The editors of the American Heritage Dictionary define "schism" as: 1.A separation or division into factions. 2a. A formal breach of union within a Christian church. b. The offense of attempting to produce such a breach. 3. Disunion; discord.

Thomas Cranmer and the English Reformers understood the significance of schism. In the "Exhortation Before Holy Communion" we’re cautioned with these words:"YE who do truly and earnestly repent you of your sins, and are in love and charity with your neighbours" – these people are invited to commune with the Lord.

The consequences of schism are so serious that during the Litany we pray: "Good Lord, deliver us, From all sedition, privy conspiracy; and rebellion; from all false doctrine, heresy and schism."

Cranmer considered schism such a serious sin that there’s an entire prayer devoted to the "Unity Of God’s People."

O GOD, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, our only Saviour, the Prince of Peace; Give us grace seriously to lay to heart the great dangers we are in by our unhappy divisions. Take away all hatred and prejudice, and whatsoever else may hinder us from godly union and concord: that as there is but one Body and one Spirit, and one hope of our calling, one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism, one God and Father of us all, so we may be all of one heart and of one soul, united in one holy bond of truth and peace, of faith and charity, and may with one mind and one mouth glorify thee; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

When I knelt before our Bishop at my ordination, he asked me this question about schism, "Will you maintain and set forwards, as much as lieth in you, quietness, peace, and love, among all Christian people, and especially among them that are or shall be committed to your charge? And I said, I will so do, the Lord being my helper.

With the Prayer Book making such strong statements about schism, it comes as no surprise that the successors of the apostles warned the early church to maintain unity.

"Do not be deceived, my brothers: if anyone follows a maker of schism he will not inherit the kingdom of God; if anyone walks in strange doctrine he has no share in the passion [of Christ]." Ignatius to the Philadelphians, 3:5.

"There is 'one Lord, one faith, one baptism.' If their [the schismatics] cause is right, then is ours wrong; if ours is right, then is theirs wrong. Therefore I assert and protest, that to make a schism in the Church is no less an evil than to fall into heresy. St. John Chrysostom, Homilies on Ephesians (Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Vol. 13, First Series, pp 106-7).

"He will also judge those who give rise to schisms, who are destitute of the love of God, and who look to their own special advantage rather than to the unity of the church." Irenaeus (1:508).

Someone may be saying, "Fr Doug, that’s just your interpretation." No that’s Polycarp’s interpretation. That’s Cyprian’s interpretation. That’s Augustine’s interpretation. I’m only saying what those men said. And they said the same thing the Bible says about schism.

Proverbs 6:12-14 "...a wicked man soweth discord.

Proverbs 6:16-19 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:¹⁷ A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,¹⁸ An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,¹⁹ A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

Proverbs 16:28 "A perverse man sows strife."

Romans 16:17 "Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them."

Titus 3:10 "Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition"

Galatians 5:19-21 "The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; ²⁰idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions ²¹and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. "

Today is All Saints’ Day. And what I want you to see is that we are duty bound to maintain unity within the body of Christ. But the question we must answer is this: Unity around what? What unifies us?

Our faith. Jude exhorts us to "contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints." This faith which was bequeathed to us is an objective body of truth handed down from the apostles. St Paul wrote, "For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received" I Cor. 15:3

This means I don’t invent the faith. I don’t change the faith. I don’t adjust the faith. I simply receive it and protect it. I pass it on to my children and grandchildren, in tact, just like I received it from the saints that went before me.

Now, let me pose a second question to you: Why are we unified? Why are we to take such pains to maintain our solidarity?

In the Garden of Gethsemane, only hours before his death, Christ prayed the following prayer: "Father, protect them [the disciples] by the power of your name--the name You gave me--so that they may be one as We are one. John 17:11

If I’m reading this passage correctly, it’s telling us that the Trinity is our pattern for unity. Why are we to be unified? Because the Holy Trinity is unified.

In John 17:20-23 Jesus went on to say, "My prayer is not for them [the disciples] alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent Me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: 23 I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

What happens when we’re unified? Some how, some way we testify that God is a loving Father Who sent His Son into the world. This is our calling – to preserve the unity of all saints. Amen