“That They May Be One”
Christian unity is essential. Jesus laid it out clearly in his high priestly prayer when he said, “I do not pray for these only, but also for those who believe in me through their word, that they may all be one; even as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that thou hast sent me” (John 17:20-21, RSV).
In other words, to be orthodox and orthoprax (i.e. correct believing and correct acting) we must have unity. The Church (currently divided between East and West) lacks this reality at the moment. And in an increasingly post-Christian world, it is scandalous. Jesus even says that our unity directly reflects on our message that the Father has sent Jesus. Without this unity, the message is weakened. With over 35,000 denominations, Christians have been an extemely poor witness in this regard.
Catholics since Vatican II have been open to a better relationship with other Christians, especially the Eastern Churches, with which Catholics have the most in common. I offer a few quotes from Bishop of Rome John Paul II’s 1995 encyclical Ut Unum Sint. I think they speak of the importance of ecumenism, the role of the bishop of Rome, and our close relationship with Eastern Christians:
9. Jesus himself, at the hour of his Passion, prayed “that they may all be one” (Jn 17:21). This unity, which the Lord has bestowed on his Church and in which he wishes to embrace all people, is not something added on, but stands at the very heart of Christ’s mission. Nor is it some secondary attribute of the community of his disciples. Rather, it belongs to the very essence of this community. God wills the Church, because he wills unity, and unity is an expression of the whole depth of his agape.
50, 54. [Vatican II], for its part, considered the Churches of the East with objectivity and deep affection, stressing their ecclesial nature and the real bonds of communion linking them with the Catholic Church. The Decree on Ecumenism points out: “Through the celebration of the Eucharist of the Lord in each of these Churches, the Church of God is built up and grows in stature”. It adds, as a consequence, that “although these Churches are separated from us, they possess true sacraments, above all — by apostolic succession — the priesthood and the Eucharist, whereby they are still joined to us in a very close relationship”. The Council acknowledged their great liturgical and spiritual tradition…and their own particular way of expressing their teaching… the Church must breathe with her two lungs!
61. In view of all this, the Catholic Church desires nothing less than full communion between East and West.
88, 95, 96. In the beautiful expression of Pope Saint Gregory the Great, my ministry [as pope] is that of “servus servorum Dei.” This designation is the best possible safeguard against the risk of separating power (and in particular the primacy) from ministry….All this however must always be done in communion. When the Catholic Church affirms that the office of the Bishop of Rome corresponds to the will of Christ, she does not separate this office from the mission entrusted to the whole body of Bishops, who are also “vicars and ambassadors of Christ”. The Bishop of Rome is a member of the “College”, and the Bishops are his brothers in the ministry. [Clarifying the primacy of the papacy in light of ecumenism] is an immense task, which we cannot refuse and which I cannot carry out by myself. Could not the real but imperfect communion existing between us persuade Church leaders and their theologians to engage with me in a patient and fraternal dialogue on this subject, a dialogue in which, leaving useless controversies behind, we could listen to one another, keeping before us only the will of Christ for his Church and allowing ourselves to be deeply moved by his plea “that they may all be one … so that the world may believe that you have sent me” (Jn 17:21)?
These quotes are food for thought for us all! Please note that His Holiness John Paul II is not calling for World Council of Churches type ecumenism. He is calling for a unity in truth, not a unity based on watered-down half-truth. Unfortunately, Protestant ecumenism has often meant that any meaningful tradition or practice is thrown out because it may “offend” someone, so we are left with bland, meaningless Christianity. Fortunately, Catholic and Orthodox Christians wanting unity see this as no option at all. Only a Christianity “breathing with both lungs” works. As a note, the icons are SS. Basil and Ambrose, symbolic of East/West dialogue and cooperation.
