Ecumenism is a vital aspect of contemporary Australian society as it is the driving force for the unification that Jesus had wanted. God intended for one universal church however it was inevitable that this would not be the case. The Historical events of the Church such as the Dark Ages and Inquisition are examples as to why ecumenism is necessary these periods of time caused fights, death and discrimination aspect of society that Jesus had not desired. Sectarianism is the strong devotion to a particular sect or religion and can lead people to be unreasonable and unfair. The information, drastic period of change caused great controversy amongst the Christian faith and key people such as Martin Luther, John Calvin and Ulrich Zwingli contributed to the different denominations of the Catholic Church. Ecumenism is an important issue for Australian Catholics as it prevents the unwanted repeat of Sectarianism and violence amongst different religions.
Ecumenism is extremely important in maintaining a unified and 'one' society, unlike the past. Throughout history many groups have faced unjust and discriminating treatment that has resulted in war and violence. Church history reflects both the divine and human and as a result of the human response to the divine, the church has become more divided. There have been disagreements in the Church since the time of Jesus and continual divisions from then. The East-West division and the English reformation were large contributors to the emergence of Sectarianism. The East-West division resulted in the Eastern Churches becoming Orthodox (1054). The English reformation saw Protestantism and Anglicanism undergoing further splits and the shaping of Australian religion. The separation of Christianity was largely caused by the persecution of Christians, introduction of the feudal system, the Churches involvement in the Inquisition and the conversion of the significant figures such as Constantine and Paul.