Christian unity is rooted in the God who all Christians worship and submit to. The unity is not achieved by human effort, but a gift that God has given all Christians. Our part is to maintain this unity that’s been given to us. Christian unity doesn’t mean uniformity. Uniformity focuses on the outward appearance of the Church while the true unity lies in the spirit of different individuals. The metaphor of the Body given by Paul is a perfect example of this unity. Not all are the same parts, but all belong to the same body. Hence it is the Head of the Body that unites and the unity does not belong to any particular part.
The main obstacle of Christian unity is self-centeredness. This self-centeredness does not lie in the denominations alone, but in the fallen human nature. It is almost a universal tendency for one to raise oneself above all. When this fallen tendency of human nature reflects itself in the corporal Christian community, denominationalism is the nature consequence. The only way that can overcome this obstacle is love revealed by the Triune God.
Pannenberg consider the church on earth as a participant of the kingdom of God, not the kingdom of God. This ecclesiology also speaks to the self-centeredness in general. The church is not the end to itself, but a participant in the greater end—God’s kingdom. While great authority and importance was given to the Church, the Church does not exist to glorify herself but the God who gathered His people. This ecclesiology moves the focus of the church away from herself and placed God and His kingdom on the center point.
