Out of Many, One

I glanced down at the loose change on my desk and picked up the shiniest penny in the group. On the Lincoln image side, I noticed it was minted in Denver in 2021. I flipped it to the “tails” side, and saw it was still there: along the top of the shield image was the Latin phrase, E Pluribus Unum, “Out of Many, One.” The concept is radical and represents an ideal important to many. We are individual citizens, each undeniably unique, each a separate living soul. Even so, we hold on to the hope that in a union rooted in the rule of law, we can be one indivisible nation.

This aspiration is easy to name, but tough to live out, as a value, day-to-day. It takes diligent effort and persistent nurturing to secure an ideal so high. We have this hope just as strongly woven into Christian theology. The notion of Christian unity stems from the nature and will of God. It is God’s way, but not very naturally the human way. People tend to cut people off from the body to which they belong. We readily find ways to exclude others. We find things that disqualify others from belonging. Left to my own devices, broken as I am, the phrase on my coin would read. “Out of Many, Still Many Subgroups.” Not very inspired!

St. Paul, the great missionary apostle of the first century, who left many teaching letters to Christians, preserved for us in the New Testament, speaks on the matter of unity in Christ. He is from the religious tradition in which circumcised Jews are among the chosen people of God, and uncircumcised Gentiles are outside the wall. Before his conversion to Christ’s way, he might have wanted to build the wall thicker and higher, but look at his teaching to the Christians in Ephesus:

Remember that at one time you Gentiles by birth, called “the uncircumcision” by those who are called “the circumcision” —a physical circumcision made in the flesh by human hands— remember that you were at that time without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us. (Ephesians 2:11-14)

Paul is a new person in Christ. He is teaching about God as the great Reconciler. The Creator is recreating humanity through the power of grace, fostering peace among groups that would otherwise be forever separate. The cross of Christ forms the bridge that spans any chasm that humans are bent on widening and spans the chasm between sinful humanity and God who is Holy. No matter how far off people are from each other, the peace of Christ can bring them near. While we would waste energy arguing about who are strangers and who are citizens within the household of God, the Spirit is soothing away hostility and giving us access to God and one another.

He has abolished the law with its commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace, and might reconcile both groups to God in one body through the cross, thus putting to death that hostility through it. So he came and proclaimed peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near; for through him both of us have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. (Ephesians 2:11-20)

In the mid-sixties, there was a youth worker at St. Brenden’s Church on the south side of Chicago. His name was Peter Scholtes. There were denominational and racial divisions, he sought to remedy. To build unity at ecumenical and interracial events. he searched for songs that would help reduce barriers. Not finding any, he wrote one, basing it principally on John 13:35. It fits in a folk genre, and you might know it:

We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord.
We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord,
and we pray that all unity may one day be restored

We will walk with each other; we will walk hand in hand.
We will walk with each other; we will walk hand in hand,
and together we'll spread the news that God is in our land.

And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love.
Yes, they'll know we are Christians by our love.

Listen this Sunday for St. Paul’s powerful words to the Ephesians, and let them pull you into awareness that in Christ, God is truly making us one.