Jesus' Prayer for Christian Unity

This is the first of a series of daily posts during this year's Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (January 18-25, 2011) offering brief reflections on the biblical basis for the quest for Christian unity. These reflections are drawn from the pages of Ecumenism Means You, Too: Ordinary Christians and the Quest for Christian Unity (Cascade Books, 2010).

According to chapter 17 of the Gospel According to John, on the eve of his crucifixion the main thing Jesus prayed for his followers was “that they may be one” (John 17:11). Four times in the course of this prayer Jesus prays that his disciples and all who later believe through their testimony might have unity: “that they may be one, as we are one” (v. 11); “that they may all be one” (v. 21); “that they may be one, as we are one” (v. 22); “that they may become completely one” (v. 23).

-- from chapter 1, “Here to Play Jesus: Why Ecumenism Isn’t Dead”

Interested in Ecumenism Means You, Too? Order the book directly from Cascade Books or via Amazon.