The superficiality of Christian denominationalism

Adakho Lokho *

The very motto of the Christians is 'Love' as their God Himself is Love. Out of this Love, we try to reach out to people living out our lives to its best. However, due to prejudices and biases, the Love, our very motto, bears very less a result. Resultant of which, division and hatred prevail among the Christians of various denominations.

Due to divisive denominationalism, we had not reached our desired goals in the past; we cannot reach our desired goals in the present; and we will never reach our desired goals even in the future. And instead, our present and our future urgently call us to a unified venture. Denominationalism is a disobedience to the Priestly Prayer of Jesus Christ, our Savior, 'that they may be one' (John 17: 11 & 21). Together we can achieve our desired goals, but divided we cannot. Let us analyze some of the very things that we practice and yet never realize that we do practice which I call 'SUPERFICIALITY'. This SUPERFICIALITY could appear very hypocritical.

1. Statistically, Indian Christians are said to be 2.3 % of the total Indian population. This 2.3 % does represent any particular denomination but all the denominations present in India. Therefore, to say that Indian Christian population is 2.3 % is to say that all the Indian Christians are Christians regardless of their denominational allegiances.

No difference with Christian population of any Indian state in this regard. To say that Christian population in Manipur is 41.3 %, for example, is to say that all the Christians in Manipur are Christians regardless of their denominational allegiance. The same goes to ethnicity, tribe, village, and clan levels. While we generally affirm that all Christians are Christians regardless of their denominational allegiances, we vastly segregate ourselves or others on denominational basis on many occasions. This is superficial.

2. By means of affiliations, all the local churches have become a global Church and the global Church, the local Church. The Roman Catholic Churches (RCC) all over the world, including the Roman Catholic Churches in Manipur, are part and partial of the Vatican, headed by the Pope. The Vatican, no doubt, is bigger than all the Protestant denominations together.

So also almost all the Protestant Churches are affiliated to World Council of Churches (WCC). The simplest example is, all the Baptist Associations in Manipur are affiliated to Manipur Baptist Convention (MBC); MBC is affiliated to Council of Baptist Churches in North East India (CBCNEI); CBCNEI is affiliated to National Council of Churches in India (NCCI), the biggest Protestant Organization in India; and NCCI is affiliated to WCC, the biggest Protestant Organization. More immediately, CBCNEI has become a constituent/full-fledged member of the WCC on 27 June 2016.

From the RCC side, Catholic Bishop of Conference in India (CBCI) is the Catholic Organization in India under which all the Roman Catholic Churches in India are. And, CBCI is under the Vatican through Catholic Bishop Conference of Asia. The NCCI and the CBCI coexist and cooperate in many aspects, working together in India.

In culmination and in essence, the Vatican and the WCC have a Joint Working Group, cooperating with each other and fostering Christian unity. One whole week is set aside every year to pray for Christian unity, which is set aside or organized jointly by the WCC and the Vatican. This is joint endeavour of the WCC and the Vatican called 'Week of Prayer for Christian Unity'.

While these being the facts, locally, different denominations or Churches are unable to make any progress on joint effort towards Christian unity. One joint effort, however, must be acknowledged that in 2004 Naga Christian Forum Manipur was organized to take care of the social action aspect in Manipur through the leadership of Rev SK Hockey, ex-General Secretary, MBC, and Th Sokho George, the President of Naga Catholic Federation, Manipur. Yet, by and large, in terms of Christian unity, it is still superficial.

3. In terms of education, many Protestants have received education from Roman Catholic run educational institutions, to name a few, Don Bosco Schools/Colleges and St. Joseph Schools/Colleges. Many Protestants are still in these schools, getting education. Not only are children sent to or given education in these schools, but also many Protestants are employed in these schools as teachers.

No difference. The same is the reversal. May Roman Catholics have also received education and are receiving education in Protestant run educational institutions; and many Roman Catholics are employed in the Protestant run educational institutions.

In this respect, we must ask ourselves many questions. A Baptist, who claims that Baptists are true believers and others belonging to other denominations or Churches are not, must ask: "Why do I send my children to schools run by Roman Catholics? Or, Why do we Baptists employ Roman Catholic teachers in our schools?"

The same questions must be asked by Roman Catholics or Revivalists or Pentecostal, etc who claim that people belonging to other Churches or denominations are not true believers. Shame on us to send our children or our Church members to schools and colleges run by those we consider as not true believers. Because, in Roman Catholic Schools and Colleges prayers and religious observances are performed according to Roman Catholic rites. So also in other schools and colleges run by other denominations or Churches.

More questions must be asked in this respect. The Roman Catholics must ask: "Why do we admit children from other Churches or denominations in our schools? Is admission given to these people for conversion? Or, For money? If the focus is for conversion, how far do we try to convert?" The same questions must be asked by Baptists or Revivalists or Pentecostals, etc. It is hypocritical to give admission to those we consider not true believers in our schools.

While all these and more are the existing realities, we cannot venture united for common good due to denominational allegiances. We ignorantly or deliberately keep others peripheral; and by doing so we push ourselves to periphery as well. Ultimately division is given space and unity is jeopardized. This is superficial.

4. Every village, every tribe, and every community has different denominations or Churches. Also, every village, every tribe, and every community has social gatherings. On these social gatherings, being Christians, prayers are made at the start and at the end of the gatherings; and if necessary in the course of the gatherings. Usually, religious leaders, such as pastors, deacons, and catechists do the prayers for the participants or attendants of the gatherings.

The good thing in these is that all the attendants or participants pray together in one accord regardless of denominational allegiances. Even if the prayer is made by a Baptist pastor, the Roman Catholic catechist also joins the prayer. The same thing happens. Even if the prayer is made by a Roman Catholic catechist, the Baptist pastor also joins. In both the cases, 'Amen' is pronounced by all participants and attendants, inclusive of religious leaders, signalling acceptance of the prayers made. While this being the fact, the different Churches and denominations are still far from being united. This is superficial.

5. Ancestry is one underlying cause of the division in our Churches. Any Church historian will agree that the Church has always been divided on account of ego and prejudices. Christianity, which I and most Christians believe to be the true religion, came to us (Manipur) only as lately as late 19th century, 1894 for the Protestants. Roman Catholicism did not originate in Manipur. Neither Pentecostalism nor Seventh Day Adventists originated in Manipur. All the denominations or Churches were brought from outside, from the West, with imperial attitude- imperial attitude, that they were competing one another on the basis of denominational line.

With their imperial attitude, we were once taught to negate or reject other denominations. And that was why there were misgivings, conflicts, and fights among the Christians of different denomination in the past. But that teaching or doctrine is already outdated. "We are Baptists because our missionaries were Baptists. We are Roman Catholics because we were converted to Roman Catholicism. We are Pentecostals because we were converted to Pentecostalism," is what a person once told; and that is an undeniable reality. This is superficial.

6. The ultimate Christian destiny is Heaven. Heaven is the place we all long and prepare to be. But, does anyone have unquestionable knowledge that there is no place in Heaven for people belonging to other denominations and Churches than our own? Is anyone so sure that only Roman Catholics will go to Heaven? Is anyone so sure that only Baptists will go to Heaven? Is anyone so sure that only the Pentecostals will go to Heaven? The same question goes to other Churches and denominations.

If one is so sure that only one particular denomination or Church is true and the rest are false, why not try to convert the rest to the right denomination or true Church? Not trying to convert the rest to the right denomination or true Church, which one is so sure of, clearly indicates that no one is confident enough to assert that only one particular denomination or Church is true and all others are false.

If one is confident enough to testify that his or her denomination or Church is true and others are false, he or she must convert the rest to his or her denomination or Church; or else, he or she is straight away sending the rest to Hell. And for this reason, he or she may miss Heaven as well. This is superficial.

Fellow believers, we cannot thank God enough for giving us the message of salvation. Nevertheless, is it not hypocritical on our part to call and consider people belonging to other denominations as Christians and yet cannot be united? The message of salvation is not complete without incorporating all believers regardless of their denominational allegiances. The people and society call not for denominationalists but genuine Christians.

The true Church of God is built from true, i.e. regenerate, Christians who are to be found in every denomination. Not one Christian group had and has a monopoly of Christian faith or grace. A divided Christianity, which is a disobedience to the spirit of Christ's prayer, can never do the greatest things for God. A divided Church is too small and too weak to change the world.

All true Christians share the life in Christ, that they are one by virtue of that sharing, and that this oneness is the essential Christian unity. We already have so much in common; why don't we share it together? Let us be a Baptist, let us be a Roman Catholic, let us be a Pentecostal, let us be a Revivalist, let us be a Seventh Day Adventist, but let us be more Christian.