The movement for Christian unity has a long history. The experience of Christian disunity, of course, has an even longer history. The ways in which Christians have seen both unity and disunity have changed greatly over the centuries. This is evident in the way in which St Ignatius responded to the Protestant movement of his time and in the development of the Week of Christian Unity (Ascension to Pentecost, 29 May – 8 June 2025).
The modern movement to Christian Unity began in the mission of Protestant Churches in European colonies in the 19th century. They found that the competition between Christian churches deterred people from accepting a message of peace from preachers at war with one another. This led them to desire and to pray for Christian unity. This desire was also embodied in a Catholic week of prayer for Christian unity, conceived as the return to unity within the Catholic Church. This was later broadened to a week in which Christian churches could pray for the unity that Christ wanted. The Second Vatican Council, which recognised that in all Churches there is a relationship to Christ, led to different forms of sharing between local congregations which still continue.
NURTURING FAITH
More recently, however, church attendance in all Christian churches has diminished, and their attention has turned inwards to nurturing faith within an individualist and secular culture. The Week of Christian Unity has become more marginal.
The gulf between the Catholic Church and churches associated with the Reformation was initially widened by emphasising the hostility between significant figures on both sides. Church leaders were defined by their negative attitudes to one another. This was true of St Ignatius Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits, who came to be seen as a leader of the Counter Reformation, centered in the Council of Trent. He was portrayed as the General of the Catholic army.
This view was mistaken. Ignatius, it is true, himself saw God as acting through the Catholic Church and opposed separation from it. Many Jesuits, too, became strongly hostile to the Reformers. The Reformation, however, was not central in Ignatius mission. He was convalescent during Luther’s stand and excommunication, and for the next 20 years, including the foundation of the Jesuits, he focused on the personal reform of life among Catholics.
That remained his concern when he answered the Pope’s request to send Jesuits as consultors to the Council of Trent (19 May 1546). Ignatius sent two of his trusted companions, Salmeron and Lainez, to the Council. In his instructions to them he urged them to speak economically when asked, to engage in ministry in churches, not to preach on issues of dispute between Catholic and reformers but on personal reform, to teach faith to children, and to spend time in the hospitals with the poor.
PASTORS AND RECONCILERS
They were not soldiers but pastors and reconcilers. The faith they supported was a living faith.
This is true also of the Week of Christian Unity. Its theme this year is a question put by Jesus to Mary after the death of Lazarus. After promising her that Lazarus would live, he asked her, ‘Do you believe this?’ His question was about trust in God who acted in him. This is not only a notional faith but a personal commitment. That was also the kind of faith which Ignatius preached, a personal and generous faith that must unite followers of Christ in all churches in the challenges we face today.