Interesting answer. Within the answer was a direct statement of division as you said that the only true way is the "One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church." That does not answer as to why there is so much division, but it does speak to the fact that there is truly division in those who claim to be in Christ. Thank you for your answer JoeT.
I thought all unity centered around "One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church"? In that regard it does answer your question about division. Is the unity we are talking about all those 'united' against the "One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church"? Or, is it one where we all sit around the camp fire singing Kumbaya?
St. Paul writes in his epistle to the Ephesians about the blessings received in unity as well as the blessing in persevering in unity [Chp. 1 thru 3]. He cautions and urges to keep unity, a unity far different from the faux unity found in the legions of other doctrines. St. Paul’s unity is first a devoutness to love of Christ, second, chains of fidelity binding us to Christ and through Him one to another, and third the grace afforded the Church and her united member parts. This is seen in the first verses of Ephesians 4.
I therefore, a prisoner in the Lord, beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation in which you are called, With all humility and mildness, with patience, supporting one another in charity. Careful to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. One body and one Spirit; as you are called in one hope of your calling. One Lord, one faith, one baptism. [Ephesians 4:1-5]
A person consists of body in union with the soul. The Church also consists of a body in union with her soul consisting of the Holy Spirit animating the body. It is a holy union of the faithful members to the Body of Christ in union with the soul, i.e. the Holy Spirit; the whole of which is the Church. The soul ‘communicates’ to her existence as spirit which “subsists to the corporeal matter, out of which and the intellectual soul there results unity of existence; so that the existence of the whole composite is also the existence of the soul.” [St. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica, I, 76, 1,5] In such unity of the faithful are of “one essence” or “of one nature”; all as if of one being, the Body of Christ. Therefore, Catholics hear “Union is good, but unity is better." (
Bona est unio sed potior est unitas). [c. Sarda Y Salvany, Felix, Liberalism Is a Sin] as her member parts are consubstantial (not conjoined) with Christ as Christ is with the Father.. [Cf John 17:21]
Simply, we are to be of one God, one faith, of one mind and judgment, one hope, one faith, one baptism. Maybe you don't like that, but that's what Christ meant.
JoeT