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TheConvergence Movement, also known as theAncient-Future Faith,[1] whose foundation is primarily attributed toRobert E. Webber in 1985,[2] is anecumenical movement. Developed as an effort amongevangelical,charismatic andPentecostal, andliturgical Christians and denominationsblending their forms of worship,[3] the movement has been defined for its predominant use of theAnglican tradition'sBook of Common Prayer; use from additional liturgical sources common toLutheranism,Eastern Orthodoxy, andCatholicism have also been employed.[4][5][6][7]
Christian denominations and individuals within the movement have identified themselves asAncient Faith orAncient Church,Ancient-Future,[8]Convergence,[9]Charismatic Orthodox,[10]evangelical Episcopal,[8]paleo-orthodox, orPentecostal Catholic orOrthodox.[6] Denominations in this movement have also been referred as some form of broader, or new Anglicanism or Episcopalianism.[11]
The pioneers of the Convergence Movement were seeking to restore a primitive form of Christianity in contrast with the teachings of theRestoration Movement.[12] The Ancient-Future Faith was inspired by the spiritual pilgrimages of Protestant writers like Thomas Howard, Robert E. Webber,Peter E. Gillquist, and ancient Christian writers including theChurch Fathers and theircommunities. These men—along with theologians, scripture scholars, and pastors in a number ofProtestant denominational traditions leading to the movement's foundation—were calling Christians back to what they saw as their roots in the early Church prior to theEast–West Schism and rise of thestate church of the Roman Empire.[13][14]
In 1973,Campus Crusade for Christ missionary Peter E. Gillquist (1938–2012) ofChicago established a network ofhouse churches throughout the United States of America, aiming to restore a primitive form of Christianity, which was called theNew Covenant Apostolic Order. ResearchingChristian history, Gillquist and his colleagues found sources for this restoration in the writings of the early Church Fathers. This led the New Covenant Apostolic Order to practice a more liturgical form ofworship than in their previous evangelical background.[15]
In 1977, "The Chicago Call" was issued by the National Conference of Evangelicals for Historic Christianity, meeting inWarrenville,Illinois.[16] Led byRobert E. Webber (Assoc. Professor of Theology atWheaton College), along withPeter Gillquist, Thomas Howard, Richard Holt, Donald Bloesch, Jan Dennis, Lane Dennis, and Victor Oliver, the conference discussed the need for evangelical Protestants to rediscover and re-attach to theChristian Church'shistoric roots. The conference issued several documents which together are known as "The Chicago Call." Components of the document include: "A Call to Historic Roots and Continuity; A Call to Biblical Fidelity; A Call to Creedal Identity; A Call to Holistic Salvation; A Call to Sacramental Integrity; A Call to Spirituality; A Call to Church Authority; and A Call to Church Unity."[16]
In 1979, theEvangelical Orthodox Church was organized.[17] The belief of needingapostolic succession and thehistoric episcopacy led most members of Evangelical Orthodoxy to join theAntiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America in 1987.[18][19] Others later joined theOrthodox Church in America.[20]
In 1984Charisma magazine—one of the most influential magazines of theCharismatic Movement—published an article byRichard Lovelace entitled, "The Three Streams, One River?" (Sept 1984).[21] Lovelace approvingly noted the trend ofCatholics, Evangelicals, and Charismatic and Pentecostal Christians moving closer together.
Robert Webber's 1985 book—Evangelicals on the Canterbury Trail: Why Evangelicals are Attracted to the Liturgical Church—documented the stories of six evangelical Protestants who, for various reasons, had transitioned to theProtestant Episcopal Church in the United States. Publication of this book stirred up a great deal of interest in the evangelical Protestant press, generating numerous reviews inChristianity Today and other widely read evangelical publications.[1]
In June 1992, theCharismatic Episcopal Church was established as a part of the Convergence Movement following theepiscopal ordination ofRandy Adler by Herman Adrian Spruit of theCatholic Apostolic Church of Antioch—anIndependent Catholic jurisdiction embracingreligious pluralism.[9] By 1997, Adler and the clergy of the Charismatic Episcopal Church were conditionally ordained by theBrazilian Catholic Apostolic Church.[22] By 2007, former Charismatic Episcopal ArchbishopRandolph Sly joined the Catholic Church and was ordained into thePersonal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter, broadening recognition of the Convergence Movement among the ancient liturgical Christian denominations.[23][24]
In 1995, theCommunion of Evangelical Episcopal Churches was organized.[25] In October 1995, approximately 300 individuals gathered from multiple denominational backgrounds; various bishops from Anglican,independent Eastern Orthodox andOld Catholic churches assisted in the episcopal ordination of the denomination's first two bishops, and the ordination of 25 pastors and seven deacons.[26]
In 2011, Evangelical Episcopal BishopDerek Jones was received by theConvocation of Anglicans in North America into theAnglican Church in North America.[27] By March 2012, under the leadership of Quintin Moore, the Communion of Evangelical Episcopal Churches entered full communion with his Christian Communion International as the denomination's United States province.[28] From 2008–2014, the Communion of Evangelical Episcopal Churches held informal ecumenical dialogue with the Roman Catholic Church through BishopTony Palmer. During an audience withPope Francis, Palmer and BishopEmilio Alvarez represented their denomination; Alvarez was the official translator for the meeting.[29][30] Palmer continued to serve inpapal audiences until his death, befriending Pope Francis.[31][11]
Palmer's death was initially disclosed by Archbishop Charles Hill of Ambassadors for Christ Ministries of America,[32][33][34] whom he also befriended and was a member of the same communion.[35] Hill also served as "Apostle Primate Patriarch Archbishop" within the Patriarchate in the World of Jesus Christ, an independent Eastern Orthodox group.[36] Archbishop Hill would later lead a CharismaticLiberal Catholic denomination named the Ancient Church Global,[37] claiming descent from theKnights Templar andself-proclaiming themselves the sole source ofIndependent,Old and Liberal Catholicism.[38][39] This denomination led by Hill upon their departure from the Communion of Evangelical Episcopal Churches also uniquely claimed to hold apostolic succession and continuity withAncient Egyptian polytheistic religious practices;[40] their additional claims to succession and the historic episcopate stemmed from variouswandering bishops within Independent and Old Catholicism, theAmerican Orthodox Catholic Church, Anglicanism, andGnosticism.[41][42] In May 2023, a religious university founded by Hill for their Charismatic denomination conferred an honorary degree upon Liberian politician Matthew Zarzar.[43][44]
In 2019, the Communion of Evangelical Episcopal Churches split, and theContinuing Evangelical Episcopal Communion was founded.[45] Alvarez also either left the Communion of Evangelical Episcopal Churches by resignation or deposition, and organized theUnion of Charismatic Orthodox Churches; by October 2020, he was elected to lead the denomination as its primate and in 2021 was installed as archbishop and primate for the denomination.[46] In December 2020, leadership of the Union of Charismatic Orthodox Churches met withArchbishop Elpidophoros of theGreek Orthodox Archdiocese of America (Ecumenical Patriarchate).[47] Alvarez and the Convergence Movement were featured byReligion News Service, after a trend of young Christians returning to traditional churches.[48][49]
In 2019, the Apostolic Communion of Anglican Churches—founded in 2005 through the principles of the Convergence Movement[50]—received the former Anglican Church in North America priest Jack Lumanog. Joining this denomination, Lumanog was declared to have no ecclesiastical status through any province of theGlobal Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans following his election and ordination to the episcopacy by Archbishop Darel Chase.[51][52][53] Chase also ordained aclaimant to the Roman papacy,[54][55] and organized the National Bible College Associationaccreditation mill which accredited their self-established Metropolitan Christian University and Midwestern School of Divinity for their churches.[56][57][58]
Following Lumanog's episcopal ordination and the formation of the Anglican Diocese of St. Ignatius Loyola, in 2020, Gideon Arinzechukwu Uzomechina was appointed interim archdeacon for this diocese in the Apostolic Communion of Anglican Churches.[59][60] Uzomechina was a deposed Episcopalian priest accused of fraud and sexual misconduct with young men.[61][62][63] In December 2022, Uzomechina and his church were publicly disowned by theChurch of Nigeria to prevent alleged misrepresentation.[64][65][66][67]
In 2022, ArchbishopSterling Lands II of theEvangelical Episcopal Communion—once part of the Communion of Evangelical Episcopal Churches—and Archbishop Deng Dau Deng, former archbishop-elect of theAnglican Church of South Sudan,[68][69][70] joined the African Episcopal Church organized and led by Chase. By 2023 Jonathan Kyangasha—an expelledChurch of Uganda priest[71][72]—joined the African Episcopal Church.[73] Kyangasha founded the Reformed Anglican Church in Uganda after his expulsion in 2017.[74] A year later, Lumanog joined the African Episcopal Church's house of bishops,[75] and a lawsuit by Uzomechina against theEpiscopal Diocese of New Jersey alleging discrimination and wrongful deposition was dismissed.[76]
Since the advent of Convergence Christianity, numerous denominations and organizations have sought or claimed apostolic succession through excommunicatedLatin Catholic bishops andwandering bishops of Anglican and Orthodox traditions includingCarlos Duarte Costa,Arnold Mathew,Joseph Vilatte,Aftimios Ofiesh, and others in order to preserve doctrinal and apostolic continuity and establish sacramental legitimacy.[77]
According to Roman Catholic teaching, such ordinations—even if performed by excommunicated, deposed, and laicized bishops—are "valid but illicit." TheCode of Canon Law within the Roman Catholic Church states Latin and Eastern Catholic bishops are able to ordain inholy orders, yet ordinations without authorization are deemed illicit and result inautomatic excommunication (and for some,laicization, i.e.,Emmanuel Milingo).[78][79]
There is also an understanding through Roman Catholic teaching onsacramental character; dogma teaches those performing unauthorized ceremonies cannot have their holy orders orepiscopal genealogy (apostolic succession) nullified, vacated or revoked though their use of the sacraments go unrecognized among those in communion with thePope of Rome, as they have only been relieved of episcopal duties within the Latin Catholic Church and itsEastern Catholic Churches specifically.[80][81] TheCatechism of the Catholic Church (1992), §1121 expresses:
The three sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Orders confer, in addition to grace, a sacramental character or seal by which the Christian shares in Christ's priesthood and is made a member of the Church according to different states and functions. This configuration to Christ and to the Church, brought about by the Spirit, is indelible; it remains for ever in the Christian as a positive disposition for grace, a promise and guarantee of divine protection, and as a vocation to divine worship and to the service of the Church. Therefore these sacraments can never be repeated.
From mainstream Eastern Orthodox teaching no holy orders outside of their churches are generally recognized considering astrict adherence to the letter of the law (see also:legalism),[82] although some mainstream Eastern Orthodox churches may consider outside holy orders as valid and forgo conditional ordinations viadivine economy.[83] TheEcumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, for example, teaches through "extreme oikonomia [economy]", those who arebaptized in the following traditions can be received into the Eastern Orthodox Church through the sacrament ofChrismation and not throughre-baptism:[84]
This is also because each autocephalous church determines the validity of another Christian church's holy orders and other sacraments, according to a joint Eastern Orthodox-Roman Catholic ordination committee in 1988.[83] In the 20th century, specifically, there have even been bishops elevated by and descending from Aftimios Ofiesh of theAmerican Orthodox Catholic Church, which were brought into the mainstream Eastern Orthodox churches without reordination (e.g., bishopsJoseph Zuk and Alexander Turner).[85][86]
In Anglicanism, similar to Roman Catholic theology, it is taught "once a bishop, always a bishop."[87] Anglicanism also teaches the permanent effect of sacramental character; the39 Articles of Religion teaches unworthy ministers are still able to validly confect the sacraments, even if under canonical discipline.[88]
According toAn Episcopal Dictionary of the Church, which has been published by American Episcopalians:[89]
In the same way, medieval scholastics held that confirmation and ordination conferred indelible character. Contemporary Anglican theology appears to reject this view in the case of Confirmation, recognizing no separate character of Confirmation apart from the baptismal character. Although the Episcopal Church makes no such specific claim about ordination, it acts as though ordination were indelible. One who has abandoned or renounced the ordained ministry, or even been deposed from it, is not reordained if he or she is reinstated. Instead, the person is formally restored to the order already held.
Within theChurch of England, its canons teach that even if voluntarily relinquishing the office or position, or being deprived from the exercise of the same, "no person who has been admitted to the order of bishop, priest, or deacon can ever be divested of the character of his order."[90]
Through the establishment of multiple denominations in the Convergence Movement, more than 2 million individuals have been claimed as adherents of its multiple organizations. According to self-reported statistics in 2023, the largest denomination in the movement is the Continuing Evangelical Episcopal Communion—reporting an estimated 2,100,000 members and 10,703 churches.[91] The second-largest denomination is the Evangelical Episcopal Communion, claiming to have planted more than 5,000 churches through its Province of St. Peter;[92] and over 100 churches and ministries altogether through Missio Mosaic and the Province of India.[93][94] Following, the Charismatic Episcopal Church with more than 1,600 churches as of 2008,[95] and almost 2,000 as of 2014,[96] has been the movement's third-largest. The Communion of Evangelical Episcopal Churches had 150+ churches and ministries through its provinces and U.S. dioceses.[97][98][99][94] As of 2024, the African Episcopal Church claimed more than 43 churches through its U.S. and international provinces and dioceses;[100] and the Union of Charismatic Orthodox Churches had an estimated 24 churches as of 2020.[48]
The following is not a complete list, but aims to provide a comprehensible overview of the diversity among denominations of Convergence Christianity. Only organizations withWikipedia articles will be listed.
With each church having a primary base, three different types of convergence churches seem to be most common today: blended churches, inclusion churches, and network churches. Blended churches have maintained their original identity, denominational connection and distinctive theologically. From this base they then are adding elements from the other two streams in their worship and ministry practices. While most common among Liturgical/Sacramental churches, blended churches are found in Evangelical and Charismatic streams as well.
As a Convergence communion, the CEEC embraces the Anglican precedent and seeks to be a true expression of the Ancient/Future Church, making visible the Kingdom of God, fulfilling the Great Commission, and manifesting fully the beauty, glory and power of the One Church and its Lord.
Retired Pope Benedict XVI invited Anglicans to join the Catholic Church, allowing priests to remain married and continue to have some autonomy. With a Catholic wife, an international background and a charismatic evangelical blend, Longenecker wrote, Palmer served as the perfect "face" for new Anglicanism.
The Convergence Movement focused on the blending of different worship traditions into one. For this reason, it had several defining characteristics corresponding with the different worship backgrounds that were being blended together. One characteristic of the movement was the focus given to unity. Rather than being divided by the different denominations, the movement rejoiced in the one body of Christ seen throughout the whole world. The Convergence Movement was also defined by its focus on the early church. It sought to live in accordance with apostolic teaching and trace its authority back to apostolic origins.
Prior to his time with the CEC, Sly was an important voice of the "Convergence Movement", which worked to draw together the evangelical, charismatic, and liturgical/sacramental streams of the church.
October of 1995, in Fredericksburg, Virginia, approximately 300 people gathered for the consecration of the CEEC's first two bishops and the ordination of 25 pastors and 7 deacons by bishops in apostolic succession from the Anglican, Orthodox and Old Catholic jurisdictions, who were committed to ecumenism. That night twenty-five independent congregations from a wide variety of denominational backgrounds came into the newly organized Communion. Bishop Michael Owen served as the first Presiding Bishop.
The news of his death was disclosed by Archbishop Charles Hill, patriarch and presiding prelate of Ambassadors for Christ Ministries of America, who wrote on Facebook yesterday (20th): "We are in prayer for the family of Bishop Tony Palmer who was in a motorcycle accident this morning in the UK after hours of surgery he went home to be with the Lord. He was a good friend and brother in the vineyard."
On July 20, 2014, at 4:30 pm ET, Protestant "Archbishop" Charles Hill posted a note on Facebook, announcing that Anglican-Evangelical "Bishop" Tony Palmer, whom "Pope" Francis was going to meet later this month in Caserta, Italy, had been killed in a tragic motorcycle accident.
I first read the news through the twitter feed of Rocco Palmo of Whispers in the Loggia. Rocco linked to the Facebook page of Archbishop Charles Hill, a member of the same communion of churches as the late Bishop Palmer.
As a result of all of the above facts, the Templar denomination of Ancient Catholicism is the earliest original source of, and the underlying foundations and basis for, all Independent Churches and Old Catholic Churches. For this reason, the Ancient Catholic Church from 1139 AD is historically and canonically the only Pontifical Catholicate which unifies and represents the Independent Church Movement from 1145 AD, the derivative Old Catholic Movement from 1870 AD, the related Reformed Catholic Movement of 1879 AD, and the resulting Liberal Catholic Movement from 1916 AD. The apparent paradox of a Pontifical authority for "Independent" Churches is resolved by the original and authentic principles of doctrinal freedom, liturgical freedom, and autonomy for all of its member Churches. This allows the Ancient Catholic Church (Ancient Church Global) to serve as an international presence advancing the collective interests for the benefit of all its Churches in communion with the canonical Pontificate.
Beyond the valid customary practices of the Ancient Priesthood, and the legitimacy of the Templar Lines, the canonical Apostolic practice of Catholic Christianity also involves the "laying on of hands" (Acts 1:22, 1:25-26, 6:1-6, 9:17; 13:1-5; I Timothy 4:1, 4:14, 5:22; II Timothy 1:6). This includes "anointing" by sacred oils, such as the Pontifical consecration of the Biblical King Solomon (I Kings 1:39) [5], which was also practiced in the Ancient Priesthood in Egypt (the hieroglyphics 'Se Neter' meaning "to consecrate" literally mean to "infuse with the Holiness of God") [6].
After three years of internal debate over the necessity of an overarching Canon Law, the CEEC.CHURCH's largest provinces have unanimously agreed to stand together. They continue to operate under their current version of Canon Law, adopted in 2016. In a decision guaranteeing the continued historicity and validation of the CEEC.CHURCH, 98% of original churches and clergy choose continuing communion and remain globally united, with only slight adaptation to their name.
The Apostolic Communion Anglican Churches was initially established April 2005, and is an international faith communion of like-minded believers in Christ Jesus, sharing the rich history and heritage of the Church and exercising the freedom of multi-cultural and spiritual expression.
Mr Lumanog's status is with one of the myriad of non-Anglican groups who loosely use a type of Anglican polity – that includes the use of Anglican titles. While we understand that he is titled as a "bishop" with this group, Mr. Lumanog is not a bishop with the ACNA or with any recognized ACNA or GAFCON communion body.
Christopher Johnson at Midwestern Conservative Journal draws our eyes to Rutherford Johnson — that's His Royal Highness Prince Rutherford Johnson of Etruria, who is also Rutherford Cardinal Johnson, the patriarch of the recently invented Anglican Rite Roman Catholic Church.
Pursuant to Canon IV.14.12(a) of the Canons of The Episcopal Church, this is to notify you of an Order of a Hearing Panel of the Diocese of New Jersey involving Respondent The Venerable Gideon Arinzechukwu Uzomechina, a Presbyter canonically resident in the Diocese of New Jersey. This Order became effective on April 1, 2020. The Offenses which are the subject of this Order are specified in Canons IV.4.1(c), IV.4.1(d), IV.4.1(h)(1). IV.4.1(h)(6), and IV.4.1(h)(9) of the Canons of The Episcopal Church. Pursuant to the Order, Gideon Arinzechukwu Uzomechina has been sentenced to deposition from the ordained Ministry of The Episcopal Church.
MEET OUR LEADER FATHER GIDEON A. UZOMECHINA: Having serve as a priest and missionary for over two decades following his seminary training in Nigeria and ordination into the Anglican Communion (Anglo Catholic tradition) as well as his Interfaith and Ecumenical studies in Israel, the Venerable Dr. Gideon Uzomechina, fondly called Father Gideon, is the Rector of spirit filled Anglican Church of the Messiah, Plainfield, the Archdeacon of New Jersey, and the Diocesan Director of Missions.
Part of the statement reads; "Be it known to the Christian Community and the General Public, therefore, that the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) is not associated with the Venerable Gideon Arinzechukwu Uzomechina; the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) is not associated with Messiah Anglican New Jersey, USA; and the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) is not part of the purported award to be given to a native doctor."
A summary of Apostolic Succession may be described as Three Streams coming together to make one river including: Apostolic Faith/Doctrine (the Evangelical Stream); Apostolic Authority (the Liturgical/Sacramental Stream) and Apostolic Anointing (the Charismatic Stream). Using these categories, we note that the former Archbishop of Canterbury, Michael Ramsey summarized the essential elements of Apostolic Succession as including: "First of all, the succession of Bishop to Bishop in office secured a continuity of Christian teaching and tradition in every See. Each followed the teachings of his predecessor, and so the succession of Bishops was a guarantee that everywhere the Christians were taught the true Gospel of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Having no such succession, the Gnostics had no claim to be the authorized teachers of the faith….Thus the succession of Bishops is a safeguard of continuous teaching…."
According to canon 1382, both "A bishop who consecrates some one a bishop without a pontifical mandate and the person who receives the consecration from him incur a latae sententiae excommunication reserved to the Apostolic See."
So what happens when a priest leaves the priesthood? Since Holy Orders is a character sacrament, once it has been validly received, it never is invalidated for any reason whatsoever. Granted, a cleric– deacon, priest, or bishop– may be freed from the clerical state and dispensed from the promise of celibacy by the proper authority. He may no longer have the obligations or the privileges to function as a cleric, but nevertheless he remains a cleric. Commonly, this practice is called laicization, meaning "returned to the state of the laity." (Code of Canon Law, #290-293.) Even though the cleric has been laicized and no longer functions as a deacon, priest, or bishop, he still has the sacramental character of Holy Orders. Technically, if he were to perform a sacrament in accord with the norms of the Church, that sacrament would indeed be valid. However, the sacrament would be illicit, meaning he violated Church law and would be culpable for this infraction since he no longer has the faculties to function as a priest.
The Council of Trent decrees, that "in the Sacrament of Order . . . a 'character' is impressed which can neither be blotter out nor taken away:" and condemns all who affirm that "persons once rightly ordained can again be laics." (Sess. xxiii., ch. 4) "If any one shall have said, that by sacred ordination . . . . a character is not impressed or that he who was once a priest can again become a laic, let him be accursed." (Sess. xxiii., ch. 4) . . . . Where the mark is stamped on the soul, there there is "order;" and where that mark is not stamped on the soul, there is not order (according to the Church of Rome). And the Council of Trent declares that mark or "character" to be "indelible;" that is to say, once impressed on the soul, it can never be rubbed out or lost, or taken away.
The Church of England's Canon C.1, sec.2, explicitly agrees with the rest of Catholic tradition in this regard: "No person who has been admitted to the order of bishop, priest, or deacon can ever be divested of the character of his order," though he may be deprived or deposed from exercising it. The Episcopal Church accepts the same principle in practice by providing for the restoration of someone under the discipline of suspension, inhibition, or deposition without requiring re-ordination (Canon IV.13). Like baptism and confirmation, ordination seals someone permanently with the seal of the Holy Spirit, or to use similar language common in Western theology and in our Anglican formularies, it confers an indelible character. If a bishop is deposed for "abandoning the communion of this church," then "this church" must surely refer to our particular province over which we have a rightful control, and not to any other provinces of the Catholic Church for which he was also ordained. Is that perhaps why the Presiding Bishop does not seem to be bothered that Bishop Jeffrey Steenson and others are "abandoning the communion of this church" for the Roman Catholic Church, but seems very upset about bishops and parishes "abandoning the communion of this church" for some other province in the Anglican Communion, even so far as being willing to sell our property to Roman Catholics or Methodists or anyone else except Anglicans?
No person who has been admitted to the order of bishop, priest, or deacon can ever be divested of the character of his order, but a minister may either by legal process voluntarily relinquish the exercise of his orders and use himself as a layman, or may by legal and canonical process be deprived of the exercise of his orders or deposed therefrom.
Contemporary conferences of theological experts and representatives of Christian denominations convened to resolve matters of doctrine and practice | ||
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| TheAssyrian Church of the Eastwith the | ||
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| TheEastern Orthodox Churchwith the | ||
| TheLutheran Churchwith the | ||
| TheOriental Orthodox Churchwith the | ||
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