Separated, fortunately, not divorced

They had been living amicably together. Theirs has been a covenant of life and love. They had been remarkably united, an experience marked by collaboration and cooperation. Alas, at more than one point in time, their unity became imperfect! Relations soured on account of mutual suspicion and diffidence which eventually led to separation.

This opinion piece is not about spouses in a marriage beset with difficulties. I am not writing about the divorce debate in Malta. I am writing, rather, about the relationship among Christians, a relationship which, particularly, in the last 10 centuries has been marred by divisions.

Many prefer to speak of divisions among Christians, in particular the Orthodox schism of the 11th century and the Protestant split of the 16th. It is not my scope to go into the turbulent situations that led to these divisions and the subsequent fratricidal conflicts.

Instead of division or disunity, I prefer to speak of an imperfect unity. I’d rather see the glass half full than half empty. Without brushing unresolved issues under the carpet of false irenics, we have to highlight the fact that there is far more that unites us than what we disagree upon. Christians belonging to different Churches and traditions share a common baptism, one belief in the Son of God who became flesh that through his death and resurrection, humanity was redeemed.

Recently, Pope Benedict XVI stated that “by listening and meditating together on the Scriptures, we experience a real, albeit not yet full communion; shared listening to the Scriptures thus spurs us on towards the dialogue of charity and enables growth in the dialogue of truth” (Verbum Domini, September 30, 2010, n.46).

Other strikingly true areas of convergence are to be found in shared philanthropic initiatives and in the complementary lists of 20th century martyrs belonging to different Christian traditions, often the victims of oppressive regimes. The shedding of blood is a common heritage of all Christian traditions. Writing in 1994, Pope John Paul II clearly affirmed that “perhaps the most convincing form of ecumenism is the ecumenism of the saints and of the martyrs” (Tertio Millennio Adveniente, n.37).

Another area which, surprisingly, brings Christians together is that of monastic spirituality. In the last seven decades or so, some communities of monastic life have sprouted with an explicit commitment to ecumenism. Among these, I single out the Community of Taizé in the environs of Lyons and the Monastic Community of Bose, not far from Turin. These communities, where ecumenism is at the very heart of their charism and daily rhythm, have become important centres of ecumenical spirituality.

The ecumenical task and its challenges are an integral part of Christian life. The authentic Christian is an ecumenist. This means calling a spade a spade but it also means using this spade to level out the obstacles which separate us.

The ecumenical endeavour, however daunting it may be, can be likened to the mountaineer’s quest at conquering a peak. Christians belonging to different Churches and traditions are indeed sons and daughters of the same Father. As brothers and sisters, we are seeking to scale the same mountain from different slopes. While climbing together, we are invited to assist each other. The difficult path ahead, which is not without its setbacks, calls for a common determination in the hope that, one day, together, we will reach the summit.

As I write this opinion piece, my thoughts turn to an indefatigable servant in the field of local ecumenical relations, Fr Maurice Eminyan SJ, who passed away a little more than a month ago. One of the founders, in the mid-1990s, of the Malta Ecumenical Council (now called Christians Together in Malta), Fr Eminyan’s solid determination, contagious optimism and gentle manners succeeded in forging many a relation among Christians in Malta. Today, we are reaping the fruits of this humble worker and his many colleagues from other Christian traditions.

This week is Christian Unity Week. It is an annual event, held between January 18 and 25, which reminds Christians to pray for unity and to grow in their resolve to continue climbing the same mountain together. Unfortunately, our unity is imperfect. Though we are separated, fortunately we are not divorced.

Rev. Dr Scerri is president of the Ecumenical Commission.