Charismatic Episcopal Church
Encyclopedia
The Charismatic Episcopal Church, more officially known as the International Communion of the Charismatic Episcopal Church (ICCEC), is an international Christian
denomination
established as an autocephalous communion in 1992. The ICCEC states that it is not a splinter group of any other denomination or communion, but is a convergence of the sacrament
al, evangelical
, and charismatic
traditions that it perceives in the church from the apostolic era until present times.
The founders of the ICCEC drew inspiration from a diverse group of 20th century Christian church leaders and thinkers, particularly Alexander Schmemann
(Russian Orthodox diaspora), Lesslie Newbigin
(Church of South India
), Robert E. Webber
(Anglican), Robert Jenson
(Lutheran), and Thomas Oden (United Methodist); from the patristic fathers of the undivided Christian East and West; and from the doctrine and life of the early medieval priest-monks and bishops of Ireland, Scotland, England, and Gaul (represented by Caesarius of Arles, Columba of Iona
, Aidan of Lindisfarne
, Chad of Mercia
, and Patrick
), whom they saw as embodying a fatherly, sacramental, and Spirit-expectant leadership for their congregations.
The ICCEC's founding congregations were independent churches with roots in the Charismatic
, Pentecostal, Wesleyan
and Third Wave Evangelical
movements. The ICCEC claims its apostolic succession
via Timothy Michael Barker, the leader of the International Free Catholic Communion and the Rebiban line via the schismatic Roman Catholic bishop Carlos Duarte Costa, who founded the Catholic Apostolic National Church of Brazil.
The Charismatic Episcopal Church believes orthodoxy
and orthopraxy to be the essence of the apostolic faith of the New Testament Church and holds the ancient Apostles'
and Nicene Creed
s as their official doctrinal statements. The ICCEC is not, nor has it ever been, affiliated with the Episcopal Church (ECUSA). The word episcopal is used to describe its hierarchy of bishops (see table
). Many churches in the ICCEC, however, claim an Anglican identity and many use the American Book of Common Prayer (1979)
. A new sacramentary, now in broad trial use, contains modified Roman, Anglican, and Eastern rites.
Pentecostal scholar H. Vinson Synan
reports that the ICCEC is the first church emerging from the Pentecostal-Charismatic revivals of the last century to use the term "Charismatic" in its official name.
, began to blend evangelical teaching and charismatic worship with liturgies from the Book of Common Prayer
inspired by the spiritual pilgrimages of modern Evangelical
writers like Thomas Howard
, Robert E. Webber
, Peter E. Gillquist
and the ancient Christian writers and their communities. These men, along with theologians, scripture scholars, and pastors in a number of traditions, were calling Christians back to their roots in the primitive church.
On June 26, 1992, Randolph Adler was consecrated the first bishop and primate of the ICCEC with Timothy Michael Barker of the International Free Catholic Communion (who was consecrated by Archbishop-Patriarch Herman Adrian Spruit, and his wife) functioning as the principal consecrator. A few years after the consecration of Adler, the ICCEC's clergy began to express concern about Barker's embrace of theological liberalism, gnosticism, Theosophy
, non-traditional sexual ethics, and the ordination of women to the priesthood, all of which are contrary to ICCEC beliefs. In 1996, Adler was named the communion's first patriarch. In 1997, the ICCEC sought and acquired consecration and ordination of all of its clergy by the Brazilian Catholic Apostolic Church
. See Charismatic Episcopal Church timeline
.
The ICCEC adopted the following vision statement: "The Charismatic Episcopal Church exists to make visible the Kingdom of God; to bring the rich sacramental and liturgical life of the early church to searching evangelicals and charismatics; to carry the power of Pentecost to our brothers and sisters in the historic churches; and finally, to provide a home for all Christians who seek a liturgical-sacramental, evangelical, charismatic church and a foundation for their lives and gifts of ministry."
were written, a representative group of bishops comprising the Patriarch's Council became the executive branch of the denomination--as fathers among equals.
of Christ
in the Eucharist
, the authority of scripture, and the validity of the charismatic revival as a genuine movement of God
.
The ICCEC accepts a 66 book Old
and New Testament
as the Word of God, containing all things necessary to salvation. The additional deuterocanonical books
may be read in public worship, but are not used to formulate dogma or doctrine.
In September 2006, the Patriarch's Council began an initiative to establish an official Catechism of the International Communion of the Charismatic Episcopal Church, designating the catechism of the American Book of Common Prayer (1979) as a starting point. The council's stated goal is that the new catechism will reflect the fullness of the ancient catholic and orthodox faith, and the Reformation, as it is expressed in the world today.
, evangelical and charismatic. Clergy dress in traditional clerical attire
and vestment
s (alb, stole, etc.) in liturgical worship. The principal worship service of the week is the Holy Eucharist
. Many parishes follow the liturgy of the American version of the Book of Common Prayer (1979). A provisional sacramentary drafted by the Worship & Music Committee of the Northeast [US] Diocese, which includes Roman, Anglican and Eastern rites, is in wide trial use. Some parishes use other worship rites, such as the 1928 Book of Common Prayer, or other Anglican, Roman, or Eastern rites.
Worship in the ICCEC is to follow “the shape of the historic liturgy” while maintaining “that blessed liberty with which Christ has set us free”. Music is often contemporary and lively, but ancient hymns and chants are also incorporated in most parishes. Many worship services have times of “ministry in the Holy Spirit”, during which such things as prophetic messages
, anointing and prayers for healing
, and other charismatic gifts are active.
Just weeks after the start of the US Global War on Terrorism, the first ICCEC chaplain deployed to Operation Enduring Freedom in December 2001. Since then, the ICCEC has had a constant presence of at least one of her chaplains deployed to either Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom. These priests have ministered the Gospel and the sacraments to thousands of soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines and coast guardsmen serving in war zones. It is not uncommon for an ICCEC military priest to celebrate the Eucharist, preach, and minister the sacraments hundreds of times during a typical wartime deployment, thus, compressing years worth of ministry into seven-to-twelve month deployments. Most of the ICCEC's chaplains are recent war veterans and have been decorated by either the President of the United States or their respective Service Secretary for their wartime service.
On January 26, 2011, Archbishop Douglas Woodall resigned as Ordinary for the Armed Forces. Abp Woodall stated that he resigned in order to join the Mission Diocese of All Saints, Anglican Church in America (ACNA).http://www.cechome.com/?p=1509 However, that statement was refuted by Bishop Derick Jones and other sources within ACNA. http://www.virtueonline.org/portal/modules/news/article.php?storyid=13886http://www.virtueonline.org/portal/modules/news/article.php?storyid=13909 Chaplains endorsed by the CEC continue to receive oversight through the Office of the Patriarch.
The ICCEC has established congregations in Canada, Burundi, Congo, Rwanda, the Sudan, Tanzania, Germany, Estonia, Latvia, Portugal, and Switzerland, but at a lesser growth rate than in the aforementioned nations. In all, the ICCEC has established over 1,700 congregations outside of the United States.
In the United States, the ICCEC experienced rapid growth for the first ten years of its existence. However, the US growth rate plateaued in the present decade. In 2006 the US church experienced a crisis resulting in the departure of approximately 30% of its clergy and congregations, including seven actively serving bishops and one retired bishop. Though from diocese to diocese a variety of reasons were given for these departures, the crisis stemmed from allegations against some ICCEC leadership in America. These allegations were heard and adjudicated in June and September 2006 by the Patriarch's Council. In September 2006, the council issued a statement of its findings, which was then followed by several more US departures. Some of the departing clergy and congregations found new homes within the Antiochian Orthodox Church as Western-Rite clergy and parishes, some became Roman Catholic, while some are now affiliated with various Anglican bodies.
On October 15, 2007, at a scheduled patriarch's council meeting, the patriarch, Randolph Adler, requested to retire as patriarch of the ICCEC and as primate of the United States. The patriarch's council accepted his request, expressing gratitude for all he had done in the formation and launching of the vision which led to the ICCEC. Archbishop Hines of the Philippines, as senior bishop on the patriarch's council, was appointed as acting patriarch (supervising bishop) for the ICCEC until a formal election could be held.
On January 9, 2008, Archbishop Hines announced that the patriarch’s council, in accordance with the canons, had elected the Most Reverend Craig W. Bates as the ICCEC's new patriarch. On July 30, 2008, during the ICCEC's 4th International Convocation, Archbishop Bates was enthroned as the second patriarch and primate of the ICCEC in North America. The celebration was presided over by the Most Reverend Loren Thomas Hines, Archbishop of Manila and the ICCEC's primate in the Philippines and Asia.
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
denomination
Communion (Christian)
The term communion is derived from Latin communio . The corresponding term in Greek is κοινωνία, which is often translated as "fellowship". In Christianity, the basic meaning of the term communion is an especially close relationship of Christians, as individuals or as a Church, with God and with...
established as an autocephalous communion in 1992. The ICCEC states that it is not a splinter group of any other denomination or communion, but is a convergence of the sacrament
Sacrament
A sacrament is a sacred rite recognized as of particular importance and significance. There are various views on the existence and meaning of such rites.-General definitions and terms:...
al, evangelical
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
, and charismatic
Charismatic movement
The term charismatic movement is used in varying senses to describe 20th century developments in various Christian denominations. It describes an ongoing international, cross-denominational/non-denominational Christian movement in which individual, historically mainstream congregations adopt...
traditions that it perceives in the church from the apostolic era until present times.
The founders of the ICCEC drew inspiration from a diverse group of 20th century Christian church leaders and thinkers, particularly Alexander Schmemann
Alexander Schmemann
Alexander Schmemann was a prominent 20th century Orthodox Christian priest, teacher, and writer.-Early life:...
(Russian Orthodox diaspora), Lesslie Newbigin
Lesslie Newbigin
Bishop James Edward Lesslie Newbigin was a Church of Scotland missionary serving in the former Madras State , India, who became a Christian theologian and bishop involved in missiology, ecumenism, and the Gospel and Our Culture Movement.-Biography:Born in Newcastle upon Tyne, Newbigin's schooling...
(Church of South India
Church of South India
The Church of South India is the successor of the Church of England in India. It came into being in 1947 as a union of Anglican and Protestant churches in South India. With a membership of over 3.8 million, it is India's second largest Christian church after the Roman Catholic Church in India...
), Robert E. Webber
Robert E. Webber
Robert Eugene Webber was an American theologian known for his work on worship and the early church. He played a key role in the Convergence Movement, a move among evangelical and charismatic churches in the United States to blend charismatic worship with liturgies from the Book of Common Prayer...
(Anglican), Robert Jenson
Robert Jenson
Robert W. Jenson is a leading American Lutheran and ecumenical theologian.-Student years:Jenson studied classics and philosophy at Luther College in the late 1940s, before beginning theological studies at Luther Seminary in 1951. Due to a car accident he missed most of his first-year seminary...
(Lutheran), and Thomas Oden (United Methodist); from the patristic fathers of the undivided Christian East and West; and from the doctrine and life of the early medieval priest-monks and bishops of Ireland, Scotland, England, and Gaul (represented by Caesarius of Arles, Columba of Iona
Columba
Saint Columba —also known as Colum Cille , Colm Cille , Calum Cille and Kolban or Kolbjørn —was a Gaelic Irish missionary monk who propagated Christianity among the Picts during the Early Medieval Period...
, Aidan of Lindisfarne
Aidan of Lindisfarne
Known as Saint Aidan of Lindisfarne, Aidan the Apostle of Northumbria , was the founder and first bishop of the monastery on the island of Lindisfarne in England. A Christian missionary, he is credited with restoring Christianity to Northumbria. Aidan is the Anglicised form of the original Old...
, Chad of Mercia
Chad of Mercia
Chad was a prominent 7th century Anglo-Saxon churchman, who became abbot of several monasteries, Bishop of the Northumbrians and subsequently Bishop of the Mercians and Lindsey People. He was later canonized as a saint. He was the brother of Cedd, also a saint...
, and Patrick
Saint Patrick
Saint Patrick was a Romano-Briton and Christian missionary, who is the most generally recognized patron saint of Ireland or the Apostle of Ireland, although Brigid of Kildare and Colmcille are also formally patron saints....
), whom they saw as embodying a fatherly, sacramental, and Spirit-expectant leadership for their congregations.
The ICCEC's founding congregations were independent churches with roots in the Charismatic
Charismatic movement
The term charismatic movement is used in varying senses to describe 20th century developments in various Christian denominations. It describes an ongoing international, cross-denominational/non-denominational Christian movement in which individual, historically mainstream congregations adopt...
, Pentecostal, Wesleyan
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
and Third Wave Evangelical
Third Wave of the Holy Spirit
The Third Wave of the Holy Spirit is a Christian theological theory first introduced by C. Peter Wagner to describe what he believed to be three historical periods of the activity of the Holy Spirit in the 20th century and beyond...
movements. The ICCEC claims its apostolic succession
Apostolic Succession
Apostolic succession is a doctrine, held by some Christian denominations, which asserts that the chosen successors of the Twelve Apostles, from the first century to the present day, have inherited the spiritual, ecclesiastical and sacramental authority, power, and responsibility that were...
via Timothy Michael Barker, the leader of the International Free Catholic Communion and the Rebiban line via the schismatic Roman Catholic bishop Carlos Duarte Costa, who founded the Catholic Apostolic National Church of Brazil.
The Charismatic Episcopal Church believes orthodoxy
Orthodoxy
The word orthodox, from Greek orthos + doxa , is generally used to mean the adherence to accepted norms, more specifically to creeds, especially in religion...
and orthopraxy to be the essence of the apostolic faith of the New Testament Church and holds the ancient Apostles'
Apostles' Creed
The Apostles' Creed , sometimes titled Symbol of the Apostles, is an early statement of Christian belief, a creed or "symbol"...
and Nicene Creed
Nicene Creed
The Nicene Creed is the creed or profession of faith that is most widely used in Christian liturgy. It is called Nicene because, in its original form, it was adopted in the city of Nicaea by the first ecumenical council, which met there in the year 325.The Nicene Creed has been normative to the...
s as their official doctrinal statements. The ICCEC is not, nor has it ever been, affiliated with the Episcopal Church (ECUSA). The word episcopal is used to describe its hierarchy of bishops (see table
Charismatic Episcopal Church Bishops
The International Communion of the Charismatic Episcopal Church is an international Christian communion established as an Autocephalous Patriarchate in 1992 with over 1,000 churches worldwide...
). Many churches in the ICCEC, however, claim an Anglican identity and many use the American Book of Common Prayer (1979)
Book of Common Prayer
The Book of Common Prayer is the short title of a number of related prayer books used in the Anglican Communion, as well as by the Continuing Anglican, "Anglican realignment" and other Anglican churches. The original book, published in 1549 , in the reign of Edward VI, was a product of the English...
. A new sacramentary, now in broad trial use, contains modified Roman, Anglican, and Eastern rites.
Pentecostal scholar H. Vinson Synan
H. Vinson Synan
Harold Vinson Synan, , is an historian and author within the Pentecostal movement. Synan has published a total of sixteen books, fifteen of which are related to Pentecostal and Charismatic history. He once served as the Director of the Holy Spirit Research Center at Oral Roberts University...
reports that the ICCEC is the first church emerging from the Pentecostal-Charismatic revivals of the last century to use the term "Charismatic" in its official name.
Origins and vision
The Charismatic Episcopal Church began when a variety of independent churches throughout the United States, as part of the Convergence MovementConvergence Movement
The Convergence Movement refers to a move among evangelical and charismatic churches in the United States to blend charismatic worship with liturgies from the Book of Common Prayer and other liturgical sources. The Movement was inspired by the spiritual pilgrimages of modern Evangelical writers...
, began to blend evangelical teaching and charismatic worship with liturgies from the Book of Common Prayer
Book of Common Prayer
The Book of Common Prayer is the short title of a number of related prayer books used in the Anglican Communion, as well as by the Continuing Anglican, "Anglican realignment" and other Anglican churches. The original book, published in 1549 , in the reign of Edward VI, was a product of the English...
inspired by the spiritual pilgrimages of modern Evangelical
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
writers like Thomas Howard
Thomas Howard (writer and scholar)
Thomas Howard is a highly acclaimed writer and scholar. A convert to Roman Catholicism, he is known for his studies of C.S. Lewis, and Charles Williams, as well as for books such as his Christ the Tiger and Evangelical is Not Enough ....
, Robert E. Webber
Robert E. Webber
Robert Eugene Webber was an American theologian known for his work on worship and the early church. He played a key role in the Convergence Movement, a move among evangelical and charismatic churches in the United States to blend charismatic worship with liturgies from the Book of Common Prayer...
, Peter E. Gillquist
Peter E. Gillquist
Peter E. Gillquist is an archpriest in the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America and chairman of the archdiocese's department of missions and evangelism. He is chairman of , and is the author of numerous books, including Love Is Now, The Physical Side of Being Spiritual and...
and the ancient Christian writers and their communities. These men, along with theologians, scripture scholars, and pastors in a number of traditions, were calling Christians back to their roots in the primitive church.
On June 26, 1992, Randolph Adler was consecrated the first bishop and primate of the ICCEC with Timothy Michael Barker of the International Free Catholic Communion (who was consecrated by Archbishop-Patriarch Herman Adrian Spruit, and his wife) functioning as the principal consecrator. A few years after the consecration of Adler, the ICCEC's clergy began to express concern about Barker's embrace of theological liberalism, gnosticism, Theosophy
Theosophy
Theosophy, in its modern presentation, is a spiritual philosophy developed since the late 19th century. Its major themes were originally described mainly by Helena Blavatsky , co-founder of the Theosophical Society...
, non-traditional sexual ethics, and the ordination of women to the priesthood, all of which are contrary to ICCEC beliefs. In 1996, Adler was named the communion's first patriarch. In 1997, the ICCEC sought and acquired consecration and ordination of all of its clergy by the Brazilian Catholic Apostolic Church
Brazilian Catholic Apostolic Church
The Brazilian Catholic Apostolic Church is an independent Catholic church established in 1945 by Brazilian bishop Dom Carlos Duarte Costa, a former Roman Catholic Bishop of Botucatu.The ICAB has 58 dioceses and claims five million members in 17 countries...
. See Charismatic Episcopal Church timeline
Charismatic Episcopal Church timeline
The International Communion of the Charismatic Episcopal Church is an international Christian communion established as an Autocephalous Patriarchate in 1992 with over 1,000 churches worldwide....
.
The ICCEC adopted the following vision statement: "The Charismatic Episcopal Church exists to make visible the Kingdom of God; to bring the rich sacramental and liturgical life of the early church to searching evangelicals and charismatics; to carry the power of Pentecost to our brothers and sisters in the historic churches; and finally, to provide a home for all Christians who seek a liturgical-sacramental, evangelical, charismatic church and a foundation for their lives and gifts of ministry."
Government
In an attempt to reconstruct the ecclesiastical government of the undivided Christian church, the ICCEC operates under a form of collegial government which recognizes the assembled body of the bishops as its governing body. More recently, as international congregations joined and the church's official canonsCanon law
Canon law is the body of laws & regulations made or adopted by ecclesiastical authority, for the government of the Christian organization and its members. It is the internal ecclesiastical law governing the Catholic Church , the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches, and the Anglican Communion of...
were written, a representative group of bishops comprising the Patriarch's Council became the executive branch of the denomination--as fathers among equals.
Beliefs
The ICCEC believes in the dogmatic statements of the Seven Ecumenical Councils of the undivided church, apostolic succession, the real presenceReal Presence
Real Presence is a term used in various Christian traditions to express belief that in the Eucharist, Jesus Christ is really present in what was previously just bread and wine, and not merely present in symbol, a figure of speech , or by his power .Not all Christian traditions accept this dogma...
of Christ
Christ
Christ 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...
in the Eucharist
Eucharist
The Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance...
, the authority of scripture, and the validity of the charismatic revival as a genuine movement of God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
.
The ICCEC accepts a 66 book Old
Old Testament
The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
and New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
as the Word of God, containing all things necessary to salvation. The additional deuterocanonical books
Deuterocanonical books
Deuterocanonical books is a term used since the sixteenth century in the Catholic Church and Eastern Christianity to describe certain books and passages of the Christian Old Testament that are not part of the Hebrew Bible. The term is used in contrast to the protocanonical books, which are...
may be read in public worship, but are not used to formulate dogma or doctrine.
In September 2006, the Patriarch's Council began an initiative to establish an official Catechism of the International Communion of the Charismatic Episcopal Church, designating the catechism of the American Book of Common Prayer (1979) as a starting point. The council's stated goal is that the new catechism will reflect the fullness of the ancient catholic and orthodox faith, and the Reformation, as it is expressed in the world today.
San Clemente Declaration
In 1999 the ICCEC issued The San Clemente Declaration, a statement of principles governing the CEC's communion with other Christian bodies. The articles of the declaration are as follows:- In earnest anticipation for a future revelation of the fullness of unity of the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church, the International Communion of the Charismatic Episcopal Church adheres to these articles of unity exemplified by the undivided Catholic Church during the first eleven centuries:
- 1. The sacred Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as the written Word of God, the chief witness to apostolic teaching, the source of the Church's nourishment and strength.
- 2. The Apostles Creed as the Baptismal symbol; and the Nicene Creed as the sufficient statement of the Christian faith.
- 3. The Seven Sacraments established by Christ, including: Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation, Confession/Reconciliation, Holy Matrimony, Holy Orders, Healing/Unction.
- 4. The Historic Episcopate in Apostolic Succession, the gift of Christ's authority to the Church and the trustee of the Church's fidelity to apostolic teaching.
Worship
Worship in the ICCEC is sacramentalLiturgy
Liturgy is either the customary public worship done by a specific religious group, according to its particular traditions or a more precise term that distinguishes between those religious groups who believe their ritual requires the "people" to do the "work" of responding to the priest, and those...
, evangelical and charismatic. Clergy dress in traditional clerical attire
Clerical clothing
Clerical clothing is non-liturgical clothing worn exclusively by clergy. It is distinct from vestments in that it is not reserved specifically for services. Practices vary: clerical clothing is sometimes worn under vestments, and sometimes as the everyday clothing or street wear of a priest,...
and vestment
Vestment
Vestments are liturgical garments and articles associated primarily with the Christian religion, especially among Latin Rite and other Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, Anglicans, and Lutherans...
s (alb, stole, etc.) in liturgical worship. The principal worship service of the week is the Holy Eucharist
Eucharist
The Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance...
. Many parishes follow the liturgy of the American version of the Book of Common Prayer (1979). A provisional sacramentary drafted by the Worship & Music Committee of the Northeast [US] Diocese, which includes Roman, Anglican and Eastern rites, is in wide trial use. Some parishes use other worship rites, such as the 1928 Book of Common Prayer, or other Anglican, Roman, or Eastern rites.
Worship in the ICCEC is to follow “the shape of the historic liturgy” while maintaining “that blessed liberty with which Christ has set us free”. Music is often contemporary and lively, but ancient hymns and chants are also incorporated in most parishes. Many worship services have times of “ministry in the Holy Spirit”, during which such things as prophetic messages
Apostolic-Prophetic Movement
The Apostolic-Prophetic Movement in Charismatic Christianity is seen by its participants as a restoration of the neglected elements of the Five-Fold Ministry described in the New Testament book of Ephesians, "some apostles, and some prophets; and some evangelists; and some pastors and teachers; for...
, anointing and prayers for healing
Gifts of healing
In Christian theology, the Gifts of healing are among the spiritual gifts listed in 1 Corinthians 12. As an extraordinary charism, gifts of healing are supernatural enablements given to a believer to minister various kinds of healing and restoration to individuals through the power of the Holy Spirit...
, and other charismatic gifts are active.
Military ministry
The ICCEC has US chaplains ministering to the US Army, US Navy, US Air Force, US Marine Corps, and US Coast Guard. There are also US reserve chaplains, US state guard chaplains, and one retired chaplain in the Archdiocese of the Armed Forces, which was founded in 1996.Just weeks after the start of the US Global War on Terrorism, the first ICCEC chaplain deployed to Operation Enduring Freedom in December 2001. Since then, the ICCEC has had a constant presence of at least one of her chaplains deployed to either Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom. These priests have ministered the Gospel and the sacraments to thousands of soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines and coast guardsmen serving in war zones. It is not uncommon for an ICCEC military priest to celebrate the Eucharist, preach, and minister the sacraments hundreds of times during a typical wartime deployment, thus, compressing years worth of ministry into seven-to-twelve month deployments. Most of the ICCEC's chaplains are recent war veterans and have been decorated by either the President of the United States or their respective Service Secretary for their wartime service.
On January 26, 2011, Archbishop Douglas Woodall resigned as Ordinary for the Armed Forces. Abp Woodall stated that he resigned in order to join the Mission Diocese of All Saints, Anglican Church in America (ACNA).http://www.cechome.com/?p=1509 However, that statement was refuted by Bishop Derick Jones and other sources within ACNA. http://www.virtueonline.org/portal/modules/news/article.php?storyid=13886http://www.virtueonline.org/portal/modules/news/article.php?storyid=13909 Chaplains endorsed by the CEC continue to receive oversight through the Office of the Patriarch.
Growth and current status
With 117 parishes in the United States http://cechome.com/ChurchHTML.aspx?t=USA, the ICCEC experienced considerable growth within its national churches outside of the United States since the late-1990s. The greatest growth has been in Kenya, Uganda, the Philippines, Pakistan, and Brazil, where that nation's largest Anglican congregation joined the ICCEC in 2002. When the ICCEC admitted this Anglican congregation, however, they did so without the consent of the Brazilian church, a violation of the Inter-Communion Agreement established in 1997, that had provided the ICCEC with its apostolic succession, leading to the dissolution of the relationship between the ICAB and the ICCEC.The ICCEC has established congregations in Canada, Burundi, Congo, Rwanda, the Sudan, Tanzania, Germany, Estonia, Latvia, Portugal, and Switzerland, but at a lesser growth rate than in the aforementioned nations. In all, the ICCEC has established over 1,700 congregations outside of the United States.
In the United States, the ICCEC experienced rapid growth for the first ten years of its existence. However, the US growth rate plateaued in the present decade. In 2006 the US church experienced a crisis resulting in the departure of approximately 30% of its clergy and congregations, including seven actively serving bishops and one retired bishop. Though from diocese to diocese a variety of reasons were given for these departures, the crisis stemmed from allegations against some ICCEC leadership in America. These allegations were heard and adjudicated in June and September 2006 by the Patriarch's Council. In September 2006, the council issued a statement of its findings, which was then followed by several more US departures. Some of the departing clergy and congregations found new homes within the Antiochian Orthodox Church as Western-Rite clergy and parishes, some became Roman Catholic, while some are now affiliated with various Anglican bodies.
On October 15, 2007, at a scheduled patriarch's council meeting, the patriarch, Randolph Adler, requested to retire as patriarch of the ICCEC and as primate of the United States. The patriarch's council accepted his request, expressing gratitude for all he had done in the formation and launching of the vision which led to the ICCEC. Archbishop Hines of the Philippines, as senior bishop on the patriarch's council, was appointed as acting patriarch (supervising bishop) for the ICCEC until a formal election could be held.
On January 9, 2008, Archbishop Hines announced that the patriarch’s council, in accordance with the canons, had elected the Most Reverend Craig W. Bates as the ICCEC's new patriarch. On July 30, 2008, during the ICCEC's 4th International Convocation, Archbishop Bates was enthroned as the second patriarch and primate of the ICCEC in North America. The celebration was presided over by the Most Reverend Loren Thomas Hines, Archbishop of Manila and the ICCEC's primate in the Philippines and Asia.