Robert K. Welsh
In the meeting of the Stone-Campbell Dialogue in June 2002 , I presented a paper on the nature of the unity we seek as Disciples of Christ within the ecumenical movement. My basic point in that presentation was that our understandings of the nature of the unity we seek have shifted in recent years — moving from an emphasis upon structural and institutional unity to one that finds its focus in relationships and mission centered in Jesus Christ. Let me lift up five points identified in that presentation that summarize key understandings of Christian unity today:
1. The starting point in all our ecumenical work and involvements is that our unity is in Jesus Christ, not in structures or institutions or theological agreement—but in the grace and love of God offered to us and to the world in Jesus Christ.
2. Christian unity is not for its own sake, but for the sake of the world and its salvation. Unity stands as a witness before are divided society and world to the power of God’s love to reconcile all things through Christ to himself (Colossians 1:20).
3. As Disciples, our understanding of unity begins at the Table where we are made one in Christ; and from the Table, we are called to witness to the message of reconciliation, welcome, and hospitality that we have experienced in our being welcomed, and sharing the bread and the cup. Unity is first-of-all sacramental, not organizational.
4. Unity does not mean uniformity—neither in belief, nor in practice. It is not based upon our agreement as Christians, but upon our shared life in the Risen Christ. We are seeking oneness in Christ, not sameness in our theology, or worship, work practices.
5. Unity is more relational than institutional.
(This is a new insight for the ecumenical movement.) Christian unity
finds its life and reality in relationships as we serve together, as
we engage in mission together, and as we worship and pray together, especially
in sharing the Lord’s
Supper together. Unity does not begin with plans of union or major statements
of theological consensus; rather unity is known as we engage in deepening
relationships with other Christians and other
churches in the lived experience of worship, confessing the faith, addressing
issues of social justice and peace together.
Models Old and New
The topic of “models of unity” has been a part of our history as Disciples since our earliest days. The goal of unity and union has never been denied— rather, the question has continued to be, “What kind of unity are we seeking? And, how is to be achieved?”
Responding to this basic concern, Barton
W. Stone saw unity not coming from theological argument or agreement,
but from the practice of love and trust centered in Jesus Christ. For
Stone, there was no single or precise pattern of union presented in the
Bible; rather, we are to go to the Scriptures seeking the same spirit
and love of Christ. Stone believed that an underlying unity already exists
among the followers of Christ, and the task of unity is to recognize
that gift which is given by God in Jesus Christ. In seeking the character
of God reflected in Jesus, Christians can become partakers of this divine
nature and manifest the divine spirit of love to one another as they
cooperate in the work of redemption. “By becoming co-workers
with the Father and the Son in the work of redemption, believers become
one with one another.” (William Garrett West, Barton Warren Stone:
Early American Advocate of Christian Unity, Nashville: The Disciples
of Christ Historical Society, 1954, p.127)
Barton Stone often spoke of four types (or kinds)
of union: book union, head union, water union,
and fire union.
Book union was based upon an authoritative creed, confession of faith
or church discipline. Head union was based upon a common opinion, and
Stone warned that
this approach was characteristic of many who denounced
creeds and made the Bible their creed. He warned that
to make interpretations of the Bible a system of salvation is equally
wrong. Water union was based upon baptism by
immersion of believers; made the primary criteria of faith, said Stone,
immersion can become sectarian. These three concepts of union Stone rejected
in favor of the fourth: the union of fire or the Spirit. This is the
perfect union achieved not by the agreement of human opinion but faith
in our “Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of sinners, and by a cheerful
obedience to all his known commands.” The road to union
is the road toward the Lordship of Christ. (Paul A. Crow, Jr., The Anatomy
of a Nineteenth Century United Church, Lexington: Lexington Theological
Seminary, 1983 , pp. 16-17)
Disciples continue to embrace much of the intent and spirit of Stone’s vision of achieving true unity based upon fire union as the model. Indeed, I believe the five basic understandings and convictions outlined above in the introduction to this paper reflect the same direction and vision as Stone was expressing in the early 19th century.
Today, Disciples continue to explore the shape of unity not only in relation to our many experiences and efforts in manifesting our oneness in Christ with other Christians, but also within the broader understanding of the vision of unity that comes to us from our involvements in the national and global ecumenical movement. It is important for us, therefore, to examine appropriate models for Christian unity afresh as we look to the new era in our life as the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and in our relationships with other churches and Christians.
It is my conviction that as our understanding of the goal of unity changed in recent years, so too our understanding of the model of Christian unity has expanded and shifted. A foundational definition of the commonly accepted vision of the goal of unity continues to be the concept that was articulated at the 3rd Assembly of the World Council of Churches in 1961 at New Delhi:
We believe that the unity which is both God’s will and his gift
to his Church is being made visible as all in each place who are baptized
into Jesus Christ and confess him as Lord and Savior are brought by the
Holy Spirit into one fully committed fellowship, holding the one apostolic
faith preaching the one Gospel, breaking the one bread, joining in common
prayer, and having a corporate life reaching out in witness and service to all and who at the same time are united with the whole Christian fellowship in all places and all ages in such wise that ministry and members are accepted by all, and that all can act and speak together as occasion requires
This statement identifies several key
elements that Disciples would affirm as essential to our quest for visible
unity today. These elements include
(1 ) a commitment to a unity that is both local and universal—“all
in each place” and “in all places and ages”; (2) a
unity whose character is intense and intimate—“one fully
committed fellowship”; (3) a unity in which the Churches share
deeply the good gifts of God—“one apostolic faith . . . one
gospel . . . one bread . . . joining in common prayer”; and (4)
a unity which enables the Church to be engaged in common mission in the
name of Christ.
Over the years, Disciples have sought
to express our unity with other Christians through various models and
approaches: organic/visible unity which would be realized in
church union; engagement in councils of churches (conciliar ecumenism);
programs and organizations committed to particular social justice ministries
or cooperation in mission (e.g., Church
World Service, Habitat for Humanity, Church Women United, local food
banks, etc.); and, joining in efforts to realize and express our spiritual
unity through common worship, prayer, and fellowship. Most of these
initiatives and approaches continue—though each has taken on new
dynamics and (in some cases) revised its basic objectives and goals.
For example, the goal of most “church union conversations” today
has shifted from a structural model to that of full communion (which
is understood to be a unity built
upon formal relationships that manifest oneness in and through common
mission, witness, service, worship and the reconciliation of ordained
ministries).
Benchmarks for the Way Ahead
The point I would want to make in this
presentation is: Whatever “model of unity” or whatever approach we take to Christian unity in this new era of the 21st century, there should be identifiable marks of faithfulness in that quest to embody God’s
gift of oneness in Christ.
Quoting from the Message from the 7th Consultation of
United and Uniting Churches in Driebergen, The Netherlands, on September
11- 19, 2002 ,
Participants in the consultation agreed
that the model of unity, if it is to deserve such a label, must be tangible
enough to
make a witness to the world, intense enough that those
in it recognized their responsibility for one another, costly enough that churches are changed as a result of being in it, and intentional enough that the body of Christ is renewed through the sharing of gifts. We also agree, however, that no one model guarantees (or denies) such an outcome. The new models remind
us to look for partners in unexpected places and to expect to be surprised
by what God will do in our methods.
In addition to these benchmarks related to our involvements
in seeking unity, I would also identify four insights and affirmations
from that message that provide a broader framework for our
discussion of appropriate models of unity for the present (and changing)
situation. These include:
a. Any model of authentic unity must directly address the issues that
divide the human family in our particular settings (e.g., combating racism
and white privilege here in the United
States).
b. Any model of authentic unity must incarnate the gospel in each place,
even as it transcends every culture.
c. Unity demands such qualities as mutual trust, accountability, and
responsibility. (One way to express this element of our life together
in unity is found in the Lutheran-Reformed “Full Communion Agreement” when
it calls for “mutual affirmation and mutual admonition.”)
d. The model of unity should seek to witness to the interrelatedness
of unity, mission, and identity. Disciples remain convinced that disunity
is an impediment to mission, and that the very fact of being united in
one body is already a witness to the reconciling power of God.
As the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) continues to be in dialogue with the Churches of Christ and the Christian Churches/Churches of Christ, we look forward to exploring new models and new approaches to expressing our unity in Christ that will both challenge us as a church and open us to new occasions of God's grace. I look forward to the discussion in our Dialogue session around the topic of "models of unity," hoping that together we might identify benchmarks that will move us into God's future with greater faithfulness and obedience to the prayer of Jesus in John 17:21, "that all may be one....so that the world may believe."
Robert k. Welsh is president of the Council on Christian Unity for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and editor of Call to Unity.