Unity and Solidarity tagged: , , ,

Unity and Solidarity

Posted by in Bible & Theology

I have stated on various occasions here at sbcIMPACT that I believe the biblical end-vision for us as Great Commission Christians is that expressed in Ephesians 4:12–13: “that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” In other words, it is not enough to get the gospel message to the ends of the earth, and get people from every tribe, nation, and tongue to make professions of faith, or even to start church planting movements among all the people groups of the world, if the end-result is not bona fide disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, who express their growing discipleship by means of an ever-increasing maturity in the faith and unity with the rest of the Body of Christ around the world.

When we say all this, though, it is important to understand what Christian unity really means. There are several related concepts that, although similar, are not the same thing as unity. One of these is solidarity. According to some definitions of solidarity you can find on the Internet, there is not much difference at all between unity and solidarity. However, in the sense I am talking about it here, there is an important difference. Take, for example, the following definition from Wikipedia (echoing the Collins Dictionary of Sociology):

“Solidarity is the integration, and degree and type of integration, shown by a society or group with people and their neighbors.”

As I understand it, solidarity, according to this definition, is something very akin to being a good neighbor. Let me be clear here: I think that, as Christians, it is a very good and important thing to be good neighbors. That is one of the points of the parable of the Good Samaritan. Certainly, it was also in the mind of Paul, when he wrote, in Galatians 6:10, “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” As members of the communities where we live, and of the various organizations in which we participate, it is generally a good thing, as Christians, to show solidarity. It is a good thing to be tolerant of different viewpoints and backgrounds, and to try to work together with others in order to solve problems we have in common.

Recently, David Waters, the religion editor of the Commercial Appeal, the local newspaper in Memphis, has put together a new website called Faith in Memphis. In principle, I think it is a great idea. One of the main features of the website is a thoughtful and provocative question of the week to which a panel of 56 representative religious leaders in the Memphis area are asked to write a brief article giving their response. Just like the Memphis community, the panel is made up of individuals representing a fairly broad spectrum of religious affiliations and convictions. There are Christians, Jews, Muslims, and Buddhists. There are Catholics and Protestants. There are liberals and conservatives. There are blacks, whites, Asians and Hispanics. Even Danny Sinquefield, pastor of Faith Baptist Church in Bartlett, Tennessee, where my wife and I are members, is one of the panelists.

The responses to the various questions posed so far have been very enlightening, and, in my opinion, for the most part, helpful. It has been very interesting to read the different perspectives of these different leaders. I have learned a thing or two, and been encouraged by the positive, creative, and serious thought on community issues offered by folks I may not normally otherwise have the opportunity to listen to.

As Christians, I think it is generally a good thing to show solidarity with projects like this, and get our ideas out on the public square along with those of the other members of our community. And, we should try to listen to those who do not share our faith perspectives with a sympathetic and friendly ear, and work together, in those areas in which we are able, to solve the problems that jointly affect us all.

Having said all that, I want to refer here to the response offered by Micah D. Greenstein, (senior rabbi of Temple Israel, Tennessee’s largest and oldest Jewish house of worship) to the latest question on the forum: As a religious leader in Memphis, what do you want to say to the community about the subject of race?

Although I do not know him personally, I am confident that Greenstein is a good rabbi, a wonderful human being, and someone who makes a positive contribution to the overall well-being of the community in which we both live. I hope nothing I say here may be construed in any way as criticism toward him in any of the above areas. However, I think the following part of his response to the above question is a good illustration of the point I am trying to make here about the difference between Christian unity and solidarity. According to Greenstein:

Many noble religious attempts at racial conciliation in our city miss the point in my opinion. The “Love Thy Neighbor,” event in the 1990s, for instance, while well-intentioned, essentially became, “Love Thy Christian Neighbor.”

What’s needed in this city and country is not only grace and forgiveness within our houses of worship. What’s needed is real relationship—socially, religiously, and communally. When “Brothers in Torah” are embraced fully and completely by “Brothers in Christ,” we dwell together in unity.

The interfaith and interracial “Tear Down The Walls” initiative has been among the best examples of what’s possible when we lift up the image of God inherent in every man, woman, and child. When the primary focus of religion becomes God’s image rather than saving souls from hell, miracles on earth happen.

Now, in some ways, I understand the point that Rabbi Greenstein is making. I am not opposed to interfaith demonstrations of solidarity and mutual goodwill. On matters like the problem of racism in our communities, it is, no doubt, in many aspects, necessary. However, specifically as Christians, we need to be careful to avoid confusing this with our core value of Christian unity. What makes us one in Christ (as I stated on my Gospel Essentials? post) is the gospel—a shared experience of having one’s life changed by the same gospel message; a shared relationship with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit; and a shared doctrinal agreement on the essentials of the gospel message. And, we share none of these distinctives with Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Mormons, or so-called “Christians” who don’t embrace the biblical gospel.

After all, it was our Lord and Master Himself, in that most enigmatic of passages, who said, “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household” (Matthew 10:34–36).

Does this mean that, as Christians, we should espouse violence, intolerance, or religious discrimination? From my understanding of the broader context of the gospel, no—a thousand times NO!!! But it does say something very important about our bottom-line loyalties. In this life, there are times when we will have to take a stand. And, as I understand it, standing with Jesus is one and the same as standing with the Body of Christ. It is not, however, one and the same as standing with the various representatives of the Memphis religious community who show mutual tolerance, respect, and goodwill to each other. Neither is it one and the same as standing with those who identify themselves by the label “Christian” but do not embrace the biblical gospel. It is not one and the same as standing with the Republican Party or the Moral Majority or the signatories of the Manhattan Declaration. It is not even one and the same as standing with the Southern Baptist Convention or my local Baptist congregation.

Now, in the case of these last two, ideally, there ought to be a large degree of overlap, as they both purport to be gospel-centered organizations. But, if ever, for some reason, I am forced to choose between the SBC and Faith Baptist as over against the Lord Jesus and the Body of Christ, let it be known right here and now, I am going with the Lord Jesus and the Body of Christ. I am going, to the degree I am able to discern who is who, with my brothers and sisters in Christ. I am going with the same ones with whom, according to the gospel I believe, I am going to spend eternity.

In the meantime, there are a number of causes and coalitions for which and with whom I may choose to get involved and for which I may show a certain degree of solidarity. I wish all the success in the world, for example, for the University of Memphis Tigers basketball team. I hope the local economy in the city of Memphis and the surrounding area prospers. I hope for more jobs, better parks and recreation facilities, and a decrease in crime. I hope the local officials and citizens who are in disagreement about the future of the public schools will be able to find a good solution that will work out for the best of all the children affected and the harmony of the community at large. I hope for worldwide peace and racial reconciliation. I hope for shalom, in the full sense of the word, for men, women, boys and girls of goodwill, wherever they be found throughout the world. I hope for church growth and health at my local church and within the SBC at large. I hope for denominational programs that work well and are efficient. I hope for more missionaries sent out, more people groups engaged, and more churches planted through the IMB. And, I am willing and committed, in varying degrees, to put my grain of sand toward the success of each of these causes and coalitions.

But, at the bottom line, my commitment to each is subject to, and takes second-place to, my commitment to the end-vision that disciples of Jesus be made of all nations, and the Body of Christ “be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”