So many things separate Christians into groups: denominations, different ways of practicing the sacraments, different understandings of how to organize the church, different attitudes toward social issues like sexuality and money, even different perceptions of who Christ was. With all of that disagreement and separation, what unites us? Is there any common ground among us, other than simply calling ourselves Christians? Are we hopelessly divided, or can we push aside some of these barriers and embrace as brothers and sisters under one Lord?

A little quirk in this passage from Colossians may hold some answers for us. The quirk is highlighted by the way the passage appears in the NRSV translation of the New Testament. In the printing of this passage in the NRSV, there is a small gap between…