Praying together 22nd January 2023

The annual Week of Christian Unity seeks to respond to the prayer of Jesus the night before He died, as recorded in John 17,– ‘that they may become completely one’. It was first observed in 1908 by an Anglican Franciscan priest, and a Franciscan nun; over the years it gained wider recognition and is now celebrated in January worldwide with prayers and interdenominational worship services.

Writing in the Irish Times, Bishop Michael Burrows said ‘…it is the powerful reality of a common family that Christian unity dweek seeks to celebrate, and which no prejudice or theological contention should ever put asunder. (Our) challenge is to walk together in pursuit of truth and justice, learning from one another’s strengths’. He also said, though, that he didn’t expect to see ‘Church unity happen during our lifetime’.

But while initially (reluctantly) agreeing with his somewhat pessimistic prediction on the basis of current evidence from media and suchlike, we need to ask what Christian Unity would actually look like – and perhaps the situation isn’t as bleak as it first appears. I think we are actually closer than we have been for a very long time.

Any artist would tell you what happens if you mix all the colours of the palette together. The result is a murky brown. On the other hand, if instead you pass light through a prism, you get a beautiful rainbow. White light consists of all of these – take any one away, and the light is not as pure or bright. I suspect no-one would want our worship to be ‘one size fits all’. We find inspiration and richness in diversity – Paul emphasises the need on many occasions, most specifically in 1 Corinthians 12, writing about the Church as a body consisting of many parts, each with their own function.

We are blessed that in Christianity there are so many different traditions, languages and cultures – but when we proclaim ‘Jesus is Lord’, we are a united Church in many areas irrespective of those differences – indeed, because of them and the pure, clear light they bring when combined.

Where prayer for unity is needed, however, is in those traditions and Gospel interpretations that proclaim themselves superior and dismiss or reject other views. All too often, such beliefs have little or no basis in Scripture, but stem from ignorance or self-interested search for power. If we are to see unity grow even closer, in our lifetime, we must challenge those aspects which deny the comprehensive, universal and unconditional love our Father has for all His creation.