Can a 500-Year-Old Conflict Be Healed?

Most Christians will agree that God has a desire to reconcile all peoples to himself—but few are willing to explore God’s fierce resolve to reconcile us to each other. In fact, we often find ourselves affirming deeply rooted hostility in the body of Christ. The legendary image of Martin Luther defiantly nailing his 95 Theses to the Wittenberg church door in 1517 exemplifies our urge to celebrate the split between Protestants and Catholics. But even this conflict can be transformed and healed by the power of God and the partnership of friends.

Unity through Repentance is the story of God interrupting the lives and plans of an ordinary couple to invite them into the adventure of a lifetime—gathering all the major streams of Jesus-followers in Wittenberg on the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. God gave the vision; tested and confirmed the calling; formed an international leadership team; and inspired a series of gatherings dedicated to joining with Jesus through repentance, forgiveness, and praying John 17.

As he tells his story, Cogdell emphasizes spiritual formation and conflict resolution, underscoring the importance of unity in the body of Christ for world evangelism. Unity through Repentance provides fresh inspiration for the global church to fulfill Jesus’s prayer for missions: Make them one ... so that the world will believe.