“Convergence Movement”的意思、由来-开放百科全书

The Convergence Movement is a syncretic movement 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 like Thomas Howard, Robert E. Webber, Peter E. Gillquist, and ancient Christian writers such as the Church Fathers 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.^[1]^[2]^[3]

History

In 1973 Campus Crusade for Christ missionary Peter E. Gillquist (1938–2012) of Chicago established a network of house churches throughout the United States, aiming to restore a primitive form of Christianity, which was called the New Covenant Apostolic Order (NCAO). Researching the historical basis of the Christian faith, Gillquist and his colleagues found sources for this restoration in the writings of the early Church Fathers. This led the group to practice a more liturgical form of worship than in their previous evangelical background. In 1979, the Evangelical Orthodox Church was organized. The belief of needing apostolic succession led most members of Evangelical Orthodoxy to join the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America in 1987. Others later joined the Orthodox Church in America.

The Chicago Call

In 1977 “The Chicago Call” was issued by the National Conference of Evangelicals for Historic Christianity, meeting in Warrenville, Illinois.^[4] Led by Robert Webber (Assoc. Professor of Theology at Wheaton College), along with Peter Gillquist, Thomas Howard, Richard Holt, Donald Bloesch, Jan Dennis, Lane Dennis, and Victor Oliver, the Conference discussed the need for evangelical Christians to rediscover and re-attach to the Church’s historic roots. The Conference issued several documents which together are known as The Chicago Call. Components of the Call include: A Call to Historic Roots and Continuity; A Call to Biblical Fidelity; A Call to Creedal Identity; A Call to Holistic Salvation; A Call to Sacramental Integrity; A Call to Spirituality; A Call to Church Authority; and A Call to Church Unity.

"The Three Streams, One River?"

In 1984 Charisma magazine, one of the most influential magazines of the Charismatic Movement, published an article by Richard Lovelace entitled "The Three Streams, One River?" (Sept 1984). Lovelace approvingly noted the trend of Catholics, evangelicals, and charismatic/Pentecostals moving closer together.

Evangelicals on the Canterbury Trail

Robert Webber's 1985 book Evangelicals on the Canterbury Trail: Why Evangelicals are Attracted to the Liturgical Church documents the stories of six evangelical Christians who, for various reasons, had converted to the Episcopal Church. Publication of this book stirred up a great deal of interest in the evangelical press, generating numerous reviews in Christianity Today and other widely read evangelical publications. In the following years Webber wrote several additional books that had great influence on evangelical churches seeking to incorporate liturgy and traditional practices into their worship, and numbers of evangelical Christians continued to migrate to the historic liturgical denominations.

Families of churches

Charismatic Episcopal Church

In 1992, A. Randolph Adler and a group of like-minded charismatic church pastors from the Western United States formed the Charismatic Episcopal Church. Like most Convergence Movement pastors they obtained ordination in apostolic succession, usually from wandering Catholic bishops, and began worshiping liturgically using the 1979 Book of Common Prayer. The Charismatic Episcopal Church developed its liturgy over time to mirror characteristics of the liturgy from the Roman Missal. The Charismatic Episcopal Church grew to become an international body known for its blending of sacramental, charismatic, and evangelical worship traditions.

Communion of Evangelical Episcopal Churches

The Communion of Evangelical Episcopal Churches is a international communion of Convergence churches established in 1995. It is a member of the Christian Communion International.

Order of St Leonard

The Order of St Leonard is a UK-based Convergence body. The order uses the ancient church of St Leonard on Wroxall Abbey Estate (near Solihull) in the Midlands of England as its cathedral. The order is associated with the Communion of Evangelical Episcopal Churches, however the order uses different authorized liturgies in worship. While women are ordained to both the diaconate and the priesthood, they do not admit women to the episcopate.

Anglican Mission in the Americas

Founded in 2000, the Anglican Mission in the Americas is a church connected to various provinces of the Anglican Communion but also explicitly committed to Convergence theology. Common among Convergence denominations the Anglican Mission in the Americas ordains women to the priesthood.

Anglican Church in North America

The Anglican Church in North America is also a denomination connected to various provinces of the Anglican Communion but also committed to Convergence theology.

Priestly Society of the Inner Christ the Light

Formerly the Lutheran Catholic Communion, the Priestly Society of the Inner Christ the Light is a Convergence organization of independent Catholics primarily teaching Christian universalism.

Communion of the Convergence Anglican Church

The Communion of the Convergence Anglican Church was formed in 2013. Contrary to popular practice in the Convergence Movement, they do not ordain women to the diaconate, priesthood, or episcopate. The denomination uses the 1979 Book of Common Prayer. Other liturgies may be used with the permission of the presiding bishop.

Holy Communion of Churches

Formerly known as the Holy Christian Orthodox Church or originally the Western Rite Orthodox Catholic Church, the Holy Communion of Churches is a predominantly African-American denomination founded by Archbishop Timothy Paul. A distinguishing feature of the Holy Communion of Churches is its self-claimed continuation of being the pre-schism Church. The Holy Communion of Churches admits women as deaconesses and presbyteras (although the communion interprets presbyteras as women priests). In some jurisidtcions females are consecrated as bishops.

Christian Orthodox Church of America

Led by its Metropolitan Archbishop, the Christian Orthodox Church of America is headquartered in Denver, Colorado. The Christian Orthodox Church of America ordains women as deacons, priests and bishops.

Apostolic Pastoral Congress

The Apostolic Pastoral Congress, originally the Apostolic Pastoral Association, is a collegiate collective of bishops, pastors and other clergy in Great Britain. Its bishops claim apostolic succession and are led by Archbishop Doye Agama.

The Anthem Network

The Anthem Network was founded in 2014 by Rev. Drew Haywood, Rev. Kenny von Folmar and Rev. Tom Weller in Phoenix, Arizona. The Anthem Network is a self-identified LGBT affirming and supporting network within in the Convergence Movement.