IV. Biblical view on Ecumenism
According to Cloud, “…the Ecumenical philosophy is widespread, but it also patently unscriptural” for the following reasons:
First, ecumenical philosophy is refuted by the Bible’s teaching on doctrine. 1Tim 1:3 states “As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach NO OTHER DOCTRINE.” In other words, there is only one true apostolic Christian faith and we have been given the Holy Spirit so that we know that there is only one true faith we believe in and shall teach
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Second, the ecumenical philosophy is refuted by the Bible’s warning of false teachers who preach heresies. This is manifested through Paul’s warnings about false teachers. Not only did Paul do this but so did John, Jude, and most importantly, Jesus Christ. Jesus had warned
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John 17:21 that has been taken as one of the theme verses for modern ecumenism, states, “I pray that they may all be one Father! May they be in us, just as you are in me, and I am in you. May they be one, so that the world will believe that you sent me.” It claims that unity which Christ prayed is an ecumenical unity of professing Christians that disregards biblical doctrine. In John 17, the Lord plainly state that the unity for which He was praying is a unity based on salvation and truth and separation from the world. There is also nothing in Christ’s prayer that man is to do anything whatsoever to create the unity herein. John 17 is not a commandment addressed to men; it is a High Priestly prayer that was addressed to God the Father, and the prayer answered. It describes a spiritual reality that was created by God among genuine born again saints who are committed to the Scriptures, not a possibility that must be organized by man. It may also be seen that biblical unity is first of all a matter of having one mind in 1 Corinthians
The theological differences were some of the biggest reason why the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches split. The Eastern churches had theological roots in Greek philosophy and the Western churches had theologies that constructed on their Roman law (“Schism of 1054”, 2014, para. 3). A strong issue that the two churches had was the theological proposition of the placement and addition of “the Son” to the Roman creed. The Roman churches included the “Father and the Son” in the Nicene creed without consulting the Eastern church while the Eastern church only used the Father. The Orthodox Church believe it should have been written with “the Father” proceeded by the Holy Spirit.
ii) Church unity follows logically from fellowship of love. Members of one body; unity of belief - hence heresy a breach of unity, not just difference of opinion. Antithesis of love is the spirit that promotes schism.
Throughout the history of Christianity, there have been many different ideas on how a Christian should interact with the world in which they lived. From the biblical writings of The Gospel according to Matthew, and The Acts of the Apostles, to the non-biblical writings of On Philosophy, and The Prescription Against Heretics, the ideas of Christianity were brought together. The two non-biblical documents highlight the arguments of whether or not Christians should study Greek philosophy. The books from The Bible showed that Christian beliefs focused on how one should primarily seek their ultimate reward or satisfaction in the Kingdom of God (spiritual), rather than in the here and now (temporal). Christianity, as it began, was a faith that emphasized the importance of acting charitable towards the less fortunate, while understanding that it was ones duty to worship God and spread that love for Him to those who didn’t believe.
Believers need to avoid disunity at all costs unless the arguments concern the fundamentals of the Christian faith. As time goes on, more and more divisions unfortunately occur over trivial matters. I believe that, regardless of its denomination, every church should look to the Bible as the only source of spiritual guidance. In 1 Corinthians 2:1-2, Paul explains, "And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified." We as Christians should not interpret the Bible based upon man's understanding; rather, we must meditate upon the Word and allow the Holy Spirit to convict our hearts. I look forward to the heavenly day when all believers can worship and glorify our Father in pure
E. Harrison (p. 275) summarizes the message of the Epistle in these words: The greatest single overall emphasis seems to be on the unity of the local church as the body of Christ, which is brought out not only in connection with the discussion of the groups (i.e.; the factions within the church), but also in relation to the Lord’s Supper and spiritual gifts. A corollary is the sanctity of the church as members of Christ, both corporately and individually, (note, especially, such passages as 1 Cor. 3:16-17 and 6:15-20.) We may add, it is in this Epistle that the Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul most eloquently sets forth the supremacy of love as “the most excellent way,” which the Christian is called to follow (1 Cor. 12:31b-13:13
A worldview is a framework, so to speak, that provides a person with a set of beliefs that shape behavior. A worldview is the “set of glasses” by which one views the world and the issues that are a part of it. This “lens” provides the individual with a perspective that will think critically on societal, cultural, or moral issues from that specific worldview’s vantage point.
THE church was formed as A Body of unity! So I'm sorry for being Bold And Stating truth but to tell u what's up..
Being in this course the History of Ecclesiology and Polity, it has taught me many things about the difference in denominations of the church. In the Pauline letters Paul who was a minister of Christ Jesus wanted us to know what were the structures and order of the Gentile churches of his day.
Being one of the oldest religions in the world, the Orthodox Church has many ancient teachings, such as: there is “One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church”. This teaching is included in the Divine Liturgy of the church, and is personally one of my favorites. The Holy Trinity-Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church offers many services to everyone and continues to encourage and promote the idea that if you accept God then he will accept you. The ultimate goal for the church members is to be accepted into Heaven and the first step in doing that is to accept God.
According to Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen, “A lacuna in Christian theology is the forgetfulness of the cosmic dimensions.” That is, “In the biblical and patristic traditions, ‘cosmic’ Christologies and pneumatologies are present,” and the retrieval of tradition is “important both for the sake of interfaith hospitality and improving Christianity’s self-understanding” in interdisciplinary dialogue. Kärkkäinen points out that the cosmic Christology of the NT (John 1:1-14; Col. 1:15-19; Heb. 1:2-4) points to “the integral link between Christ’s role in creation and in reconciliation.” This universal Christology resonates with patristic theologies, but “unfortunately was by and large lost by the time of modern Classical Liberalism and its highly reductionist conception of Jesus merely as a ‘spiritual’ teacher of personal piety.” In the same vein, Christopher Knight also points out that for the patristic fathers, such as Clement of Alexandria, Origen, the Cappadocians, Maximos the Confessor, and many others, “The Logos in His kenosis, His self-emptying, is hidden everywhere, and the types of His reality, whether in the forms of persons or teachings, will not be the same outside the Christian world as they are within it.”
Yes we are called to be unified, but unity does not mean that we can't openly wrestle and discuss our differences. We treat our political and social differences like they are only like "Pepsi and Coke" or the Bears and Packers. Sorry, people aren't going to war over their favorite sports teams, but on cultural and political issues. Its ok to be open in the Church and explore those differences. This way we can break down those barriers and achieve real unity. Listening to Paul and Patience, Bobby Dennis, and others have challenged me a lot. I don't see them as dangerous enemies but as brothers and sisters.
It is not good enough for Christian thought to teach about religious things or even to prescribe them; theology could do all this and still be thinking about them with a mind that has not yet been changed by Christ’s dying and rising. It is not so much thinking about theological topics that really constitutes theology, for distinguishable from this is the means by which the theological mind reflects.
Lord, we ask that You teach us how to come together on one accord, about everything we do, so that whatever we ask will come to pass and be done for us by our Father in heaven.
In prayer Jesus Christ intercede to the Father on our behalf. Stated in 1 John 1:2, 3 ‘that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us; fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the father, and with the Son Jesus Christ.’ However, our prayers and praises as a believer is talking and communication with God a solemn request for help
The meaning of the first mark of the church is that we are united in our creed as well as other teachings, the celebration of the Sacraments, and the hierarchical structure based on the Apostalic succession preserved through holy Orders. The church is one for three reasons. These reasons include its source (the Holy Trinity), its founder Jesus Christ, and its “soul” (the Holy Spirit). These reasons make the “oneness” of the church visible. No matter where you worship God at mass, it is the same all over the world. The readings are the same, the order of the mass is the same, and the hymns