In this Octave for Christian Unity, Friar Enrique Eguiarte accompanies us with seven keys from Saint Augustine to understand and live a unity that does not standardize, but integrates gifts and charisms in communion.
Unity of Christians: Saint Augustine and respect for diversity in the Church
For Saint Augustine, unity does not mean uniformity, that is, that everyone is “cut from the same mold.” It is about each person in the community of the Church being able to contribute the richness of the gift and charism that he has received. That a distinction can be made between the essential elements in which unity must exist, and the accidental or secondary elements in which freedom can exist. Therefore, Saint Augustine compared the Church to a fabric, in which there are threads of various colors, and despite the variety of colors, unity is not broken, but the variety enriches unity. And in this unity—Saint Augustine continues, continuing with his example of the fabric—the strong threads support the weaker threads, all without breaking the unity (cf. adn. Iob 38). No one should separate himself from the Church, but should contribute his own gift and his own charism, enriching others, and allowing himself to be edified by others. Thus the united Church is transformed into a Schola amoris, a School of love, where we learn from each other and enrich each other, growing together towards God.
