I took communion at the church I visited while I was away from home last week, and it struck me as never before that we are all saved by one body and one blood. This morning I saw an Assyrian Christian man speaking on a U.S. Christian television program about the long-tradition of Assyrian (or Syrian?) Christianity. As He spoke I thought about the difference between his traditions and mine, and yet again, how we were connected through Christ. I read the words to this hymn this morning after listening to the tune, and I think it says it all.
The church's one foundation is Jesus Christ her Lord
She is His new creation, by Spirit and the Word:
From heav'n He came and sought her to be His holy bride,
With His own blood He bought her, And for her life He died.
Elect from ev'ry nation, yet one o'er all the earth,
Her charter of salvation, One Lord, one faith, one birth;
One holy name she blesses, partakes one holy food,
And to one hope she presses, with ev'ry grace endued.
'Mid toil and tribulation, and tumult of her war,
She waits the consummation of peace forevermore;
Till with the vision glorious, her longing eyes are blest,
And the great church victorious shall be the church at rest.
Hooray! Peace to my brothers and sisters around the world in tumult and tribulation.
"The Churc's One Foundation," Words: Samuel J. Stone; Music: Samuel S. Wesley
3 comments:
There are actually two traditions. Syrian Christianity was centered on Antioch, while Assyrian Christianity was originally centered on the town of Urhay (now called Urfa, also called Urhoy and Edessa) in south-easter Turkey. Both groups use Aramaic (Syriac) in the liturgy, and there are many members of both groups with probable Assyrian ancestry
Bob -
I have much to learn about these traditions. The man who spoke said that his church's tradition was begun with St. Thomas, in 45-50 A.D., I believe.
KMM
Not to be TOO mean but I urge great care when identifying oneself w/ Assyrian Christians. Or Roman Cathos or Eastern Orthodox, etc... they do not affirm salvation by grace thru faith alone, they do not affirm Sola Scriptura...
Assyrian Xtians' traditions have led them, in fact, into formal heresy - they are Nestorians if I remember correctly and believe Christ to be 2 persons rather than one.
OTOH, I can appreciate the sentiment and definitely (given where *I* live) the joy of coming together w/ brothers and sisters in the Body anywhere in the world!
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