Divided We Fall: Overcoming a History of Christian Disunity

“Dr. Luder Whitlock is a seasoned, very well-respected leader in American evangelicalism. In this timely volume, he calls Christians to live together as God has directed and to repent of unlovingattitudes toward each other (John 17). Dr. Whitlocks sage reflections prod and pinch, encourage and exhort. In these contentious days, Dr. Whitlocks volume constitutes a much-needed reminder that we as Christians should seek the unity of Christs church and love the Lord our God with all our hearts, souls, and minds and our neighbors as ourselves.”

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“Divided We Fall is exquisitely timed. It comes into print when hundreds of evangelically oriented congregations race to exit their denominational encumbrances. But where will they go, and how will they relate to one another after their departures? An increasingly secularized environment in the United States and a virulent Islamic assault beyond its borders portend persecution for those who profess that Jesus Christ is the way, and the truth, and the life (John 14:6). Author Luder Whitlock implores evangelicals to know that the time has come to cherish their common commitment to the Lord Jesus while graciously recognizing secondary differences.”

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“Luder Whitlocks Divided We Fall is a work of such tender conviction, such loving wisdom, that its words carried my heart closer to Jesus and the church he loves and leads. It meant all the more to me because I know that Luders concern for the unity of the church is not merely an intellectual idea, but a deeply held desire that he shares with Christ. Ive seen this work out in my interactions with Luder, and it is evident in these pages. Divided We Fall is honest about what has divided Christians, and about the challenges we have in healing those divides. It is my hope that through this book entire communities will be motivated to earnestly seek unity, and find in the church and the Savior that Whitlock describes so sweetly the resources needed to do so.”

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“As a long-term president of a seminary that draws students from many denominations, and from his decades of experience as a minister, Dr. Whitlock realizes the difficulties for the various branches of the church in realizing organizational unity. He therefore wisely advocates a working unity based on the Apostles, Nicene, and Athanasian Creeds and a common commitment to fulfilling the Great Commission. Dr. Whitlock suggests cooperative ministry directed toward achieving common goals in areas such as evangelism, education, ministries of mercy, and Christian witness to an increasingly secularized culture. All branches of the church lament the divisions of the church and long for some sort of unity before Christs return. Dr. Whitlocks proposal is a step in the right direction.”

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“A powerful case for evangelical ecumenism (based on grace and truth), with special reference to Reformed Christians, from an esteemed insider.”

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“The church of Jesus Christ exists in a perilous time, especially for those living out of a broad Reformed evangelicalism. More and more out of step with the values of culture, churches and denominations should consider it imperative to live and serve in a manner of unity, yet that often seems only a hoped-for reality. Dr. Luder Whitlocks book shines a thought-provoking and informative light on this subject. With years of experience across a variety of cultural and denominational lines, he brings wisdom, clarity, and practical ideas for turning the tide back toward the unity of the body.”

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“From a full lifetime of Christian service, Luder Whitlock has written an unusually insightful assessment of the contemporary American church and an unusually helpful challenge to follow Christ as head of the church. Biblically rooted, historically informed, and pastorally helpful, this book gracefully fulfills its purpose of strengthening unity and community in Christs church.”

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“This book speaks deeply into my soul. I know that Jesus calls us to work for Christian unity, but I am very distrustful of what people have in mind when they offer plans for pursuing that goal. Luder Whitlock understands all my misgivings, but he pushes beyond them with his profound callbacked by careful biblical thought, historical explorations, and moving personal confessionsfor new efforts at healing and reconciliation. I want to belong to the kind of church he hopes for!”

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“Luder Whitlock is a trusted voice for Christians because he evidences deep wisdom, compassion, and maturity, as well as intellect and skill. This book calls the church to gospel unity in ways that will provoke you to think, ponder, and pray.”

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“Sometimes it seems that the greatest enemy of the churchs work is the church itself, with its propensity for division, backbiting, and even downright unchristian behavior. We should not be surprised that fallen human beings behave as badly as we do, since Christian theology predicts it. But how can the church become a stronger force for counteracting those tendencies and begin to more closely resemble the community of redemptive love that it is meant to beand that it needs to be, today more than ever before? Luder Whitlocks book is a resounding call for us to do better, delivered not in the hectoring tone of a would-be prophet but in the generous and encouraging tone of a learned and experienced friend, who offers us not only exhortations but also concrete and constructive suggestions. It is most welcome, and highly recommended for all, especially pastors and lay leaders.”

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“Jesus thought and taught that the unity of those who call themselves by his name was and is extremely important. He prayed in John 17 that Christians might be one, just as he is one with the Father. He specified that a key goal of his entire ministry was that believers might be brought to complete unity. Why that specific goal? Because then the world may know that you sent me. Luder Whitlocks superb book explores the full biblical basis for such unity, it traces the challenges to that unity throughout church history, and it makes very practical suggestions about how we might move toward accomplishing that for which our Savior prayed.”

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“If youve ever wondered why the church is so fragmented, Luder Whitlock, one of Americas premier ecclesiastical statesmen, provides a compelling answer. If youve longed for greater unity in the body of Christ, here is balm for your soul. Whitlocks Divided We Fall issues a gracious plea for renewed concern for biblical unity. His thoughtful analysis of the churchs ages-long proclivity for disunity is convicting yet encouraging as it challenges us to pursue a fresh commitment to Christian community. This is a much-needed study for both leaders and congregants, especially for us in the Reformed and Presbyterian traditions. Divided We Fall will help you to reassess and address the spirit of partisanship, independence, and schism that lurks within our hearts and the culture of our churches.”

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“If you know Luder Whitlock, you can almost hear his audible voice as you read Divided We Fall. He illuminates the reality that although we often experience the church as a fractious mess, that is not the spiritual reality of the body of Christ. Whitlock calls the church to manifest the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace even in the absence of consensus on particular issues. As the culture continues to shift and the relevance of the church is increasingly called into question, visible unity becomes essential to the fruitful witness of Christs people. This is a must-read for all those interested in the churchs bearing a unified witness to the world and experiencing the joy of real community with fellow believers.”

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“Luder Whitlocks book is something of a cri de coeur for greater unity in the church. At a time when Christian leaders are almost obsessed about the culture, this book rightly argues that we will shape the broader society only to the degree that we make the Christian church what it should be. And in our present moment, the unity of the church is both a witness to the world and a necessity for its strength and vitality. Luders appeal comes from long experience and membership in several denominations. He marshals evidence for his contentions from the Bible, theology, history, and organizational literature. Not everyone will agree with every proposal or every argument, but overall the book makes a compelling case.”

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“Luder Whitlocks Divided We Fall seeks to revive a dormant conversation about why and how Christians and churches must pursue ways to display our unity in Christ visibly to the watching world, as Jesus prayed (John 17:2123). Building on solid biblical foundations, Whitlock explores the history of the visible churchs unity and brokenness, and the complexities entailed in efforts to restore our communion in biblical truth. Some of his diagnoses of causes and prescriptions of remedies are self-evident, whereas others are provocative and controversial. In either case, Whitlocks voice rouses followers of Jesus from our complacency in a status quo in which Christs church is, sadly, by schisms rent asunder, by heresies distressed. This book merits reading with humble self-examination, as well as theological discernment.”

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“Luder Whitlock has been acknowledged as a major leader in American and global evangelicalism for more than thirty-five years. Writing from this distinctive perspective, he makes a simple argument: to mark the five hundredth anniversary of the Reformation, it is time for Protestant Christians to affirm and take seriously the rich and energetic ecumenicity of those who led that Reformation. While not calling for an organizational unity like the failed mainline ecumenical attempts in the twentieth century, he does believe its time for evangelicals to focus more closely on what they hold in common, especially in the face of increasing cultural opposition to the gospel that they all hold dear in the twenty-first century.”

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“Jesus did not come to establish a dismembered church or a disunited body. He prayed for his disciples, and for us, that we would be one, as he and the Father are one, so that the world may believe. That prayer is still operative, and this book, from one of our wisest evangelical leaders, is an urgent plea for its fulfillment. Let us hear and heed.”

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“My good friend Luder Whitlock has written an excellent book on a subject that has long been dear to my heartthe unity of the church. It covers biblical principles, historical and theological issues, and practical means of achieving reconciliation and love in Christ. His understanding of the issues is deep and right on target, and his presentation is well ordered to foster the unity he urges us to seek. I hope this book receives a very wide readership.”

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“Too often Christians have been divided over issues that are less than gospel essentials. What are the causes of and cures for these divisions? Luder Whitlock is more qualified than most to plead for the unity of the church. Without yielding one inch on matters of principle, he entreats the modern reader to consider the urgency of the communion of the saints. The appeal of this book is its biblical basis, combined with a very good survey of church history (including the more recent Presbyterian episodes), sociological insights, and his own most valuable and poignant personal accounts. His lucid writing style masks the deep learning and research behind these pages. Dr. Whitlock does not shrink back from some of the tough questions that he rightly anticipates: Was Luther a schismatic? What about denominations? What are the limits of tolerance? Some of the answers will surprise you. Others may disturb you. All of them will edify you. This is essential reading for our times.”

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“In Divided We Fall, Luder Whitlock demonstrates why he is considered one of the most widely respected leaders in the evangelical world. Clear, lucid, and balanced, this volume provides us with a compelling and much-needed vision for the unity of Gods people, grounded in the Trinitarian gospel and the historical pattern of Christian truth. Recognizing that how we apply, implement, celebrate, and live out the Christian faith is as important as what we together confess, this important and timely publication calls Gods people to repentance and renewal in fresh, constructive, and inviting ways. It is a joy to recommend this deeply hopeful and welcomed appeal to the Christian community.”

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“A prominent Christian historian has observed that some evangelical leaders have too often indulged in their fair share of back-stabbing, power-mongering, petty-minded polemicizing, gratuitous boundarymarking and schismatic devilment. As a veteran leader of contemporary evangelicalism, Luder Whitlock has seen the damage that so much of this unnecessary fragmentation has done to the larger evangelical witness. His book is a bold cry of sincere lament and a clarion call for repentance, healing, charity, and visible unity before an unbelieving watching world. It should become required reading for pastors, teachers, and seminary students preparing for future ministry.”

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“Sometimes one reads a book that is so clear, so wise, and so profound that one wants everybody to read it. Divided We Fall is that kind of book. Luder Whitlock is probably the only person I know who could have written this book and spoken its truth so clearly. Hes been there, done that, and been a significant part of the story about which he writes. This is a book for every Christian. Its prophetic message must be heard lest we remain divided and really do fall. Read it and share it with everybody you know.”

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“If Christian unity is such a big deal for Jesus, why isnt it a big deal for the contemporary church? If Jesus thinks it so vital to the churchs witness, why doesnt the church take it more seriously? These are the questions that have haunted Luder Whitlock for years and impelled him to write Divided We Fall. Inspired by thinkers such as Francis Schaeffer, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and Tim Keller, Whitlock makes the case that the churchs greatest witness to the watching world is our observable love for and unity with one another. Our lack of unity and love destroys our witness and testimony to the world. Whitlock not only deftly shows how we have lost this unity and why recovering it is so important, but provides eight insightful ways to move toward more unity in the church. This is a challenging book, one that the church needs to read and heed. I found myself inspired and more passionate about unity and love after reading it. I cant commend it more highly.”

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“Some of the best writing that a Christian author ever does is the result of a seasoned, lifelong perspective learned by Gods grace through humbly walking in the truth. Luder Whitlock gives us such a perspective in Divided We Fall. He presents the biblical truth of the church with great care and then shows how schism has soiled the brides faithful witness to Jesus. He honestly addresses the challenges of our time and gives some of the finest action steps Ive read. I am constantly asked for thoughtful, constructive ways to pursue unity. Divided We Fall will become a highly recommended book for everyone I mentor in Christian unity.”

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“Why cant all Christians just get along? Divided We Fall explains how we got to where we arewith an amazing mix of tears, anger, and hope.”

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