Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

Why doesn’t the CEEC.CHURCH have it’s own statement of faith?

Since the inception of the Church, the creeds have stood as the litmus test for those who would be recognized as members of the Body of Christ.  The capital-c Church has accepted those who hold to the seminal creeds and accepted them.  “Jesus is Lord“ was likely one of the first creeds of the Church, as the Apostle Paul indicates in Romans 10.

The Apostles’ Creed was most likely a recognized baptismal formula in the Church by the close of the second century. The Nicene Creed was formalized at the Council of Nicea in 325 AD, and remains the most widely accepted creed in Christendom.

It is painfully evident that, when a denomination introduces elements beyond the statements of the early creeds as essentials of faith and inclusion in their fellowship, these additives have historically become means of division.  It it the desire of the CEEC.CHURCH to cooperate with all who validly claim Christ as Lord; hence the decision to establish the earliest Christian creeds as the foundation for unity.

In the words of The Chicago-Lambeth Quadrilateral 1886:

… This Church does not seek to absorb other Communions, but rather, cooperating with them on the basis of a common Faith and Order, to discountenance schism, to heal the wounds of the Body of Christ, and to promote the charity which is the chief of Christian graces and the visible manifestation of Christ to the world;

But furthermore, we do hereby affirm that the Christian unity can be restored only by the return of all Christian communions to the principles of unity exemplified by the undivided Catholic Church during the first ages of its existence; which principles we believe to be the substantial deposit of Christian Faith and Order committed by Christ and his Apostles to the Church unto the end of the world, and therefore incapable of compromise or surrender by those who have been ordained to be its stewards and trustees for the common and equal benefit of all men.

Explain the CEEC.CHURCH position on the unity of the body of Christ

The very first element of the Resolution creating the CEEC.CHURCH addresses the catholicity of the Church.  in it we state our position that the CEEC.CHURCH is an ecclesial communion within the one Church of Jesus Christ.  As the Nicene Creed frames it: Christ’s “one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.”

In this context, the word “catholic” refers not to the papal church based in Rome but to the universal, global church. It is our position that if you have confessed with your mouth “Jesus is Lord” and believed in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, then you have been saved (Rom 10:9-10). We further believe that “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (2 Cor 5:17)  As such, all who are saved and made into this new creation the Apostle Paul speaks about are, by biblical definition, part of the Body of Christ.

In holding to that biblical and historical definition of salvation as we are pressing for the unity of the Body of Christ, we are, therefore, not describing unity with Muslims, Mormons, Jews, Buddhists, or any other person or group outside the historic Christian faith. We are speaking wholly and entirely about people who are in Christ, and who acknowledge Him as Savior.

Perhaps the real question here is this: If Jesus Himself says a person is in Christ, on what basis do we dare say he is not?  Or, to phrase it a bit differently, if He invites people to His Table, on what basis could we possibly choose to exclude them from fellowship or the Lord’s Supper?  Isn’t the final arbiter of who is in Christ…well, Christ?

It is the deliberate choice of the CEEC.CHURCH to extend fellowship and communion to our Christian brothers and sisters—those who are in Christ by virtue of their faith in Him—whatever denominations, churches, or synods they may choose to worship in; instead of being like the prodigal’s older brother, standing outside of His feast of thanksgiving and refusing to enter. We, who have been commanded to love one another, must be committed to the unity of all those who know and love Christ. We must be committed to building authentic relationships within the Body of Christ.

Shouldn’t we look for opportunities to pray with and for one another? Shouldn’t we decide to stand alongside each other and support each part of the Body as it fulfills the role to which God called it? Why do we have such difficulty seeing that the hand cannot possibly fulfill the role of the eye and only disaster awaits if it tries. It is the only way we can succeed.

The CEEC.CHURCH deliberately chooses to extend open arms to those in the Body of Christ who accept freely and conform willingly to the essential principles of the gospel, but who choose a different worship expression than we do. We must celebrate and affirm biblical and anointed spiritual ministry throughout the world to everyone. There is only “one faith, one hope, and one baptism, one God, and Father of us all.” There is one Head, Jesus Christ, and one pure body of Christ, the Church. We have committed to the path of unity in the bond of peace, whether someone stands within our particular denomination or alongside us in theirs, so long as they are in Christ.

As has been so well said in the vision statement of Life Church, “We do not exist for the church. We are the Church, and we exist for the world. 1Life Church Vision & Values The world needs to hear the gospel. But, the sad fact is, we have proven utterly ineffective in completing the Great Commission as a divided entity, at odds with ourselves.

Abba Eban, an Israeli diplomat who served as Israel’s Ambassador to the United States, once observed, “History shows that men and nations behave reasonably only when they have exhausted all other alternatives.” We are now some two thousand years into the mission Jesus delivered to us, and we have become divided into well over 33,000 denominations, synods, assemblies, communions, churches, and fellowships. Have we not yet exhausted all other alternatives? We have focused inwardly for too long to try and make every part of the Body like us.

The CEEC.CHURCH asks: How about choosing unity?

The fact of the matter is that, when we accept the offer of grace from Jesus and are adopted into His family, we find ourselves now suddenly grafted into a family of others who have accepted the same offer of forgiveness. In the CEEC.CHURCH, we deliberately attempt to reflect this truth in our lives and ministries.

Explain the CEEC.CHURCH position on the real presence

Any serious student of church history concedes the fact that the early Christian Church believed in the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist as historically irrefutable. The writings of the ante and post Nicene fathers are unanimous on the matter.

John Norman Davidson Kelly (1909–1997) was a prominent academic within the theological faculty of the University of Oxford.  In his book Early Christian Doctrine, Kelly writes, “Eucharistic teaching, it should be understood at the outset, was in general unquestioningly realist, i.e. the consecrated bread and wine were taken to be, and were treated and designated as, the Savior’s body and blood. … In the third century the early Christian identification of the Eucharistic bread and wine with the Lord’s body and blood continued unchanged, although a difference of approach can be detected.”  Even the renowned reformer Martin Luther, though he explicitly rejected the doctrine of transubstantiation, clearly believed and taught of a sacramental union.  Specifically, he believed that the bread and wine remained fully bread and fully wine while also being fully the body and blood of Jesus Christ. In other words, the real presence of Christ sacramentally entered and united with the elements of bread and wine.

The CEEC.CHURCH recognizes the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist.

Convergence

Perhaps we can draw a lesson or two from believers who have embraced the Convergence Movement. It is likely that believers currently worshipping in a convergence church probably have a greater opportunity to experience a balance of the sacramental, the evangelical, and the charismatic. This balance is intended to connect believers to heaven by means of powerful charismatic worship, leading to biblically-grounded life and growth by means that include liturgy and the Eucharist. The power of converging these streams in the unity of the Body could have as significant an impact as it does for congregations, communions, and denominations that embrace all three historic streams. As acceptance continues to be embraced on a broader basis, more and more Christians who have walked in one or two of these expressions may begin to embrace the fullness of the three streams in their own lives. 

What do the various elements of look like? How do they “fit together?” Does fitting them together allow us to discern the body of Christ more fully? Before we examine some specific elements that have characterized convergence churches, congregations, denominations, and communions, perhaps an examination of the individual elements and the characteristics that define them would be of value. 

Elements in a sacramental

A sacramental church is one that believes the sacraments are outward and visible signs that convey an inward and spiritual grace. This grace is given by Christ to His Body, the Church.

The definition of the word “sacrament” originated with Augustine in the 400s, when he described a sacrament as “the visible form of an invisible grace.” Though not the exclusive means of grace, sacraments are a means by which we continually receive renewed expressions of His grace and love toward us, as we participate in them. Participating in the sacraments strengthens the believers in their innermost being, because God’s grace is conveyed through the sacraments to His Church. In other words, the impartation of grace is an act of God, not an act of man.

Sacramental worshippers hold the belief that, through their use of the liturgy in worship, they are better able to include the entire gathered body of believers in their expression of love to our Creator and Savior. This is because participating in the liturgy allows every member of the Body of Christ to live out their God-ordained role as priest.  Peter tells believers that we are all “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God,” and by the exercise of that royal priesthood we “declare the praises of Him who called (us) out of darkness into His wonderful light.”21 Peter 2:9 Sacramental churches draw their worship practices and liturgy from different points of time—from Orthodox or Catholic expressions of faith and practice, to the practices of the Protestant Reformation. Sacramentally-focused congregations frequently have an altar in a position of prominence at the front of their churches. Sacramental worship aims to draw from the liturgical beauty found in both the Eastern and Western expressions of Christian worship.

Holding to “the faith once delivered unto the saints,” 3Jude 3 an evangelical church would unequivocally declare their belief that the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the inspired Word of God. They contain all things necessary for salvation and godly living. Evangelicals would hold to the historic and conservative position that Scripture is the inerrant and inspired Word of God Himself and, as such, the Scriptures are a faithful guide in all matters.

Elements in an Evangelical Church

Evangelical churches see the Holy Scriptures as the sole rule of faith and practice, often acknowledging their need to be interpreted by historic orthodoxy, reason, and experience. Though denominations exist which claim to stand upon sola scriptura (the scriptures alone), even these branches of Christianity often make widespread use of commentaries and the writings and teaching of their founders, as well. Sacred tradition, it seems, is difficult to avoid entirely. These churches fully embrace the historic orthodoxy of the two primary Christian creeds, commonly called the Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed. Though they may not make use of the Creed of Saint Athanasius, which provides a doctrinal statement on the divinity of Jesus, most would have no objection to its content.

Evangelicals hold that the teachings of the Bible are not subject to the whimsy of modern society, nor should our application of them be. Precisely because they hold to such a high view of Holy Scripture, they are committed to the faithful reading, studying, teaching, and preaching from them and that, often, systematically. Since Evangelicals accept the Scriptures as the very Word of God, these churches believe they are the wellspring of spiritual maturity. Evangelically-focused congregations frequently have their pulpit in a position of prominence at the front of their churches.

Recognizing that the Church has always had a responsibility to identify and reject both heretical teachings and those who embrace them, biblical evangelicals have historically based their standards of behavior and conduct on the teachings of Scripture. Any decision to stand within the pale of historic orthodoxy will require the church not stand with those who have abandoned it.

Those who embrace the evangelical distinctiveness share a key understanding of the importance of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, living a holy life, and a commitment to evangelism and missions. In a word, they are not ashamed of the gospel. They recognize that Jesus Christ is the only hope for man’s salvation. “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” 4Acts  4:12

Elements in a Pentecostal Church

A Spirit-filled charismatic church would hold to the position that they must be open to the continuing work, gifts, and ministry of the Holy Spirit. As Eddie Hyatt has documented in his book 2000 Years of Charismatic Christianity,52000 Years Of Charismatic Christianity: A 21st Century Look At Church History From A Pentecostal/Charismatic Prospective. Eddie L Hyatt. God’s people have always been a spiritually gifted people. From the early apostles to the modern church, Christians have been endowed with a power beyond themselves, the dunamis power of the Holy Spirit. I have often held up my Bible while preaching and asked, “What do you read in this book that convinces you that God called you to do the possible?” A charismatic church sees it as their calling to bring the power of Christ into direct contact with the needs of the world and thereby, show the glory of God.

Charismatic churches point out that the Holy Spirit’s power is such a critical element for effective ministry that those who had been trained and discipled by Jesus Himself were forbidden to begin their ministry immediately after His ascension into heaven. Christ’s final command to His disciples was absolutely clear—they were to remain in Jerusalem until they had received the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Even three years of training at the hands of Jesus Himself was insufficient to prepare them to take His message to the world. They needed the indwelling Holy Spirit.

Charismatic believers would insist that His indwelling presence and the accompanying power of His gifts of grace are as much a requirement for effective ministry today as they were then. Surely, we cannot think we have the power to transform lives in and of ourselves! So we must constantly seek the infilling power of God in our lives.

Paul’s directive in Ephesians 5:18 is stated in the present infinitive tense. He instructs us to “be constantly being filled with the Spirit.” Charismatically-focused congregations frequently have an open area for Spirit-empowered prayer in a position of prominence at the front of their churches. Further, charismatic congregations would insist upon the need to encourage, to allow, and anticipate the Holy Spirit’s presence and working through the spiritual gifts—in their worship services, as well as daily acts of service, and in personal relationship with Him.

Three Streams Converging

Whichever of these three streams of understanding and practice we find ourselves participating in, we must concede the certain knowledge that few things are as clearly commanded in Scripture as the absolute unity of the Body of Christ. As we have seen, Paul wrote that there is “one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called—one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”61 Corinthians 12:24–27 The unquestionable command to every Christian is to “make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”7Ephesians 4:3 Paul’s instruction to “make every effort” should be understood as a mandate commanding us to reach out in love, to build bridges and relationships with our brothers and sisters in Christ, wherever and whenever we can.

In the CEEC.CHURCH, we refuse to see ourselves in competition with other believers, churches, groups, communions, denominations, or movements. How can you possibly be in competition with yourself?  There is one body. The hand is not better than the ear because it serves a different function. The left eye does not compete with the kidney, nor can it do so. It doesn’t even compete with the right eye. Both eyes working together are needed for optimal depth perception and balance.

We are all members of one body. As each of us walks out our calling, our goal is only to “use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms” in order that “in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.”81 Peter 4:10-11

Completion is a much better view than competition. The foot completes the body, so the hand can reach goals which benefit the entire body. They fulfill totally different functions, yet accomplish far more together than they ever could apart. A sacramental congregation based in Nashville, Tennessee, is not “in competition” with the Southern Baptist Convention, though the SBC is headquartered there. They are two parts of one body.  A charismatic church based in London, England, is not “in competition” with Canterbury. They support and complement one another. An evangelical congregation in Springfield, Missouri, is not “in competition” with the Assemblies of God. They each serve the same Lord. Each reaches some, none reaches all, but together we can reach more.

We are the Body of Christ, whether we choose to accept and properly act upon that fact or not. Note, please, the Scriptures speak of us as the body. There is only one!

God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.9Ephesians 4:3 (Emphasis added)

Did you catch that?  God has combined the members of the Body of Christ. Each one of us is a part, yet only a part. If we are to accomplish the task set before us, each part must do its part. Moreover, He has done so and instructed us that “there should be no division” in this wonderful Body He has chosen to create.

The CEEC.CHURCH encourages each one to fulfill the role God gave you, and support your brothers and sisters in the role God gave them. This is who we try to live, as well.

Affiliation

Full Communion

The elements necessary for Full Communion are presented in Title VIII, Canon 2, Section A of the CEEC.CHURCH Canons, which states:

A. Full Communion Membership

  1. Concerning Full Communion Membership

                                This level involves full integration and participation within the CEEC.CHURCH.

  1. Concerning Requirements
    1. Application must be made to the appropriate jurisdiction within the CEEC.CHURCH.
    2. An appropriate period of vetting and relationship building with the jurisdiction of the CEEC.CHURCH to whom application is being made is requisite.
    3. Full documented commitment to the Resolution, and the Constitution and Canons of the CEEC.CHURCH by the applying entity and all of it’s constituent parts (Congregations, ministries, etc.) and all Clergy is a requirement.
    4. Approval of the jurisdiction to which application is being made along with the fulfillment of any preparatory process and pre-conditions is requisite.
    5. Fulfillment of all applicable provisions of Title II and Title III of the Canon Law of the CEEC.CHURCH is required.
    6. To the extent necessary the approved applicant shall modify structure and practice to conform to the Constitution and Canons of the CEEC.CHURCH.
    7. The approved applicant shall then receive induction into the appropriate jurisdiction according to Canon.

Inter-Communion

The elements necessary for Inter-Communion are presented in Title VIII, Canon 2, Section B of the CEEC.CHURCH Canons, which states:

B. Inter-Communion

  1. Concerning Inter-Communion Status

This level involves full acceptance of each communion’s (or jurisdiction’s) orders of ministry, reciprocity of ministry, and partnership in the Gospel.  Inter-Communion may serve as a preliminary form of engagement with an aspiring jurisdiction seeking Full Communion Status.

  1. Concerning Requirements
    1. Acceptance and conformity to the Resolution is requisite.
    2. Further terms of relationship may be delineated.
    3. A concordat of Inter-Communion shall be signed by the aspiring jurisdiction and the International College in the person of the Presiding Bishop.
    4. It is admissible that said jurisdiction may have a primary working relationship with a Province or other jurisdiction of the CEEC.CHURCH. However, the Inter-Communion relationship is with the whole Communion.

Partnership

The elements necessary for Partnership are presented in Title VIII, Canon 2, Section C of the CEEC.CHURCH Canons, which states:

The CEEC.CHURCH and/or its constituent parts may enter into a Partnership relationship with another ecclesial body or jurisdiction.  Such a Partnership does not involve reciprocity of ministry and Holy Orders but suggests compatibility of mission, common cause, and the pursuit of unified effort toward a common goal.

  1. Requirements
    1. A general acceptance of the faith, vision and mission of the Church as recorded in the Resolution.
    2. Written terms of cooperation are requisite.

Holy Orders

What are the general requirements for holy orders?

The specific qualities required of those who are to be ordained a presbyter or a deacon are listed in Title 3, Canon 2 of the CEEC.CHURCH Canons, which states:

A. Qualifications and Requirements

  1. Concerning General Requirements

Every Bishop shall take care that he admit no person into Holy Orders but such as he knows either by himself, or by sufficient testimony, to have been baptized, confirmed, to be sufficiently instructed in Holy Scripture and in the doctrine, discipline and worship of the CEEC.CHURCH, as defined by the CEEC.CHURCH, to be empowered by the Holy Spirit and to be a wholesome example and pattern to the entire flock of Christ.

  1. Concerning Requirements for Deacon According to Holy Scripture

In accordance with Holy Scripture, a Deacon must be worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, not pursuing dishonest gain, and one who holds the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience.  They must first be tested, and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as Deacons (1 Tim. 3:8-13).

  1. Concerning Requirements for Presbyter According to Holy Scripture

In addition to the qualifications above and in accordance with Holy Scripture, a Presbyter must be above reproach, not self-pleasing but self-controlled, upright, holy, disciplined, temperate, hospitable, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money, not a recent convert, one who loves what is good and one who has a good reputation with outsiders.  Clergy must be able to preach and teach, holding firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, in order to encourage others by sound doctrine and to refute those who oppose it (1 Tim. 3:1-7, 5:17; Titus 1:6-9).

  1. Concerning Requirements for Married Candidates With and Without Children

In the case of persons who are or have been married, and/or have children, every Bishop shall take care that such persons manage their own family well, for as Holy Scripture attests, “If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s Church?” (1 Tim. 3:4-5, 12; Titus 1:6).

  1. Concerning Upholding the Sanctity of Marriage Especially for Those to Be Ordained

Marriage as a lifelong covenant between a man and a woman, where the two become one flesh, is both an ordinance of Creation, affirmed as such by our Lord, and commended by Saint Paul as a sign of the mystical union between Christ and his Church (Matt 19:3-9; Eph. 5:22-32).  As wholesome examples and patterns to the entire flock of Christ, all married persons to be admitted to Holy Orders shall remain married to their spouse for life, and in accordance with the vows they exchanged in Holy Matrimony.  No person shall be admitted into Holy Orders who has been divorced and remarried.

  1. Concerning Pastoral Exceptions to A.5.

The Presiding Bishop of the CEEC.CHURCH, on an application made to him by the Bishop sponsoring a person who by reason of A.5 of this Canon could not otherwise be admitted into Holy Orders may, upon a showing of good cause and particularly in light of the exceptions in Matthew 19 and 1 Cor. 7, remove the impediment imposed by that section to the admission of the person into Holy Orders. 

  1. Concerning Theological Training Requirements

No person shall be admitted into Holy Orders who has not been properly trained in Holy Scripture, and the Doctrine, Discipline and Worship of the CEEC.CHURCH.  Academic attainments and degrees shall be evaluated, with a Master of Divinity Degree serving as the norm, in all cases conforming to the standards set by the Commissions on Ministry and Education.

What are the specific requirements to be ordered as a deacon?

The specific qualities required of those who are to be ordained a deacon are listed in Title 3, Canon 3 of the CEEC.CHURCH Canons, which states:

A. The Deaconate

  1. Concerning Prerequisites for Ordination

No person shall be ordained a Deacon in the CEEC.CHURCH until that person shall have passed a satisfactory examination conducted by those appointed by the Bishop for this purpose, and shall have demonstrated sufficient knowledge of Holy Scripture, the Doctrine, Discipline and Worship of this Communion, and any other disciplines the Bishop shall deem necessary for the office and ministry of Deacons.

  1. Concerning the Required Declaration of Ordinands

No persons shall be ordained a Deacon in the CEEC.CHURCH until such person shall have subscribed without reservation the following declaration:

“I do believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the Word of God and to contain all things necessary to salvation, and I consequently hold myself bound to conform my life and ministry thereto, and I do solemnly engage to conform to the Doctrine, Discipline and Worship of Christ as the Church has received them.”

  1. Concerning Length of Diaconate
    1. We recognize the importance of the Vocational Diaconate as an essential and historic ministry of the Church.
    2. A Transitional Deacon shall not be ordained to the office of Presbyter for at least a minimum of six (6) months, unless the Bishop having jurisdiction shall find good cause for the contrary, so that the Deacon’s manner of life and ministry may be tested and observed before admission to the order of Presbyter.

What are the specific requirements to be ordered as a presbyter?

The specific qualities required of those who are to be ordained a presbyter are listed in Title 3, Canon 4 of the CEEC.CHURCH Canons, which states:

A. The Priesthood

  1. Concerning Ordination Following Period of Diaconate

No person shall be ordained a Presbyter in the CEEC.CHURCH until that person shall have been ordained a Deacon.

  1. No person shall be ordained a Presbyter in the CEEC.CHURCH until that person shall have passed a satisfactory examination conducted by those appointed by the Bishop for this purpose, and shall have demonstrated sufficient knowledge of Holy Scripture and the Doctrine, Discipline and Worship of the CEEC.CHURCH by examination in the following subjects, and any other qualities that the Bishop deems necessary for the office of Presbyter:
    1. Holy Scripture: the Bible, its contents and historical background and interpretive methods;
    2. Church History;
    3. English Church History;
    4. Doctrine: the Church’s teaching set forth in the Creeds and doctrinal expressions of the Church;
    5. Liturgies: The contents and use of the Book of Common Prayer, and knowledge of the proper use of church music;
    6. Moral Theology and Ethics;
    7. Ascetical Theology: with an emphasis on the prayer life and spirituality of the minister, including the use of the Daily Office;
    8. Practical Theology: The office and work of a Presbyter; the conduct of public worship; principles of sermon composition and delivery; principles and methods of Christian education in the parish; the Resolution and Constitution and Canons of the CEEC.CHURCH and the Diocese to which the candidate belongs; and the use of the voice in reading and speaking;
    9. The Missionary Work of the Church: How the Gospel has been passed from one language, tribe and nation to another; basic principles of cross-cultural communication; mission strategies; and personal relational evangelism and apologetics.
  2. Concerning the Required Declaration of Ordinands

No Deacon shall be ordained a Presbyter in the Church until the Deacon shall have subscribed the following declaration:

“I do believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the Word of God and to contain all things necessary to salvation, and I consequently hold myself bound to conform my life and ministry thereto, and I do solemnly engage to conform to the Doctrine, Discipline and Worship of Christ as the Church has received them.”

Can ministers be received from another jurisdiction?

The requirements related to receiving ministers from other jurisdictions are listed in Title 3, Canon 5 of the CEEC.CHURCH Canons, which states:

A. Application For and Evaluation of Orders

  1. Concerning Application for Holy Orders in the CEEC.CHURCH

When Ministers ordained in a jurisdiction not ordered in the Historic Succession nor in communion with the CEEC.CHURCH desire to be a Deacon or Presbyter in this Church, they shall apply to a Bishop of the CEEC.CHURCH for ordination to the diaconate and presbyterate.

  1. Concerning Pre-Ordination Requirements

If such ministers furnish evidence satisfactory to the Bishop for eligibility for ordination pursuant to Canons 2 through 4 of this Title, they shall be examined on the points of Doctrine, Discipline, Polity and Worship in which the jurisdiction from which they have come differs from the CEEC.CHURCH, and any other subject which the Bishop deems necessary and appropriate.

  1. Concerning Ministers Ordained in Jurisdictions in the Historic Succession but not in Communion with this Church

When a Minister ordained in a jurisdiction by a Bishop in historic succession but not in communion with this Church desires to be received as a member of the Clergy of this Communion, the person shall comply with A.1 and A.2 of this Canon.  Thereafter, being satisfied of the person’s theological qualifications and successful completion of the examination specified of the person’s theological qualifications and successful completion of the examination specified in Title III. Canon 4.A.2 and soundness in the faith, the Bishop may, with the advice and consent of his governing council:

  1. Receive the person into his jurisdiction in the Orders to which already ordained by a Bishop in the historic succession; or
  2. Ordain the person as a Deacon conditionally, and no sooner than four (4) months thereafter, ordain the person a Presbyter conditionally (if previously ordained a Presbyter), having previously baptized and confirmed the person conditionally if necessary, if ordained by a Bishop whose authority to convey such orders has not been recognized by the CEEC.CHURCH.

Can bishops be received from another jurisdiction?

The requirements related to receiving a bishop from another jurisdictions are listed in Title 3, Canon 5, Section A.4 of the CEEC.CHURCH Canons, which states:

  1. Concerning Receiving a Bishop from another Jurisdiction not in Communion with the CEEC.CHURCH

No Bishop from another jurisdiction not in Communion with the CEEC.CHURCH shall be received as a Bishop of the CEEC.CHURCH except by the consent of the International College and in accordance with the Canons of the CEEC.CHURCH.

Still have questions?

If you haven’t find the specific answer you’re looking for, a quick click below sends your question directly to us so that we can respond.

Send Question
Choose Your Language »