The Christadelphian September 1982, Alfred Nicholls

“Comment Upon Inter-Ecclesial Fellowship”

In the above article Brother Whittaker has drawn attention to the question of withdrawal from ecclesias. It has happened more than once that a group of brethren or ecclesias has withdrawn from another ecclesia over what is in their opinion some error of doctrine or more usually of practice and then withdrawn from all other ecclesias who do not support that judgement, on the ground that the latter are involved in the sin of the first ecclesia. This is sometimes known as “block disfellowship” and clearly has no sanction in Scripture.

However, sometimes the circumstances are such as to challenge the judgement of other ecclesias and require their decision. To put the matter in perspective we offer the following extract from an Editorial Note on “Inter-Ecclesial Responsibility” (The Christadelphian, July 1945): “… ecclesias have a duty to make rules regulating their procedure in harmony with the principles of ecclesial life laid down by the apostles. And ecclesias are related to each other as members of the body of Christ. While the Lord rebuked each of the seven Churches for its faults, he added to each of the letters to the Churches that he that hath an ear should hear what he said, for what he said was intended for all to hear. The rebuke of one was a warning to all to avoid the evil rebuked. If an ecclesia is known to persist in teaching wrong doctrine, or in retaining in fellowship those who do, other ecclesias can only avoid being involved by disclaiming association. In matters of doubt, where it is a question of judgment of fact, ecclesial decisions must be respected, as the Guide and the Constitution provide. But when there is grave error in doctrine or practice, an ecclesia has a duty of loyalty to the Truth, and it is recognised among us that by the Truth is meant the definition of doctrine in the Statement of Faith. If an ecclesia fail in such loyalty, other ecclesias cannot co-operate without complicity. Harmony in essentials has ceased to exist, and behind a facade of union there is really disunity. Division is a sin when there is loyalty to Truth: when there is disagreement on fundamentals it is an evil to be endured with patience.”