WHAT IS THE CONTINUING EVANGELICAL EPISCOPAL COMMUNION?

The Continuing Evangelical Episcopal Communion (the CEEC) is a communion of the one, holy catholic and apostolic Church. Our specific identity and self-understanding is rooted in the Anglican spiritual tradition of being Catholic, Evangelical and Protestant.  Standing within the Celtic and Anglican spiritual traditions, the Continuing Evangelical Episcopal Communion was created by a convergence of three great historical expressions of faith and practice: the Evangelical/Biblical, the Charismatic/Pentecostal, and the Liturgical/Sacramental traditions.

The CEEC emerged through an organic movement of faith leaders known as the “Convergence Movement” in which Anglican communities cultivated a rich openness to the gifts of the ministry of the Holy Spirit in corporate worship, while Evangelical churches reached back to the buried treasures of sacred sacraments, scripture, liturgies and creeds. There, amidst this intentional convergence, the Church reunited with itself across traditions in a richness of worship that transcended stylistic and doctrinal differences to celebrate a singular, common faith.

Our belief finds its boundaries of expression in three historic creeds, commonly called the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Creed of Saint Athanasius.  Moreover, we affirm the historical significance of the doctrines set forth in the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion, as well as the values espoused in the Chicago-Lambeth Quadrilateral, and the Chicago Call: An Appeal to Evangelicals.

CONTINUING – As previously stated, we didn’t “break away” from a previous group or denomination, but were rather formed by God calling together a group of men and women into a covenantal community guided by the Canons that bind us together.  While at times there have been those who were formerly a part of our Communion that have either broken away or  decided not to continue under our Canon Law, we have continued under the rule of the currently adopted Canons since our inception in 1995.  We have also continued to hold the spirit of unity in the bonds of peace, and offered unreserved acceptance of all that have broken away and wish to re-establish our canonical relationship.

EVANGELICAL – As evangelicals, we hold firmly to the absolute belief that the Gospel presents the good news of the doctrine of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ’s atonement alone.

EPISCOPAL – We are a communion led by bishops who have been consecrated in full apostolic succession. The term does not relate to any specific denomination or organization, but rather to the character of those men who lead the CEEC.

COMMUNION – As previously stated, we are a communion. reflecting the unanimity and singularity of the Apostolic and Patristic Church, while encompassing both Protestant and Catholic traditions. As a communion, we celebrate and affirm biblical and anointed spiritual ministry throughout the world to everyone. There is only “one faith, one hope, and one baptism, one God, and Father of us all” (Eph. 4: 5-6), and therefore, one Head Jesus Christ, and one pure body of Christ, the Church.