United in Differences – Catholic Spirit
I grew up a Methodist, and nowadays I'm a Nazarene – both denominations which favour Wesleyan theology. But not everybody is a Methodist, or a Nazarene, and not everybody is Wesleyan in their thinking. And that's ok.
Some churches become very dogmatic about their view of things and don't allow for any different understandings or approaches. In Wesley's day, he was loved by many, demonised by many others. But he was really ahead of his time in that he had great respect for Christians with whom he differed. Listen to what he said in his sermon on Catholic Spirit: "Though we cannot think alike, may we not love alike? May we not be of one heart, though we are not of one opinion? Without all doubt, we may. Herein all the children of God may unite, notwithstanding these smaller differences."
United Despite Differences
This was unusual for the time. Generally, Christians in their smaller sub-groups really looked down on the other groups, in those days. But Wesley saw that small differences in theology didn't mean that we discount each other completely.
We see this in Wesley's relationship with George Whitefield, who was probably the outstanding preacher of the 1700s. The two men were great friends in the 1730s, but then Whitefield began to embrace a Calvinist theology, which differed greatly with Wesley's views on prevenient grace and Christian perfection. Their disagreement ended up becoming public, and by the early 40s they had formally parted ways in their ministries.
But a few years later they learned to be friends despite their differences, and their friendship is a good example of what Wesley meant by not thinking alike, but loving alike, and being of one heart. In fact it was when Wesley preached at Whitefield's funeral years later that he famously said the phrase "we have agreed to disagree".
Biblical Boundaries of Unity
Now, this is not to say we just accept everybody. For example, most Christians don't see Mormons as real Christians – their beliefs are too far from traditional Christian theology for us to unite with them. This is not to say that we demonise them and denounce them with bitter anger. But it means we hope that they come to understand Christ as the basis of their salvation, and we seek to lovingly lead them into that faith. It's the same with Muslims or Jews or whoever else – we don't demonise them, we recognise them as God's created children who need to understand Christ's offer of salvation to be saved. So we love them and seek to lead them to Him.
And with different Christian denominations, who differ with us on various theological issues, we don't look down on them or denounce them either. Like Wesley and Whitefield, we "agree to disagree" on the secondary issues of the faith. And we walk hand in hand, fulfilling the words of the shortest Psalm in the Bible Psalm 133: "How good and pleasant it is when God's people live together in unity! It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard." (Psalm 133:1-2)
