Address Morning Chapel in the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
Every third week in January, Churches throughout the world participate in the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. It traditionally ends on 25th January, when the Church marks the conversion of St Paul, after his vision on the road to Damascus. I thought this may be a good reason to briefly think about unity and disagreement, particularly thinking about how we can disagree with each other in a way that is constructive.
So let’s first see what Paul has to say about disagreement in his letter to the Ephesians:
Ephesians 4.25-end (The Message)
What this adds up to, then, is this: no more lies, no more pretence. Tell your neighbour the truth. In Christ’s body we’re all connected to each other, after all. When you lie to others, you end up lying to yourself. Go ahead and be angry. You do well to be angry—but don’t use your anger as fuel for revenge. And don’t stay angry. Don’t go to bed angry. Don’t give the Devil that kind of foothold in your life.
Did you use to make ends meet by stealing? Well, no more! Get an honest job so that you can help others who can’t work. Watch the way you talk. Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth. Say only what helps, each word a gift. Don’t grieve God. Don’t break his heart. His Holy Spirit, moving and breathing in you, is the most intimate part of your life, making you fit for himself. Don’t take such a gift for granted.
Make a clean break with all cutting, backbiting, profane talk. Be gentle with one another, sensitive. Forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you.
Discovering Life 