I found an interesting article. I thought you might be interested. I thought we would change our discussion tonight (12/11/09) to this topic instead of the study of Mark. We will pick up the study of Mark next week.
The title is "Unity, Diversity and Division." Very often we hear about the discussion of unity and division. Rarely we hear it discuss with diversity.
http://www.the-highway.com/articleOct02.html
I hope you'll find the following excerpts insightful:
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Uniformity among Christians is not necessarily a good. When carried to extremes, it becomes an evil. It can be shown that complete uniformity within the church would not enhance its beauty but rather detract from it.
the term multiformity has often been employed to excuse schism within the church. Schism is sinful division.
Multiformity and schism are by no means synonymous.
Unity that comes to expression in uniformity may well be, and usually is, superficial. On the other hand, unity that constitutes the background of multiformity is necessarily deep. For us to be at one with those who are like us is easy; to be at one with those who are unlike us is possible only if a profound unity underlies surface differences.
When love rises above uniformity and embraces multiformity, the greatest of Christian virtues comes to glorious expression.
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I did not know who Dr. RB Kuiper is. It turns out that he was the president of Calvin Theological Seminary from 1952-1956.
http://www.calvinseminary.edu/aboutUs/presidents/kuiper.php
I hope we can learn from this article about the unity in Christ.
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Some questions to consider:
ReplyDeleteIs there a difference between unity and uniformity?
Is there is difference between diversity and division?
What does unity in Christ mean? Does it mean organizational or spiritual?
How can we exhibit diversity and not division?
Where is God when there is a dispute in the church?
Biblical references:
1 Cor. 12, Eph. 4:1-16
I like this article because it picked up an area that most discussion on unity missed, uniformity and diversity.
ReplyDeleteIt seems inherently impossible to have unity and diversity together. Diversity tends to create divisions. Unity tends to force uniformity. But the Scripture teaches unity with diversity. So we need to understand the true meaning of unity from the Scripture.
On the one hand, it seems to be against our human nature. Yet on the other hand, our body is a good demonstration of this truth. There is much to learn from our body.