There are essentials and there are nonessentials.
A handful of theological issues are so closely linked to the Gospel that they are nonnegotiable—to redefine them is lethal to the Gospel’s meaning. The Trinity, Human Depravity, the Hypostatic Union, the Atonement, the Resurrection, etc.—these truths wrap closely around Christ and form the heart of the Gospel. It is the duty of all Christians to protect such essential doctrines from those who would tamper with them.
Yet, beyond these, the Christian should accept a multitude of doctrinal perspectives. Members of different historical traditions of Christianity should remember the improbability that any single denomination of Christianity has the only valid understanding of the smaller details of the Bible. In fact, the differences benefit us, because they keep our individual and cultural biases in check, and compound into a kaleidoscope of perspectives through which men better behold the multifaceted and mysterious glory of the Gospel. God is so beautiful that he should be viewed from every angle.
Furthermore, God wants his children to be bound in a unity of love. Jesus prayed “that [Christians] may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me” (John 17:23). This unity calls for a generous and loving acceptance of believers with many different forms of Christian practice. Therefore, the modus operandi of the Christian is to content with those who differ essentially on the core doctrines, and to embrace as a brother all those differ nonessentially on the core doctrines.
What is the core essence of the faith we hold? What is essential about your church and mine, and what is just optional? Have we confused the two?
There are about 40,000 denominations of Christianity. I wonder what would it would be like if we came together around Jesus, Redeemer, God With Us, and let our simple, vibrant love for Him and for our spiritual family blow the world away.
The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. (1 Corinthians 10:16-17)
Ben Taylor 