From: allenmk@ucsu.Colorado.EDU (Allen Melinda Kay)
Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian
Subject: Re: Billy Graham carrying message from the Pope
Date: 14 Apr 92 07:07:02 GMT
Organization: University of Colorado, Boulder

jevans@wheaton.wheaton.edu (Jonathan Evans) writes:

>Just one question...in saying that there has been this huge gap
>where the Protestant and Catholic churches have been in a state of
>disunity, do you mean to blame this on God. Or is this the result of 
>human means?   

I believe it is the result of human imperfection, in combination with Satan's
desire to defeat the Church.  Satan hopes that he can destroy Christianity by
keeping us divided and fighting among ourselves.  

I'm not saying that reform wasn't needed--as a Protestant, I believe it was.
However, I also believe that we worry too much about petty difference in our
doctrine and forget that we are to be one in Christ.

God was not responsible for our disunity--rather, Christ prayed that we might
be unified (John 17).  On the other hand, I do believe that God might have had
a reason for allowing different denominations to spring up.

Remember Paul's commentary about the Church being the Body of Christ?  The foot
can't say to the hand, "I don't need you!"  And if the entire body were a foot,
where would the brain, or the ears, or the mouth be?  I think that this implies
not only to individuals, but to various denominations.  If we work together,
each denomination can meet the needs of specific people, bringing them in to
Christ's Kingdom.  The Baptists shouldn't say to the Methodists, "We don't need
you."  Rather, they should work together.  I also see this happening in college
groups--there is a temptation to compete for members.  Campus Crusade and the
University Christian Fellowship are huge, while groups like InterVarsity and
Navigator are relatively small (at least, on the C.U. campus, that's what it's
like--I know there are some huge IV chapters).  Even so, our IV group is very
careful not to try to 'keep' people in our group who would be better served in
Navs or Crusade or any of the other groups.  In the same way, these groups try
to send to us people who would benefit from what IV has to offer.

By not competing with each other, even though we have some different ideas
about what is needed in a campus fellowship, we are able to meet more needs and
to serve God better.  In that way, it is good that there are many diverse
Christian groups at C.U.  And the best of all is when we come together as one
group for things like prayer, and also for fun.  And when we get down to it,
our different idea are not all that important.  What is important is our common
bond in Christ--we are family.  

I think that various denominations could profit from this type of philosophy,
looking to serve God together, rather than competing about who can serve
Him best.   

There are benefits and drawbacks to having so many different denominations--not
just Catholic and Protestant, but Catholic (and from what I can see there are
many different forms of Catholicism), and a wide range of Protestant
denominations.  Perhaps these divisions are due to human sin and
misunderstanding, but God has demonstrated powerfully where people have allowed
Him to do so, that He is able to take our failings--our divisions and
disagreements--and use them for good.  

>    I think you make a good point in that Protestants and Catholics need
>some re-unification. However, I don't think a synthesis of the two 
>traditions (with countless denominations) is the answer. I think it would
>benefit the work of Christ for both groups to come together to discuss
>important religious matters (which happens in academics) and more importantly
>joining together to aid in overcoming the social ills plaguing our planet (e.g.
>helping the poor, working in the third world, et al...). Already a lot of this
>work is being done, but unfortunately it isn't enough. Sorry if I'm going off
>on tangents. I would appreciate a clarification of your position, and what you
>feel about this...

I agree entirely with this, as you probably guessed from what I wrote before!
We are errant, fallible humans, and thus we disagree on our interpretations of
inerrant, infallible Scripture--we even disagree about whether Scripture IS
inerrant and infallible (and no, I'm not looking to renew that argument)--it is
not likely that we are going to come to a compromise or an agreement all of a
sudden.  But we can still work together.

-- 
Melinda K. Allen                  The LORD is close to the brokenhearted 
allenmk@ucsu.colorado.edu       and saves those who are crushed in spirit.   
allenmk@tramp.colorado.edu			               Psalm 34:18