An Open Proposition
W. Carl Ketcherside
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"My brethren, I beseech you, in the bowels of Christ, think it possible that you may be mistaken."
These were the words of Oliver Cromwell, in a letter addressed to the General Assembly, Church of Scotland, before the battle of Dunbar, August 3, 1650. I have borrowed them to head this appeal addressed to those brethren within the religious movement designated in the United States Census Bureau records as "Churches of Christ." Because this movement is fragmented, I shall specifically concern myself with those brethren who support the general philosophy and policies as projected at Abilene Christian College, and in the journal Firm Foundation.
I shall be plain but will write in deepest love. The position of my brethren on fellowship is untenable to those students of God's word who refuse to be carnal and sectarian. That position is a flat denial of the principles of the restoration movement, as set forth in "The Declaration and Address," which gave us historic entree and existence. It is contrary to the fundamental teaching of the apostolic epistles, and is both unscriptural and anti-scriptural.
It is carnal, spiritually immature, and divisive in its very nature. It has splintered the movement of which we are a part and has nothing to offer a distraught world seeking for unity, except more division. It will be increasingly rejected by thoughtful and perceptive men and women, and will be dashed to pieces upon the rocky shores of its own factionalism.
I unhesitatingly charge that the approach it takes toward unity is dishonest. It professes to lift the whole discussion to the high plane of respect for the authority of Jesus, but cloaks the fact that it substitutes the partisan interpretation and system as the real authority. In the final analysis the hope of oneness lies not in a surrender of the will to Christ but in submission of the conscience to the authoritarian structure.
Suffer me to be even more specific. The exaltation of personal or congrega-
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We are charged with the responsibility of being peacemakers. In this regard we must be activists. In view of the fact that my brother and fellow-editor, Reuel Lemmons, is highly respected as a defender of the tests of fellowship we have mentioned, I make this sincere proposal. I will meet our brother publicly in Abilene, or any other city of his choosing in Texas, at a time convenient to the two of us, for the purpose of discussing the scriptural grounds of fellowship. Since neither of us favors the use of instrumental music in corporate worship or the pre-millennial position, we can discuss objectively how we may heal the breach between ourselves and the brethren who espouse either or both.
I propose that we hold at least three two-hour sessions. In the first, let each of us speak for one hour on our personal position, making it as clear as possible. In the second session, let us question each other for two hours in order to clarify further our views. In the third session, let us sit down together as brothers in Christ, and submit to questions addressed to us from the audience. Let our aim not be personal victory or vindication but an earnest striving together to bridge chasms in the restoration movement. Let us not meet as rivals but as mutual researchists. Obviously, the principles we enunciate with reference to these major issues will apply to all of our other problems as well.
I respectfully petition the brethren in the Administration at Abilene Christian College to consider providing facilities for such a dialogue and issuing an invitation to all segments of the restoration movement to attend. I suggest that they appoint a member of the faculty to act as moderator, and any such member who is acceptable to Brother Lemmons will be so to me. If the college administration does not see fit to invite such a dialogue, I will meet with Brother Lemmons in any city of his choosing. However, I do believe that Abilene will provide the best site for such a meaningful dialogue. We must not hold up a confrontation by haggling over places and details.
Such a dialogue session should be announced in news media accessible to the Disciples of Christ, Independent Christian Churches, and various parties within the Churches of Christ. All should feel free to attend and to question. I pledge that I will conduct myself with politeness and decorum, and will act in kindness and love toward Brother Lemmons and all others who attend.
I am taking this means of issuing a proposal because I know of no other that will be so effective. This public invitation to dialogue may be taken as your own invitation to write to Brother Lemmons and the administration at Abilene Christian College, and urge upon them the necessity of taking active measures to solve our problems and adjust our attitudes. It is tragic for us to continue divided and dividing while the rest of the world thinks in terms of unity and uniting.
If my position on fellowship, which has now been before the reading public for more than ten years, is incorrect, let its failings be revealed openly and positively for all to see. If we must maintain our divided status in order to honor the authority of Jesus, then let us labor to make the gaps wider so that there will be no danger of anyone closing them, and thus make the memory of the crucified Lord inglorious by our unity.
But let us do something, for Christ's sake. We can no longer dwell in our ivory towers when a world writhing in agony extends a hand asking for help. I may be called an opportunist, or worse, for the suggestion in this article, but this is a part of the price we must pay. Let us never retreat from reality.