What is Schism?

The Vine, the Branches, and the True Church

By Peter Larson
TE, Midwest Presbytery

“I never approved of a schism, nor will I approve of it for all eternity.” Those words were written by Martin Luther in 1519 in a letter to People Leo X. And yet, Luther went on to defy the Pope and lead the Protestant Reformation.

Schism is a serious sin, to be sure. However, the question is: What is schism? How do you define it? Is there any Biblical justification for leaving a particular church or denomination and removing yourself from fellow believers?

If we want to understand the true nature of schism, a good place to start is John 15:1-8. In this Scripture, Jesus compares the church to a grapevine in which He is the vine, we are the branches, and His Father is the gardener. Branches that remain in the vine flourish and bear fruit. Branches that do not remain in the vine suffer a very different fate: they wither, die, and are thrown into the fire.

Like a grapevine, the church contains many branches — Presbyterian, Lutheran, Orthodox, Pentecostal, and Baptist, to name a few. Although we belong to different branches, we share a common connection with Jesus Christ who is the life-giving vine. Our unity with each other depends entirely on our union with Christ. If we do not abide in Christ, we find ourselves cut off from the vine, no longer connected with the other branches. For a branch to depart from the vine is not just foolish, but suicidal — a sure path to destruction. Inevitably, it will wither and die.

In other words, schism is spiritual. It has nothing to do with remaining in a particular church or denomination. It has everything to do with remaining in Christ and abiding in Him. What does it mean to abide in Christ? Very simply, it means that we remain faithful to Christ. The unity of the church does not depend on institutional loyalty or our warm feelings of affection for each other, but on loyalty to Jesus Christ and obedience to His unchanging Word. It is those who depart from Christ and disobey His Word who cause schism in the church.

During the Reformation, Luther and Calvin were accused of causing schism and disturbing the peace and unity in the church. Pope Leo X compared Luther to a wild boar rampaging in the Lord’s vineyard, causing chaos and havoc. In response, Calvin accused the Roman Catholic Church of schism for promoting error and false doctrine:

But as soon as falsehood has forced its way into the citadel of religion, as soon as the sum of necessary doctrine is inverted, and the use of the sacraments is destroyed, the death of the Church undoubtedly ensues, just as the life of man is destroyed when his throat is pierced, or his vitals mortally wounded. This is clearly evinced by the words of Paul when he says that the Church is “built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone” (Ephesians 2:20). If the Church is founded on the doctrine of the apostles and prophets, by which believers are enjoined to place their salvation in Christ alone, then if that doctrine is destroyed, how can the Church continue to stand?

Wherefore, in declining fatal participation in such wickedness, we run no risk of being dissevered from the Church of Christ. The communion of the Church was not instituted to be a chain to bind us in idolatry, impiety, ignorance of God, and other kinds of evil, but rather to retain us in the fear of God and obedience of the truth. They, indeed, vaunt loudly of their Church, as if there was not another in the world; and then, as if the matter were ended, they make out that all are schismatics who withdraw from obedience to that Church which they thus depict, that all are heretics who presume to whisper against its doctrine.¹

Rome, not the Reformers, was guilty of schism — as Calvin understood correctly. Schism is not caused by people leaving the church; it is caused by the church leaving Christ. When the church forsakes Christ and promotes false teaching and doctrine, then we have no alternative but to leave. If I must choose between being part of a dying branch or the true and living vine, the choice is clear.

False doctrine is the source of all schism. When we allow false and unbiblical beliefs to invade the church, we are no longer abiding in Christ. When we exchange Biblical standards of sexuality for the worldly values of our culture, we are no longer abiding in Christ. The result, Jesus warns, is decay and destruction. It doesn’t matter if the branch has a long and illustrious history: it is destined for burning.

Usually, when we talk about someone “leaving” the church, we mean that they transferred their membership from one place to another. However, this is a false and worldly definition. It is those who abandon their faith for various forms of idolatry and immorality who leave the church and are apostate. This was true in the early church, and it is still true today:

“They went out from us but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.” (1 John 2:19).

What John is describing is not just a physical or institutional division, but a spiritual division as the Gnostic teachers embraced anti-Christian teaching, disobedience, and immorality.

When Tertullian was battling against heretical teachers in the 3rd century A.D., he did not issue an appeal for unity or tolerance. Instead, Tertullian blasted those who “perverted” the Scriptures and abandoned the apostolic faith. In his Prescription Against Heretics, Tertullian repudiates these false teachers:

Who are you? When and whence did you come? You are none of mine, what have you to do with that which is mine? Indeed, Marcion, by what right do you hew my wood? By whose permission, Valentinus, are you diverting the streams of my fountain? By what power, Apelles, are you removing my landmarks? This is my property. I have long possessed it; I possessed it before you. I hold sure title-deeds from the original owners themselves, to whom the estate belonged. I am the heir to the apostles.

To our modern ears, these words may seem harsh or intolerant, but Tertullian was defending the true church against imposters and contending “… for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3).

There are some who argue that we should never leave a church for any reason — not even heresy, corruption, or immorality. Institutional loyalty is valued above all else. If that is true, then the Reformation was a grave mistake and we should swim across the Tiber and return to Rome. If schism was simply a matter of leaving a denomination, then many of us in the Evangelical Presbyterian Church are schismatics because we came here from other denominations.

Sixteen years ago, I decided to leave the Presbyterian Church (USA) in which I was born, baptized, and raised. At the time, people questioned my love and loyalty to the denomination. “How can you walk away?” they asked. In response, I explained, “I’m not the one who is walking away; it is the PC(USA) that has departed from Christ.”

As the PC(USA) embraced the LGBTQ agenda, it declined dramatically. Since 1986, membership has dwindled by 62 percent — from 3.1 million to about 1 million. Currently, the denomination is losing 50,000 members annually. Of course, none of this is surprising. When branches depart from the vine they do not flourish, they wither and die.

Many of us who left the PC(USA) to join the Evangelical Presbyterian Church are now facing a similar dilemma. In June, the General Assembly voted to approve a pastoral letter that opens the door to ordain celibate homosexuals. Once again, we must choose between remaining in Christ or remaining part of the branch.

Schism is painful to endure but it is necessary, and should not alarm us. In every age, God is sifting and winnowing His flock. This requires pruning and separation. New branches spring up while unfaithful branches die and disappear. Through it all, God purifies and preserves His true church. In the words of the Westminster Confession:

The purest churches under heaven are subject both to mixture and error, and some have so degenerated as to become no church of Christ but synagogues of Satan. Nevertheless, there shall be always a church on earth to worship God according to His will.²

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¹ John Calvin, Institutes, Book 4:2:1-2 “Comparison Between the False Church and the True.”

² Westminster Confession 25:5