Saint Augustine and John Wesley among others have been credited with the statement: “In essentials, unity. In nonessentials, liberty. And in all things, charity.”

In essentials, unity.

There are central beliefs and practices that cannot be compromised without abandoning the Christian faith. Most agree with this assertion; but people define the word “essential” differently. The core is quite small for some, encapsulating a few essential beliefs. The core is quite large for others, encompassing voluminous dogma.

In nonessentials, liberty.

Everything is not equally important. There’s essential and nonessential, central and peripheral, foundational and marginal. It can be important to me without it being important to you; and it can be important to you without it being important to be. We can agree to disagree while keeping the main thing the main thing!

In all things, charity.

We can disagree about what is essential and nonessential; but let us agree on the fundamental Christian ethic of LOVE. Jesus told his disciples in John 13:34-35:

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

If we truly believe what we say we believe, then we’re going to spend eternity together. Maybe we should learn to love one other better in the meantime.