Why I Don’t Think the Church Is Called to Be as Unified as We Think

Introduction

In John chapter 17, Christ prays for His followers, saying, “that they may be one as we are one.” This prayer has often been interpreted as a call for the church to achieve complete unity in every aspect—belief, practice, and purpose. But what if the unity Christ prayed for was already fulfilled? And what if the disunity we experience in belief today is not entirely outside of God’s design, but rather a natural outworking of our drive to seek knowledge as His image bearers?

The Four Aspects of Unity

To explore this, we need to consider four aspects of unity: ontological, emotional, pragmatic, and epistemological. Understanding these can help us see how Christ’s prayer for unity might have been answered, and why diversity in belief might actually be a part of God’s plan, distorted only by our sin.

Ontological Unity: The Foundation of Our Oneness

Ontological unity refers to our shared identity as members of the same family of God. This unity was established through the work of Christ and may have been fully realized on the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit united the believers as one body. This is the foundational unity that binds all Christians together, transcending time and space. It’s the unity of being part of God’s family—a unity that is essential and unchangeable.

Emotional and Pragmatic Unity: Expressions of Our Shared Identity

From this ontological unity flows emotional unity—a shared love for God and one another—and pragmatic unity, the shared purpose of glorifying God through our actions. These forms of unity are crucial for the functioning of the church, but they do not require uniformity. In fact, they thrive on diversity. Our different emotions, gifts, and roles contribute to a rich diversity of worship and service that reflects the multifaceted nature of God’s creation.

Epistemological Unity: Challenging the Assumption of Sinfulness

Now we turn to the crux of the issue: epistemological unity, or unity in belief. Many Christians assume that different beliefs or disagreements are inherently sinful. After all, if we disagree on matters of faith, doesn’t that mean one of us must be wrong, and being wrong is bad, even sinful?

But is that really the case? Is it true that having different beliefs is sinful? Or could it be that our differences in belief are often a natural result of our diverse minds, experiences, and intellectual journeys, rather than a moral failing?

Transition: Considering Our Limits in Eternity

As we ponder the nature of unity and diversity in belief, we must now ask a significant question: What will everything look like in a perfected state, in eternity? When we consider eternity, how will our limitations and our drive to know play out in a sinless, glorified state?

In eternity, even though we will be perfected, we will still be finite creatures. God is infinite, and His knowledge is beyond our full comprehension. This means that even in eternity, we will still be on a quest to know and understand God more deeply. Our drive to seek knowledge, which is part of our nature as image bearers of God, will not be extinguished—it will be fulfilled in a new way.

The Process of Learning in Eternity

If we accept that our quest for knowledge will continue in eternity, we must ask how this will occur. Will it be through a divine “download” of information, where God simply imparts all knowledge to us instantaneously? Or will we continue to learn through a process that involves wrestling with truth, exploring diverse perspectives, and growing in understanding?

The idea that in eternity, disagreements will cease because everyone will receive the same “upload” of knowledge from God seems to reduce our eternal experience to something more mechanical than relational. It suggests that our learning will be akin to a computer receiving data—impersonal, instantaneous, and devoid of the dynamic engagement that characterizes true learning.

But what if that’s not the way it will be? What if, instead of receiving all knowledge instantly, we continue to learn and grow through a process of discovery, much like we do now, but without the hindrance of sin? In this scenario, diversity in thought and perspective would still exist, not as a result of sin, but as a reflection of the richness of God’s creation and the ongoing journey of understanding Him.

Is Being Wrong Sinful?

To make the case that epistemological diversity might persist in eternity, we must first address the idea that being wrong is inherently sinful. In our current experience, we often associate being wrong with sin, particularly when it leads to disagreement. But is that always true?

Consider how we view mistakes in areas like mathematics or science. Getting a problem wrong isn’t a sin; it’s part of the learning process. Similarly, when it comes to matters of belief, being wrong is not necessarily sinful. It can be the result of limited information, different intellectual capacities, or diverse backgrounds—all factors that contribute to our unique perspectives.

This is particularly true in non-essential matters of faith. While we must agree on the core doctrines that define our identity as Christians, beyond these essentials, there is room for diversity in belief without it being sinful. Being wrong in these areas is part of our ongoing quest to understand God, and this quest will likely continue in eternity.

The Fulfillment of Human Knowledge

Here lies the critical point: Will we simply receive all knowledge in eternity, or will our learning continue? I argue that true fulfillment comes from the process of learning, not from the mere possession of information. We are designed to engage with truth, to wrestle with it, and to grow in understanding through that process.

In eternity, this process will continue. Our drive to know will be satisfied not through instant downloads of knowledge, but through an eternal journey of discovery. We will explore the depths of God’s truth in a sinless environment, where diversity of thought enhances our understanding rather than causing division.

Evangelicalism’s Unique Role in Embracing Diversity

As we consider the diversity of belief and its place within the church, it’s essential to recognize the unique role that evangelicalism can play in this dynamic. Unlike the Roman Catholic Church, which requires near-perfect unity in belief through its living authority and catechism, and other denominations that maintain long, extensive doctrinal statements, evangelicalism was meant to be a movement centered around core, central doctrines. This central focus allows for diversity in other areas of belief and practice.

Historically, evangelicalism has benefited from this diversity, whether implicitly or explicitly, as it has provided a broad framework where different perspectives can coexist under the banner of shared essentials. However, there is always the temptation to close the gap, moving more and more beliefs to the center of our faith, where uniformity is expected. This often leads to a situation where fellowship becomes easier with those who believe just like we do, and the broader diversity of thought is subtly discouraged.

This inclination isn’t necessarily wrong, as shared beliefs do foster closer relationships. However, it’s crucial for evangelicals to see the glory in our uncertainty in many areas and the excitement that comes from our drive to learn because of our lack of knowledge. The strength of evangelicalism lies in its ability to hold firm to core doctrines while allowing for a rich diversity of thought in other areas.

I believe that evangelicalism is uniquely positioned by God to fulfill this role within the global church. However, I pray that evangelicals will come to fully understand, foster, and celebrate this diversity. Unfortunately, I rarely see this in practice. Even in nondenominational churches around the world, where one might expect a greater openness to diverse perspectives, there is often a tendency to align more closely with specific doctrinal positions, limiting the expression of the very diversity that should be one of evangelicalism’s greatest strengths.

By embracing this diversity, evangelicalism can truly reflect the dynamic, multifaceted nature of the body of Christ, offering a space where believers can explore, question, and grow together in their understanding of God’s truth.

Celebration of Mystery

Finally, we must consider the celebration of mystery. The journey of discovery, filled with questions and diverse perspectives, is part of what makes our relationship with God dynamic and fulfilling. Rather than seeking to eliminate mystery or diversity of thought, we should celebrate these as essential components of both our present life and our eternal future.

This “missiological celebration of mystery,” as I have written about before, invites us to embrace the unknown as an integral part of our spiritual journey. It’s in the mystery that we find the depth and richness of our faith, and it’s through the diversity of our perspectives that we come to know God more fully.

Conclusion: Embracing Diversity, Resisting Sin

In light of this, our goal should not be to eliminate all diversity in belief but to engage with it in a way that honors God. We must resist the sin that turns diversity into division and instead embrace the diversity that drives us to know God more fully. This diversity can coexist with the ontological unity Christ prayed for and that was realized in the early church. Our challenge is to live out this unity in love, even as we continue to grow and learn in our understanding of God and His truth.