What is Unity

[Gregory Matthews]

From the highest levels of the denomination, a call for unity comes.  Is this agreement on doctrine?  Is it an agreement of purpose.  What does it mean to be unified?    In the various discussions of the theological differences that exist within the Adventist Church, Ellen white is often cited, often in an attempt to silence someone else.

 

My thanks to J. David Newman for the following quotation from EGW to consider:

 

Well, I guess I do not know how to copy & paste in this new forum.

 

See: EGW MS Release # 892  as found in Vol. II pp 261-269.

 

In the section that Newman cited EGW clearly states that unity in not found in agreement by everyone on what a Scriptural passage says.

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

is this the quote? 

 

 “One man may be conversant with the Scriptures, and some particular portion of the Scripture may be especially appreciated by him; another sees another portion as very important, and thus one may present one point, and another, another point, and both may be of highest value. This is all in the order of God. But if a man makes a mistake in his interpretation of some portion of the Scripture, shall this cause diversity and disunion? God forbid. We cannot then take a position that the unity of the church consists of viewing every text of Scripture in the very same light. The church may pass resolution upon resolution to put down all disagreement of opinions, but we cannot force the mind and will, and thus root out disagreement. These resolutions may conceal the discord, but they cannot quench it and establish perfect agreement.” (“Love, the Need of the Church,” Manuscript 24, 1892; published as Manuscript Release #898 in Manuscript Releases, Vol. 11. 1981. White Estate: Washington, D.C., p. 266.)

[JoeMo]

Many people confuse unity with uniformity.  To me they are different., unity is about agreement on achieving a common goal; and agreement on a general strategy on how to achieve it.  Uniformity is about everybody agreeing on everything.  An example would of unity would be everyone in the church agreeing to honor the Sabbath and teach the soon-coming of Christ.  That is good.  Uniformity would be requiring everybody to teach these concepts only using quotes from EGW; excluding all other authors.  That would be bad.

 

Pam says it good at the bottom of every post:

 

"If we all sang the same note in the choir, there'd never be any harmony"

[Gregory Matthews]

Pam:  Thank you very much for getting the center of Newman's quote.

 

He actually began the quote a paragraph early with:  "Christ prayed the His disciples . . .

 

and he ended it a sentence or so later than you did, with:  " . . . Worries shall cease and we shall find rest for our souls."