One expression in the early days of the ecumenical movement was “doctrine divides, service unites.” The idea was that Christians should stop arguing about theological differences and instead feed the hungry, house the homeless, care of the sick, etc. While you can understand where that point of view comes from the saints remembered today, Basil and Gregory Nazianzen, would disagree. In the days after the promulgation of what we call the Nicene Creed (325AD) they realized that it was only correct doctrine that would preserve the identity and mission of the Church. They were confronted with those who disputed that Jesus could be both human and divine. They knew that it was the fact that Jesus was the God-Man which in turn makes every single person have an eternal value and destiny. They found a philosphical and linguistic way of naming the theological truth that Jesus was 100% a human being while remaining 100% divine which has stood the Church in good stead for the past 1700 years.
