A Quest for
Unity in Diversity
-Kevin Shrestha
Every Christians are nominated as Ambassadors of Christ (2 Cor.
5:20). On basis of the great mission handed to us by our Lord (Matthew 28:19),
we voyage from our local area to the world sharing the gospel despite of any
persecution and struggles (2 Timothy 4:2-5). We proclaim Jesus as the only way
to God and salvation (Acts 4:12). We proclaim the Bible as inspired scripture
(2 Timothy 3:16-17).
God created humanity in His own image and likeness (Gen. 1:27).
Therefore, everyone has their own will, desire, reasoning power and
understanding. No mere human in this world are identical in a particular
ideology or opinion. This is why Colossians 3:12-17 urges us to be tolerance,
forgiving and loving. However, today we see lack of tolerance in Christendom
but the more we encounter the vast differences.
Churches have been divided into different denominations.
Different positions are emerging for the same foundational doctrine. Unity is
seen less today and division is emerging out in light speed. There are some
Christian youths today who really concern these issues and worry about the
future generation. Not a single teaching today has a definite interpretation
and the critics are taking diamond opportunity to prepare their missile. It’s
high time for every one of us to address the unity even in diversity.
I don’t want to expose the names but I need to address some
problems today in Christian learners. They often don’t want to raise questions
thinking it addresses their lack of faith on Word of God. They just believe in
the Bible and let their life go on. When they encounter criticisms in their
school, High school or Universities then they are compelled to think about
their faith and its credibility. Initially their thought was guided with living
by faith (Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11, Hebrew 10:38) but later they cling
to different questions of life and get into severe dilemma. That’s why today
the atheism is increasing in Western countries. Today’s Christians are becoming
tomorrow’s Critics. For instance, Eshter Dhanaraj is one of the living example
who discredited Christian faith. She is throwing out missiles of questions
against Christianity that she should have indeed asked when she believed the
Bible (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihkMjrXtsfM&t=413s).
Often today Church leaders and Pastors do not encourage Christian learners to
ask questions but urge them to have faith in the scripture. Today escape
approach and circular reasoning is enhanced. Backsliding thus emerges in later
days.
If Christianity is true, then why so much fragments today? One
of the very tough questions to address. I have often heard from my friends that
although such divisions exist even in Islam, Hinduism or other faiths we don’t have
such internal combats but in Christianity there is disagreement with every
issues ranging from God’s nature to denominational issues. I had no response to
this question. Ravi Zacharias said the only thing that brings unity in Hinduism
is belief in karma and reincarnation regardless of having different schooling
of philosophies and scriptural evolution (https://www.gospelherald.com/articles/70619/20170524/world-religions-include-truth-ravi-zacharias-weighs.htm).
For a Muslim, you have to accept Allah as One true God and Muhammad as his Messenger
(La illah illah Muhammad rasullah) and follow the five pillars of Islam. In
Christianity, there was no challenges during apostles’ time. They struggled
with the contemporary environment and preached the truth. Whereas modern
Christianity is growing in unstable foundation. Its columns/pillars are
becoming weak today.
A new believer obviously finds it difficult when s/he encounters
interpretation obstacles from Genesis to Revelation. The fundamental doctrines
of Christian faith today upholds different positions and a long debates is
still ongoing within the scholars. In this situation, can we say him/her just
to trust the scripture and God’s spirit shall lead you? How can s/he even know
which interpretation is correct to put his/her trust in? Faith comes by hearing
(Romans 10:17) but how can one be certain of what he/she is hearing is correct?
To have right faith, there must be right understanding. Every religions indeed
have faith. Today church needs to address this challenge.
Another issue is for the dogmatic position built on unclear
passages (Read a book by Geisler: When Critics Ask: A Popular Handbook on Bible
Difficulties). Many issues flourish around unclear passages in the Bible and
believers come up with their own dogma. We don’t know how far such dogmatic position
can be exegetical or eisegetical but it creates more barrier to initial intent
of the immediate and broader context. Today many leaders have approved even
non-essential issues as important position as core fundamental doctrines. They
have injected their dogmatic views in name of sound exegesis and hermeneutics. This
leads to emergence of heretical and cult teachings. This must also be addressed
today.
The next issue goes for how we read the Bible. Many of us forget
time and often that Bible uses plenty of figures of speech such as similes,
hyperbole, parables, phenomenological language, anthropomorphic language,
satire, etc. Omitting this case, we often read many passages literally and come
to a different conclusion that is far from the intended conclusion. We need to
understand the contemporary time, the writer, and the use of words, vocabulary,
grammar, audience, cultural context and intention or the purpose of writing the
passage in depth for effective and inductive Bible study. Literal reading or
Plain Text reading doesn’t always help one to reach the destination.
These are some reasons for the diversity today we are having in
Christendom. Yet, we must not forget that we are all one in Christ (Romans
12:5). We can have agreement and disagreement but we need to have humility (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXlfeWM2jso&feature=share).
Rupertus
Meldenius famously said, “In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; in all things, charity.
Yes, the statement in very core hits
the target as an appeal to humanity for unity in essentials, liberty in
non-essentials but charity in all. For instance, human beings need food,
shelter and clothing for livelihood. However, one cannot force a Vegetarian to
consume meat nor a residential building can be built like shopping mall
building. Similarly, as I have already said our faith rests on core doctrines
(Apostles’ Creed) and yet there resides different positions within a particular
doctrine. Generally we are habituated to address the differences more than the
similarities. For instance, Calvinism vs Arminianism on the issue of God’s
foreknowledge, determinism, predestination and election and another with the
three different positions on the great tribulation. Hence, ranging from the
controversy of Creation to the controversy of Tribulation, there we can find
great gaps. Here the civil war emerges where everyone wrestles grabbing
non-essential issues as pinnacle.
In Nepal, we often hear this: “Which
denomination do you belong to?”, “Which Bible do you read?”, “Are you a
Trinitarian or Oneness?”, “How many time do you take Lord’s communion?” etc.
Now from a new believers’ perspective, these questions are hard triggers. The
dilemma opens and faith stumbles. I was once a victim of this and still many
issues haunts me even today. Secular stage objects us by exposing the dark ages
Christianity had brought (often used by Christian critics such as Crusade,
Renaissance, Galileo case, Flat earth, Geocentrical model, etc.). This doesn’t
end here! Even today there are ongoing embarrassing events in Christendom.
Hence, the denominational issue, the scriptural fission, doctrinal
misunderstanding, etc. stands today as great barrier for us. Why would we then
expect people accepting gospel?
The tension is rather fatal in field of
science vs scripture. The issue of Flat Earth, Geocentrical model, Young Earth
Creationism, Supernatural Intervention, Global flood, etc. has brought a
drastic challenge in scattering Christians today into different positions and
dogmas. In these issues, believers fight back harshly. Often we hear from
critics that there is no science in the Bible. A book written by Surendra
Gautam and Navaraj Paneru named ‘Vedas and Bible in light of Science’ has
dropped Hydrogen bomb on the Bible. Some of the issues it addresses are
difficult to be solved even by defenders because of the problem of diversity! A
Nepali Critic named Abhisek Joshi points out same barrier for Christian world.
As he said there is greater possibility of conflict within Christians today.
Gospel is one, Savior is One and God is
One but we are dividing ourselves today. Let us think some while, if this
fragments goes on in the future how shall we be thinking to lead our future
generation? It is obvious that we all don’t have same opinion but we can at
least maintain harmony. Positions can differ but not the core doctrine. We can
still have disagreement even in agreement yet we need to quest for tolerance,
healthy discussion, love and harmony. God the Holy Spirit is same for us who
leads us. So, let us think and reflect the current situation of Christendom.
United we stand but divided we fall.
Let us be very careful on this. We are called and elected by God with a
responsibility of sharing the gospel. We are the first Bible that the secular
world reads. We are always under evaluation. Today, churches and Christian
leaders must have reflection on these challenges and try best to make a sound
environment for upcoming Christian generation and learners. Let not todays’
Christian leaders and learners be tomorrows’ critics. Let not todays’
Christianity the reason of Love, hope, salt and light to the world be
tomorrows’ Dark Age and embarrassment for the believers.
God Bless You
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