Introduction to Church Families

Transcription

1 This introduction to church families is meant to provide initial information about the manifold nature of the Christian confessions in order that one might have a better understanding of the richness of the various Christian families. We combined aspects that are historical together with other aspects that come from either our self-identity or from ecumenical perspectives. The historical scheme tries to show how the different Christian churches grew from the base of the One Church, whose unity the enlisted ecumenical agreements and documents strive for. Introduction to Church Families Edited by Nagypál Szabolcs Filip Outrata Hans-Georg Link

2 Introduction to Church Families Edited by Nagypál Szabolcs Filip Outrata Hans-Georg Link Approved by the General Assembly (GA) of the International Ecumenical Fellowship (IEF) in Chevetogne, May 2011 Budapest, 2011

3 Contents I. Orthodox Churches 1. Eastern Orthodox 2. Oriental Orthodox II. Catholic Churches 3. Roman Catholic 4. Old Catholic 5. Anglican (and Episcopalian) III. Churches of the Reformation (XVI. c.) 6. Evangelical-Lutheran 7. Reformed and Presbyterian 8. United and Uniting Churches Nagypál Szabolcs, Filip Outrata & Hans-Georg Link Design: Szalamiki ISBN More details and contacts: IV. Churches from the XVI. c. to the XX. c. 9. Historic Peace Churches: Mennonite and Quaker (Friends) 10. Baptist 11. Methodist 12. (Seventh-Day) Adventist 13. Salvation Army (Salvationist) 14. Hussite V. Pentecostal and Black Churches (XX. c.) 15. Pentecostal 16. Black Appendix I.: Important Ecumenical Agreements and Documents Appendix II. Statistics of the Countries of IEF Regions 2

4 In this little introduction we would like to familiarize members of the International Ecumenical Fellowship (IEF) and anyone who might be interested with the Church families that they belong to and with other Church families that they may learn about as they encounter other Christians. 1 We speak about Church Families in order to underline a sense of personal belonging to the great Christian Family. As we seek to introduce our different Church families, we have combined aspects that are historical together with other aspects that come from either our self-identity or from ecumenical perspectives. We are fully aware of the fact that our introduction cannot but be a compromise between the historical approach and the self-understanding, which churches and denominations have of themselves. The historical scheme used as a basic framework tries to show how the different Christian churches we now have grew from the base of the One Church. The final chapters about ecumenical agreements and documents point to the striving for that unity of the One Church. It is self-evident that this little booklet can only give an outline of the big confessional families and cannot replace detailed knowledge of these confessions. This introduction begins with Orthodox Churches (I.), which see their origin going back to the time of the Ancient Church. The term Catholic Churches (II.) is somewhat problematic, as catholicity is part of the four notions of the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church, which mark every local and universal church over against sectarian claims of exclusiveness. In this document we use the term Catholic for churches which have the term included in their own name, but also for the worldwide structure of the Anglican Communion which sees itself as Catholic and Reformed. To the Churches of the Reformation (III.) in a narrow sense belong the Evangelical-Lutheran, Reformed and United churches. In a broader view (IV.) they comprise also churches which have their origins either in connection with the Reformation or with reference to it in later times. 1 Some of the chapters were partly based on For people interested in having more detailed information, Wikipedia is a source of information about the different churches, and their statistical data. Also, there are many books on the topic, for example: Kleine Konfessionskunde. Johann-Adam-Möhler- Institut, Paderborn, Or: Frieling R. Geldbach E. Thöle R., Konfessionskunde: Orientierung im Zeichen der Ökumene. Stuttgart, A special section (V.) comprises those churches which came into existence in the XX th century with different presuppositions and understandings. Finally, a special emphasis is given to important ecumenical documents in the Appendix, which either led to communion between churches or initiated them. Our discussions before this structure was adopted made it clear that we could have chosen a completely different approach. We hope that the structure as it now stands will be a helpful first orientation over this complex territory. This little Introduction to Church Families is meant to provide initial information about the manifold nature of our Christian confessions in order that we might have a better understanding of the richness of our various Christian families. The IEF Regions are invited to translate parts or the whole into their own languages. I. Orthodox Churches 1. Eastern Orthodox A. Eastern Orthodoxy consists of several autocephalous (self-governing) churches: the four patriarchates of Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch and Jerusalem; the four patriarchates of Russia, Serbia, Romania, and Bulgaria; the Catholicosate of Georgia, and the churches of Cyprus, Greece, Poland, Albania, and the Czech Lands and Slovakia; it also includes the autonomous churches of Finland and Estonia. Its membership is three hundred million. They hold the same faith, that of the seven ecumenical councils, as well as sacraments. The Patriarch of Constantinople is the Ecumenical Patriarch, and has a position as first among equals. He convenes pan- Orthodox conferences, after consultation with the leaders of the other Orthodox churches. His role is to be the spiritual leader of the Orthodox world and a transnational figure of global significance. 4 5

5 The Orthodox Church sees itself as the continuation of the Church established by Jesus Christ and his apostles. The increasingly difficult relationship between the sees of Rome and Constantinople led to a schism in 1054; and the formal break occurred in the XV th century. The dividing issues were the universal supremacy of jurisdiction of the Pope, and the doctrinal issue of the filioque ( and the Son ), the phrase inserted into the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed (381) in VI th century Hispania. While the Orthodox churches acknowledge seven sacraments, or mysteries, there are other sacramental actions that make up liturgical life. Baptism is by full immersion, and chrismation (confirmation) and Eucharist follow. Children are baptized and chrismated as infants, thereby allowing them to partake of the Eucharist. The bread and wine in the Eucharist become, through the power of the Holy Spirit, the real body and blood of the resurrected Christ, that offers full communion with Him, forgiveness of sin and eternal life; Eucharist is received after fasting and confession. The worship services are held in national languages, though the original liturgical languages may be used as well. The veneration of icons plays an important role in worship, and prayers to the Mother of God and the saints enrich the liturgical texts. Bishops began to be drawn from the ranks of the monastic communities after the First ecumenical Council, held in 325 in the city of Nicea (near Constantinople), but the parish priests have to marry before ordination/consecration. The Patriarchate of Constantinople initiated the role of the Orthodox churches in the ecumenical movement, with its Encyclical Letter dating from 1920 to all the churches of Christ. It called for a koinonia of churches, which would work for charitable cooperation and theological dialogue. The Ecumenical Patriarchate is a founding member of the World Council of Churches (WCC). There have been permanent representatives of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Russian Orthodox Church at the WCC since 1955 and 1962, respectively. With the exception of Georgia and Bulgaria, which withdrew in 1997 and 1998, and Estonia, all the Eastern Orthodox churches are members of the WCC. B. The Romanian Orthodox Church is a Church of apostolic origins, born out of the mission of Saint Andrew the Apostle, who preached the Word of the Gospel also in Scythia Minor, the territory between the Danube and the Western part of the Black Sea. In 1885, the Romanian Orthodox Church became autocephalous (self-governing) and in 1925 she was elevated to the rank of Patriarchate, being in dogmatic, liturgical and canonical communion with the other sister Orthodox Churches. Around 85% of Romania is Orthodox. The Romanian Orthodox Church comprises six metropolitanates within the country, as well as three others in Europe; an archdiocese on the American continent and a diocese of Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. The Holy Synod is the highest authority in all her matters of activity. The Holy Synod is made up of the Patriarch as president, and all metropolitans, archbishops, bishops and assistant bishops. The deliberative central body for all administrative, social, cultural, economical and patrimonial issues is the National Church Assembly, made up of three representatives of each diocese or archdiocese (a clergy and two lay persons). The central executive body is the National Church Council, made up of twelve members of the National Church Assembly (one clergy and one lay person representing each home metropolitanate). 2. Oriental Orthodox A. The Oriental Orthodox churches, along with those of the Byzantine tradition or Eastern Orthodox, belong to the larger family of the Orthodox churches. The two groups are not yet in full communion with each other. The breach, which occurred in 451, marking the first ecclesial division in church history, was about the Christological teaching of the Council of Chalcedon. In 1985, after two decades of unofficial meetings, the two groups engaged in an official theological dialogue, which has resulted in Christological agreements. The Oriental Orthodox family is comprised of the Ethiopian, Coptic, Armenian, Syrian, Indian and Eritrean churches, and the majority of their members live in Ethiopia, Egypt, Eritrea, Armenia, India, Syria 6 7

6 and Lebanon, but there are also large diaspora communities in Europe. Historically they have also been referred to as non- or anti- or pre- Chalcedonian, Monophysite, Ancient Oriental or Lesser Eastern. The Oriental Orthodox churches, which are all members of the World Council of Churches, represent some sixty million Christians. The Oriental Orthodox churches are ancient churches which were founded in apostolic times, by apostles or by the apostles earliest disciples. Their doctrinal position is based on the teachings of the first three ecumenical councils (Nicea 325, Constantinople 381 and Ephesus 431). The Alexandrian school of thought has guided and shaped their theological reflection, the teachings of Saint Cyril the Great constitute the foundation of their Christology. They are firmly attached to the Cyrilian formula of One nature of the Word Incarnate. Their theology is Biblical, liturgical and patristic, and is embodied in mysticism and spirituality. The history and life of the Oriental Orthodox churches has been marked by ceaseless persecution and massacres, and the sufferings have had a profound impact on their life, witness, theology and spirituality. They have significantly revived monastic life as a rich source of spirituality, evangelism and diakonia for clergy as well as laity, women and men. Sunday schools have become centres of intense activities. Bible study seminars, courses for the Christian formation of laity, fasting and daily celebrations of saints are vivid expressions of deep spirituality and of evangelistic inreach and outreach, which nurture and build these communities of faith. The whole people of God participate actively in the life and witness of the church. After centuries of isolation from each other, the Oriental Orthodox churches finally met in 1965 in Addis Ababa. At this historic meeting the church heads reaffirmed their belonging to one faith. The challenge remains to give more visibility and tangible expression to the unity of faith of the Oriental Orthodox churches. Since 1996 the heads of the three churches in the Middle East (Coptic, Armenian and Syrian) have put in place a framework for annual meetings at which they discuss common concerns and issues. Several working groups have been formed to assist the patriarchs with this process. B. Assyrian Church of the East (Nestorian Church), formerly Syriac Church of the East, belongs to the Ancient Churches of the East, but separates itself from the Oriental Orthodox Churches, being historically associated with the teaching of Nestorius and the Antiochene school of theological thought. In recent times, however, the Assyrian Church of the East dissociated itself from some elements of Nestorian doctrine (1976, Patriarch Mar Dinkha IV) and entered into ecumenical relations with the Roman Catholic Church (Common Christological Declaration between the Catholic Church and the Assyrian Church of the East, signed 1994). The Assyrian Church of the East now comprises about believers mostly in the countries of the Middle East (Lebanon, Syria and Iraq), in India, but also in North America, Pacific and Europe. The church is presided from Chicago (Illinois, USA). II. Catholic Churches 3. Roman Catholic The Roman Catholic Church is the world s largest Christian church, with more than one milliard members. It is comprised of a variety of rites in the Western (Latin) Catholic Church and in many Eastern Catholic churches, autonomous particular churches in full communion with the bishop of Rome. These churches preserve various liturgical, theological and other traditions derived from their Eastern Orthodox or Oriental Orthodox roots, while being part of the communion of the Roman Catholic Church. The Roman Catholic Church has her traditional centre in the old Church of Rome, one of the five patriarchates of the old Christian Church, and one that from the very beginning had a special importance, due for the most part to its connection with two key figures of the Christian church apostles Peter and Paul. The centrality and primacy of the bishop of Rome (later called pope ), together with the teaching of the unbroken apostolic succession, continually became one of the 8 9

7 main distinctive features of the Roman Catholic Church and was given a dogmatic basis at the Vatican Council I ( ) in the teaching of infallibility and universal primacy of the bishop of Rome. On the other hand, many divisions in the history of Christianity were connected with this teaching. The history of Roman Catholic Church is marked by a long series of attempts of reform and renewal. These reforms have been initiated by church leaders at various levels of ecclesial order, even at the highest levels, such as in ecumenical councils; they have also been inspired by charismatic individuals or groups whom the Holy Spirit raised up within the Church to promote deeper conversion throughout the community as a whole. To this long line belongs the Vatican Council II ( ) as an attempt for theological and spiritual renewal of the Roman Catholic Church facing the challenges of the modern society. A universal and ecumenical council in unity with the pope remains to be the privileged source of authority in matters of faith and discipline. The structure of the Roman Catholic Church is episcopal, with bishops being the heads of particular churches. Bishops form a communion, at the level of states represented by the conferences of bishops. Traditionally, important place belongs to the bishop of Rome as head of the whole church structure, serving the unity of the whole community. The magisterium or teaching authority of the Church is exercised by the bishops in union with the bishop of Rome. The priests, successors of the ancient presbyters, are heads of local church communities. Both the bishops and the priests are men who (in the Latin Tradition) live in celibacy. Other ministries in the Roman Catholic Church are deacons (men, married or celibate), readers, acolytes and others. The teaching of the Vatican Council II laid special emphasis on the universal priesthood of all believers and thus helped to rediscover the dignity of lay persons in the Church. The Roman Catholic Church acknowledges seven sacraments (baptism, confirmation, Eucharist, reconciliation, anointing of the sick, ordination and marriage). Eucharistic liturgy forms a central part of the life of the Church. A deep spiritual tradition is present in the church, whose highlights are mystical experiences as well as a rich and living popular piety (cult of saints, Eucharistic piety, pilgrimages). The spiritual heritage of the Roman Catholic tradition is marked by a variety of religious orders and communities, representing at the same time an example of life according to the Gospel, for both ordained and lay believers. Some of these traditions: Benedictine, Franciscan, Dominican, Carmelite, Jesuit or Salesian, had a deep and lasting impact on the society and culture. In many places and situations members and communities of the Roman Catholic Church were and are striving for justice, peace and reconciliation. The Vatican Council II set forth the ecclesiological basis for Roman Catholic participation in the ecumenical movement by affirming that the many elements of sanctification and truth found in varying degrees in various Christian communities separated from one another constitute degrees of a real, though imperfect, communion. The Roman Catholic Church takes part in many forms of the ecumenical dialogue; and in the last decades this brought fruit in various fields (Roman Catholic Lutheran Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification in 1999, to name one example). 4. Old Catholic Old Catholics are a group of national churches, which at various times separated from Rome. The term Old Catholic was adopted to mean original Catholicism. Old Catholic Christians are composed of three sections: the Church of Utrecht, which originated in 1724, when its chapter maintained its ancient right to elect the Archbishop of Utrecht, against opposition from Rome; the German, Austrian and Swiss Old Catholic churches which refused to accept the dogmas of the infallibility and the universal ordinary jurisdiction of the pope, as defined by the Vatican Council I; and national church movements among the Croats (1924) and the Poles in the USA (1987) have resulted in the establishment of the Old Catholic Church of Croatia, and the National Polish Church 10 11

8 in America and in Poland. The Polish National Church of America and Canada left the Union of Utrecht in 2003, because of the opening of the apostolic ministry to women. The Philippine Independent Church established sacramental communion with Old Catholics in The doctrinal basis of the Old Catholic churches is the Declaration of Utrecht (1889). The Old Catholics recognize the same seven ecumenical councils as the Eastern Orthodox churches, and those doctrines accepted by the Church before the Great Schism of They admit seven sacraments and recognize apostolic succession. They also believe in the real presence in the Eucharist, but deny transubstantiation, forbid private masses, and permit the reception of the Eucharist under one or both elements. The Old Catholic churches have an episcopal-synodal structure. Bishops, as well as the rest of the clergy, are permitted to marry. All services are in the vernacular. Since 1996 the threefold apostolic ministry is open to women. From the start, Anglicans have been close to Old Catholics. They participated in an international conference of theologians, convened at Bonn by Old Catholics in 1874, to discuss the reunion of churches outside Rome. Old Catholics recognized Anglican ordinations in Since 1931 they have been in full communion with the Church of England first and later on with all the churches of the Anglican Communion. An agreement on all important theological and ecclesiological issues was reached in Anglican (and Episcopalian) The worldwide Anglican Communion embraces the Church of England and thirty-seven other independent Provinces, with seventy million members across one hundred countries. Each Province is self-governing and has its own liturgy, but they are united by the common tenets of their faith and share in one Communion, symbolically led by the Archbishop of Canterbury. Anglicans speak a wide variety of languages and come from many nations and cultures: its distinguishing feature is its breadth, tolerance and inclusivity. Anglicans view the Bible as containing all things necessary for salvation and as the rule and standard of faith. They understand the Apostles Creed as the baptismal symbol, and the Nicene Creed as the sufficient statement of faith. They regard as primary the two sacraments ordained by Jesus Christ: Baptism and the Supper of the Lord (Holy Communion) with the use of Jesus Christ s words of institution, and the elements are blessed by Him. Nevertheless many Anglicans hold to the traditional understanding of seven sacraments. Christian life for them is based upon what is revealed in the Holy Scripture and the Creeds and expressed in the offering of prayer and praise in worship, especially in Holy Communion, which is central to their communal life. Baptism in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit is the receiving of a person into the fellowship of the Church and makes her or him one with Jesus Christ. Anglicans trace their roots back to the early Church, and their specifically Anglican identity to the post-reformation establishment of the Church of England and later other Episcopal or Anglican Churches. They uphold the Catholic and Apostolic faith meaning that at the Reformation, the Church consciously retained continuity with the past in the Creeds, patterns of ministry, especially the historic episcopate, and liturgy, whilst also encompassing Protestant insights in its theology and overall liturgical practice. It has no Creeds of its own, only those Creeds that are shared by all Christian churches. The roots of the Church of England go back to the time of the Roman Empire when a church came into existence in the province of Britain in the third century, but the invasions by the Angles, Saxons and Jutes in the fifth century destroyed much of the church in England. In 597 a mission led by Saint Augustine of Canterbury landed in Kent to begin the work of converting these pagan peoples. The Ecclesia Anglicana was the result of a combination of three streams of Christianity, the Roman tradition, the remnants of the Romano-British church, and the Celtic tradition. At the Reformation it was among the churches that broke with Rome. The catalyst for this was the refusal of the Pope to annul the marriage of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon, but underlying this was a Tudor nationalist belief that authority over the English Church 12 13

9 belonged to the monarchy. The religious settlement that emerged in the reign of Elizabeth I after 1558 resulted in a church that consciously retained continuity with the Patristic and Mediæval periods in terms of the Catholic creeds, pattern of ministry, buildings and aspects of liturgy, but which embodied Protestant insights in its theology and liturgical practice: the Church of England sees itself as both Catholic and Reformed. The Toleration Act of 1689 has remained the basis of its constitutional position: it has been the established church with legal privileges and responsibilities, but with increasing rights being granted to others. It has also become the mother church of the Anglican Communion. The Evangelical tradition has emphasized the significance of the Protestant aspects, stressing the importance of the authority of Scripture, preaching, justification by faith and personal conversion. The Catholic tradition, reshaped by the Oxford movement in the XIX th century has emphasized the continuity with the Early and Mediæval periods. It has stressed the importance of the visible Church and its sacraments and the belief that the ministry of bishops, priests and deacons is a sign and instrument of its Catholic and apostolic identity. The Liberal tradition has emphasized the use of reason in theological exploration, and the development of Christian belief and practice in order to respond creatively to wider advances in knowledge, and social and political action in forwarding God s Reign. Finally, the Charismatic tradition has emphasized the importance of the Church being open to renewal through the work of the Holy Spirit. III. Churches of the Reformation (XVI. c.) 6. Evangelical-Lutheran The Evangelical-Lutheran churches, most of which are members of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) A Communion of Churches, emerged from one of the prominent strands of the reformation movements within Western Christianity in the XVI th century. Justification by faith through grace alone became the decisive issue and the hallmark of Evangelical- Lutheran teaching: God redeems human beings from the power of sin through the cross of Jesus Christ and confers God s own righteousness upon them. The Evangelical-Lutheran tradition considers the preaching of the Gospel and the administration of the two sacraments, received and responded to in faith without any human merit, as central to the life of the Church. The Evangelical-Lutheran confessional writings, the Augsburg Confession and Martin Luther s Small Catechism, interpret core convictions regarding the significance of the Gospel for individual and common life in faith. The Bible is affirmed as the sole rule of faith, to which all the creeds and other traditions and beliefs are subordinated. Varying forms of worship have developed over the centuries, in interaction with local cultures. Evangelical-Lutheran worship tradition has sought to maintain liturgical continuity with the ancient Church, in the reading and proclamation of the word of God and in the celebration of the sacraments: baptism and Holy Communion. Evangelical-Lutheran churches strongly emphasize religious education as well as theological study and research. The doctrine of the two rules of God states that God reigns both in the secular world through secular and church government by means of law and in the spiritual world through grace. Attempts have been made to reinterpret this teaching as a basis for critique of injustice, authoritarian regimes and destructive societal developments. 7. Reformed and Presbyterian The term Reformed refer specifically to church bodies, which have theological and historical roots in the French and Swiss-led Reformation (Jean Calvin, Ulrich Zwingli and Heinrich Bullinger). The Reformed family has churches from the historic Reformation era, which now share much in common with other mainline Protestants. It also has churches from pietist and separation movements, whose recommitments to Scripture and the Reformed confessional documents continue to influence 14 15

10 their values today. Some were also influenced by the Evangelical and Pentecostal traditions. Thus there are four international groupings of the Reformed family. The risen Jesus Christ is the only head of the Church. Thus there is no stress on a special elite person or group that has received through direct revelation or by the laying on of hands extraordinary powers of authority. Doctrines are governed by the principles of Sola Scriptura, salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, God s sovereignty, and the calling to be agents of transformation in the world. Worship is usually simple, orderly and dignified, with an emphasis upon the hearing and preaching of the word of God. The level of education required for the minister is high. The Reformed churches generally adhere, with some variations, to a form of ecclesiastical polity in which the Church is led by teaching elders (ordained pastors) and ruling elders or presbyters (lay persons) who are organized in various courts. These include the local church level (session), the regional church level (presbytery or classis), the wider regional or national level (synod) and the national or highest autonomous level (general assembly or synod). Synods consist of members of several presbyteries within a large area and in some cases constitute the final legislative body. Usually the general assembly or synod is the supreme legislative and administrative body. The Early Church had four different offices: pastor, doctor or teacher, deacon, and presbyter or elder. 8. United and Uniting Churches United churches are those which have been formed through the fusion of more separate churches, of different or the same confession. They have arisen over the past two centuries as churches have sought to make the unity given them in Jesus Christ fully visible. In union, churches move beyond cooperation and partnership to a degree of mutual accountability, which can adequately be expressed only by life within a single ecclesial structure. There are some fifty united churches today, found in all regions of the world. Many of these incorporate churches that were themselves formed from earlier unions, so that the total number of uniting actions may be as many as hundred-fifty. United churches form the most diverse family of churches worldwide. The first distinct types are the earliest unions bringing together Reformed and Evangelical-Lutheran churches in Germany, Austria and Czechoslovakia in the XIX th and early XX th centuries (the Old Prussian Union of 1817, later the Evangelical Church of the Union, in Germany). The united and uniting churches have not formed their own Christian World Communion, not wanting to become another denomination and perhaps fearing that such a move would lessen their zeal for further union. Many united churches have maintained contacts to the world confessional bodies of their constituent churches. A special ecumenical model within the churches of the reformation is the Evangelical Church in Germany (Evangelische Kirche in Deutschland, EKD). It consists of three branches of churches from the reformation: the Evangelical-Lutheran ones with their common body: the United Evangelical Lutheran Church of Germany (VELKD), the Reformed ones, together as Reformed Covenant and the in earlier times already United Churches of Evangelical-Lutheran and Reformed congregations, today represented in the Union of Evangelical Churches (UEK). Their common theological grounds are the Augsburg Confession (1530), the Barmen Declaration (1934) and the Leuenberg Agreement (1973), which was signed 1999 by the EKD. Since then the EKD is no longer only a Covenant, but a Communion of churches of the Reformation with different confessional background. In this way the EKD is a communion of their Evangelical-Lutheran, Reformed and United member churches, in a strictly theological sense a real church, as their member churches share in full communion of word and sacrament, including mutual recognition of ordination leading to concelebration

11 IV. Churches from the XVI. c. to the XX. c. 9. Historic Peace Churches: Mennonite and Quaker (Friends) A. Mennonites derive originally from the non-violent Anabaptist movement that emerged in Europe as a radical expression of the reformation. Mennonites take their name from the Netherlands reformer and early influential leader Menno Simons ( ). Migration, due initially to persecution, and mission spread the movement around the world. At the centre of Anabaptist-Mennonite faith stands Jesus Christ as Lord, Saviour, and model of life. The Church as the body of Jesus Christ continues Jesus Christ s life and ministry in the world. Three features shape the Church in Anabaptist-Mennonite perspective. The Church is a community of believers, who seek to follow in daily life the teaching and example of Jesus Christ. Believers who voluntarily confess the lordship of Jesus Christ receive baptism as the sign of the new covenant and of their commitment to a life of discipleship. Believers baptism means also membership in the Church and responsibility for its welfare. Autonomous from the state, the Church lives under the authority of the word of God as set forth in the Bible. The text is best understood in the context of the community of disciples inspired by the Holy Spirit. Social and personal ethics in a life of discipleship is a core part of the Gospel. Followers of Jesus Christ live in the world to serve humankind through action and proclamation. Love of enemies and refusal of violence in the struggle for justice are understood as New Testament imperatives. Rejection of seeking wealth, and acting in favour of economic sharing, is frequently emphasized. Mennonite and related churches claim unity with all believers who confess Jesus Christ and seek to live the way of discipleship. Many cooperate with other Christian churches, especially in peace-making, service and mission. B. The Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) date their origins back to 1652 in North-West England and deem George Fox, an itinerant preacher, their founder. Together with other seekers, he brought into the tumultuous times the message of the direct personal experience of God, informed by the Scriptures. His theology was related to that of Anabaptist groups of the time. This direct personal experience of the Holy Spirit has been characterized as the Inner Light or that of God in Everyone. Following on the sense of the Reign of God in the present, and the aversion to killing that of God in anyone, Quakers have refused military service and are generally pacifists. On behalf of Quakers worldwide, two Quaker organizations were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1947, in recognition of international Quaker relief work. Buoyed by a strong evangelical fervour, Quaker ministers (all unpaid) spread the message throughout Great Britain, Ireland and Northern Europe. In 1682, William Penn received a royal grant of Pennsylvania, and founded its capital, Philadelphia, which remains a centre of American liberal Quakerism. As Quakers grew in numbers and moved Westwards with the expansion of the USA, different influences affected both their faith and practice. Today there are four strands of Quakerism, which are evangelical, pastored, conservative, and liberal unprogrammed, who worship in silent waiting. Liberal unprogrammed Friends predominate in Europe. The organization within the Religious Society of Friends begins with the local monthly meeting or church, which belongs to a wider gathering called Yearly Meeting. There are umbrella organizations known as Evangelical Friends International, Friends United Meeting (pastored tradition) and Friends General Conference (liberal unprogrammed tradition), which regroup several yearly meetings

12 10. Baptist The modern Baptist Church was founded in the Netherlands in 1609 by John Smyth, a clergyman who had broken away from the Church of England. He maintained that the Church should receive its members by baptism after they had consciously acknowledged their faith and thus he opposed infant baptism. His followers established a Baptist church in London in 1612, its pastor being Thomas Helwys, who believed in religious toleration for all people, including atheists and pagans. The spread of Baptist churches was greatly influenced by the revival movements during the following centuries. In 1891 the General and the Particular Baptists were united in the Baptist Union of Great Britain and Ireland. The Baptists are the largest denomination in the USA, and there are significant Baptist communities in Great Britain, Romania and the Ukraine. Interpreting the New Testament, Baptists stress that the Church as the body of Jesus Christ is a communion of the faithful who have personally and voluntarily made a decision for Jesus Christ, and because of their personal confession of faith become, through baptism, members of Jesus Christ s Church. Baptists recognize only the Bible (and no creed) as binding authority. Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit each community may interpret the Scriptures and design the life of its community. The pronounced congregational constitution does not allow for a centralized church structure, but promotes unions and conventions of individual communities. 11. Methodist Methodism as a form of Christian belief and practice derives from a movement that began with the life and ministry of John Wesley ( ) and Charles Wesley ( ), who desired to bring a greater spiritual enthusiasm to the life of the Church of England. Their efforts transgressed the canonical boundaries of the established church, resulting ultimately in the emergence of a separate church. Theologically, the Wesley brothers held to the optimistic Arminian view that salvation, by God s grace, was possible for all human beings, in contrast to the Calvinistic ideas of election and predestination that were accepted by the Non-Conformists of England. They also stressed the important effect of faith on character, teaching that perfection in love was possible in this life. Methodist churches claim to be part of the Church universal, believing in the priesthood of all believers and following a pattern of organization established by John Wesley when he organized pastoral oversight for the societies of Methodists which developed as a result of his preaching. The weekly class-meeting for fellowship in Christian experience played an important part in the beginnings of Methodism. Throughout its history Methodism has had an active concern for both personal and social holiness, and through its centralized organization, has been able to make coordinated efforts in these areas. Methodists in USA in 1784 constituted themselves as the Methodist Episcopal Church, and Methodism today is found in over hundred and thirty countries. The first World Methodist Conference was held in London in It met every ten years until interrupted by the Second World War; and following the war the Conference agreed to meet every five years. 12. (Seventh-Day) Adventist The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a denomination of conservative evangelical Christians. The church arose out of the eschatological expectations (epitomized by the Millerite Movement), but was only formally organized in The Millerites had set October 22, 1844, for the return of Jesus Christ. One of the small Adventist groups adopted the Seventh-day Sabbath, reinterpreted the events of 1844, and became the Seventh-day Adventist Church. The roots of Adventism go back to the Church of the New Testament and the Reformation. Seventh-day Adventists accept the Bible as the inspired word of God. In essence, the Bible is their only creed, though they do have a statement of twenty-eight Fundamental Beliefs, which is subject 20 21

13 to revision at any General Conference World Session, as new light is received or better language is found, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. These beliefs include the Trinity, believers baptism, spiritual gifts, death as an unconscious state until the resurrection, and the New Earth as the home of the redeemed after the millennium. They are creationists and believe that woman and man were made in the image of God as the crowning work of the Biblical creation week. With the entry of sin, God s plan of salvation was put into effect. In Jesus Christ s life of perfect obedience to God s will, his suffering, death and resurrection, God provided the only means of atonement for human sin, so that those who by faith accept the gift of salvation may have eternal life. They have been consistent advocates of religious freedom for all, and have taken a lead in its international promotion, including at the United Nations (UN). Global mission and evangelism are essential elements of their ethos. The Church is intent on sharing the good news of justification, righteousness by faith, salvation through Jesus Christ, and his imminent return. As a result, the Adventist Church is the most widespread Protestant denomination, with work in over two hundred countries. Adventists wish to live lives of service to God and humankind. To help achieve this goal the church owns and operates many institutions: schools (from kindergarten to university), hospitals and health-care facilities, publishing houses, and health food factories. Media centres (worldwide satellite television and radio) have been established in recent decades. Adventists believe in a healthy lifestyle, which includes a good diet (many Adventists are vegetarians) and abstention from harmful drugs, including alcohol and tobacco products. Adventists also promote public health. The church operates the Adventist Development and Relief Agency, which works on behalf of disaster victims and third world development projects. The Adventist church sees herself not as a federation of local or national churches, but as one world church. There is an effective form of representative government. The church s polity provides for four key organizational levels: the local church, a united body of individual believers; the Conference, a united body of local churches; the Union Conference, the united body of several conferences (a larger territory, often a nation); and the General Conference, the worldwide body, whose constituent units are the approximately one hundred Unions. The General Conference operates through its thirteen Divisions (branch offices). The office of the General Conference is located in Silver Spring, USA. The Seventh-day Adventist Church is comprised of twenty-five million Adventists. Adventists recognize those agencies that lift up Jesus Christ before women and men as a part of the divine plan for the evangelization of the world. They enter into fellowship with other Christians and practice open communion. They believe that they are a prophetic movement with a time of the end message centring on the eternal Gospel to give to the world. While they welcome opportunities to dialogue and reach better understanding, they have not formally joined the organized ecumenical movement by becoming members of councils of churches. They do, however, in many cases have observer, consultant, or advisor status. Adventists wish to preserve and protect their unique identity and give life to their God-given evangelistic and service mission. 13. Salvation Army (Salvationist) The Salvation Army (Salvationists) is an integral part of the Christian Church, although distinctive in government and practice. The Army s doctrine follows the mainstream of Christian belief, and its articles of faith emphasize God s saving purposes. Its objects are the advancement of the Christian religion and education, the relief of poverty, and other charitable objects beneficial to society or the community of humankind as a whole. The movement, founded in London in 1865 by William Booth ( ) and Catherine Booth ( ), has spread to many parts of the world. The rapid deployment of the first Salvationists was aided by the adoption of a quasi-military command structure in l

14 when the title of Salvation Army was brought into use. A similarly practical organization today enables resources to be equally flexible. Responding to a recurrent theme in Christianity which sees the Church engaged in spiritual warfare, the Army has used to advantage certain soldierly features such as uniforms, flags and ranks to identify, inspire and regulate its endeavours. Evangelistic and social enterprises are maintained, under the authority of the general, by full-time officers and employees, as well as soldiers, who give service in their free time. The Army also benefits from the support of many adherents and friends, including those who serve on advisory boards. Leadership in the Army is provided by commissioned officers, who are recognized ministers of religion. The headquarters of the Army are located in London. There are fifteen thousand local Salvation Army churches (including corps, outposts, societies, new plants and recovery churches) with close to one and a half million Christians (senior soldiers, junior soldiers and adherents). All Salvationists accept a disciplined and compassionate life of high moral standards, which includes abstinence from alcohol and tobacco. From its earliest days the Army has accorded women equal opportunities, every rank and service being open to them, and from childhood the young are encouraged to love and serve God. Raised to evangelize, the Army embarked on schemes for the social betterment of the poor: such concerns developed in practical, skilled and cost-effective ways. Evolving social services meet endemic needs and specific crises worldwide. Up-to-date facilities and highly-trained staff are employed. The need for modernization and longer-term development are under continual review. Increasingly the Army s policy and its indigenous membership allow it to cooperate with international relief agencies and governments alike. The movement s partnership with both private and public philanthropy will continue to bring comfort to the needy, while the proclamation of God s redemptive love offers individuals and communities the opportunity to enjoy a better life on Earth and a place in Jesus Christ s everlasting Reign. 14. Hussite The Czechoslovak Hussite Church (CHC) grew out of the Modernist movement in the Roman Catholic Church and was founded in Its teaching is based on the Holy Scripture and on Christian tradition, it professes the tradition of the Early Church, that of Cyril and Methodius and of the Reformation both the first, especially the person of the Czech reformer Jan Hus, and the second one. It is a liturgical church, administering seven sacraments. It is a Presbyterian church with episcopal elements: its administration is composed of both the laity (elders) and the ordained (preachers, deacons, priests and bishops). V. Pentecostal and Black Churches (XX. c.) 15. Pentecostal The Pentecostal movement includes a number of denominations, independent churches and organizations that emphasize the work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers. It emerged in North America at the beginning of the XX th century, when members of the Wesleyan Holiness Movement began to speak in tongues and identified it as the Bible Evidence that they had been baptized in the Holy Spirit. This provided power for living an apostolic life and engaging in an apostolic ministry that included the charismas. The movement has gone by such self-designations as Apostolic Faith, Full Gospel or Latter Rain. One of the centres of activity emerged under the direction of William Joseph Seymour ( ), and the Apostolic Faith Mission in Los Angeles in The earliest Pentecostals drew from their Methodist and Wesleyan Holiness roots, describing their entrance into the fullness of Christian life in three stages: conversion, sanctification, and baptism in the Holy Spirit. These stages were understood as separate and datable crisis 24 25

15 experiences. Other Pentecostals, from the Reformed tradition or touched by the Keswick teachings on the Higher Christian Life, view sanctification as an ongoing quest. This debate resulted in the first schism among Pentecostals. Groups such as the Church of God in Christ, the Church of God, and the International Pentecostal Holiness Church teach the former position, known as Holiness. The Assemblies of God and the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel hold the latter position, called Finished Work. A second schism developed between 1907 and 1916, in discussions over the apostolic baptismal formula. Most Pentecostals argued for the classic Trinitarian formula, while others contended for in the Name of Jesus Christ. By 1916 a new group of churches known as Oneness or Jesus Name churches had formed, among them the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World and the United Pentecostal Church. Many of them embraced an understanding of God in terms that border on a modal understanding. All three segments of Pentecostalism, Holiness, Finished Work and Oneness believe in the imminent return of Jesus Christ, and therefore are highly evangelistic and missionary driven. Pentecostals have tended to identify with the Evangelical movement, and to join Evangelical structures. In 1947, Pentecostals representing all but the Oneness groups gathered in Zürich for a Pentecostal world conference. Since then, leaders have gathered in Pentecostal world conferences where a small presidium has discussed items of mutual interest and concern. In 2004 the organisation formally took the name Pentecostal World Fellowship (PWF). Although some of the Pentecostal churches became members of the World Council of Churches in the 1960s, the majority of Pentecostal churches have chosen not to participate in any ecumenical organization. This is because of their restorationist perspective on the history of the Church that views existing churches as having fallen away from God s intentions through compromise and sin. Another reason is the way so many existing churches have marginalized and rejected the Pentecostals when they attempted to share their testimonies of what God had done in their lives. The emergence of the World Evangelical Fellowship (now Alliance) in London in 1951, and the work of David du Plessis ( ) have created a Pentecostal openness to limited ecumenical contact. Groups that participate in the Charismatic Renewal and have maintained membership in their historic denominations have often formed positive relationships with the older classical Pentecostal churches. Similarly, churches of the Third Wave (charismatic groups like the Vineyard) and many New Apostolic groups are related to classical Pentecostalism. Classical Pentecostals number eighty million, Charismatics two hundred million and Neo-charismatics three hundred million. Pentecostalism has been able to meet the needs of many on the margins of society and Church. It has been effective in bringing people into a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ, in the power of the Holy Spirit. It encourages its members to share their personal testimonies with others, to live their lives with an eye to holiness, to embrace good works as part of the Spirit-filled life, to be open to the sovereign movement of the Holy Spirit through charismas, signs and wonders, and to support the work of the Church through regular tithing. 16. Black Under the heading Black Churches, African Churches and Caribbean Churches are included partly independent Churches, partly members of larger predominantly white denominations. The development of these churches was influenced by black liberation theology (James Cone). The number of Black Churches and denominations being very high, they can be found in the United States of America: African Methodist Episcopal Church, African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, National Baptist Convention, Church of God in Christ; and in Africa: Zion Christian Church, Christ Apostolic Church, Nazareth Baptist Church and many more. The Caribbean Conference of Churches (CCC) has a variety of member churches both within the WCC and not being its members