Christian Communion International
The Christian Communion International is a family of Christian churches and worship communities around the world - formed largely as a result of the Convergence Movement - with church networks in Africa, South America, Asia, North America and Europe. There are approximately 200,000 members. More than 2,000 ministers are serving in local worship communities and chaplaincies. The International Ceremonial Seat of the Primate is Jerusalem. The administrative offices of CCI, Province USA, are located in Sparta, Tennessee.
History
CCI was established in September 2005 as the result of a merger of Province USA of the Communion of Evangelical Episcopal Churches (CEEC) and the International Communion of Christian Churches (ICCC). In October 2007, the name Christian Communion International was chosen by the House of Bishops as the universal identity of the communion and Archbishop Daniel W. Williams was elected as their founding primate. Archbishop Quintin Moore was elected Presiding Bishop in 2010. The Christian Communion International is in full communion and is a constituent part of the Communion of Evangelical Episcopal Churches and functions as a "communion within a communion," sharing the same doctrine and commitment to unity and mission as the CEEC, with each retaining their own liturgy, theology, spirituality, discipline and hierarchy of jurisdiction.
Beliefs
The Bible is their all-sufficient rule for faith and practice and is summarized in the Nicene Creed and The Apostles' Creed. Their beliefs are stated in the Preamble and Constitution of Book I of the CCI Canons. Their commitment catholicity and the unity it implies is expressed by adopting the Chicago-Lambeth Quadrilateral 1886, 1888 as a seminal core of their canons and practices.
The fundamental principles defining inclusion in the Communion are detailed in the Chicago-Lambeth Quadrilateral of 1886. The four basic statements are:
1. The Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as the revealed Word of God. 2. The Nicene Creed as the sufficient statement of the Christian Faith. 3. The two Sacraments — Baptism and the Supper of the Lord — ministered with unfailing use of Christ's words of institution and of the elements ordained by Him. 4. The Historic Episcopate, locally adapted in the methods of its administration to the varying needs of the nations and peoples called of God into the unity of His Church.
The CCI acknowledges and blends the three main streams of Christian worship in church history: evangelical, sacramental and charismatic. The leadership of CCI has integrated the inspiration from Christian theologians such as Lesslie Newbigin and Robert E. Webber. CCI follows the practices, beliefs and life of the early Celtic church and early Methodism, which they feel became a signpost for the Convergence Movement.
Structure
CCI functions in an episcopal structure overseen by bishops. The House of Bishops, who govern collegially, provide the general oversight of the communion. At each level of the communion structure, leadership is elected and appointed to serve the dioceses, parish churches and other areas of service and ministry. The CCI Canons govern the way mission is accomplished and the manner in which communion organizations are regulated.
Provinces are generally made up of dioceses that exist (a) within a country's borders or (b) within a clearly defined ethno-linguistic group that may spill across international boundaries. We also provisionally recognize several bishop directed families of churches and affiliated ministries that are non-geographic/non-ethno-linguististic networks. Archbishop Quintin Moore is the Presiding Bishop of the CCI and Archbishop Chuck Travis is Presiding Bishop of the CEEC, the parent Communion of the CCI.
Further reading
- The Convergence Movement written by Wayne Boosahda and Randy Sly for "Twenty Centuries of Christian Worship", by Robert Webber, Star Song Pub Co, 1994. ISBN 1-56233-012-8
- Sound of Rushing Waters, by Daniel W. Williams, ACW Press/DQuest Publications, 2005. ISBN 1-932124-66-7
- Saint Cuthbert Prayer Book, by the Diocese of Saint Cuthbert, 2007, ISBN 978-0-615-17489-1
- "Prayers and Blessings" by Robert H. Hoyt, Jr. and Michael F. Lee, Published by Fultus Corporation (April 30, 2005), ISBN 1-59682-048-9
- Forgotten Power, William L. DeArteaga, 2002 Zondervan Publishing, Grand Rapids Michigan, 49530 (Ch. 15 focuses on Christ the Redeemer Church, National Cathedral of the CCI, pgs 248-260), ISBN 0-310-24567-2
- Chicago-Lambeth Quadrilateral, 1886, 1888
- 911 Promise by Daniel W. Williams, 2002 Creation House Press (Strang Communications Co.) 600 Rinehart Rd., Lake Mary Fl. ISBN 0-88419-927-4
- Charisma Magazine, March 1996 issue, interview with Daniel W. Williams.