“…many of us evangelical Christians acquiesce too readily in our pathological tendency to fragment.  We take refuge in our conviction about the invisible unity of the church, as if its visible manifestation did not matter.  In consequence, the devil has been hugely successful in his old strategy to divide and conquer.  Our disunity remains a major hindrance to our evangelism.

In particular, we need a greater measure of discernment, so that we may distinguish between evangelical essentials which cannot be compromised and those adiaphora (matters of indifference) on which, being of secondary importance, it is not necessary for us to insist.  Perhaps our criterion for deciding which is which, a truly evangelical principle because it concerns the supremacy of Scripture, should be as follows.  Whenever equally biblical Christians, who are equally anxious to understand the teaching of Scripture and submit to its authority, reach different conclusions, we should deduce that evidently Scripture is not crystal clear in this matter, and therefore we can afford to give one another liberty.  We can also hope – through prayer, study and discussion – to grow in our understanding and so in our agreement.

What could be regarded today as belonging to the category of adiaphora? A long list could be complied.  Here are twelve suggestions.  I will frame them as questions.

  1. Baptism: Should we baptize only adult believers or their infants as well? and by immersion or affusion?
  2. The Lord’s Supper: How should we define our sharing in the body and blood of Christ (1 Cor 10:16)?
  3. Church government: should it be episcopal, presbyterian or congregational?
  4. Worship: Is there a place for liturgy, or should all public prayer be extempore? Can we combine the formal and the informal?
  5. Charismata: Are any not available today? and of those which are, which are the most important?
  6. Women: Which ministries are open to them and which are closed? What does masculine ‘headship’ mean, and how does it apply today?
  7. Ecumenism: What degree of involvement with non-evangelical churches is appropriate?
  8. Old Testament prophecy: How are we to understand its fulfillment?
  9. Sanctification: what degree of holiness is possible for the people of God on earth?
  10. The state: What should be the relations between church and state?
  11. Mission: Are ‘mission’ and ‘evangelism’ synonymous? What is the place of the quest for social justice?
  12. Eschatology: How do we understand the tribulation, the rapture, the millennium, the parousia and our final destinies?

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