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In an eloquent speech delivered at the 2024 Theological Symposium organized by the Tangaza University College (TUC) School of Theology in Kenya, Cardinal Robert Sarah, Emeritus Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, underscored the absolute imperative of unity among Christ’s disciples for the mission of Gospel witness and evangelization ministry.

Cardinal Sarah cautioned against the detrimental effects of division within the Christian community, emphasizing that it seriously compromises their witness of Christ and credibility to the world. “If we are not united, our testimony of Christ is divided, and the world will not be inclined to believe in the Gospel,” he asserted in his address on Thursday, February 22, the first day of the Symposium.

The distinguished prelate called on Christians to prioritize their adherence to the Gospel message, stressing the importance of placing the principles of their Christian faith above all other identities, whether tribe, nationality, or race, among other affiliations. “We must seek unity first in the Christian faith, and then with our fellow countrymen and African citizens,” he insisted in his speech titled “Make Disciples of All Nations: Christ’s Mission Mandate.”

To bolster his argument, Cardinal Sarah warned against the disastrous consequences of divisions, highlighting that they render Christians vulnerable to exploitation. He cautioned that religious, ethnic, and political divisions can be exploited by malevolent forces, whether political or foreign. “If we do not work for unity in Christ, our situation will worsen. Divisions within the community can be exploited by corrupt politicians or even foreign powers,” he cautioned.

This poignant address by Cardinal Robert Sarah resonates as an urgent call to unity within the community of believers, underscoring that cohesion and solidarity are essential to fulfilling the mission of Gospel witness and responding to Christ’s mission mandate.

Rev. Fr. George Nwachukwu