The "Responsibility and Duty" of Unity

Just read this article about meetings between John Paul II and Echumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of the Eastern Orthdox Church. Good for them. Good for all of us, someday, and Christ Himself, I hope.

I have long felt that the Great Schism and many other smaller ones that followed must pain Christ quite deeply. Seems to me that the rampant denominationalism we see in Christianity is rooted in the sin of pride. Got to see it in action when we were Anglican -- our little congregation was affiliated with a different branch of the Anglican communion pretty much every 14-16 months or so. We always had to change the initials behind our church's name in the annual Yellow Pages ad...ECA, CEA, ACA, ACE, ad nauseum. Not surprisingly, each change came with the installation of a new bishop, less support from the national level and a smaller circle of congregations. Poor Fr. Ray tried to keep fanning the flames, but the church dissolved a few months ago, and not due to any lack of sincerity, concern or skill on his part.

--Sparki