The Bonds of Brotherhood

This month's Tabletalk examines the need to foster fraternity and genuine friendship within the church. In his contribution to the issue R.C. Sproul ponders the word fraternity. "Fraternity … what does this word mean? It can refer to several distinct types of associations or relationships, and the church can learn valuable lessons by exploring these in more depth. The term fraternity may prompt us to recall the motto of the French Revolution: 'Liberty, Fraternity, Equality.' Fraternity, along with equality and liberty, ranked right at the top of the concerns of that revolution. The term may cause us to think of college campus groups such as those depicted in the radical fraternity film Animal House. Beyond the college level, there is a wide variety of organizations of men in this world that are 'fraternal orders,' such as the Elks, police groups, and various service clubs.

"The idea of fraternity is also manifested in the field of competitive sports, particularly with respect to team sports. The saying 'There is no ‘I’ in team' is a cliché because it is so true. For teams to function efficiently and effectively, there must be fraternity and teamwork. Again and again we witness superstar players in the realm of professional sports being traded by their clubs because they create such a destructive atmosphere in the locker room."

Looking at these clues and others like them, Dr. Sproul eventually points to the most significant fraternity of all. Read The Bonds of Brotherhood to learn what this is.