Theology Doesn't Divide; Prejudice Does, Says Ministry Leader

http://sg.christianpost.com/dbase.php?cat=education&id=892

Wednesday, Sep. 21, 2011 Posted: 4:44:12PM HKT

Theology does not divide.

Indeed, it brings about unity within the Church.

This is because mature theological discourse accepts and celebrates unity in diversity.

What divides is prejudice or ideology, contends the leader of an international church body.

The Reverend Dr. Prince Dibeela said: "You may hold a totally different theological view from me. And we can argue and differ here.

"And when we finish, we go and celebrate our oneness in Christ through a cup of coffee."

He went a step further to say that theology makes true unity possible. This is because the biblical idea of Christian unity is where, as Jesus prayed in John 17, the Church may be one as the Father and Him are one.

"That's a theological process," said Dr. Dibeela. "So theology does not divide; it unites."

One of the reasons for disunity within the Church is that "we are not comfortable in our own skin," he expressed. "We are not secure about what we believe in," he added.

The moderator went on to repeat negative perceptions of various Christian groups that are rooted in ignorance and prejudice.

Some Christians, for instance, believe that Roman Catholics are not Christians. Their charge: they blame Catholics for all sorts of things. "The reason for this is ignorance, because they have not studied and understood," said Dr. Dibeela.

Some churches feel that traditional churches know nothing about Christ. "That is based on ignorance and prejudice," said the CWM leader.

Other Christians believe that Pentecostals are 'noisy', and know nothing about Christ, and are just 'fly-by-night' churches. "That is based on ignorance and prejudice," said the moderator.

For Dr. Dibeela, theology is about 'searching', asking probing questions and engaging groups with different practices. It is about saying: What do you mean? Why do you do things this way? Why do you worship this way? This was what the Samaritan woman did when she asked Jesus why Jews and Samaritans worshipped differently.

When Christians engage in such probing, asking and engaging, "they will be comfortable with each other," the moderator highlighted.

He said: "They would realise that: 'Ha, after all we are not that different from each other! And we have been suspicious of one another for so long.'"

Sharing his personal experience, he said that he grew up in a traditional, Congregational church that was suspicious of Pentecostals. And the feeling was mutual.

But through his theological education he has come to appreciate the richness and diversity offered by Pentecostals, Catholics and the Orthodox tradition.

His conclusion: the differences are so little. "They are so, so minuscule," he said.

In his view, it is a lack of theology rather than firm theological convictions that leads to division. He said: "A theological maturity leads to unity.

"And unity leads to mission; it enables us to together lift the face of God to a world that is hungry and in pain."