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| This Church is unique among Lutheran Churches in that it accepts as additional confessional documents, the "]" from the "]" as interpreted by ] in "]" (insofar as they do not conflict with authentic Catholic faith and tradition,) the Roman Catholic-Lutheran "]" (Augsburg, Germany, 1999); The ], and the documents and decrees of the ]s recognized by the ]. | This Church is unique among Lutheran Churches in that it accepts as additional confessional documents, the "]" from the "]" as interpreted by ] in "]" (insofar as they do not conflict with authentic Catholic faith and tradition,) the Roman Catholic-Lutheran "]" (Augsburg, Germany, 1999); The ], and the documents and decrees of the ]s recognized by the ]. | ||
| Because they are trustworthy witnesses to the Gospel and to authentic Catholic Faith and Tradition, and also because the ecumenical goal of the ECCL is visible, corporate reunion with the Bishop and Church of Rome, this Church subscribes to the Lutheran/Roman Catholic Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification, Augsburg, Germany, 1999 |
Because they are trustworthy witnesses to the Gospel and to authentic Catholic Faith and Tradition, and also because the ecumenical goal of the ECCL is visible, corporate reunion with the Bishop and Church of Rome, this Church subscribes to the Lutheran/Roman Catholic Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification, Augsburg, Germany, 1999. For the same reasons, the ECCL also accepts the documents and teachings of the ] of the ] though it is not under Papal authority at this time. | ||
| The Evangelical Community Church-Lutheran accepts the principles of ] and ], but as an ] Lutheran Church, though, as noted above, it is not under Papal authority at this time. The Evangelical Community Church-Lutheran is theologically and socially conservative, with the same view of the nature and authority of ] as the Roman Catholic Church as stated in the Pontifical Biblical Commission's document, "Interpretion of the Bible in Church" (http://www.ewtn.com/library/CURIA/PBCINTER.htm). | The Evangelical Community Church-Lutheran accepts the principles of ] and ], but as an ] Lutheran Church, though, as noted above, it is not under Papal authority at this time. The Evangelical Community Church-Lutheran is theologically and socially conservative, with the same view of the nature and authority of ] as the Roman Catholic Church as stated in the Pontifical Biblical Commission's document, "Interpretion of the Bible in Church" (http://www.ewtn.com/library/CURIA/PBCINTER.htm). | ||
Revision as of 13:06, 21 March 2007
The Evangelical Community Church-Lutheran (ECCL) is a small Church in the Lutheran Evangelical Catholic tradition. It was founded in 1997 by former members of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod. Its headquarters is in Kansas City, Missouri. The ECCL has two theological seminaries: Wittenberg Lutheran Seminary in Kansas City, Missouri, and The Alcuin Institute of the Trans-Pecos in Alpine, Texas. The ECCL is led by a Metropolitan Archbishop, a Holy Synod, and a National Standing Committee.
The Evangelical Community Church-Lutheran has five Archdioceses in the United States, two non-geographic Archdioceses serving sub-Saharan Africa and sub-Saharan African immigrants in the United States, and a non-geographic Archdiocese serving Vietnamese immigrants in the United States. It is organized and active in Canada, Sudan, and Kenya; and is a member of the Augustana Evangelical Catholic Communion, The Sudanese Council of Churches U.S.A., and the Sudanese Council of Churches.
The Evangelical Community Church-Lutheran considers Lutherans to be Roman Catholics in a temporary, involuntary schism imposed on it by the Roman Catholic Church when Father Martin Luther's attempt to start a renewal movement within and for the Roman Catholic Church slipped out of his control. This Church teaches that Lutheranism in general is a form of non-Roman Catholicism; and considers other Lutheran Churches to be "Protestant" only to the extent that they have accepted insights from the Calvinist and Zwinglian phases of the Reformation.
The Evangelical Community Church-Lutheran accepts the Unaltered Augsburg Confession, the Apology of the Augsburg Confession, and Martin Luther's Small Catechism nsofar as they are trustworthy witnesses to the Gospel and in accord with authentic Catholic Faith and Tradition. Insofar as they are in accord with authentic Catholic Faith and Tradition, the ECCL recognizes the remainder of The Book of Concord including the Formula of Concord as historical Lutheran documents but does not consider them to be binding. The ECCL has accepted major modifications in Sacramental Theology and Principles of Church Government from the (Lutheran) Church of Sweden, the Oxford Movement of the Anglican Communion, the Canon Law Code of the Roman Catholic Church (1983), and the documents and teachings of the [[Magisterium of the Roman Catholic Church which includes the Catechism of the Catholic Church (1994).
This Church is unique among Lutheran Churches in that it accepts as additional confessional documents, the "Articles of Religion" from the "Book of Common Prayer" as interpreted by John Henry Cardinal Newman in "Tracts for the Times" (insofar as they do not conflict with authentic Catholic faith and tradition,) the Roman Catholic-Lutheran "Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification" (Augsburg, Germany, 1999); The Catechism of the Catholic Church, and the documents and decrees of the Ecumenical Councils recognized by the Roman Catholic Church.
Because they are trustworthy witnesses to the Gospel and to authentic Catholic Faith and Tradition, and also because the ecumenical goal of the ECCL is visible, corporate reunion with the Bishop and Church of Rome, this Church subscribes to the Lutheran/Roman Catholic Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification, Augsburg, Germany, 1999. For the same reasons, the ECCL also accepts the documents and teachings of the Magisterium of the Roman Catholic Church though it is not under Papal authority at this time.
The Evangelical Community Church-Lutheran accepts the principles of Papal Primacy and Papal Infallibility, but as an Evangelical Catholic Lutheran Church, though, as noted above, it is not under Papal authority at this time. The Evangelical Community Church-Lutheran is theologically and socially conservative, with the same view of the nature and authority of Scripture as the Roman Catholic Church as stated in the Pontifical Biblical Commission's document, "Interpretion of the Bible in Church" (http://www.ewtn.com/library/CURIA/PBCINTER.htm).
The polity of Evangelical Community Church-Lutheran is episcopal rather than congregationalist, and follows the model of the Roman Catholic Church. This Church has never had female clergy, and has placed a moratorium on the ordination of women until such time as it is ordered by a Pope (for the Diaconate) or an Ecumenical Council (for the Priesthood and Episcopacy.) It has the same policy on the ordination of homosexuals as does the Roman Catholic Church as defined by Pope Benedict XVI. This Church does not permit the blessing of same-sex unions.
The clergy of Evangelical Community Church - Lutheran have all been ordained (or re-ordained) in the historic Apostolic Succession, which it obtained from the Ecumenical Catholic Diocese of the Americas and the Apostolic Episcopal Church. The primary Apostolic Lineage of the The Evangelical Community Church-Lutheran is the Duarte Costa lineage of the Rebiban or Vatican Succession. All ordinations are performed using the rites of the most current edition of the Ordinal from The Pontifical of the Roman Catholic Church set within a celebration of the Mass using the Eucharistic rites of the Roman Catholic Church.
The worship of Evangelical Community Church - Lutheran is dignified and sacramental. It differs from most other Lutheran Churches by recognizing and celebrating seven sacraments, and its primary liturgy is the Roman Catholic Anglican Use "Book of Divine Worship." Any other Rites approved and authorized for use by the appropriate Congregation of the Curia of the Roman Catholic Church may also be used by ECCL clergy.