Uniformity is not Unity

I appreciate many things about my Mennonite culture. I love that modesty[1] and a separation from worldliness are highly valued[2].

To my concern, however, I have noticed that in our desire to be modest and separate from the world, we seem to have adopted a false belief. It is this:

Since we are called to be unified as a church, the only way we can achieve that and remain modest and separate from the world is to look as nearly the same as possible.

A church that holds this belief requires its members to submit to a certain way of dress and reject others as wrong, regardless of whether other ways are modest. The danger increases as children grow up believing that their way is right and other ways are wrong, even if other ways are not wrong.

When uniformity is confused with unity, true unity is neglected. When Paul wrote Romans 12:2, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind,” he knew that it needed to begin with our hearts and minds. When our minds are renewed to be like Christ’s, then we can find true unity, because our minds will all be from the same place. But there is and must remain diversity within the church. Gary Miller writes in Church Matters, “Unity within the body of Christ has been misconstrued to mean that everyone should be identical.” Dependence on uniformity allows us to simply tolerate each other while uniform on the outside, but requiring nothing of our hearts.

Dressing the same is not wrong, and can even be helpful. The danger lies in relying on dressing and even acting the same to create false unity. I pray and long for this unhealthy reliance to be replaced with sacrificial love—which might mean allowing something different—which will lead to true unity.

[1] Likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works. I Tim 2:9-10

[2] Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2