Matt Kennedy: Amicable Separation?
Stand Firm

Were my friend, without changing his mind about Jesus, to join my parish and claim to be a Christian and then demand to be baptized (or confirmed or ordained etc…) our love for one another would almost certainly wane. I could not accede to his demands and my refusal to acknowledge the validity of his “Christianity” would doubtless make it difficult for us to relate charitably. In the same way, were I to join his synagogue and claim to be an orthodox Jew all the while proclaiming the divinity of Christ and ignoring the requirements of the law, he would find it difficult, impossible in fact, to recognize the legitimacy of my claim and our friendship would be strained. In both cases, far from enhancing our relationship, an attempt at institutional unity would all but destroy it. Why? Because it would be a lie.

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