Community of Christ

Community of Christ, a Christian denomination known for its dedication to the pursuit of peace,“Share the Peace of Jesus Christ”, World Conference sermon, 2005, retrieved June 17, 2006 claims more than 250,000 members in 50 nations. Theologically unique and varied in its approach to Christian faith, it encourages members to "choose your own theology""Theology—Choose Your Own Adventure", Temple School course, retrieved June 17, 2006 and follows a largely non-liturgical tradition based loosely on the revised common lectionary Worship Commission webpage retrieved June 17, 2006. From its headquarters in Independence, Missouri, the church offers special focus on Christian evangelism, peace and justice ministries, spirituality and wholeness, youth ministries and outreach ministriesCommunity of Christ Ministries and Services, webpage, retrieved June 17, 2006. Church teachings emphasize that “all are called” as “persons of worth” to “share the peace of Christ.”

Overview

The Community of Christ is led by a First Presidency, consisting of a Prophet-President and two counselors. The church's ministry is overseen by Council of Twelve Apostles and the temporal needs of the church are overseen by the Presiding Bishopric. Meeting together, these quorums are known as the World Church Leadership Council. Every two years, delegates from around the world meet together to vote on church business in World Conference.

Organized as a separate denomination in 1860 in Amboy, Illinois, the history of the Community of Christ has roots in the Restoration movement and Latter Day Saint movement. The Community of Christ today considers the period 1830-1844 to be a part of its early history and 1844-1860 to be a period of disorganization. The doctrine and practices of the Community of Christ have evolved separately since 1844 from the other denominations sharing its origins in the Latter Day Saint movementCommunity of Christ History, webpage, retrieved June 17, 2006. Within the past several decades, the church has moved in the direction of greater tolerance, emphasizing its role as a peace and justice church. Some changes included the ordination of women to priesthood, open communion, and changing the church's name from The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints to the current name.

The church owns two temples, the Kirtland Temple dedicated in 1836 in Kirtland, Ohio, (operated in part as a historic site as part of its educational ministry), and the relatively new Independence Temple which serves as the church's headquarters in Independence. The church sponsors Graceland University with campuses in Lamoni, Iowa and Independence, where the Community of Christ Seminary is based. The church also owns and operates some Latter Day Saint historic sites in Far West, Missouri; Lamoni, Iowa; and Plano and Nauvoo, Illinois. The Auditorium in Independence, Missouri, houses the Children's Peace Pavilion and is the site of the major legislative assembly of the Community of Christ, known as World Conference.

The church is officially established in these countries: Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, British Isles, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Congo, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Fiji Islands, France, French Polynesia, Germany, Grand Cayman, Guam, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, India, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan , Kenya, Korea, Liberia, Malawi, Mexico, Netherlands, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippine Islands, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Taiwan (Republic Of China), Ukraine, United States Of America, Venezuela, and Zambia. Community of Christ Directory, webpage, retrieved June 17, 2006 It is the third largest Christian denomination in French PolynesiaReligion by Location, adherents.com webpage, retrieved June 17, 2006.

Some estimate that more than half the active members of the church speak a primary language other than English G-1 Prayers for the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, 2004 World Conference Legislation webpage, retrieved June 17, 2006. In November 2005 the World Church Leadership Council announced a dedicated giving campaign called "Words for the World" to help translate church materials into many languages and to create culturally appropriate resources. According to the Community of Christ, this program is currently supporting creation of materials in French, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Telugu, Kwi, Soura, Tahitian, Chewa, Chibemba, Efik, Lingala and SwahiliWords for the World Fact Sheet, webpage, retrieved June 17, 2006.

Vision and Mission

The current vision and mission statements of the Community of Christ were initially adopted in 1996 by the leading quorums of the church's leadership and reflect the peace and justice centered ministries of the denomination. In the mission statement, the church declares that "We proclaim Jesus Christ and promote communities of joy, hope, love and peace." The vision statement states that "We will become a worldwide church dedicated to the pursuit of peace, reconciliation, and healing of the spirit."Our Vision and Mission, webpage, retrieved June 17, 2006

Major Beliefs

The Community of Christ states that it recognizes that "perception of truth is always qualified by human nature and experience" and therefore has not adopted an official religious creed. Nevertheless, the Community of Christ offers a number of the commonly held beliefs of its members and leaders as the "generally accepted beliefs of the church.Faith and Beliefs, webpage, retrieved June 17, 2006"

The Community of Christ generally accepts the doctrine of the Trinity and other commonly held Christian beliefs. The concept of Zion as both a present reality of Christian living and a hoped for community of the future is a rather strongly held belief in the Community of Christ and ties closely to the peace and justice emphasis of the denomination. The movement is also unique in its belief in prophetic leadership and an open canon of scripture recorded in its version of the Doctrine and Covenants which is regularly appended by action of its World Conference.

God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit

The Community of Christ states that the "one eternal living God is triune..." and acknowledges God as Creator and Source of love, life, and truth. They state that "God alone is worthy of worship." Jesus Christ is described as both Savior and as a living expression of God and is acknowledged as having lived, died and resurrected. As the name of the denomination implies, Jesus Christ is central in study and worship. The Holy Spirit is described as the "continuing presence of God in the world" and as the source of divine inspirationFaith and Beliefs, webpage, retrieved June 17, 2006.

Peace

The Independence and Kirtland Temples are places of education and worship for all people. In keeping with the Community of Christ's role as a "peace and justice church," the Independence Temple was "dedicated to the pursuit of peace" Doctrine and Covenants, Section 156:5. Each day of the year at 12:30 pm Central Standard Time/Central Daylight Savings Time a Daily Prayer for Peace is held in the sanctuary of the Independence Temple. In addition, the Community of Christ International Peace Award has been bestowed annually since 1993 (except 1996). The call to "peace, reconciliation, and healing of the spirit" is a recurring theme in the Community of Christ and is reflected in its official vision statement. Doctrinal statements by the church suggest that "because of our commitment to Christ and belief in the worth of all people and the value of community building, we dedicate our lives to the pursuit of peace and justice for all peopleFaith and Beliefs, webpage, retrieved June 17, 2006." The church maintains a Peace and Justice Ministires Office at its headquarters which is designed to provide resources, education and networking.

Worth of All Persons

The doctrine of human worth or "worth of all persons" in the Community of Christ is a well established belief. The Community of Christ states that "God loves each of us equally and unconditionally. All persons have great worth and should be respected as creations of God with basic human rights. The willingness to love and accept others is essential to faithfulness to the gospel of ChristFaith and Beliefs, webpage, retrieved June 17, 2006."

Revelation and Prophetic Leadership

The belief and practice of continuing divine revelation is a clear uniqueness of the Community of Christ. The Community of Christ states that "The process through which God reveals divine will and love is called revelation. God continues to reveal today as in the past. God is revealed to us through scripture, the faith community, prayer, nature, and in human history.Faith and Beliefs, webpage, retrieved June 17, 2006"

The president of the Community of Christ was commonly referred to by the title of Prophet or Prophet-President prior to 1996. Since that time, the term President is preferred, although Prophet-President is still used on occasion. The president of the church still acts as a prophet to the church by bringing occasional inspired counsel or inspired documents to the church. These are usually brief passages of text designed to bring encouragement, counsel and direction to the church. When an inspired document is presented to the World Conference by the president of the church, an elaborate review process takes place. Each quorum of the church and several caucuses review the document and vote upon it. The quorums typically vote heavily in favor of the documents and sometimes unanimously. Debate is allowed, however, and the body has been known to refer the inspired document back to the president for further reflection or clarification. When the document comes to the floor of the World Conference for debate, the president retires from the room to allow for more impartial consideration. The World Conference may vote to include the document as a new section of the Doctrine and Covenants, which is regarded as scripture by most members of the denomination.

Concept of Zion

The concept of Zion in the Community of Christ relates a theology of the "kingdom of God." As a doctrine, it is therefore closely founded upon the kingdom parables of Jesus as recorded in the four gospels. Based on references in the Bible to Mt. Zion or simply Zion, it was initially regarded as a city, sometimes called the New Jerusalem. Prior to 1920, most members of the Community of Christ identified Independence, Missouri as Zion or the New Jerusalem. As New Testament understandings of basileia, as the realm or domain of God, have gradually taken root among members of the denomination, Zion is now understood more as a cause, a way of living or a state of existence, and is usually not regarded as having its foundation in a specific place. Officially, the denomination states that "The 'cause of Zion' expresses our commitment to pursuing God's kingdom through the establishment of Christ-centered communities in families, congregations, neighborhoods, cities, and throughout the worldFaith and Beliefs, webpage, retrieved June 17, 2006." While the Concept of Zion is rarely associated with the Jewish concept of Zionism, some members of the Community of Christ from Maine intrigued by the doctrine of Zion established a refugee center near Tel Aviv during the initial return of the Jewish diaspora to Israel in the early 1900s.

All Are Called

The Community of Christ commonly attests that "all are called according to the gifts of God unto them." Published statements of belief proclaim that "All men, women, youth, and children are given gifts and abilities to enhance life and to become involved in Christ's mission. Some are called to particular responsibility as ordained ministers (priesthood) in the church. The church provides for a wide range of priesthood ministries through calling and ordination of both men and womenFaith and Beliefs, webpage, retrieved June 17, 2006."

Priesthood

Nearly 1 in 10 members hold priesthood office. These are almost always unpaid volunteers or lay ministers. The church does maintain a relatively small professional "apointee minister" force comprised of paid ministers who typically serve as regional administrators, regional financial officers or missionaries. Priesthood members are called to teach and preach the gospel or "good news" of Jesus Christ. Since most congregations do not hire a paid pastor, the responsibility for delivering the sermon during Sunday morning worship services is usually rotated among active priesthood members, especially Elders and any members of the High Priesthood in a congregation. Another priesthood member usually leads the rest of the worship service in the role of "presider." There are no strict rules regarding who may deliver sermons, lead worship services or participate in the various elements of a worship service. So members or even friends are occasionally called upon to fulfill these roles.

Sacraments

Members commonly believe that Sacraments express the abiding presence of God in the life of the church, its members and priesthood. Sacraments are metaphorical acts designed to create and renew spiritual relationship with God. Sacraments are viewed as covenants with God in response to God's grace. Community of Christ practices eight sacraments Bolton, Andrew and Jane Gardner: "The Sacraments: Symbol, Meaning and Discipleship.". Herald House, 2005.:Baptism, Confirmation, Blessing of Children, The Lord's Supper, Marriage, Administration to the Sick, Ordination, and Evangelist's Blessing. "Laying on of hands" is used in confirmation, ordination, blessing of children, administration and Evangelist's blessing.

Scripture

The Community of Christ affirms the Bible as Scripture for the church. The Community Christ view of scripture is that it should be "reasonably interpreted and faithfully applied." Most worship themes and theme scriptures provided by the Community of Christ headquarters to congregations as worship resources are derived from the New Testament. The Old Testament is occasioanlly used for worship themes as well. The church views the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants as "additional witnesses of Christ's ministry and God's love." The Community of Christ views Scripture as stories, hymns and other writings based on experiences with God. While it recognizes scripture as the "Word of God" its members would not typically suggest that scriptures contain the "words of God." Marge Nelson, "Faith and Beliefs:Scripture," The Herald, July 2003, p.22-23.

Bible

The Community of Christ does not prescribe a single translation of the Bible. Although, Joseph Smith, Jr. began a project to "re-translate" or revise the King James Version of the Bible during his lifetime, the liturgy of the church today is usually based on more recent translations of the Bible. Upon Smith's death, the working manuscript of his translation was retained by his family and came into the possession of the Community of Christ. The work was edited and is published by the church as the Inspired Version of the Bible. Since it largely relies on the now difficult to read language of the King James Version, most official publications of the Community of Christ quote sripture from newer versions such as the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).

Book of Mormon

The Community of Christ views the Book of Mormon as an additional witness of Jesus Christ and publishes two versions of the book through its official publishing arm, Herald House. The Authorized Edition is based on the original printer's manuscript and the 1837 Second Edition (or Kirtland Edition) of the Book of Mormon. Its content is similar to the Book of Mormon published by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but the versification is different. Community of Christ also publishes a Revised Authorized Edition which attempts to modernize some of the book's content.

Book of Doctrine and Covenants

The Community of Christ edition of the Doctrine and Covenants is a growing and evolving work of scripture containing inspired documents given through the prophet-presidents recognized by the Community of Christ. Former President W. Grant McMurray presented the most recent words of counsel to the church, which was accepted as Section 162, on 31 March 2004. The Doctrine and Covenants contains inspirational Christian messages such as this passage shared by McMurray as inspired counsel: "Open your hearts and feel the yearnings of your brothers and sisters who are lonely, despised, fearful, neglected, unloved. Reach out in understanding, clasp their hands, and invite all to share in the blessings of community created in the name of the One who suffered on behalf of all." (Doctrine and Covenants 161:3a)

Notes

References

Richard P. Howard, The Church Through the Years, Herald House: 1992. Volume 1: Beginnings to 1860: ISBN 0830905561 Volume 2: ISBN 0830906290
Andrew Bolton and Jane Gardner, "The Sacraments: Symbol, Meaning and Discipleship," Herald House, 2005. ISBN 0830911731
Jerry Nieft, ed., "Walking with Jesus: A Member's Guide in the Community of Christ," Herald House, 2004. ISBN 0830911057
Community of Christ, "The Priesthood Manual, 2004 Edition," Herald House, 2004. ISBN 0830910166
Community of Christ, "Church Administrators' Handbook: 2005 Edition," Herald House, 2005. ISBN 0830911197
Roger D. Launius, Joseph III: Pragmatic Prophet, University of Illinois Press: 1995. ISBN 0252065158
Inez Smith Davis, The Story of the Church: A History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and of Its Legal Successor, the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 12th edition, Herald House: 1981. ISBN 0830901884
Community of Christ, "World Conference Resolutions: 2002 Edition," Herald House, 2003. ISBN 0830910530

External links

Critical commentary

Community of Christ | Latter Day Saint denominations | Protestantism | Kansas City metropolitan area | Christian denominations

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