Catholics and Evangelicals

In the midst of a culture war that I happen to despise, I am heartened by a silver lining in an otherwise ominous cloud. Catholics and Evangelicals, separated by the strife of centuries-old reformation and counter-reformation, are coming together in this country to promote a "culture of life."

This unlikely union has not been prompted by theological rumblings or a surge of love by either side. Rather, Catholics and Evangelicals are coming to grips with the simple fact that they need each other. They agree on a number of issues, and they are finally realizing that together they can accomplish so much more than what would be done alone. Both groups look at our country and see a myriad of interests that they perceive to be hostile to a message of truth and morality. And as they have begun to circle the wagons, they are realizing that it is better to make the circle as wide and strong as possible.

I will not comment on the defensive posture being adopted by many Catholics and Evangelicals in this country, other than to say that I think these moves to be premature. And if history is any guide, then when the day comes that this country is truly hostile to the message of Christianity, we will finally be ripe for another movement of God's Spirit.

My point is there is no better cure for fractious division than an attack by outsiders. A good friend of mine is Eastern Orthodox, and his take on the Protestant Reformation is a breath of fresh air. According to him, the Orthodox view the Reformation as a family squabble. This of course reminds me of a comment people invariably make about the tumultuous relationship one has with one's sibling: "Don't say a word about my brother... I'm the only person who can say anything bad about him."

Are Catholics and Evangelicals learning this lesson? At long last, it appears that this is the case. These are the first steps, of course, and any real movement in the larger issues that separate Christians is a long way off. But in the interim, I am deeply encouraged by the realization that what unites Catholics and Evangelicals can be of great importance. And perhaps some of the issues we used to think were so important will recede into the background as a larger culture grows more skeptical of the Christian worldview. It's remarkable the clarity and insight that comes with opposition. I'm oversimplifying things a bit, but I suspect that Fundamentalists were so concerned with liquor during the early part of the 20th century because, well, that was the only thing they had that they could worry about. Now that our culture has undergone such dramatic change, may we see the things that are truly important, and prove ourselves faithful disciples of the God who calls all Christians, both Catholics and Evangelicals.