Peter Cheney

Dear Community,

As evidenced by today’s reading from the Letter to the Ephesians (Chapter 2, verses 11-22), a principal theme of Paul’s ministry and writing is our unity in Christ.

A passage from the third chapter of his Letter to the Galatians is an oft cited example: In Christ “…there is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.”

Living into this truth remains a huge challenge for the human being. Easier to measure our worth at the expense of others; “Othering” is a tragic symptom of the human condition, perhaps never more obvious than today in the USA.

In 1908, William Dunkerley (writing as John Oxenham) created lyrics based on this passage from Galatians. The words later became the text for a favorite Christian hymn (#529 in our hymnal).

Sung to the tune of a wonderful African American spiritual, “In Christ there is no East or West” has always inspired me and will be sung (I hope) at a memorial service following my death.

In Christ there is no East or West, In him no south or north; But one great fellowship of love. Throughout the whole wide earth.

Join hands, disciples of the faith, Whate’er your race may be! Who serves my Father as his child, Is surely kin to me.

In Christ now meet both east and west, in him meet south or north, all Christly souls are one in him, throughout the whole wide earth.

—Peter