Elusive Unity

Church leaders throughout Christendom continue to pursue their aim of a world-wide Christian unity-ecumenism, as they call it. However, this is proving to be remarkably elusive. Just as the movement seems set for rapid advance, set-backs delay its progress.

For example, a joint Anglican-Roman Catholic commission has worked for twelve years to prepare the theological ground for reunion of these two churches. The commission's final proposals were published nine months ago. In broad terms the representatives of both sides agreed that there was no doctrinal barrier to reunification. Admitting that the greatest problem was the office of the Pope, they nevertheless considered that this was not insuperable. Indeed the report did not refer to him as Pope, but as "Bishop of Rome", and suggested his functioning as "universal primate". In this role the Anglicans felt able to accept the idea of a single head of the church in Rome, "both as a gift of God and a practical necessity".

There was accommodation also on the Roman Catholic claim to papal infallibility in matters of faith and morals. While avoiding the term infallibility, there was willingness to concede that the Pope might be preserved from error. From the Anglican viewpoint this would imply confirmation of the Pope's guidance through later acceptance by the church.

On the vexed question of the "real presence" of Christ's body and blood in the communion elements, an ambiguous formula was arrived at. There was profession of "belief in Christ's true presence, effectually signified by the bread and the wine, which, in this mystery, become His blood and body".

However, within a few weeks of the report's publication it came under criticism from the Vatican Congregation for the Defence of the Faith. This body acts as a watchdog for the Catholic church on doctrinal matters, and was particularly critical of the Anglicans for not accepting transubstantiation. So what had been hailed as a major breakthrough is now brought into question.

Pope John Paul's attitudes have a similar effect. When he came to the

papacy in 1978 he promised to maintain the quest for unity with other churches, on the lines earnestly followed by Pope John XXIII and Paul VI. Three of his visits to other countries have had special significance in this connection-to the head of the Eastern Orthodox church in Istanbul; to Germany, home of the Lutheran Reformation; and more recently to Britain. For the Eastern Orthodox, Lutheran and Anglican churches each broke way from Rome, but still retained many elements of Catholic doctrine and liturgy. So there is some common ground on which to work towards reunion. It has been estimated that if these three groups were again united to the Roman Catholic church, they would together represent three quarters of the world's nominally "Christian" population.

Yet despite his zeal in visiting these countries, the Pope has in some ways made reunion with these groups more difficult. For he speaks with fervour of Christian unity in broad terms, stirring emotional desires among his vast audiences. This does of course help to break down prejudice and promote a spirit of unity. But his rigorous attitudes on doctrinal issues have proved a barrier to negotiations when it comes to implementing the detailed agreements. He has been described as "a theological' conservative ... with great differences between his image and reality".

In a more limited arena, Christian unity among British churches received a set-back this past summer. For long negotiations had been processed between the Anglicans and three non-conformist groups-Methodist, United Reformed and Moravian. All finally depended on favourable votes in the Anglican church Synod. Two houses of the Synod voted in favour; but the clergy failed by a mere six per cent to accept the union. By this very narrow margin an important bid for further church union in Britain was foiled, to the deep disappointment of its promoters. Elusive unity indeed!

Nevertheless ecumenism gains increased momentum. Rapidly changing attitudes now make possible developments which would have been thought impossible just a few years ago. For instance, Britain has traditionally been regarded by Rome as a citadel of the Reformation. Yet last May the Archbishop of Canterbury welcomed the Pope to Canterbury Cathedral for a joint ecumenical service. The Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Scotland welcomed him also to Edinburgh. Ominous reminders of the spirit of compromise which sells scriptural truths in the name of Christian unity!

Should not every believer feel the force of God's call to separation from all of unscriptural principle? Responding to this call, God's children may be guided along lines of apostolic teaching to service together for God in true divine unity.

unknown | Nov 1982
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