| One of the basic claims of Jewish, Christian, and | | | | interests? Yes, sometimes. It is not healthy to ignore |
| Islamic faiths is summarized in the book of | | | | our own interest. We need to value ourselves, but |
| Deuteronomy (Deut. 6: 4): "Hear, O Israel, the Lord your | | | | there are times it is necessary to put the good of |
| God is one." What are the implications of thinking of | | | | community or nation ahead of self-interest. Sometimes |
| God as One? What did this mean to the people of | | | | America needs to subordinate our national self-interest |
| Israel? It meant monotheism, not polytheism. It meant to | | | | to the good of all people, the good of humanity as a |
| them originally that their God Yahweh was | | | | whole. We will discover that the good of humanity is |
| pre-eminent among the gods of all the nations. | | | | ultimately in our self-interest nationally and personally. |
| Eventually, it meant that Yahweh was the only God - | | | | There is not just one way of being united. Diversity is |
| the God of all the nations. | | | | not the opposite of unity. There are differences |
| How is God one? I see three possibilities. First, God's | | | | between people, nations, cultures, and religions. Those |
| oneness is limiting. God is a unified being, but separate | | | | differences constitute our diversity. It is vital for our |
| from what is not God. The things of God, the sacred, | | | | health and strength as human beings to be clearly |
| are separate from those things that are not of God, | | | | defined individually. Unity cannot mean the loss of |
| the secular. This can be divisive if God is the one I see, | | | | personal identity by being absorbed by an amorphous |
| but not the one you see. A second possibility for God's | | | | uniformity. Being different cannot mean being cut off |
| oneness is as an all-encompassing everything. That is, | | | | from one another - judging and condemning. |
| everything is really God in different forms? In a sense, | | | | Religion causes great division. This has been true |
| this is what is called pantheism. Everything is God. | | | | throughout recorded human history. Sadly for us, none |
| There is, perhaps, a third option that God is the source | | | | has been more divisive than Christianity. But we are |
| and the meaning of all that is. This is a perspective of | | | | entering a new era of Christianity - a postmodern era. |
| mystery -- not so much a literal or physical description | | | | There is a possibility that the Christian church can be a |
| of God, but a belief and trust in the unifying force that | | | | force for unity, but only if we can model respect for |
| underlies the universe. Centuries later, the Apostle Paul | | | | others who disagree, who hold different doctrinal, |
| addressed Athenians on Mars' Hill claiming that the | | | | theological, or philosophical positions. Christians can lead |
| God of Jesus is "the God who made the world and | | | | the way by following Jesus in such a way that it is |
| everything in it, who is Lord of heaven and earth, [and] | | | | clear that the reign of God includes all people. |
| does not live in shrines made by human hands." (Acts | | | | Recently, I had the privilege of helping to celebrate a |
| 17: 24) | | | | Baptist-Catholic wedding at the Catholic Church. This |
| Einstein wrote that the fundamental question of | | | | wedding ceremony was set in the context of the |
| existence was this: "is the universe a friendly place?" | | | | Catholic festival of the Assumption of Mary - a |
| The invitation of our faith is to proclaim, "Yes." The | | | | theological emphasis that is difficult for non-Catholics to |
| universe is not just a friendly place, but the mystery | | | | grasp. The service included communion, which might |
| underlying it is personal, for us, and committed to us. To | | | | have presented a problem since the Catholic Church |
| say that God is one is to profess the faith that all life is | | | | does not practice open communion. The Catholic |
| one. It is faith in the oneness, the unity, of the universe. | | | | pastor broached the issue of my receiving communion |
| God is one, but what about the unity of humanity? | | | | -- that it would be okay despite the official church |
| How can we be both one with each other and also | | | | position. Then, he told me this story. At the funeral of |
| unique at the same time? It is a question of priorities: | | | | Pope John Paul II, Brother Roger -- the founder of the |
| either self-interest or communal interest. We are in the | | | | Taize community in France and not a Catholic -- came |
| midst of a Presidential election year that has been | | | | forward to Cardinal Ratsinger (now Pope Benedict) |
| marked by heated competition and intra-party division. | | | | who was notable for his strong enforcement of strict |
| Despite the divisions, the political parties keep saying, | | | | Catholic dogma. This faithful non-catholic asked to |
| "we'll be united!" How will they find unity within their | | | | receive communion and Cardinal Ratsinger gave |
| division? They'll find unity only by seeing their | | | | Brother Roger communion. |
| self-interest in working together in a kind of convenient | | | | The fact that communion was open to we |
| cooperation. Is this unity? | | | | non-Catholics at that wedding gave evidence of what |
| This is also an Olympic year. It is always very exciting | | | | church can be for our nation and our world. The words |
| to watch athletes representing lots of different | | | | of the hymn that was sung while the bride processed |
| countries, races, and ideologies come together and | | | | illustrate how the church can be instrumental in |
| compete with each other. It has was interesting to | | | | overcoming division in the house of humanity. We can |
| watch these events from the perspective of this | | | | value diversity and embrace the fundamental unity of |
| question of unity vs. division. There are some events in | | | | all of life as a matter of faith. |
| which the same athletes compete as teams (such as | | | | Let us build a house where all are named. |
| relay races or doubles in tennis) and, at other times, as | | | | Their songs and visions heard and loved and |
| individuals. It is striking that some athletes seem to | | | | treasured,taught and claimed as words within the |
| accomplish so much more as part of a team than | | | | Word;built of tear and cries and laughter'prayers of |
| they do competing as individuals. This is not to | | | | faith and songs of grace. |
| denigrate individual performance, but rather to highlight | | | | Let this house proclaim from floor to rafter |
| that the whole can be greater than the sum of its | | | | "All are welcome! All are welcome! |
| parts - the power of unity. | | | | All are welcome in this place! |
| Does unity mean that I must give up my own | | | | |