Religion and the WarYale University. Divinity School
Religion
Religion and the War
Yale University. Divinity School
World War, 1914-1918; World War, 1914-1918 -- Religious aspects
A third barrier of difficulty barring the pathway of local
consolidation is that of ministerial and ecclesiastical
responsibility. Each of the various denominations now has its definite
method of entrance on its ministry, and of responsibility for the
character and standing of those in its pastorates. Each holds itself
bound to aid its feebler churches in their pecuniary necessities. If a
new congregation results from the union of two or more existing bodies
representative of different denominations, where is the test of
ministerial fitness, and the guarantee of continued ministerial
standing to be found, and who is to aid such a church if financially
feeble? These are the problems which are often raised by the so-called
"community church." Of course these difficulties are often met by the
united organization attaching itself to the denomination originally
represented by one of its component parts; but this solution, though
effective, makes so large demands on Christian self-denial as often to
be impracticable in the present still comparatively feebly developed
desire for unity.
A still further barrier to unity, both on the local field and on the
larger national scale, is the fact, often overlooked, that the
separations of American Christianity are really due quite as much to
differences of taste as to divergencies of doctrines or of polity.
There is an Episcopal, a Presbyterian or a Methodist way of doing
things that really differentiates these great families of believers
quite as fully as their more generally acknowledged divergencies. They
view the Christian life, they look upon worship, they express their
deeper feelings, in unlike ways. The variety is not so much a
diversity of belief as a contrast of temperaments. Being so, it is not
susceptible to argument, or to adjustment by conventions or creedal
agreements. It is to be met, if met at all, by the increasing spirit
of democracy, which the war has done so much to foster. In proportion
as the fundamental Christian democracy of America becomes a real
consciousness these temperamental unlikenesses will tend to be
subordinated to a larger unity of spirit. They will continue. Men are
not all made in the same mould. But, it may be believed that they may
be overcome by a growing recognition of unity in variety.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account