by Kelly Kannwischer
An article published in the October 18th, 2008 issue of the Economist titled, Mergers, acquisitions and spin-offs, examines what happens when Christian groups unite. The answer? They split. The reporter first examines the schism in the Russian orthodox church. On one side are "white" anticommunist exiles who are defiant not only of communism but any close relationship between Moscow and the church. The other side are the Patriarchate of Moscow who still uphold deals made under the Soviet regime. This intra-Russian dispute is dividing parishes, families, and churches.
The reporter then goes to examine the Reformed Church. First noted is the attempt by the WCC to merge Calvin following Protestants with Luther following Protestants. Why? Because they now feels that the doctrinal differences between Calvin and Luther shouldn't be a make-or-break matter in the 21st century. In South Africa, the mainly black and coloured Reformed churches are dismayed that their white compatriots in the Dutch Reformed church won't accept their terms for reunion. Interestingly, a sticking point has been acceptance of the "Belhar Confession" which the white Dutch Reformers don't embrace.
In their homeland, the Netherlands, a reunion 40 years ago among groups is fragile. 60,000 people left to form the "Restored Reformed Church" professing true Calvinism against the Lutheran doctrine brought in. The reporter states, "Just as happened with the Russian re-union, some clerics hovered between the amalgamated body and the dissidents, in a few cases switching sides more than once."
What about Scotland, the PCUSA motherland? The Free Church of Scotland ("wee frees") and the Free Presbyterian Church ("wee wee frees") take pride in not patching over differences between them.
Greek Orthodox clerics who quit their national church in the 1920's because it adopted a modern calendar continue to fuel schism.
And here is the reporter's conclusion, which I think we American Presbyterians should ponder - "There is a feeling that shoehorning religious groups together isn't always feasible or desirable." Quoting Odair Pedroso Mateus, a Brazilian Protestant who watches church reunions for the WCC, "Institutional reunion was a modern idea - perhaps in the post-modern era, we have to reconcile the existing diversity," he says.
Reconcile the existing diversity. Personally, I agree with the reporter that institutional union or reunion, as a force, is not nearly as strong as the power to split. "Connectedness" is not going to come through institutional unity. Rather, we will connect with others through specific relationships, partnerships, and communions as we follow Jesus in service to his people.
What do you think it means for us to "reconcile the existing diversity?"
We deal every day with bringing church and mission entities together - but not a shread of it involves institutional integration. I wholeheartedly agree that your observation is the better way: "Rather, we will connect with others through specific relationships, partnerships, and communions as we follow Jesus in service to his people."
My conclusion is that the structural unity movement (the Conciliar Ecumenism movement) missed understanding the gift of the Spirit that was and is given to each distinct mission entity. By urging structural/organizational unity over purposeful, organized partnerships (as equals), the Conciliar Ecumenism movement in effect violated the sovereignty of each group. It made light of serious differences, while making "heavy" of almost irrelevant matters, such as getting the big wigs of denominational leadership to process together in formal gatherings.
There are many pursuing authentic collaborative mission together across denominational and entity lines through the partnership and collaboration movement. We try to offer a deep resource site for this movement at the PowerofConnecting web site, http://www.powerofconnecting.net , and would invite your readers to learn about the sort of connectedness that honors different bodies while facilitating impressive and effective joint ministry and mission.
Rev. David Hackett
Associate Director
visionSynergy
Posted by: David Hackett | January 07, 2009 at 04:54 PM