Community and Fellowship: Ignatius of Antioch on Church Unity

Ignatius of Antioch (d. c. 110), writing on his way to martyrdom in Rome, produced some of the earliest post-apostolic reflections on Christian community. He wrote to the Ephesians: "Let nothing exist among you that may divide you, but be united with your bishop and with those who preside over you, as a type and evidence of immortality." For Ignatius, church unity was not merely desirable but essential.

Ignatius used vivid metaphors: "As the Lord did nothing without the Father, being united with Him, neither by Himself nor by the apostles, so do nothing without the bishop and the presbyters." He saw the local church gathered around its bishop as an icon of the heavenly church gathered around Christ.

Practical application: Pray for your church leaders by name this week. Submit to their guidance in at least one area where you might prefer to go your own way. Ignatius teaches that unity is not uniformity but voluntary submission to one another in love, and that this kind of community reflects the very nature of the Trinity.