Vol.X No.V Pg.6
July 1973

Iii Illustrations

Robert F. Turner

In May 17,73 TRUTH Magazine, bro. James Adams reviews Carl Ketcherside re. Unity in Diversity. We here summarize Adams expose of fallacious examples used by bro. Ketcherside.

Ketcherside employed a group of singers and a symphony orchestra to illustrate the validity of his unity in diversity concept in religion. He correctly noted that singers sing different parts, even sounding different notes, in unison and that instrumentalists play different instruments sounding different notes in unison, yet there is harmony or unity in effect. What he does not emphasize is the fact that all singers or players sing or play the same piece of music which has been written and arranged by an expert in the -field so as to produce the harmony and unity of effect.

The next example employed by Ketcherside is the planetary system.... He calls Aristotle to witness to their unity of movement though diverse in size, shape, speed and power of attraction in his classic phrase, the music (symphonia) of the spheres... (But) The planets.. . function in strict conformity with Divine law, the law of the universe, hence their marvelous unity.

Next, our effervescent brother cites Pauls use of the human body to illustrate how unity can exist in diversity (1 Cor. 12).... In discussing the matter, he recognizes that Pauls point lies in the fact that all members have not the same function. Function, brother Ketcherside, function -- not faith and religious practice. Paul teaches that Christians must be united in faith and practice, but that each child of God has his own peculiar function, determined by his abilities or gifts, in implementing their collective practice based on their faith.

Will Ketcherside please advise us how (1) the doctrines of salvation by faith alone and the impossibility of apostasy, (2) the impostures connected with so-called glossolalia and divine healing, (3) the practice of monthly, quarterly, and yearly communion along with the use of mechanical instruments of music in Divine praise plus (4) the multitude of other divergent beliefs and practices among immersed persons who believe in the deity of Jesus can logically or scripturally be shown to be analogous to the diverse abilities or spiritual gifts to which Paul referred in his body illustration?

Joseph Fletcher (in Situation Ethics) takes border-line cases in the realm of where only a choice between two evils exists and makes sweeping generalizations on the basis of principles he imagines exists in them Ketcherside employs cases involving differences over matters of mere opinion such as eating meats and observing days (Rom. 14:8), then makes sweeping generalizations regarding the toleration of aberrations in matters of faith, doctrine, worship, organization, and work. He takes principles that involve the private practice of individuals and applies them to the collective work and worship of the saints.