Unity Corner With Dr Ian Watson: The Holy Spirit

Unity Corner is a regular feature on Christian unity by Dr Ian Watson, County Ecumenical Officer for Norfolk and Waveney. In this reflection, he explains why the Holy Spirit (the Go-Between God) is the central force at the heart of Christian unity.

I often hear (the more enlightened) ecumenical speakers remind us that the movement towards Christian unity is not ultimately the achievement of human effort, but a gift of the Holy Spirit. This should not surprise us. As Christians, we believe that the life and breath of God permeate all things. Within this reality, it is the Paraclete that holds the uniquely vital role in drawing the Church into unity, which is an aspiration grounded in the will of Christ himself, who prayed “that they may all be one” (John 17:21).

I recently read John V. Taylor’s 1972 book The Go-Between God: The Holy Spirit and the Christian Mission, which my parish priest, Fr Keith Tulloch SM, recommended. Taylor’s central idea is that the Spirit is the Go-Between God. Personally speaking, this is a thought that has helped me see more clearly that Christian unity is not something to be reduced to an ecclesial programme, policy, or even part of a religious tick-box exercise – although (to be frank) it sometimes feels like that to me. Instead, it is a reality brought into being by the Spirit, who is the divine presence called alongside to assist, defend, and encourage believers at the very heart of the Church’s life.

This conviction strongly aligns with St Paul’s words: “For in the one Spirit we were all baptised into one body” (1 Corinthians 12:13). To put it another way, unity is not created by our actions; rather, we are integrated into it through a process beyond ourselves. Elsewhere, Paul urges us to “maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3). What I take from both these passages is that unity exists as a gift of God – the task of the Church is to receive, safeguard, and embody it.

Taylor starts his book by affirming that the Spirit is not simply an abstract force, but a relational presence that enables greater communication and mutual recognition, leading to meaningful communion with others. In discussing how we experience the Spirit, he says: “Every time I am given this unexpected awareness towards some other […] and feel this current of communication between us, I am touched and activated by something that comes from the fiery heart of the divine love.”

This current of communication is the dynamic presence of the Holy Spirit, which draws us not only towards God, but towards one another in authentic encounter. Taylor explains that the Spirit enables mutual awareness, allowing individuals to acknowledge each other as distinct beings who are all cherished by God. This means that unity is the thing the Spirit initiates and nurtures in and through our relationships. It is the Spirit that stands between us and our neighbour, creating a bridge of recognition and connection.

What does this mean for Christian unity? Well, when we approach people from different denominations with openness, respect, and humility, it isn’t just good ecumenical practice; it is the Spirit acting as the Go-Between God, uniting us across traditions and helping us recognise others as fellow members of Christ. Unity, at least in this sense, is not just about human goodwill; it is the Holy Spirit creating what St Paul calls the “communion of the Holy Spirit” (2 Corinthians 13:13). In Catholic terms, we might say this is the lived expression of koinonia – a deep, spiritual partnership among believers mediated by the Spirit of God.

At the heart of ecumenism, then, is a vision of the Spirit opening our eyes to see Christ in one another. As Taylor puts it: “… the Spirit awakens hearts and enlarges our capacity for reality.” This, of course, echoes Christ’s promise that when the Spirit of truth comes, he will “guide you into all the truth […] He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you” (John 16:13–14).

In practical terms, this means that unity is not achieved by compromising what is precious to us in our individual denominations or, indeed, adopting a position of uniformity based on the lowest possible common denominator. In my mind, such moves would be reductive and counterproductive. Unity can only be meaningfully achieved through a deeper understanding fostered by shared prayer, dialogue, discernment, and service – led and inspired by the Holy Spirit. This is something, by the way, that the Quakers demonstrate in their own form of silent worship, which seeks to listen in stillness for God’s voice within.

Here, there is a clear link between the Holy Spirit and the nature of the Church as the Body of Christ. The Spirit incorporates believers into one body, transcending divisions of culture, background, and personality. This reflects the biblical vision, especially in the letters of St Paul, where unity is grounded in participation in Christ rather than uniformity of expression. Diversity, in this sense, is not a threat to unity but its proper context. The Spirit does not erase difference but orders it towards communion.

Indeed, on this very point, the late and dear Pope Francis used to teach that true Christian unity is a harmony driven by the Holy Spirit that celebrates diverse gifts, rather than a forced uniformity or homogenisation. He rightly warned that seeking uniformity is a form of cultural colonisation and a false model that diminishes humanity, insisting instead that unity is a journey.

The event of Pentecost in Acts (2:1–11) offers a powerful image of this reality, where the Spirit does not erase difference but enables mutual understanding within it. Many languages are spoken, yet all hear the same Gospel. Here we see unity without uniformity, which is entirely consistent with the Catholic understanding of the Church as one body with many diverse parts (different charisms, callings, and roles) that function together for the common good. This diversity of gifts is itself Spirit-given. The Holy Spirit distributes various gifts and charisms for building up the Church and fostering unity (see Ephesians 4:3–13). While diverse, these complement one another, illustrating how differentiated unity can be a source of strength rather than division – what Pope Francis used to call reconciled diversity.

Perhaps the most poignant part of Taylor’s work is his portrayal of the Spirit in everyday human encounters. In closing his book, Taylor recounts a deeply moving story of a West Indian woman grieving the sudden death of her husband, and the simple, compassionate presence of a teacher who sits with and embraces her, wordlessly offering comfort. Reflecting on that moment, Taylor writes: “That is the embrace of God, His kiss of life […] And the Holy Spirit is the force of mingled tears falling onto those clasped hands. He is as close and as unobtrusive as that, and as irresistibly strong.”

It is in such moments that we are reminded that the Spirit does not only work in grand theological constructs or doctrinal pronouncements, but in small gestures of love, mutual presence, compassion, and shared humanity (Romans 5:5). At its heart, Christian unity blossoms from the Spirit-given capacity to see Christ in one another, to share in each other’s pain, and to serve together joyfully and sacrificially in love.

It is this love that enables genuine reconciliation between Christians of different traditions. Without it, unity remains superficial; with it, divisions can be healed. This is why St Paul’s Hymn to Love in 1 Corinthians 13 remains the cornerstone of authentic ecumenism. It defines unity as the active, sacrificial love (agape) that binds believers together. In this sense, love is not a sentimental feeling or an optional nicety, but the necessary practical expression of unity that sustains the Church’s life – especially when doctrinal and other ecclesial differences remain.

Across the Diocese of East Anglia, as in the wider Church, it is essential that, when we gather in Christ’s name, we trust in the presence of the Holy Spirit. If we do, we will come to see more clearly that the desire for Christian unity is not simply our own. It is, first and foremost, the gift and work of the Spirit of God, the divine love at the heart of the Church, continually calling us into the fulfilment of Christ’s prayer that we may all be one.

Reference
Taylor, J. (2021) The Go-Between God: The Holy Spirit and the Christian Mission, 3rd edn. London: SCM Press (originally published 1972).

Article by Dr Ian Watson, whose lay views are his own.

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