American Evangelical Christian Churches
Encyclopedia
The American Evangelical Christian Churches is a denomination founded in 1944, with the aim of 'Security with Liberty', enabling orthodox Christian evangelical ministers the opportunity to minister without particular decrees about non-essential Christian doctrines. The denomination is unique in that it recognizes dual ordination status with most other mainline Christian denominations. The denomination is attracting members of 'Generation X' and 'Generation Y' Christians who seek professional ministerial status after having grown up in an 'nondenominational' or 'interdenominational' church culture. The AECC ordains both female and male ministers called by God for service in the world.
It was founded in Chicago
in 1944. Any member of the church is required to accept the following seven articles of faith:
Seven Articles of Faith
All other beliefs are optional. This specifically includes the dispute regarding free will
and predestination
.
The AECC is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. In 2006, there were 17,400 members in 192 congregations. The organization was formerly headquartered in Pineland, Florida
since the 1970s. The same city is the site of the group's retreat center and the American Bible College, an associated institution which offers distance education
courses.
Ordination and Licensure
Like other mainline Christian denominations, the AECC has a process of theological testing, by where applicants respond to a lengthy investigation of their beliefs. The denomination wants to see how well-formed the applicant's theology is, and by what means do the applicant's beliefs find their grounding. After review, if the applicant is deemed to be orthodox and rooted in their Christian faith, the AECC chooses to offer Licensed Minister status to the new member. The member is then freed to minister in all ways shy of performing marriages. After a year of good-standing as a Licensed Minister, the AECC member may apply for Ordination status. The member must then come before the governing board of the denomination at its headquarters in Indianapolis and go through a formal face-to-face interview process at its annual conference. If the member conveys maturity and a practical theological stance for ministry in the world in the name of Jesus Christ, the member is approved for ordination. Ordination takes place in the context of worship through the laying on of hands.
American Evangelical Christian University
Affiliated with the denomination is a Christian university, titled American Evangelical Christian University. The American Evangelical Christian University offers coursework intended to inform individuals' faith in Christ and upon graduation, hopes that they might "emerge as a disciple of Jesus Christ with a deeper understanding and appreciation of the Christian faith."
It was founded in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
in 1944. Any member of the church is required to accept the following seven articles of faith:
Seven Articles of Faith
- the BibleBibleThe Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
is the written Word of God - the Holy Trinity
- the Virgin BirthVirgin BirthThe virgin birth of Jesus is a tenet of Christianity and Islam which holds that Mary miraculously conceived Jesus while remaining a virgin. The term "virgin birth" is commonly used, rather than "virgin conception", due to the tradition that Joseph "knew her not till she brought forth her firstborn...
- the deity of JesusJesusJesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
ChristChristChrist is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach... - salvationSalvationWithin religion salvation is the phenomenon of being saved from the undesirable condition of bondage or suffering experienced by the psyche or soul that has arisen as a result of unskillful or immoral actions generically referred to as sins. Salvation may also be called "deliverance" or...
through atonement - that prayer is essential to the life of the Christian
- the Second ComingSecond ComingIn Christian doctrine, the Second Coming of Christ, the Second Advent, or the Parousia, is the anticipated return of Jesus Christ from Heaven, where he sits at the Right Hand of God, to Earth. This prophecy is found in the canonical gospels and in most Christian and Islamic eschatologies...
.
All other beliefs are optional. This specifically includes the dispute regarding free will
Free will
"To make my own decisions whether I am successful or not due to uncontrollable forces" -Troy MorrisonA pragmatic definition of free willFree will is the ability of agents to make choices free from certain kinds of constraints. The existence of free will and its exact nature and definition have long...
and predestination
Predestination
Predestination, in theology is the doctrine that all events have been willed by God. John Calvin interpreted biblical predestination to mean that God willed eternal damnation for some people and salvation for others...
.
The AECC is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. In 2006, there were 17,400 members in 192 congregations. The organization was formerly headquartered in Pineland, Florida
Pineland, Florida
Pineland is a census-designated place located on Pine Island in Lee County, Florida, United States. The population was 444 at the 2000 census...
since the 1970s. The same city is the site of the group's retreat center and the American Bible College, an associated institution which offers distance education
Distance education
Distance education or distance learning is a field of education that focuses on teaching methods and technology with the aim of delivering teaching, often on an individual basis, to students who are not physically present in a traditional educational setting such as a classroom...
courses.
Ordination and Licensure
Like other mainline Christian denominations, the AECC has a process of theological testing, by where applicants respond to a lengthy investigation of their beliefs. The denomination wants to see how well-formed the applicant's theology is, and by what means do the applicant's beliefs find their grounding. After review, if the applicant is deemed to be orthodox and rooted in their Christian faith, the AECC chooses to offer Licensed Minister status to the new member. The member is then freed to minister in all ways shy of performing marriages. After a year of good-standing as a Licensed Minister, the AECC member may apply for Ordination status. The member must then come before the governing board of the denomination at its headquarters in Indianapolis and go through a formal face-to-face interview process at its annual conference. If the member conveys maturity and a practical theological stance for ministry in the world in the name of Jesus Christ, the member is approved for ordination. Ordination takes place in the context of worship through the laying on of hands.
American Evangelical Christian University
Affiliated with the denomination is a Christian university, titled American Evangelical Christian University. The American Evangelical Christian University offers coursework intended to inform individuals' faith in Christ and upon graduation, hopes that they might "emerge as a disciple of Jesus Christ with a deeper understanding and appreciation of the Christian faith."