OUR VALIDITY

By the Rt. Rev Dr Barry Rathbone DD(hons) Dip LSR KGCSJ( OM ) ICSS 

 Founding  Moderating Bishop and Abbot 

 

One of the most often asked questions about our work in the Community is ‘how can you call yourself a real church?’ Here I shall try and answer, in as simple a way as possible, the validity of our calling and our ministry.  

 

 

 

Many people, both inside and outside what are seen as ‘traditional’ church structures; those with their own buildings, a long history of regimented tradition and recognition by virtue of their existence, see a ‘new’ church as something to be treated with suspicion. Often the questions of why, how, where and when are made easier when viewing those sorts of standard, well-known church bodies, & are answered in people’s minds simply by the fact that ‘they’ve always been there.’ So when a new body comes along, one that perhaps acts differently to the norm, then people will naturally query it, sometimes from a sense of fear and trepidation, other times out of sheer human curiosity.

 

Jesus said that when two or three were gathered in his name he would be with them, and so it is with any body that professes faith in God through worship and the doing of charitable deeds to benefit the lives of those around them, and very similar approaches apply to other faiths as well, but more of that another day. In the Nicene and Apostole's Creeds of the Western and Eastern Catholic Churches, the following phrase is an affirmation of faith ‘We believe in One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church ’ and is, in part, the fundamental basis of traditional Christian faith.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So, in order to be seen as a valid Church these three elements should be present in the activities and beliefs of any body politic or even the individual who calls themselves Christian, should they not? Therefore do we, at the International Community of St John the Divine, fulfil these basic criteria, and should we dare to call ourselves a 'Church'?  

  

Are We One? 

 Do we, as a body, work together to strive to advance spiritual understanding? Yes we do, we undertake worship as a collective body, but are still infused by the Spirit of God with individual souls that are on a solo journey of discovery. We, unlike many of our associates, do not believe that we have the right, as a body politic, to insist that those who share in worship with us MUST adhere to a set of rules and dogmas that we find to be THE only way, but rather accept that God has given each and every one of us a gift of discernment and spiritual ‘nosiness’ that means that our individual journey may not be totally 100% the same as the person sat next to us. However that doesn’t mean that ‘I am right and you are wrong’, more that God wants us to journey at our own level and in our own way, but that He or She will always be at the centre of our lives, through the power of the Holy Spirit within us. In accepting this basic principle, we can collectively worship the same divine grace, but still retain our own identities and personal relationship with our heavenly Creator. This is truly liberating when one realises that you set an agreement with God personally, and, as a wise colleague has often remarked, then we ‘truly become the rainbow people of God’. Is it not so much more spiritual and fraternal than breaking away from each other because one does one thing and one does another, as has been seen in the various schisms between Church groups throughout the ages (the split between the Western and Eastern traditions, the Protestants and the Catholics, the Church of England and the Methodists, the Hassidic/Orthodox/Liberal/Messianic Jews, Shi-ite and Sunni Muslims, traditional Spiritualists and Christian Spiritualists... the list goes on.. and on... and on). It has often been my concern that, to paraphrase our Lord ‘When 2 or 3 are gathered I will be in the midst of them, but they will form a committee and wont listen to what I have to say and do EXACTLY what they want!

 

 

Unity through Diversity is what makes us at the ICSJ ONE.

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Are we Holy? 

Of course we aren’t holy… well, not all the time! We are human, and the various attempts at making ourselves superior through outwardly pious lives throughout time have all failed because of that fact. We are human, we sin, our humanity comes from recognizing our sin and wrong doing, and by striving to atone for such by repairing the damage by living less sinfully in the future. What helps us to be holy more than any other influence though, is our welcoming of the power of the Holy Spirit into our lives through Baptism and membership of the body of Christ through our worship and praise and prayer. 

  

We believe wholly in the Great Commandments of Jesus; where he exhorts us to live lives in recognition of God at our head, and to try and love one another unconditionally, and those of us from other faiths have similar consideration and instruction inherent in their own tradition. Its not easy to do, especially in the 10 items or less aisle where the guy in front has 11 (and don’t tell me you don’t get steamed up over it because I do!). However by our recognition and affirmation, we become more Holy, and with the Christos (or Light of the Divine) at the centre of our lives, how can we fail not to? 

  

Are we Catholic?

Well lets dispel the myth…We are NOT 'Roman' Catholic but we do have members who lean in the direction of Rome and that is fine for them (see above, Are we One). The Reader’s Digest Universal Dictionary defines the word as ‘pertaining to … the Universal Christian Church, the ancient, undivided Christian Church.’ We are a body that accepts all people who turn to Christ as being the centre of their lives, through worship, prayer, meditation, acts of selfless charity, accepting that all are created in God’s image, regardless of race, creed, colour, gender, orientation or history. We are one and fiercely determined to stay that way.

 

Are we Apostolic?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Apostolic or Apostate? It’s a very close call in the world today! (Theology scholars take note, everyone else look it up! It’s a great joke). So, do we follow the teachings of the Apostles that met at Pentecost and were annointed to go out and ordain and confirm people in the teachings of Jesus? If Christian then yes we do. Funnily enough, if, as many of our members do, we come from another faith background, then we do exactly the same, because, surprise surprise, the same truths, teachings and guidance lie at the heart of EVERY faith. We enjoy a deep philosophical study of the teachings of all the biblical Apostles through Bible Study, and also the teachings of more modern day Spirits of Faith, great Teachers and moral counsels who have sought to guide people towards a life in Godliness in more recent times. We ordain through the apostolic succession we can claim through our historical links with orthodoxy, and also through the commissioning of individuals called to ministry by public affirmation on the prompting of the Holy Spirit by discernment of gifts. There are those who insist, even from within, (most especially unfortunately, and I refer you back to the We are One section above) that I or we have no right to claim ourselves to be Apostolic. My answer to such accusations is simple, we do our best to go out into the community we serve through our worship services, our ministry to any person or group that is disadvantaged by society etc, and we minister to their needs in a faith inspired, empathic and empowering way. We try in all we do to follow the Great Commission of Jesus in Mark’s Gospel Chapter 16 vv15; that we should ‘go out into all the world and make disciples of all people’, and, again, I reiterate that I do not under any preconception believe that Christ, in the person of Jesus, meant that to be interpreted as making them follow just one road, one doctrine, one set of dogma, but rether that all people be encouraged to find faith in God, unencumbered by the man made divisions that we see today.

  

So, you’ve read my thoughts, you may have heard my words, now listen to your heart, feel the beat of God’s divine grace surge through you as the Holy Spirit works in you, and discern your own conclusion. Are we? God Knows!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

  One, Holy, Catholic & Apostolic Church !