You can learn more about our leaders, our polity and review our Constitution and Canon by clicking the below. The additional Anglican argument of "once a bishop, always a bishop" gains prominence among those in the Convergence Movement;[51] there is also an understanding through Roman Catholic teaching on sacramental character. There are about 25 other Holiness denominations, among them the rapidly growing Christian and Missionary Alliance with 346,000 U.S. members in the late 1990s. You can't get there alone. Current, topical writings to benefit you in leadership and community engagement. Haywood-Larsen and Rev. Chances are, you have never heard of Convergent Catholicism and you have found yourself on these pages trying to figure out just what we mean by that. Sorry, there's no account connected with this email. More About Us Strategic Planning In about the 4th century the various traditions crystallized into four liturgies, the. This divine inspiration was the process in which Gods concepts were clothed with the words of humankind. [9] It was inspired by the spiritual pilgrimages of modern Protestant writers like Thomas Howard, Robert E. Webber, Peter E. Gillquist, and ancient Christian writers such as the Church Fathers and their communities. The governance of our Communion is vested in our members gathered at General Assembly (held every 2 years). Therefore, . Accountable: accountable to a local church administrative body or other administrative body or to a direct Supervisor within, or known to, Convergent Catholic Communion. (See list below for summary). 6 I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word. They value worship communities and ministries that are characterized by the best. Arising out of a common desire and hunger to experience the fullness of Christian worship and spirituality, the Convergence Movement (also referred to in the remainder of this article as CM) seeks to blend or merge the essential elements in the Christian faith represented historically in three major streams of thought and practice; the Charismatic, Evangelical/Reformed and Liturgical/Sacramental. Our communion is part of a wider movement known as the Convergence Movement. During deliberations, a decision is made in light of the, The key to attaining membership in our Communion is found in building meaningful relationships with our members and leaders. Fulfill requirements for continuing professional development, as assigned by the Bishops Council, each year. The Priests of the Church are collectively called the Presbyterate. These Catholics embrace the sacraments in a way that is fully in-stepwith tradition. The two movements complement each other very well. Most convergence churches have a dominant base one particular expression of' the church that regulates the others. Convergence provides free premarital semiannual courses for couples across Atlanta called Keeping Marriages Healthy (KMH). (RNS) The Richmond, Virginia, office of the FBI is worried about the interest that racially or ethnically motivated violent extremists have taken in radical . In 1984 Charisma magazine, one of the most influential magazines of the Charismatic Movement, published an article by Richard Lovelace entitled "The Three Streams, One River?" It also means that from the Evangelical movements within the Church, we take a strong appreciation for Gods grace, faith, and Scripture. The Convergent Catholic Communion does not offer wages or salaries to our ministers; we are missionaries in the sense that we act on faith in trying to establish church plants, missions, ministries and faith communities wherever we can gather the people. (Sept 1984). Find another location >, Start a new church, campus or multiply your church, Lead you and your church to long-term health, Reach people with the gospel in key areas of the world, Inspirational stories and news of God's work throughout the Converge movement. The Priests are celebrants of Holy Communion; they may offer all the sacraments except Ordination to Holy Orders. The key to attaining membership in our Communion is found in building meaningful relationships with our members and leaders. Additionally, it means that we have a strong appreciation for restoration, renewal, and revival within the Church. . Our Communion is not of one mind when approaching the topics of infallibility and inerrancy. Doing ministry is not the same as being in a worshiping community; thus, it is vital that a minister serving in parachurch ministries regularly attend worship services. #336 They can still look very Episcopal an, Orthodox, Baptist, Nazarene, independent Charismatic, etc. Despite the considerable differences among them in doctrine and practice. The Pentecostal churches had their origin in a similar movement in the early 20th century, as small groups of believers withdrew from Protestant denominations in order to pray, study the Bible, and practice their gifts. We take chances and we commit our time, talents, and treasures to the building up of the body of Christ. In 1969 the U.S. bishops conference issued a cautiously favorable statement regarding the renewal, and in 1975 Pope Paul VI gave an appreciative speech at a special audience for 10,000 charismatics attending a Rome conference. The cost of the background check is approximately $12.00 and can be accessed above. AN INTEREST IN INTEGRATING MORE STRUCTURE WITH SPONTANEITY IN WORSHIP, 6. looking towards charismatics and evangelicals. (If I'm wrong, please correct me.) Typically, when a person says are you Catholic they are asking if we are Roman Catholic and we can definitively say we are not Roman Catholic. In June of 2021, our governing Councils approved a transition to an affinity-based model. Liturgical churches that incorporate praise music can be regarded as convergence models. The Convergence Movement: A Cross Denominational Kingdom Builders Alliance & Leadership Empowerment Zone, (Written in 1992 by Wayne Boosahda and Randy Sly for the Complete library of Christian Worship, Robert Webber, ed. For this reason, it had several defining characteristics corresponding with the different worship backgrounds that were being blended together. Ft^::_r ^[@T|dq-|i] y\%.eI(/*4FPXvA5iq{GRsw2_J\Eb1B2Gxf_,: zO?.Fa@hAb>Jc6axZ{u)N6eWuO"liXr,p g7*,wO6$ You can begin that process now by joining our Facebook Group. Join church leaders and congregants from around the Heartland District March 6-8 to pray and sing in worship to our great God! In 2007, former Archbishop Randolph Sly of the Charismatic Episcopal Churchformed in 1992joined the Roman Catholic Church and was ordained into the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter, broadening recognition of the Convergence Movement among the ancient liturgical Christian denominations. Unlike in more traditional Diocesan and Eparchial models found in mainline and canonical churches our Communion does not assign episcopal oversight through geographic means. , we mean that we embrace the sacramental and liturgical life of the historic Catholic and Apostolic Church. [46] By 2022, the founding bishop of the Union of Charismatic Orthodox ChurchesDr. A protest was signed by six Lutheran princes and the leaders of 14 free cities of Germany, and Lutherans in general became known as Protestants. The modern English words Priest is descended from the Greek root. These Catholics would be working to deliberately include more. Anglicans regard ordination as a sacramental rite, or as commonly called a sacrament . Leon Joseph Cardinal Suenens of Belgium, a progressive at the Second Vatican Council, became the movements sponsor within the Roman hierarchy, but many important leaders were laypeople. To converge, according to Webster, simply means to move towards one point, to come together or to meet. 1. The Convergence Movement is a coming together of the three major historic branches of the church: the Sacramental, the Evangelical, and the Charismatic. In 2022, Archbishop Sterling Lands II of the Evangelical Episcopal Communion (once part of the Communion of Evangelical Episcopal Churches),[41][42] and Archbishop Deng Dau Deng, a former archbishop-elect of the Anglican Church of South Sudan,[43] joined The African Episcopal Church, a province of the Apostolic Communion of Anglican Churches. It is therefore encouraged that members remain engaged in virtual connection opportunities offered by the Communion; as well as plan to attend the Biennial meeting of the General Assembly. "The story of Christianity moves from a focus on mystery in the classical period, to institution in the medieval era, to individualism in the Reformation era, to reason in the modern era, and, now, in the postmodern era, back to mystery," he wrote in Ancient-Future Faith: Rethinking Evangelicalism for a Postmodern Generation. The Liturgical Renewal caused a resurgence of interest in recapturing the essence, spirit and shape of ancient Christian worship, as practiced and understood by the early Church of the first eight centuries. Each of these questions have been gleaned from the numerous social media and in-person interactions that our members and leaders have participated in over the past few years. John 17:6-10 & 17-23 von Folmar was elected as our first Presiding Bishop. Ends of the Earth. Followers of Jesus continue to receive the gifts of the Spirit (charismata). [18] Led by Robert E. Webber (Assoc. See also Holiness Churches. During our ordination liturgies our clerics acknowledge the bible as containing all things necessary for salvation. Copyright 2023 Converge. As you read about Convergence Christianity you will find a some overlap but at the same time some clear distinctions; therefore it should be understood these movements are not synonymous. They value worship communities and ministries that are characterized by the bestelements of each of the three streams. Viewing Converge National. The convergence movement is a coming together of the three major historic branches of the Church; Liturgy is; a body of rites (or system of ceremonial procedures) prescribed for formal public worship. Members are asked to tangibly support the Communion through faithful giving of time, finances and talent. von Folmar laid the foundation for what is today the Convergent Catholic Communion. Upon adopting an affinity-based model, three Connexons were created to represent those relationships; a fourth being recently created for the Eastern Rite. To remain a member with the communion, each member must: Demonstrate, through submission of Ember Letters, that they are engaged in Active, Accountable and Authorized Ministry. As outlined in the New Testament, the office of deacon is a historic ministry of service and aid within the local Christian Church. An increasing number of local congregations and leaders from many backgrounds are finding treasures old and new in the spiritual heritage of the church universal. The convergence movement seems to have strong antecedents in two major areas of spiritual and worship renewal affecting the Church in this century: the contemporary Charismatic worship renewal and the Liturgical Renewal Movement, both Catholic and mainline Protestant. The cost of the background check is approximately $12.00 and can be accessed above. 2014-2023 Convergent Catholic Communion. THE CONVERGENCE MOVEMENT [Click to download PDF] WRITTEN IN 1992 BY BISHOP WAYNE BOOSAHDA AND RANDY SLY FOR THE COMPLETE LIBRARY OF CHRISTIAN WORSHIP, ROBERT WEBBER, ED. In 2007, former Archbishop Randolph Sly of the Charismatic Episcopal Churchformed in 1992joined the Roman Catholic Church and was ordained into the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter, broadening recognition of the Convergence Movement among the ancient liturgical Christian denominations. What is the process for those wishing to join the C.CC.? 7 Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee. Beginning with the 25-person Costa Mesa congregation in 1965, Smith's influence now extends to "more than 1,000 churches nationwide and hundreds more overseas", some of which are among the largest churches in the United States.He has been called "one of the most . The Convergence Movement, also known as the Ancient-Future Faith movement,[1] is a Protestant Christian movement that began during the Fourth Great Awakening (19601980) in the United States. 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. What do you believe about the Holy Scripture? [1] In the following years, Webber wrote several additional books that had great influence on evangelical churches seeking to incorporate liturgy and traditional practices into their worship, and numbers of evangelical Protestants and Charismatics continued to migrate to the historic liturgical denominations. In 1979, the Evangelical Orthodox Church was organized. Largely a result of the ecumenical movement and its foundation primarily attributed to Robert E. Webber,[2] the Convergence Movement developed as an effort among evangelical, Pentecostal and charismatic, and liturgical Christians of varying denominational backgrounds to blend charismatic worship with liturgies from the Anglican Book of Common Prayer; they also made use of other liturgical sources common to Lutheranism, Eastern Orthodoxy, and Roman Catholicism. It was at this moment that we fully embraced the sacramental vision of our founders, and entered into what is known as the Independent Sacramental Movement. In addition to the holiness principle, they believe in, among other doctrines, the divine inspiration of the Scriptures, forgiveness of sin through the death of Christ and the repentance of the sinner, a nonmillennial concept of the return of Christ, and external reward or punishment as a result of the final judgment. " Those who are being drawn by the Lord into this convergence of streams are characterized by several common elements. , we mean that we believe in the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit in the world today. [8], The pioneers of the Convergence Movement were seeking to restore a primitive form of Christianity different from what the Restoration Movement taught. We chose to use Connexion because it was an organizing form not historically tied to geography (like those listed above). A half-day experience to help your church strategically reach the nationsnear and far. This divine inspiration was the process in which Gods concepts were clothed with the words of humankind. endobj They emphasize strict orthodoxy (following of established rules or traditions) on cardinal doctrines, morals, and especially on the authority of the Bible. In 2018, our Communion continued to mature as we elected to adopt the historic episcopate in apostolic succession common to all Catholic and Apostolic churches and our first two bishops were consecrated. The Convergent Church Movement seeks to depart from traditional religious practices. relating or belonging to any Protestant Christian church that emphasizes the authority of the Bible and salvation through the personal acceptance of Jesus Christ, relating to or based on the Gospels of the Christian Bible, enthusiastic or zealous in support of a particular cause and very eager to make other people share its beliefs or ideals, Although the term is sometimes applied to Jewish worship, it is especially associated with the prayers and ceremonies used in the celebration of the. The ecumenical movement seeks to recover the apostolic sense of the early church for unity in diversity, and it confronts the frustrations, difficulties, and ironies of the modern pluralistic . 3904 North Druid Hills Road With so many opinions about how that would look, how does that play out for the C.C.C.? While those who look toward Eastern Christianity may include 1 Esdras, Psalm 152, the Prayer of Manasseh, 3 Maccabees, and 4 Maccabees. "Schism in the Order". Convergence is dedicated to assisting local and national Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) by providing consultation to HBCU leaders, Biblical education for students, and mentorship. This led the group to practice a more liturgical form of worship than in their previous evangelical background.[14]. The Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches also include penance (or confession & repentance), confirmation (completion of training for adult hood), holy orders, matrimony, and the anointing of the sick. Key contemporary pioneers shaping the awareness and thought of the movement are men like Dr. Robert Webber, author and professor of Theology at Wheaton College; Dr. Robert Stamps, former chaplain of Oral Roberts University; Peter Gillquist, former leader with Campus Crusade fro Christ and now an Eastern Orthodox priest and evangelist; Thomas Howard from St. Johns Seminary; Thomas Oden, theologian and author from Drew University, Howard Snyder, theologian, author and Christian educator, Stan White, former Assembly of God pastor, now an Episcopalian priest; and others, such as the late David DuPlessis, Pentecostal minister and key instigator of the Charismatic ecumenical dialogue between Roman Catholics and Pentecostals; current Archbishop of Canterbury, George Carey; the United Methodist liturgical Order of St. Luke and Peter Hocken, Roman Catholic theologian. "Odyssey to Orthodoxy". A common component in the current CM, which came from these earlier movements, is a strong sense of and concern for unity in the whole of Christs Body, the Church. In short, it's complicated. Like St. Paul, we continue to live and work in the world while at the same time we seek to build up the body of Christ on earth. Professor of Theology at Wheaton College), along with Peter 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 the Christian Church's historic roots. This Expression recognizes the ancient church as a legitimate voice, but mostly in their insistence on a celebrating weekly Eucharist. COREY & JADE LEE CEO & FOUNDERS Hello there! The Antiochene family of liturgies includes the Clementine liturgy of the Apostolic Constitutions. Converge is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The movement sought to make the liturgy both more attuned to early Christian traditions and more relevant to modern Christian life. Ecclesiastes 4:12 tells us that, a cord of the three strands is not easily broken. When the three strands of Gods Church are braided together there will be a new strength and unity in the church as hasnt been seen since the apostolic age. Due to the dispersed nature of our Communion, establishing meaningful relationships can be challenging. Once we become members, what is required of us? Convergence supports the reshaping of organizations, congregations and leaders engaged in an age of movement from "organized religion" to "organizing religion" driven by the values of an inclusive, progressive theological vision for a more just world for all. Our Communion embraces the creeds, sacraments, and historic episcopate in apostolic succession of the Church Catholic. The call of CM churches is "be one," move together in portraying a people united under Christ to reach a hurting world. It should be noted that the Convergence Movement is not synonymous with Convergence Christianity (commonly championed by Brian Mclaren, Phyllis Tickle, etc.). You can learn more about our leaders, our polity and review our Constitution and Canon by clicking the below. The other key influence upon CM has been the Liturgical Renewal Movement, which arose originally out of France in the Roman Catholic Church and the Oxford or Tractarian Movement in the Church of England in the 19th century. Second Expression Convergent Catholics find a deeper connection to fully sacramental spirituality, and. x[[o~/Gy+"%R>u The convergence movement is a coming together of the three major historic branches of the Church, i.e., the Liturgical/Sacramental, the Evangelical, and the Charismatic. In 1977, "The Chicago Call" was issued by the National Conference of Evangelicals for Historic Christianity, meeting in Warrenville, Illinois. In the last couple decades Convergence Christianity - borne from Emergent Christianity - has become a phenomenon primarily among post-evangelical and post-liberal Christians who have or are on the path of deconstructing their belief system in an effort to reconstruct what they see as a more authentic and open approach to faith and spirituality. According to the Code of Canon Law within the Roman Catholic Church, all Catholic bishops are able to ordain in holy orders, yet ordinations without authorization are deemed illicit and result in automatic excommunication (and for some, laicization, i.e., Emmanuel Milingo).[49][50]. All rights reserved. We also provide care packages for the unhoused and those in human trafficking. Convergence Church equips and empowers individuals through discipleship . When considering the whole of Christian history, The Convergent Catholic Communion is still very young. "Evangelical, Sacramental, and Pentecostal: Why the Church Should Be All Three", Gordon T. Smith, 2017 IVP Academic, This page was last edited on 1 March 2023, at 23:48. These two ministers sought to establish a community of affirming clergy and ministries within the Convergence Movement. He had stressed original sin and justification by faith and added that the individual may be assured of forgiveness by a direct experience of the spirit, called sanctification, which he regarded as the step leading to Christian perfection. ", Convergence Movement, Association of Religion Data Archives, Website of the Apostolic Pastoral Congress, Website of the Charismatic Episcopal Church, Website of the Communion of Evangelical Episcopal Churches, Website of the Holy Communion of Churches, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Convergence_Movement&oldid=1142357754, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. , we mean that we are an open, affirming, and grace-filled Communion believing that Christs love and ministry are open to all - regardless of anyones denominational background, political party, class, race, gender, sexual orientation, or age. Inner Cities. One by one congregations and leaders have found one another, underlining the sense that God is doing something on a grass root level similar to an underground river about to break to the surface. [31][32][33], Following Lumanog's consecration and the start of their diocese in this Convergence denomination, he appointed Gideon Arinzechukwu (a deposed Episcopalian priest)[34] as interim archdeacon for their diocese in the Apostolic Communion of Anglican Churches in 2020. The Bishops of the Church are collectively called the Episcopacy. [9] It was inspired by the spiritual pilgrimages of modern Protestant writers like Thomas Howard, Robert E. Webber, Peter E. Gillquist, and ancient Christian writers such as the Church Fathers and their communities. They may serve the church in the following areas: Communications, Christian Education; serving as a Counselor or Chaplain or; leading a music, campus, prison, charity, justice and advocacy ministry. How did The Convergent Catholic Communion come about? The convergence movement seems to have strong antecedents in two major areas of spiritual and worship renewal affecting the Church in this century: the contemporary Charismatic worship renewal and the Liturgical Renewal Movement, both Catholic and mainline Protestant. 20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; This growth and maturity resulted in the unique sacramental role of the Bishop being the successor of the Apostles. This scripture summarizes the insight and discovery which has led to a fresh stream of thought and renewal throughout the wider Body of Christ. 4. Between meetings of the General Assembly, the administrative authority of the Communion shall. Our Communion was borne out of the vision of two ministers - the Reverend Drew Haywood-Larsen, our late founder, and the Most Reverend Kenneth von Folmar, our current Presiding Bishop. Researching the historical basis of the Christian faith, Gillquist and his colleagues found sources for this restoration in the writings of the early Church Fathers. reside in the Bishops Council and the General Council. were calling Christians back to what they saw as their roots, Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America, Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States, Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter, Communion of Evangelical Episcopal Churches, Convocations of Anglicans in North America, Church of Nigeria in the Anglican Communion, Code of Canon Law within the Roman Catholic Church, "Tony Palmer, who captured Pope Francis' bid for Christian unity with a cellphone, dies after motorcycle crash", Encyclopedia of Christianity in the United States, "Retrospective on the EOC Reception into the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese | Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese", "Former Charismatic Episcopal archbishop joins Roman Catholic Church", "Local man ordained to Anglican ordinariate- The Arlington Catholic Herald", "The CEEC Remembers Bishop Tony Palmer, who passed 6 years ago today", "Pope and Late Evangelical Bishop were Like 'Father and Son', "Jon Ignatius Jack Lumanog Inhibited from Ministry", "Bishop Jack Lumanog: ordained and consecrated an Anglican Bishop", "The Venerable Canon Dr. Jon Ignatius Lumanog ordained and consecrated as Anglican Bishop", "National Bible College Association Private Christian Accreditation", "From Bishop Jack Lumanog appointment of Interim Archdeacon", "Ihe mere ka Anglkan ji gbar ihu nye kchukwu kpeere dba ekpere", "He is Not One of Us, CoN Disowns U.S Based Priest in Viral Video for Native Doctor Award - Advent Cable Network Nigeria", "Church of Nigeria: NJ priest not one of us", "Archbishop Russell McClanahan reunites with the CEEC CEEC - International", "Liturgy-hungry young Christians trade altar calls for Communion rails", "The Rise Of 'Charismatic Orthodox' Churches", "Archbishop of America met the leadership of the Union of Charismatic Orthodox Churches", "The Union of Charismatic Orthodox Churches", "Convergence Ecclesiology | Addendum 4: Apostolic Succession", "Automatic excommunication for bishop over illicit ordination", "Vatican defrocks exorcist archbishop who married", "If a priest leaves the priesthood, is he still able to perform the sacraments?