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Christian Unity (the book) - The Maranatha Community

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Cardinal Basil Hume – 20 th Century:‘<strong>The</strong>re can be no doubt that a major obstacle to <strong>the</strong> effectiveness andwell-being of <strong>the</strong> pilgrim people of God is disunity in its ranks. Throughoutthis century it has become clear that, moved by <strong>the</strong> Spirit of God,<strong>Christian</strong>s have experienced increasing frustration and impatience withdivisions among <strong>the</strong>mselves. Non-believers, too, readily take refuge incriticism of <strong>Christian</strong> disharmony. It is only by abandoning ourselvescompletely to <strong>the</strong> truth of <strong>the</strong> Gospel that all our <strong>Christian</strong> divisions can beovercome – our divisions must not hinder any longer <strong>the</strong> urgent need for<strong>Christian</strong>s to preach toge<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong> Gospel of Jesus Christ.’Archbishop George Carey – 21 st Century:‘We must see disunity as one of <strong>the</strong> most terrible diseases of <strong>the</strong> body. Letus see disunity as it really is – <strong>the</strong> ugly blasphemy which mocks <strong>the</strong> Crossof Christ and insults his name. Yet, in truth it is even more than thatbecause our disunity confounds <strong>the</strong> gospel of unity that we preach.How dare we go to o<strong>the</strong>rs with <strong>the</strong> message of reconciliation when<strong>Christian</strong> churches still huddle in <strong>the</strong>ir dug-outs and fight <strong>the</strong>ir 400-yearwars?’Bro<strong>the</strong>r Roger of Taize – 20 th Century:‘Now, at <strong>the</strong> end of <strong>the</strong> twentieth century, we <strong>Christian</strong>s are confrontedwith <strong>the</strong> result of our divisions – mutual impoverishment.’Jan Willebrands – 20 th Century:‘<strong>The</strong>ological discussion is a necessary help to discover and to manifest <strong>the</strong>unity in faith which we already enjoy and to restore that unity where ithad been lost.’Cardinal Suenens – 20 th Century:‘Ever since <strong>the</strong> sad divisions of <strong>the</strong> 11 th and 16 th Centuries, <strong>the</strong> Church haslacked <strong>the</strong> visible unity which manifests <strong>the</strong> unity of all <strong>Christian</strong>s.Although we are baptised <strong>Christian</strong>s, bro<strong>the</strong>rs in <strong>the</strong> Lord, we havetolerated <strong>the</strong> establishment of misunderstandings, barriers, “Berlin walls”Page 88

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