Date: Thu, 25 Jan 1996 03:15:55 -0800 From: crosswix@ix.netcom.com (camille ) Subject: What is the EVANGELICAL ANGLICAN CHURCH in AMERICA? THE EVANGELICAL ANGLICAN CHURCH in AMERICA - An Introduction The EVANGELICAL ANGLICAN CHURCH IN AMERICA (or, EACA) is a newly-emerging denomination of the Anglican Catholic tradition within the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. True to this tradition, the validity of its orders have been faithfully preserved through the unbroken chain of historically attested apostolic succession, for the sake of the rightful preaching of the Word and celebration of the sacraments - the basis of our life together as a Church. The primary mission of the EACA is the building up of Christ's Church. Jesus' command "that all might become one through the Creator" is sincerely embraced. One essential difference between the EACA and other independent Old Catholic, Orthodox and Anglican bodies is found in its emphatic and emphatically public committment to inclusivity. This committment provides a means by which and an ecclesial body in which sincere gay men, lesbians and bisexual persons, amonst others historically excluded, may answer Christ's call to the Church either as lay faithful or within the ministerial priesthood, in adherance to Christ's intention that his Church make its foundation upon the twin principles of mutuality and inclusivity. For many, the ability to answer this call within the traditional Churches has been nearly non-existent to date. Moreover, EACA has seen the difficulty of individuals being turned away from serving God and their own communities based solely upon their sexual orientations, genders, etc., inter alia. Consequently, the incorporation of such persons into the Body of Christ, and where the call exists the ordination of such persons, is essential for providing an honest and effective ministry within any denominational formation that seeks fidelity to the teachings of its Founder, our Saviour. EACA holds firm in its resolve to embrace diversity within its membership, trusting that through this committment we may grow in strength, understanding and truth. While innumerable Church bodies continue to discourage many from full participation in worship, the life of the Church, based on sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, gender or social standing, EACA does not. It is clear that the manifold grace of Christ's sacrifice on the cross and its re-enactment within the eucharist assures all peoples that His message was and is one of unconditional love and inclusion. There are no second-class citizens of heaven, nor are there any within the Evangelical Anglican Church. At a time when other ecclesial communities appear sadly to rend themselves apart with witch-hunts for theological dissidents, heresy trials of distinguished prelates, refusals to accord their own bishops and priests the respect due them solely on account of their sexual orientation, race, gender or other extraneous factor, the EACA seeks to embrace within itself all of the wondrous diversity of God's creative handiwork. One of the most critically important ministries of the EACA is its educational program, embodied in the Anglican Institute for Affirmative Christian Studies (AIACS) which has developed an externally-based distance learning program intended as an educational preparation for Holy Orders or for lay ministry and leadership within the Church. Both candidates for ordination within and without EACA as well as lay persons and members of other Church bodies are welcomed into the AIACS program of study and spiritual formation. From the AIACS "Statement of Purpose:" "AIACS offers, in cooperation with Saint Alban's Theological Seminary (of San Diego, California) an academically well-balanced, thorough theological education at a minimal cost to its students. It was in 1992 that the Church's leadership realized the need for provision to be made for the theological education and spiritual formation of persons marginalized by and falling outside of the mainstream of institutional Christianity. EACA clergy took the lead in this endeavor by designing and instructing courses of spiritual formation/education accessible to all persons desirous of such..." Today, AIACS offers a wide range of courses for those interested in self-growth and knowledge as well as for those intending to seek ordination to the ministry. Course areas include Scripture, Christology, evangelism, liturgics, Church and Anglican history, pastoral praxis and counseling, social justice and theology. Courses are presently being prepared in the disciplines of Christian ethics and the legal dimensions of pastoral ministry. If you are interested in learning more about our inclusive, progressive jurisdiction - one with a vision to make a difference in the life of the Church and the world in the twenty-first century - you are heartily invited to inquire. You are warmly invited to join our mission of serving one another through Christ, and join in faith "for the hope of the existence of realities that at present remain unseen." The organization of the Evangelical Anglican Church in America has its basis in that of the Churches of the Anglican Communion. It differs little if at all in matters of polity, doctrine and worship from them, fully accepting the Thirty-nine Articles of Religion as its foundation of faith and doctrine, and the Book of Common Prayer as its liturgical standard. With respect to the last, the spectrum of Anglican liturgy has always allowed for a broadly based approach and wide degree of latitude in communal and corporate worship, which allowance is fully taken advantage of within our jurisdiction. True Anglicanism (which it is our belief the EACA exemplifies) provides a "via media," a golden mean and a middle path for Christians of diverse backgrounds to join one another together in the worship of God and the loving care of humankind. It is the only Christian faith tradition that espouses such an approach, providing a basis for Christian dialogue and understanding. If the hope of Christian unity is ever to become a manifest reality, it will be through he finding of a common ground such as already exists within this Anglican tradition. For more detailed information on our Church and its mission, you are invited to contact the following: The Rt. Rev. Craig S. Bettendorf, Presiding Bishop The Evangelical Anglican Church in America 2401 Artesia Boulevard, Ste. #106-213 Redondo Beach, California USA 90278 Additionally, we may be contacted by e-mail at: Office of the Presiding Bishop: EACAOBIS1@aol.com Anglican Institute for Affirmative Christian Studies: EACA2AIACS@aol.com Posted by: William A. Courson Deacon, The Evangelical Anglican Church in America