Amen!
These doctrinal disputations seem pretty pointless anyway. Especially in this holy season, it would be better if Christians could focus more on what we have in common with Christians outside our own tradition, rather than on ancient, seemingly irreconcilable points of contention; for the universal Body of Christ is constituted of all faithful lovers of Christ. The members of the Body are Christ's choice. Therefore, Christians have no basis to complain about members of the Body from other Christian traditions. All of us are entailed by the divine command to love one another — Love thy neighbor as thyself.
Or so it seems to me.
Thank you so very much for your wise, perceptive essay/post, dear Mad Dawg!
I find it helpful to think of those outside the body of Christ that are offended by anything done in the name of Christ. I've recently switched from a Plymoth Brethren church to an Assembly of God Church. The two are vastly different but everything in both is done in the name of God the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ. Not everything is perfect in either but I know that the Muslims, Darwinists, Humanists, Gays, the Liberal Media heathens and all other enemies of the Church are terribly offended by our gathering together in His name. I find that very comforting though I do pray for their salvation.