Religious Schism
A funny word, schism is. The dictionary says that it is a split or division between strongly opposed sections or parties, caused by differences in opinion or belief. Some in the United Methodist denomination (I go to a UM church) want to split off because of issues like the marriage and ordination of gay church members. Some want to stay together being united as followers of Jesus Christ. The issue is complex and hotly debated. It points to how hard it is to find a way to agree to disagree that works for people of strong opinions.I wish this were a new phenomenon among religious folks. Sadly, it is not. Each day we see evidence in the news about age old schisms between people who supposedly follow the same God. Sunni Muslims cannot live alongside of Shia Muslims. Christians of one church see heresy in other churches. And Jews are divided along differing lines of orthodoxy.
At this point I want to offer some sort of win-win cliché. I want to quote John Wesley about finding a way to love each other even though we differ in opinion. Or speak about not majoring on the minors. Sadly, I no longer embrace such rhetoric. The sad truth is that people do not find much value in unity. Many prefer schism over finding common ground.
I guess that is the real truth. Schism is a preference. For sure it is a distasteful one for many. A necessary evil for some. A capitulation of sorts to a so-called greater truth - whatever that means. Yet religious schism is a hard reality in our world of low road winners and losers. And for sure, there are no real winners when we choose to divide.
But perhaps there is a better way? I would be interested to hear your thoughts concerning religious schism.
This is not profound, but it is what I think. The Lord is going to tell us in the By and By, "That was all so unnecessary. I simply told you to love Me, and to love one another.
ReplyDeleteLove is profound vanilla. But as Tina Turner once sang: "What's love got to do with it?" The it being religion? ツ
DeleteReminds me of the old Emo Phillips joke:
ReplyDelete"Once I saw this guy on a bridge about to jump. I said, "Don't do it!" He said, "Nobody loves me." I said, "God loves you. Do you believe in God?"
He said, "Yes." I said, "Are you a Christian or a Jew?" He said, "A Christian." I said, "Me, too! Protestant or Catholic?" He said, "Protestant." I said, "Me, too! What franchise?" He said, "Baptist." I said, "Me, too! Northern Baptist or Southern Baptist?" He said, "Northern Baptist." I said, "Me, too! Northern Conservative Baptist or Northern Liberal Baptist?"
He said, "Northern Conservative Baptist." I said, "Me, too! Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region, or Northern Conservative Baptist Eastern Region?" He said, "Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region." I said, "Me, too!"
Northern Conservative†Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1879, or Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1912?" He said, "Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1912." I said, "Die, heretic!" And I pushed him over."
When I considered myself a Christian, there were times that I just knew that I had stumbled upon Correct Theology™, and I just knew I was right! It gave a real sense of empowerment to belong to an exclusive club that had The Truth™. On the other hand, I found the existence of countless denominations appalling. The body of Christ, in thousands of splinters.
"Die, Heretic!" may be the unspoken thoughts of some Mike but I hope that "I love you brother or sister" is more representative of those who name the name of Jesus.
DeleteI believe we must stand up for what WE believe. I must stand against the act of homosextuality, because I firmly adhere to the Word of God as being unchangeable. But, by the same token I respect other's rights to believe what they believe, regardless of what "topic" we are speaking about. I truly can, and do, love the sinner while loving the sin. I have 2 of my own children who are living with people they are not married to. I do not believe that is right, based on God's word, but I love them with my whole heart and it does not effect my mother/child relationship with them. There are MANY things others do that I do not believe in but one thing I do believe for sure, one much higher than I, GOD, will do the judging in the final end and I have not been given that job.
ReplyDeleteI have read that there are over 700 denominations of Pentecostal believers Susan. Each focusing on their own views of what is orthodox and not. In my own Charismatic experience, I have seen people schism over mouth confession, eschatology, worship styles, divorced leaders, forms of leadership, spiritual gifts in church services, ordination of women and other things. Hard to believe that those who love Jesus would schism from the ones that Jesus loves.
DeleteBob, your last sentence in this response ties the package quite neatly. And yet. . .
DeleteThanks vanilla. Wish we loved folks enough to at least be their friends when they disagree with us.
DeleteThis is an interesting read, KC Bob, including the comments. I can argue it from so many different perspectives, even perhaps using different scriptures or arguments, if you will, I've heard others contend over the years.What do I really think about it though? Hmm...there's the rub. You know, I think I've had various positions over the decades but now I guess I'd say that is it is no wonder (as good or bad as that may be!) not only are we human but all us "protest-ants" have come from some strain of rebellion as it were. While, yes, it might have been necessary, in the long run, perhaps we'd have been better off waiting it out and contending for the one church-- Catholic or Orthodox?! Funny, but when I think of the 33,000 different protestant denominations, each claiming to not only have the Spirit of Truth, the Holy Spirit in them and yet diverging so much with interpretations, I think too of America. I think of how it is no wonder America embraces the loud, brash, and often rebellious image so adorned by even Harley Davidson culture originally with their obnoxious, in your face loud amped up bikes--it is b/c this country was founded on rebellion, even if again for good motives behind it too. So, all that to say that I guess I see this as all inveitable. nothing is truly good, no matter how good the motives for breaking away, as invariably someone always gets hurt or something gets corrupted in the process. YET, to remain one is intolerable at the time too. Everyone has their opinion about what are the "essentials" too --water baptism comes to mind for one. I think then the one thing believers can all agree on is weirdly enough, a "negative" as such (but also, again a positive) --that we are all sinners in need of a saviour. Beyond that, it gets quite murky!
ReplyDeleteThanks for that thoughtful comment MMm. When I consider the beginnings of the modern Roman Catholic church I have to see it as filled with a blend of paganism and the teachings of the early church fathers. I imagine there were many believers that had much difficulty when the church became an institution. Doubtful there has ever been a lot of agreement on the essentials. Church history is rife with councils aimed at settling theological disagreements.
DeleteEven so, I am confronted each day with the opportunity to allow love to trump (my own) theology when I disagree with something that a United Methodist leader asserts. Today I choose not to schism. Hopefully that will be my choice tomorrow.
I just read this. Found it in my bookmarks. I like that. So, now a year plus later, are you still choosing not to schism?
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