is christian unity possible?
With the global upsurge in Islam, you'd think that the Christians would be prepared to bury their differences and provide a united front, wouldn't you, but the Pope's recent announcements have highlighted why the Christians split up in the first place and will never, ever be able to unite.
What makes Islam such an attractive alternative to Christianity is that nobody is in charge and it's a way of life rather than something you think about on Sundays or special occasions such as Easter or Christmas -- or when there's a need for a wedding or a funeral.
In its very early days, Christianity operated like modern Islam, sort of, in that it was a community of like-minded souls who faithfully lived their daily lives according to certain principles. What changed it was its incorporation into the Roman Empire.
To put it bluntly, the Roman Catholic church from the time of Constantine onwards has viewed itself as a political force, if not the heart and soul of the Roman Empire, and despite the fact that the physical empire crumbled the Roman Empire, in the shape of the Roman Catholic Church and its emperor Pope, has steadfastly continued to see itself as ruling the world.
The Vatican successors of the Roman Empire, and Italians generally -- most of whom are descendants of the early Greek Christians -- cannot get over the fact that they've lost what they consider to be their rightful place as rulers of the world.
First came the split with the Eastern Orthodox church, then came the Reformation and then came the democratic revolution.
As the Pope's recent announcements make clear, the issue has very little to do with religion and everything to do with power (and the riches that goes with it).
He is in charge, nobody else, and if you can't accept that then continue on your evil ways as non-church Christians!
Apparently, the Vatican describes the Protestant and Orthodox faiths as 'not proper Churches'; their 'defects' constitute a major obstacle to ecumenism; and the main defect of both faiths is that they do not recognise the primacy of the Pope.
Christian unity is something that the Vatican desires as much as the other faiths, but it is predicated upon the Pope being in charge in accordance with Jesus' disciple, Peter, choosing Rome as the rock of Christ’s Church and being its first leader.
Whether Peter ever went to Rome, or whether Jesus ever instructed him to do so, is something we cannot be sure of -- it is purely a matter of faith, as is everything else written about Jesus' life -- but as far as most Christians are concerned, it is not Rome that inspires us. It is Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus in present day Israel.
And, it is not the Pope, or the Archbishop of Canterbury or any other Christian leader who inspires us. It is the humble Christian monks going about their daily lives, doing good deeds, as Jesus himself did.
If Christians must have a supreme leader and a supreme place for worship, then let that leader live and work in Bethlehem, far away from Rome and its connections with the blood and guts of the Roman Empire.
Only then will Christian unity be achieved.
What makes Islam such an attractive alternative to Christianity is that nobody is in charge and it's a way of life rather than something you think about on Sundays or special occasions such as Easter or Christmas -- or when there's a need for a wedding or a funeral.
In its very early days, Christianity operated like modern Islam, sort of, in that it was a community of like-minded souls who faithfully lived their daily lives according to certain principles. What changed it was its incorporation into the Roman Empire.
To put it bluntly, the Roman Catholic church from the time of Constantine onwards has viewed itself as a political force, if not the heart and soul of the Roman Empire, and despite the fact that the physical empire crumbled the Roman Empire, in the shape of the Roman Catholic Church and its emperor Pope, has steadfastly continued to see itself as ruling the world.
The Vatican successors of the Roman Empire, and Italians generally -- most of whom are descendants of the early Greek Christians -- cannot get over the fact that they've lost what they consider to be their rightful place as rulers of the world.
First came the split with the Eastern Orthodox church, then came the Reformation and then came the democratic revolution.
As the Pope's recent announcements make clear, the issue has very little to do with religion and everything to do with power (and the riches that goes with it).
He is in charge, nobody else, and if you can't accept that then continue on your evil ways as non-church Christians!
Apparently, the Vatican describes the Protestant and Orthodox faiths as 'not proper Churches'; their 'defects' constitute a major obstacle to ecumenism; and the main defect of both faiths is that they do not recognise the primacy of the Pope.
Christian unity is something that the Vatican desires as much as the other faiths, but it is predicated upon the Pope being in charge in accordance with Jesus' disciple, Peter, choosing Rome as the rock of Christ’s Church and being its first leader.
Whether Peter ever went to Rome, or whether Jesus ever instructed him to do so, is something we cannot be sure of -- it is purely a matter of faith, as is everything else written about Jesus' life -- but as far as most Christians are concerned, it is not Rome that inspires us. It is Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus in present day Israel.
And, it is not the Pope, or the Archbishop of Canterbury or any other Christian leader who inspires us. It is the humble Christian monks going about their daily lives, doing good deeds, as Jesus himself did.
If Christians must have a supreme leader and a supreme place for worship, then let that leader live and work in Bethlehem, far away from Rome and its connections with the blood and guts of the Roman Empire.
Only then will Christian unity be achieved.
Labels: bethlehem, christian unity, christianity, eastern orthodox church, eucumism, protestant church, roman catholic church, roman empire
<< Home