YeKengalé

The tension between a fundamentalist approach and an ecumenical approach to Christian faith constantly manifests itself in our ability to conduct and maintain constructive, productive and supportive relationships within the church, which best facilitates the harnessing of our collective pool of resources and creates the broadest platform of leadership that Caribbean Civilization so desperately needs, and for want of which it languishes.

Fundamentals are necessary for babes in Christ (Hebrews 6:1-3). Unity however, can only be expected from the mature (Ephesians 4). Britannica defines ecumenism thusly:
“…movement or tendency toward worldwide Christian unity or cooperation. The term, of recent origin, emphasizes what is viewed as the universality of the Christian faith and unity among churches. The ecumenical movement seeks to recover the apostolic sense of the early church for unity in diversity, and it confronts the frustrations, difficulties, and ironies of the modern pluralistic world. It is a lively reassessment of the historical sources and destiny of what followers perceive to be the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church of Jesus Christ.”

The term ‘ecumenism’  comes from the Greek οἰκουμένη (oikoumene), which means “the whole inhabited world”, and was historically used with specific reference to the Roman Empire. The ecumenical vision comprises both the search for the visible unity of the Church (Ephesians 4:3) and the “whole inhabited earth” (Matthew 24:14) –Wikipeadia

Christian unity requires maturity of both disposition (attitudes and behaviors) as well as understanding (The prisms through which we see the world) 1 Corinthians 13. Both head and heart must be prepared for engagement. Much of the present crop of political and religious leaders in the Caribbean would do well to examine themselves in the light of Love’s 1st Corinthians 13 standard.

I came across this conversation recently and found reason to review both attitudes and actions in response to a similar conversation hosted earlier this year. Surely, there are stark differences of opinion on many matters in the church, and in human society. Dissociation is often a method of preserving integrity when those differences are profound. The distinction between babes and adults is the sentiment that moment, should it come, elicits, which can range from vilification to grief, vindication to regret, smugness to sorrow. The difference of perspective is the focus on what has been gained and what has been lost. That is where you discover your pigs and pearls.

What concerns me is not obvious disagreement of approach and understanding of any subject in particular, but the extent to which the kind of leadership that produces UNITY IN DIVERSITY, because it perceives unity in diversity is emerging from among us.

As we move forward into 2025, I will continue to share my thoughts about the Caribbean and why we all need to pray that our leaders be given VISION to expand both their outlook and their embrace. Heads and hearts united. The coming season requires it.