At Easter, Christians everywhere recall and celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord. But far more people will recall nothing - they are the non-Christians, people of other faiths, people with no faith at all. And even among Christians, people disagree about what happened at the first Easter, and its relevance for us. How far can we say that we are right, and those other people are wrong?
An "interfaith monastic conference" held my attention. Anglican, Roman Catholic and Orthodox monks had invited Buddhists, Muslims and Hindus as guests, to discuss issues of common concern about leading a life away from the world and devoted to serving God. How far can we share our experiences with non-Christians, and what can we learn from them?
In November 2003, Gene Robinson was consecrated as Bishop of New Hampshire. The bishop is divorced, and lives with a male partner. A year previously, the bishop of New Westminster, in British Columbia, Canada, had accepted a resolution of his diocesan synod to authorize the blessing of same-sex unions in the diocese. Both decisions have led to bitter debate in the worldwide Anglican church. How far can we share in worship with Christians who hold different views from our own?
In the fourth century, churches broke off relationship over the question of whether Jesus and God his Father were "of the same substance" or "of similar substance" (and what the difference was between "substance", "nature" and "essence"). In the 16th century you could be burnt at the stake for denying that the bread and wine of the Eucharist changed to the body and blood of Christ - or for affirming it, depending on who was lighting the fire. What do we believe? What must we believe?
It seems that there are some things that just don't matter - Paul mentioned eating meat sacrificed to idols and observing particular days as holy. On the other hand, he was quite definite that women must veil their hair when they are at a service. Do we share the same values? In years to come, will there be the same disputes about whether smoking is sinful as there are today about abortion, euthanasia or homosexual activity?
Next year sees not only the centenary of St Ursula's, but also the 75th anniversary of the Bonn Agreement between the Anglican and Old Catholic churches, setting up an intercommunion founded on "divine revelation, as verifiable at the threefold bar of history, reason and spiritual experience." What values do we share with the Old Catholics which we do not share with the Roman Catholics, the Baptists - or the Mormons, or our Muslim or Jewish friends?
Since the war, people have become tired of structures. A number of structures have shown themselves as tired and corrupt - communism for one. But the churches have also suffered. Should we turn our backs on old structures and look for new ones?
Ama et quod vis fac, said St Augustine - love and do what you wish. Is this all we need to guide us through life? If so, is it not frighteningly close to the doctrine of the occult magician, Aleister Crowley: "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law"? Is there very much difference between Crowley's twisted views, and those of non-Christian humanists? Or between these, and the views accepted recently by all Swiss churches, including our own, in the Charta Oecumenica? "We work towards a humane, socially conscious Europe, in which human rights and the basic values of peace, justice, freedom, tolerance, participation and solidarity prevail. We likewise insist on the reverence for life, the value of marriage and the family, the preferential option for the poor, the readiness to forgive, and in all things compassion."
We should all reflect on these questions, and seek our own answers. As an aid to reflection, perhaps we should reread St Augustine's advice, and relate it to Jesus' words in John 15:12-13: "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends." For it is with our eyes fixed on God's love in Jesus that we can most deeply understand where the way to heaven lies.
HD