St. Paul fought strenuously against those who insisted that in order to become a follower of Jesus, one need to be circumcised. This was a battle royal in the first century that is reflected in many of the New Testament texts. However, there aren’t any fights over circumcision nowadays. Those battles which loomed so large are forgotten. Throughout history the Church has had other periods where there were tremendous struggles — confronting usury, the role of indulgences — that do not consume believers nowadays. So when we find ourselves in the midst of disagreements about how we are to be Church in the world today we should remember that these disputes do not define us. Keep focused on “faith working through love” and all will be well.
