14.

 Give your understanding of the nature of a schism.

            All the Holy Fathers speak as one against schism and consider it to be among the most damnable of sins. St. John Chrysostom, for example, states that not even the blood of martyrdom can wash away the sin of schism. Also, as St. Ignatius of Antioch, a disciple of the Apostle John, warned: “Make no mistake, brethren, no one who follows another into schism will inherit the Kingdom of God, no one who follows heretical doctrines is on the side of the Passion.” [Ignatius to the Philadelphians 5:3.] The same Father further instructs:

He that is in the sanctuary is pure, but he that is outside the sanctuary is not pure. In other words, anyone who acts without the bishop and presbyter and the deacons does not have a clean conscience [Letters to the Romans, AD 110, in The Faith of the Early Fathers, vol. 1, p. 18].

Likewise, St. Basil the Great instructs:

Because their separation [is] initiated through schisms ... those who [have] separated themselves from the Church no longer [have] in themselves the grace of the Holy Spirit.... Nor could they any longer confer on others that grace of the Holy Spirit from which they themselves had fallen away [The First Canonical Letters, AD 374, in The Faith of the Early Fathers, vol. 2, p. 6].

St. Basil's words are clear and revealing.

            Frank Schaeffer, a former Protestant who converted to Orthodox Christianity, makes a number of observations regarding schisms. He states that God's plan for His Church does not include the unrepentant anarchy of 23,000 denominations that have rendered claims of absolute truth ludicrous in the eyes of the world. The same writer goes on to state that according to Christ, schisms — that is, divisions among believers, is part of the antichrist's program, not that of God. Moreover, he notes, there are repeated warnings in the New Testament against schism, division, strive and lording it over others. These warnings are so frequent that the call for Church unity, order and humble collegiality might be described as the main theme of the epistles. Holy Tradition also teaches against schism, calling it a re-crucifixion of Christ.