By Fr. Mike+ Dec. 4 2003
Since the third century of the church the winds blowing through the church have swung doctrine from one side of the pendulum then to the other. After the great empirical persecutions of the church by the Ceasars many leaders arose and drew disciples after themselvs. Some were well intentioned with followers who took teachings to extremes. Others were outright wolves in sheeps clothing. (These patterns did not stop at the Roman Church. These patterns are alive and well today in protestant and even Charismatic churches.One example among Charismatics is the sheperding movement and some elements of the new Apostles movement.) Much of the error in the church finally became unbearable to God and his people. This started the reformation.
The Reformers seemed to themselves "throw the baby out with the bathwater." Centuries of Christ centered liturigical and sacremental practices were lumped together with newly invented theologies and many healthy practices were lost as a result. The Convergence movement seeks to restore those things that have scriptural and historic basis of practice.
Gradually the pendulum of faith and practices of the reformation swung to extreme Calvinism. Most of the extremes in Calvinism were in response to the extremes in the Roman Catholic Church. Other responses to Calvinism, such as Arminianism, swung the pendulum the opposite direction in response. Most moves had great truths to be restored. But man tends to take the newest thing he has learned and bring it to extremes. Then because of the damage done others will jump on the another side of the manifold wisdom of God and use those truths, then end up in another extreme.
I believe the convergence movement is bringing the church of the Lord Jesus Christ into balance. There is a true move of restoration of things Catholic. Things like the Sacrements, and Incense and Apostolic Succession. These were things done away with due to extreme anti-Catholic sentiment that was propogated by the followers of the early reformers.
Though there were problems with the reformation, there are great truths restored. These truths, such as salvation by faith alone, is part of the Convergence movement. In convergence there is a healthy balance of the doctrine of God's sovereingty and mans freewill (Calvinism and Arminianism). There are aspects of the Pentecostal and Charismatic movement that are found in scripture.
The convergence movement knows there is a healthy relationship between the church leadership offices of Bishop, Priest/Presbytery, and Deaconate and the five-fold ministry. Instead of presuming that the five-fold ministry is governmental we know that they are as scriptures say, "...gifts unto men." The five-fold ministry, especially the Apostle, probably will have a Bishoprick. But, The governmental offices are not necessarily synonomous with the five-fold ministry. Because of this balance there is a safety for believers who have been part of the Charismatic movement and those interested in the power of the Spirit today. The very nature of the convergence keeps the fringe beliefs of "Charismania" and "Shepherding" in check.
Yes, when the pendulum stops swings it is because of two things. One reason is that the tension that is in the clock is running out (time running out). Another reason is gravity(truth). I believe that the time of this age is running out. I believe that the convergence movement is a prophetic signal that the church is resting in balanced truth. Like the pendulum standing still, the Convergence movement brings the church into stillness before God and causes us to wait for eternity. The eternal church of Jesus Christ is the next step.
Are we part of the Historic Church?
Expressing the Convergence of the Three Streams of the Church. The Spirit-filled, the Sacremental and the Evangelical. We are the Ancient/Future church of Jesus Christ, the Evangelical Episcopal Churches. The CEEC holds to the Anglican and Celtic forms of churches in Apostolic succession. Our Presiding Bishop, The Rev. Dr. Russ Mc Clennahan has 17 lines of Apostolic succession. Churches like ours are sometimes called autocephalous. This means our HISTORY, like the Catholic, Anglican and Orthodox Churches, stretch back to the Apostle Peter.
(Recently
the CEEC has come into alliance with many other Anglican leaders in America and has joined the Federation of Anglican Churches. Some of these churches include Anglican Mission in America, the Reformed Episcopal Church the Charismatic Episcopal Church and others.)
For more information on the Communion of Evangelical Episcopal Churches
