For the Unity of the Church

A very extraordinary event took place in a small Virginia town last Monday evening.  The Rt. Rev. David Bane, retired bishop of the Diocese of Virginia, was restored to ministry in The Episcopal Church (TEC) by the Presiding Bishop, The Most Rev. Katharine Jeffert Schori.  Bishop Bane “abandoned” the Episcopal Church in 2009 and aligned with the Anglican Church in North America, which has different doctrinal and theological positions than TEC. A good article on the topic can be found here, and the official press release can be found here.
We remember from the Catechism, the mission of the Church “is to restore all people to unity with God and each other in Christ.” (BCP p. 855) Unfortunately, too often worship communities are more interested in deciding who is “in” and who is “out” than on the reconciliation work given to us by Jesus Christ.  While I do believe there are rules and standards that we must abide by, we must be careful and loving with how we treat each other when following those rules.
 This service of reconciliation and restoration was not about saying who was right and who was wrong – it was about being in communion with each other, sharing in Christ’s ministry and celebrating what unities us, not what separates.  It exemplifies our human ability to agree to disagree and not use those disagreements to impede community.  It is not easy, especially when the disagreements are about foundational ideals.  And yet we find redemption in Jesus Christ. 
I do believe in certain standards and rules that help establish our community and the norms in which we function and cooperate.  I also know we only see in the “mirror, dimly” (1 Cor 13:12) as St. Paul says, so I am very careful in making judgments that can separate the body of Christ.   We are stronger together and weaker when all members are not represented or participating. 
We continue to pray for the unity of the Church, not only because it is our primary mission, but also because we cannot do it without God’s help:

Almighty Father, whose blessed Son before his passion prayed for his disciples that they might be one, as you and he are one: Grant that your Church, being bound together in love and obedience to you, may be united in one body by the one Spirit, that the world may believe in him whom you have sent, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (BCP p.255)

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