Acts 15:1-21 page 1 - Unity

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A group of clergy were gathered together for their monthly meeting. They represented all the denominations of the town and, to add a little variety to their normal proceedings, they decided to have a discussion about which denomination Jesus would join were he to return today.

The Baptist rose to his feet first. "There's no doubt in my mind that if the Lord were to come back today, he would become an affiliated member of the Baptist Union. Baptism by full immersion is the biblical form, and he showed by his baptism in the Jordan by John that that is where his commitment would lie. A Baptist he would be."

"Och aye," the Scottish Presbyterian exclaimed as he rose to his feet. "All things decently and in order, and semper reformanda. The Presbyterian form of church government, and predestinatory Calvinistic reformed doctrine would have the good Lord's hearty assent. A Presbyterian he would be."

"Much as I would like to agree with you both," interjected the Methodist, "I would have to say that what our nation needs today is a holiness movement of the kind Wesley began, with open air preaching, and the hymns and small group technique of his classes. A Methodist is surely what the good Lord would become."

One by one, the ministers, priests, pastors and leaders of the other denominations joined in the discussion with articulate, good-natured reasoning - the United Reformed Church, the Seventh Day Adventist, the New Testament Church of God, the Assemblies of God, the Pentecostal, the New Church, House Church, Roman Catholic, Brethren, until at last the local Anglican vicar rose to his feet and, with customary gentility, intoned: "I say ... really, I don't see what all the controversy is all about. I don't see why our Lord, were he to return today, would wish to change his denominational allegiance to another church at all!"
[David Cohen in David Cohen and Stephen Gaukroger, 'How To Close Your Church In A Decade', p25f]

The moment you think about the subject of unity, all sorts of images crowd your head. On my one visit to Edinburgh I went walking around the centre of town only to be confronted by an Orange Parade. I'd have expected that in Glasgow, but I hadn't expected it in Edinburgh. How naïve I was. No wonder the Glaswegian joke says, why does Rangers have more supporters than Celtic? Because it's easier to say 'Down with the Pope' than 'Down with the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.'
[Church of England Newspaper, 18th May 1990, p16.]

Unity is a massive issue in Acts chapter 15. But it isn't an argument about denominational preferences. It's an argument about the core of the Gospel. Indeed it's the critical chapter in Acts. Everything will either stand or fall here in the story. And as such the story discloses vital issues about Christian unity. We'll divide it up according to the principal players in the story.

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Copyright © David D Faulkner, 2006 except where other sources are attributed or noted as inspiration.