Diversity and Division, III

What is necessary for Christian Unity?

This is a question that very much concerned the German princes and theologians, in those early days of the reformation, when they feared a breach with the Catholic Church, but feared their consciences even more. Their conclusion:

Augsburg Confession, Article VII — Concerning the Church. It is taught that at all times there must be and remain one holy, Christian church. It is the assembly of all believers among whom the gospel is purely preached and the holy sacraments are administered according to the gospel.

For this is enough for the true unity of the Christian church that the gospel is preached harmoniously according to a pure understanding and the sacraments are administered in conformity with the divine Word. It is not necessary for the unity of the Christian church that uniform ceremonies, instituted by human beings, be observed everywhere. As Paul says in Ephesians 4: “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism.” (quoted from the Kolb-Wengert edition of the Book of Concord, as translated from the German text.)

I think they got it right. This is a remarkably irenic passage. They do not identify the one holy, Christian church with their churches, nor do they in any way deny that the Catholic Church is a part of the one holy, Christian church. They clearly see this one holy, Christian church as something that transcended the divisions that were so painfully evident in their day, and so sadly remain in ours. Instead, they focus on the essentials: the assembly of all believers, the preaching of the gospel, and the sharing of the sacraments.

Now, the precise number of the sacraments (in both Lutheran and Catholic circles) has varied. But the big two in terms of Christian unity—Baptism and the Eucharist—have always been full citizens in both lists.

Peace