Christian churches in America have a real estate problem. We have more space than people. True leadership drives Catholics and Christians of other denominations together. Still, so much energy goes into battling among the various denominations. While it is important to understand the differences between us, it is even more important to emphasize what unites us. We have “one Lord, one faith, one baptism” (Eph. 4:5), which is reflected in the ecumenical efforts of recent years to defend basic human values such as the right to life and traditional marriage.
There is clearly a common moral base to unite Catholics and Christians of other denominations on such topics, but what more can we do? How can we grow together and give witness to the unity to which God calls his Church? We live in a time with a dearth of true Christian leadership and we see the result in empty churches. Once our churches are full once again, we can sort the rest of it out. For our churches to grow, we need to grow in leadership, appreciation for the Bible, and prayer.
Study Leadership Together
We are in a world that is waning and dying for lack of Christ. The need is too pressing to focus on our differences. The Global Leadership Summit strikes me as an invaluable resource for pastors to develop professionally. Along these lines, I think George Barna, a Protestant, and Pat Lencioni, a Catholic; excel in equipping pastors to exercise better leadership in their ministry.
George Barna’s The Power of Vision is one of the most compelling books that I have read regarding leadership. It is biblically based, always keeping in mind that “where there is no vision, the people perish” (Proverbs 29:18). Barna exhorts Christian leaders to make sure that they are in tune with what God is asking of them so that they can lead their congregations in such a way as to make a true impact on the world.
Looking at and comparing leadership styles through resources such as the ones mentioned above benefits both Catholics and Christians of all denominations. Stronger leaders mean a stronger Church and a greater witness in an increasingly secular society. This leadership can only be sustained by additionally using the witness of the Bible to unite us.
Study The Bible Together
Perhaps one of the greatest means open to us on the path to unity between Catholics and Christians of other denominations is to read the Bible together. Catholics could benefit from a greater familiarity and deep love for our sacred scriptures, while Christians of other denominations can enter a world of deeper appreciation for the context of the Scriptures. They could also gain understanding of how the text we have received comes to us through the Catholic Church, and how it relates to Sacred Tradition.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the famous Lutheran pastor who suffered under Hitler’s regime, exhorted the faithful to read Sacred Scripture.
We are not the judges of God’s Word in the Bible; instead, the Bible is given to us so that through it we may submit ourselves to Christ’s judgment (Bonhoeffer on the Christian Life).
This can help us to approach Sacred Scripture with proper respect. We come to learn from God, not to justify ourselves. Protestants and Catholics can team up in powerful ways to present the faith more powerfully to nonbelievers. This happened recently when noted Catholic apologist Jimmy Akin and Christian Caleb Jackson debated two atheists, John Loftus and Dr. Darren Slade on whether Jesus was born of a virgin.
When we gain a common understanding of the Bible, we can help formulate more cogent arguments to defend the truth of Christianity. The Bible is clearly not just a tool for forming better apologetical arguments, but also the greatest source of Christian spirituality. The Bible is our common source of spirituality and key to fostering moments of ecumenical study and prayer.
Pray Together
It is powerful for Christians to pray together. Jesus emphasizes this in the Gospel when he says: “where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Mt. 18:20). There can be problems surrounding the topic of “praying together” with other religions because about a question arises as to whether or not ”prayer” really means the same thing to all parties involved. Hindus, Buddhists, and Christians have fundamentally different concepts of God, so prayer is also different for each one of them. This is why we generally cannot pray together with them, although it is good to witness their faith and their forms of prayer when it is appropriate.
For Catholics and Christians of other denominations, however, it is vital that we pray together. We all share the values professed in Nicene Creed established in the fourth century and we pray to the same God, even when we disagree about some aspects of doctrine. At the Last Supper, in his Priestly Prayer, Jesus begged God the Father, “that they may all be one” (Jn. 17:21).
Authenticity
Although there are important topics to discuss that divide Catholics and other Christian denominations, that which unites us is greater. We are all doing our best to follow Jesus Christ, truly God and man, the “one mediator between God and the human race” (1 Tim. 2:5).
The Christian music group Casting Crowns speaks of the crisis that many suffer in our churches when we put on a “Stained Glass Masquerade.” If we are going to give a true Christian testimony, we have to make sure that we are coherent and give witness to our faith with. our whole being.
This article is part of a series I am writing on the identity of Protestant vs. Catholic Christianity.
Identity of Protestant vs. Catholic Christianity
5 Reasons I Didn’t Become a Protestant
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