Welcome to Breakpoint, a daily look, and an ever-changing culture through the lens of unchanging truth.

For the Colson Center, I'm John Stone Street.

According to an article in religion unplug, some Roman Catholic officials are considering the Augsburg Confession as a basis for Christian unity.

For those not up on church history, this was written in 1530 by Philip

Melancthon as a joint statement for Protestant leaders in Germany. The confession was rejected

by Emperor Charles V and the Vatican hierarchy, but it remains the fundamental doctrinal

statement for Lutherans around the world. It also has served as a template for other

Protestant confessions over the last five centuries.

In other words, the Vatican praising Augsburg is kind of like Pepsi telling customers to go try a Coke.

A Jesuit scholar quoted in the article even said this.

Quote, acknowledging the Reformation's contributions and recognizing the Augsburg Confession as a paradigm for Christian unity would further

the cause of mission and a unified Christian witness to a broken world that needs to hear the gospel,

end quote. Well, whether that statement and this move by the Vatican becomes more than just

complementary, ecumenism certainly has a complicated history. While most Christians would certainly recognize the need for greater unity in the church,

the devil is always in the details.

Bridge buildings should never devolve into moral compromise,

certainly never to a denial of the gospel.

A commitment to faithfulness can also, on the other hand,

become corrupted by tribalism.

When Christians reduce Christianity to only their own particular tradition, then preference is

made dogma, non-essentials are made essential. Secondary, non-salvationary issues are reimagined

as conditions of salvation when they're not. In practice, Christianity can become less

...