Philip Esler’s Concept of the Communion of Saints and its Significance for Christian Unity in Nigeria

Abstract

The concept of “Communion of Saints†as propounded by Philip Esler, emphasises that all Christians are one regardless of their denominations. The concept teaches that the living Christians on earth are saints in the biblical sense of the term and all those who die in Christ are saints in heaven. Hence, there is a sense of oneness among all true Christians whether living or dead. Esler considers this concept as an important tool for fostering unity among Christians. However, one of the challenges facing Christianity today is that of disunity among Christians and churches across the world.  In Nigeria, Christians are divided as a result of differences in doctrine, liturgy, administrative policy and other traditions that distinguish one denomination from the other. Some Christians express the view that they are superior to the others due to the denomination they belong or through the doctrine(s) they practice. This however, is hindering the effectiveness of the gospel message as well as the roles of Christians as salt and light in the society. This negates the kind of Christianity or Church that Jesus desired when He prayed “that all may be one†(John 17:21). It is on this perspective that this paper examines the concept within the framework of the relationship among Christians in Nigeria. This paper employs hermeneutical approach in examining the concept and posits that unity is essential if Christianity is to make the desired impact in the society. This paper concludes that adequate understanding of Esler’s concept of the “Communion of Saints†will help in promoting unity among Christians and recommends that Church leaders should teach the concept to their members.

Keywords: Philip Esler, Communion of Saints, Christian Unity