The Civitas Podcast Episode 42: Church Unity, Ecumenism, and the Cost of Staying - with Ephraim Radner
Apr 28, 2026
Ephraim Radner, theologian and Anglican priest, reflects on church unity, ecumenism, and the moral cost of division. He assesses twentieth-century ecumenical gains and failures. He argues unity requires sacrifice, shared practices, and sometimes risky hospitality. He explores history, politics, and practical steps like receptive ecumenism and concrete charity.
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Two Churches On Sundays But One Communion Door Closed
- Radner attends both a progressive Episcopal cathedral and a Roman Catholic parish but cannot receive Catholic communion.
- He participates actively at St. Catherine of Siena yet remains in Episcopal orders and thus is barred from the parish altar.
Staying Put Prevents Further Fragmentation
- Division often arises from real spiritual and emotional pressure, not mere abstract disagreement.
- Ephraim Radner stayed in the Episcopal Church partly because leaving repeatedly produces further fragmentation and abandons baptized people he has pastoral vows toward.
Division Can Lead To Violence And Loss Of Witness
- Church divisions have historically enabled violence and weakened common Christian witness.
- Radner cites North Africa after Augustine, where fractured churches contributed to the rapid loss of Christian social presence before Islam's advance.
