One, but not the same: celebrating diversity, living with difference

Following the Churches Together in England (CTE) Forum last month, General Secretary, Bishop Mike Royal, reflects on the gathering’s theme of being one in Christ, but not the same.

Every three years, Churches Together in England brings together its 54 member churches, nearly 100 charities and networks in association, and Churches Together ecumenical bodies from across the country for CTE Forum. With 300 leaders from across the church spectrum it is always an enriching time – and this year was no exception.

The theme of the CTE Forum this year spoke to the challenge of our time: we are one in Christ, but not the same. St. Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 12, “Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its parts form one body so it is with Christ”. He goes on to say, “But in fact God has placed the parts of the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is there are many parts but one body”. Finally, he exclaims, “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you are a part of it”.

As we journey through Holy Week, we remember that Christ gave himself for the world. Despite telling his disciples otherwise, they found it really difficult to think of Christ’s sacrificial death and triumphant resurrection as anything other than a parochial concern. Before he ascended to heaven, they couldn’t resist satisfying their curiosity by asking, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” Jesus responded, “It is not for you to know the times of the dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirt comes upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth”. Jesus’ death and resurrection was always a global affair for every tribe, tongue, and nation. And just like the diversity of opinions within his own disciples, his death and resurrection is for different kinds of people too.

Easter 2025 is a special time to celebrate our oneness.

Firstly, it’s the 1700-year anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, where Christian Elders gathered to thrash out the essential doctrine of what we believe about Jesus Christ – who he was and what he did for our salvation. That meeting of Christian Elders in Nicaea (in modern day Türkiye) unites us around the centrality of Jesus Christ despite our differences and disagreements.

Easter 2025 is also a moment where the Eastern and Western calendar come together, and we celebrate Easter on the same day. It presents us with the opportunity to proclaim to the whole world, at the same time, that Christ has died, Christ is risen, and that Christ is coming again!

Easter 2025 also marks a moment of history. The old post-World War II consensus seems to have given way to a world filled with intolerance and polarisation. As Christians, we can be prophetic and proclaim that Christ died for all of us, once for all; that as we put our trust in Him, we are united as one people.

With this oneness in mind, it felt fitting that at CTE Forum, as a Pentecostal, I could sit and enjoy the silent worship of the Quaker tradition. That we could have a workshop on the Israel-Gaza crisis and have a constructive conversation that sought to understand the complexity of this crisis more fully, enabling us to engage more intelligently, prayerfully, practically, and humanely. That we could sit in another workshop as we discuss the divisive issue of human sexuality and have a conversation that steered away from violent speech. That we could listen to a talk on reparations for the transatlantic slave trade without micro-aggressive reactions being the order of the day.

As we step into Holy Week, my prayer is that what we experienced at CTE Forum will be more than a mountain top experience, but an everyday disposition as we journey together as Christ’s church. That we can all truly say, “now you are the body of Christ and each one of you are a part of it”!

Bishop Mike Royal is General Secretary of Churches Together in England. Churches Together in England is the ecumenical instrument of the churches to enable them to work together in unity.