Christian unity has a word to say about death.

The first century Christians, hour by hour, had to live with the possibility of death. It happened frequently in an excruciating manner. Eusebius, in The History of the Church from Christ to Constantine, speaks of the ordeals of one hundred and forty-six martyrs and names ninety-seven of them. In speaking of those in Tebais, he says, "They were torn to bits from head to foot with potsherds like claws till death released them." From the beginning, our spiritual ancestors kenw first-hand about death and the depravity that could accompany it.

In those early decades there was but one Church. There were those who fought among themselves; we have ample proof in some of the Pauline letters. However, the pernicious divisions had not come upon them y…