Unity & Diversity

For my first post back after taking the summer off to be insane as a TA for summer hebrew I want to acknowledge something that has really hit me as a pastor.

We speak of unity in the midst of diversity in churches, but what we typically mean is one of two things:

1. We all think alike so that our diversity is really only make believe so that we can say we have "unity in diversity."

2. We all avoid the major issues that we disagree on so as to again pretend that we have unity where there is none.

Why isn't there unity between Democrat Christians and Republican Christians? Why no unity between Protestant Christians and Catholic Christians? Why no unity between "conservative" Christians and "liberal" Christians?

Well, you'll say, because insert my position here is right and insert the "other" position here is wrong. If they would just see that they're wrong, then we'd have unity. What kind of unity is that? It's supposed to be unity in the midst of diversity. Why can't we see that the resurrection of Christ is so much more important than the other issues that divide us? That's like not speaking to your sister because she wears GAP and you wear Banana Republic. The thing that unites makes the thing that divides almost superficial. 

I know, we'll still say, "But my issue is different. I am defending biblical Christianity." And I'll say...point proven.

If there is one thing my heart is set on for this year it's to more fully understand the mess we've made by making mountains out of theological mole hills and by defending fringe doctrine over unity in the Body.