The Ecclesial Fallacy of Schism

Since the Protestant Reformation, schism has been rampant

Schism reflects a flawed understanding of the nature of the Church.  The Church is the invisible community of all those who seek to live under the Lordship of Christ.  It is thereby not only invisible, but indivisible.  Our Pauline heritage also describes the Church as holy and apostolic.

The underlying assumption of schism is that by distinguishing between right and wrong belief and practice and excluding those who demonstrate incorrect belief and practice, we can maintain or restore the Church as pristine and pure.  This is fallacious for several reasons.  Most importantly, it makes the arrogant assumption that we have the wisdom and discernment to create a community of individuals who are completely pure and pristine and an underlying theology, liturgy, and polity that is without blemish.  It also ignores one of the most fundamental purposes of the Church; to be a place where those who are truly trying to live according to the example of Christ but are in error can find redemption.  Ultimately, the Church is a hospital for sinners and not a club for saints.

The Church can be divided bureaucratically, administratively, and legally.  But it remains indivisible, holy, apostolic, and invisible.  What we attempt to accomplish by schism is thereby illusory.

Why Re-Baptism Isn't Necessary

I get requests from parishioners who have already been baptized to be baptized again.  For a long time my response was to go into a tedious recitation of the reasons why being baptized again makes absolutely no theological sense in the Wesleyan tradition.  And it doesn't.  Baptism in Methodism is sacramental.  It is a visible sign of an inward spiritual grace, representing and acknowledging that God was active in us before we were capable of speaking God's name.  It is in our profession of faith that we choose to accept Christ as Lord.

Now I realize that when a parishioner asks to be baptized again, the impetus actually has nothing to do with wanting to be baptized.  It is about wanting to start over again and be symbolically ridden of whatever guilt, shame, and remorse they are holding onto.  So now I bypass the theology of baptism and tell them that they don't need to be baptized again to start over.  All they have to do is be truly penitent, ask God for forgiveness, and in God's eyes, they have been given a new start.  What they yearn for doesn't require ceremony or ritual.  It just requires a penitent heart and a yearning to be holy.