Bishop Gibbs lectures on unity or unanimity

Christ Church-Grosse Pointe’s lecture series continued with the Bishop of the Diocese of Michigan, Bishop Wendell Gibbs. Attendance was smaller at this lecture then at Bishop Spong’s lecture. Bishop Gibbs’ was invited to lecture and had to take some time to consider what he would lecture about. The bishop reflectively began the lecture by reading I Corinthians 12, which speaks of the Apostle Paul’s understanding of the spirit’s composition of many members but one body.

A passion of Bishop Gibbs’ is his preference for unity rather then for unanimity. Unity and unanimity are defined similarly in that a consensus can be a characteristic of both. Bishop Gibbs’ however focuses on the differences of definition between unity and unanimity. The dictionary defines the differences as follows

• Unity- The state of being a complete or harmonious combination of elements.
• Unanimity- The state of being in a consensus or undivided opinion.
  

In unity, Bishop Gibbs’ argues, the individual can retain his individuality while at the same time become part of a whole, the church. In unanimity, the individual might lose his individuality when becoming part of a whole. Bishop Gibbs’ preference for unity over unanimity has relevance to the religious practice and belief of the individual faithful.

Religious practices/ beliefs that seek unity are considerate of the faithful’s desire to define for themselves their practices and beliefs. Respect of an individual’s covenant with God is upheld. Religious practice/ belief that seeks unanimity on the other hand imposes an order of the institution’s design upon the individual potentionally resulting in a lack of respect of the faithful's covenant with God. One size fits all religion is the order of the day in a unanimous religion and Bishop Gibbs regards this pursuit as “boring”.

Bishop Gibbs’ preference provides a significant benefit to the institution of the church, as well as the individual’s of the institution in that converts from other faiths may find acceptance and continued practice of their previous faith. The Bishop provided an example of his continued Catholic practice of the rosary and how his individuality is preserved while becoming a part of the whole of the church. The bishop did not sacrifice his previous beliefs and practices and he feels that diversity of practice/belief benefits the church and the individual.

Diversity of practice / belief has the potential to cause a conflict with the Book of Common Prayer however which the bishop refers to as an “outline” for the church. If we are to accept persons of other faiths and permit them to continue practicing their habit then the “outline” is seen in a laissez faire manner. The benefit of a laissez faire attitude to the individual is that he is accommodated and his personal covenant with God is respected as he defines it. The detriment of a laissez faire attitude to the institution is the loss of integrity of practice/ belief within the institution. However there is a benefit to the institution that fosters a laissez faire attitude as well and that is a body of more members, practices and beliefs acting as a whole with acknowledgment of God’s omnipresence and diversity of creation, belief as the rule not the exception in God’s design.

Many of the comments made are my own and not the bishop’s.