 of What we believe framed and hanging near the vestry door.
In discussions between Christians, long technical words are often used and we may feel foolish if we do not understand. What about the simple words? How can we refuse unity with those who point out the words of Jesus Christ in his prayer that "they may all be one" (John 17:21). Can we deny Paul's declaration of "One Lord, one faith, one baptism" (Ephesians 4:5)?
It is true that all Christians practise baptism, so Trinitarian baptism is often thought of as being the basis for Christian unity. This was the basis for the friendship between the Anglican and Roman Catholic bishops of Liverpool, David Sheppard and the late Derek Worlock according to their book Better Together. However, we believe water baptism to be a symbol of our relationship with God and that true baptism takes place when we are born again of the Holy Spirit (John 3:5, 1 Corinthians 12:13). Others believe that water baptism actually makes a baby a child of God. Can there be true unity when opinions as to the practice and significance differ? The etymology of the word will not help us answer the question. Entomology will help us understand.
Ants are insects praised in scripture (e.g. Proverbs 6:6-8). They have a symbiotic relationship with other insects, giving a measure of protection to greenfly, while they collect the honeydew excreted by the greenfly for use as food.
A greenfly rewards an ant with a drop of honeydew
If you watch the ants and greenfly on your roses before you spray them with insecticide, you will see what I mean. A low power microscope will allow you to see the ant lovingly caress the greenfly until she is rewarded with a drop of the precious liquid.
Ichneumon flies have what looks like a long sting, which is in fact an ovipositor - an egg laying tube. The female lays her eggs in the body of a caterpillar, so that when they hatch and begin to feed, they can eat the fleshy parts of the victim, taking care not to kill it.
An ichneumon fly laying her eggs in a caterpillar
By the time the ichneumon grubs are ready to pupate and turn into adult flies, the caterpillar itself has no strength to become a butterfly. It dies, and the ichneumon flies emerge ready to seek a new victim for their own families. My brother used to keep butterfly caterpillars. Sometimes he was saddened when, having cared for them for weeks, they died and ichneumon flies emerged from their bodies.
Church unity should be symbiotic, with each church contributing its strength for mutual benefit.
Sadly, many attempts at church unity are ichneumonical in that they sow seeds of doubt which take away from a living faith in Christ and grow into faith in good works, the sacraments and church leaders. Acceptance of what is false will rob us of the true gospel. Ultimately they can kill a living evangelical church (Galatians 1:6, 5:1-9)
Baptism, the age of one baptised, and whether baptism is by immersion or sprinkling cannot be the basis for unity. If we accept all those baptised, as Christians with whom we have unity, we will find, sadly, that we have made peace with those who reject the gospel of our salvation.
The only basis for true unity is salvation by faith in Christ alone, who redeemed sinners by his death on the cross. When we are saved, we are united with Christ and at are one with all true Christians. Unless we are saved, no true unity can take place.
- Entomology
- The study of insects.
- Etymology
- The study of the origin of words.
- Ichneumon
- A parasitic fly which lays its eggs in the larvae of other insects, so that as they develop the feed on the host and eventually kill it.
- Ecumenism
- A movement towards universal Christian unity.
- Symbiosis
- The association of two organisms for their mutual benefit.
- Symbol
- A sign representing an idea.
Ian.