This morning, my often felt disappointment over such a state of affairs was eased. I read in Acts 1:36-16:5 of what may have been the earliest division among Jesus' followers. Paul and Barnabas are about to set out on a missionary journey. They had a disagreement. And decided to go separately.
Whatever these earliest of Church leaders did, it worked. The rapid expansion of folks who responded to the Good News is a marvel and a mystery to every historian who has studied the topic. They carried the Word of Jesus to the world and the world was a better place because of their efforts. It seems not to have been hampered by the division between Paul and Barnabas. It may have (for all we know) been aided by their dividing.
We may bemoan the separations among us, but maybe the slight differences make it possible for even more persons to connect to the one body. So long as we maintain our deep appreciation for the gifts which are present in each of the denominations, then persons considering Christ can see the smorgasbord of options and be grateful that not everyone has to eat from the same platter. Being different could be a great aid in showing the width of God's mercy and the far-flung reach of God's message.
So let's give thanks for Catholics and Church of God and Presbyterians. And let's make sure that we speak of these as fellow denominations, and never refer to them as a different "church." We are all one Church; we simply speak with different dialects or emphasizes.
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