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“Even if others [in the Church] seem to be one-sided in one direction or another, might we not need fellowship with them to correct the one-sidedness on our part? True unity does not mean a boring and stale sameness; it is a unity in which there is exciting and mutually enriching diversity.”
—Shirley C. Gunthrie, Jr., Christian Doctrine, Rev. Ed.
A father had four sons who argued all the time. He decided to teach them a lesson. He gathered four sticks and tied them as one with twine. Later, the father gathered the sons and asked them to break the sticks. None of the sons could do it. The father, next, untied the bundle and gave each son a single stick. Each son broke a stick without difficulty. “You see,” spoke the father, “when you are bound together, you are strong. But, when you are divided, you are weak.”
Unity-in-diversity is not only allowable, unity-in-diversity is best. Likewise, unity-in-diversity reflects the Holy Trinity, as Three-in-One. Unity-in-diversity allows a context for mutual-correction, through living among those who differ with us and being willing prayerfully to be open to having a reciprocally corrective relationship with the other. Both beliefs and practices, being partly subjective and, thus, fallible, need the corrective presence of others somewhat unlike us. Therefore, humbleness submits to the interdependency of community not only as a theory of nature, but as a necessary fact of life.
Pride resists communal corrective, over-esteeming its ability to discern truth. Humbleness is ever-ready to admit it may be wrong and, likewise, admit when it is wrong. Therefore, humbleness invites diversity as a unitive blessing and practical context for redirection of intellect or heart.
Pluralism is the arrogant refusal to submit to any authority other than the solitary self or the isolated group in which one exists. Community can sustain both conviction and correction, for community is grounded and grows from the Spirit, Who is by nature unity-in-diversity.
How has community served as a corrective context either to your belief or practice? Do you tend to be attracted to diversity, or not? How might you be open to the corrective capacity of community, without submitting to uniformity? What is the difference between pluralism and community? Have you had experiences of communal abuse that has left you wounded and, thus, resistant to community?
Prayer
Spirit of Christ, may I find peace in community, being gifted with the humbleness to accept correction and the humbleness to offer correction in the spirit of Christ. If there is any residue of wounding from past communal experience that bars me from full acceptance and rejoicing in community, I pray for a speedy healing of that residue. And, above all, I praise you as the Holy Trinity, my example of living in community as one with others in You, my Love, Joy, and Peace, Always, Eternally. Amen.
OneLife Ministries is a pastoral outreach and nurture ministry of the First United Methodist Church, Fort Meade, FL. For Spiritual Direction, Pastoral Counseling, spiritual formation workshops, Christian meditation retreats, or more information about OneLife, write Rev. Dr. Brian K. Wilcox at briankwilcox@comcast.net.
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