Who is my "Other"???

I was driving past the home of a good friend whom I haven’t seen in ages. Lo and behold, he was sitting on his front porch, so I banged a U-turn and he and I shared a bro hug and happy sentiments in a manly fashion. 

Picking up where we left off, my friend Seth spoke of some divisive problems going down at the church he attends. In response to this turmoil, he mentioned a successful study that a select few members were participating in at the church. The study revolved around the "one another" passages in the bible.

Seth and I both share a deep love for the church, and both find the current condition of the church to be disheartening, though both of us would have different opinions on why things are the way they are. Seth and I think very differently yet our friendship has been sustained... even through the drastic paradigm shift I have undergone which has put great tensions on our relationship at times. 

Though Seth and I can be at different ends of the spectrum I felt a kinship between us, being that we both recognize division in the church as the single greatest indicator of unhealthiness. 

I didn't broach the subject with Seth in the moment being that I was so happy to reconnect, but I wanted to ask a question that I thought he and I would answer very differently.

"Who is my other?" 

In the study that Seth was conducting with his church, I wonder if the question of who this "other" is, is defined? I don’t want to make any definitive statements as to how the study guide would answer this question, but I'd like to use my friends current topic of study to dialogue with some of my own convictions.  

I suppose that in many people's minds, the perception is that "one another" would hold a very specific image consisting of the members of their immediate congregation. Perhaps it may be extended to the regional denomination, or even to a fluid term, such as fellow "Evangelicals". 

Pondering this led me to realize that a similar question is asked of Jesus:

"Who is my Neighbor?" 

A few things stuck out to me while comparing these two questions

First of all, I think the intent of both questions are polar opposites. It seems the man’s question was a way to restrict those to whom he was obligated to show love as a neighbor. It seems to be a common theme that Jesus challenges his listeners to expand their perceptions of who is in our circle of care and fellowship, as opposed to placing restrictions of which exclude those that are not like us.

Perhaps then, the man was seeking to suggest that only his fellow Jews were his true neighbors, and therefore he was only obligated to show them the courtesy of neighborliness.

The question I am posing "who is my other" is seeking to expand what mental imagery of who is in our circle of fellowship. 

Secondly, I have to believe that one of the most decisive statements in the bible which applies directly to subsequent generations of Christian believers without any need for fancy exegetical foot work or historical consideration or a leap of application is Jesus' prayer in the 17th chapter of John's Gospel:

“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.”

My friend Seth and I both would agree that the score card for assessing the health of the church and its efficiency in reaching the world was given to us by Jesus.  Unity and Christian mission to the world are interconnected. Those on the outside will come to know that the Father has sent the Son by observing the way in which those whom belong to the Son treat one another. 

With this, my friend and I both gave some type of resounding...

"WE'RE SCREWED!"

Though I must say, my friend is greatly optimistic about his own congregation and the "true church" within his congregation, having fellowship with those who are not divisive in his church. For this, I am envious of my friend’s perspective, but I think my conviction of ecumenical unity would make him uncomfortable.

But back to the question at hand: "Who is my other?" 

If the message of Jesus is to paint a picture of the Kingdom of Heaven and to call others into participation of that vision; and if that vision is global: transcending gender, ethnicity, social and economic status, than can it not be said that the Kingdom which God desires would consist of great diversity (both of thought, appearance, and practice)? 

Please read that run on sentence again until it makes sense. It is the point of this entire inner dialogue.

I do not believe that Christian unity will ever become a reality in a single congregation until it becomes a conviction of the global Christian community. 

So long as our legacy is that of:

“One long, continuous line of protesters protesting against their fellow protesters, generating thousands of denominations, para-churches, and ‘free churches,’ which are simply one-church denominations.” - Peter Cram

 and so long as people's experiences are of:

“a teeny, unhistorical, brand-new splinter of a splinter of a splinter.” - Kristine Franklin

mass exodus will be the greater trend of coming generations who have grown weary of Christian fratricide.

I hope that we can take a cue from others who have become obedient to the prayer of Christ: That we would be one, as he and the Father are one, and that in so doing the world would know that the Father has sent the Son. 

 Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear