Christian Churches Together

Christian Churches Together
Name	Christian Churches Together
Formation	2001
Leader title	Co-chairs
Headquarters	United States

Contents

Christian Churches Together is an ecumenical association formed in 2001 that brings together leaders from a broad spectrum of Christian traditions in the United States, including mainline Protestant bodies, evangelical groups, Pentecostal communities, Roman Catholic dioceses, and Orthodox jurisdictions. Its membership and activity intersect with national conversations involving institutions such as the National Council of Churches, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, seminaries like Princeton Theological Seminary and Fuller Theological Seminary, and civil society actors including the American Civil Liberties Union, United States Congress, White House, and major philanthropic foundations. The organization operates within the landscape shaped by historical events and movements like the Second Vatican Council, the World Council of Churches, the Reformation, and the Azusa Street Revival.

History

The initiative began after dialogues among leaders from traditions represented by bodies such as the National Association of Evangelicals, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the Orthodox Church in America, and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, following precedents including the World Council of Churches assemblies and bilateral conversations like the Lutheran–Catholic dialogue and the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification. Early meetings drew participants connected with academic centers such as Yale Divinity School, Harvard Divinity School, and Vanderbilt Divinity School, and were influenced by ecumenical frameworks developed after the World War II era and the Civil Rights Movement.

Members include representatives from denominations and organizations such as the Presbyterian Church (USA), African Methodist Episcopal Church, United Methodist Church, Roman Catholic Church in the United States, Southern Baptist Convention-affiliated organizations, the Christian and Missionary Alliance, the Assemblies of God USA, the Orthodox Church in America, and religious orders linked to institutions like Georgetown University and Notre Dame University. The structure typically convenes plenary assemblies, steering committees, and working groups drawing on leadership patterns familiar from bodies like the National Council of Churches USA and networks such as the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and Evangelicals and Catholics Together. Administrative support has involved ecumenical staff with ties to seminaries including Boston College and Emory University.

The declared objectives encompass fostering theological dialogue akin to initiatives such as the Anglican–Roman Catholic International Commission and cooperative action on social issues comparable to coalitions involving the Catholic Charities USA and Sojourners. Activities include convening forums, issuing joint statements on matters analogous to positions taken by the World Council of Churches or the National Association of Evangelicals, coordinating disaster response in partnership with agencies like Catholic Relief Services and Samaritan's Purse, and promoting education through collaborations with institutions such as Duke Divinity School and Candler School of Theology.

The fellowship engages with ecumenical partners and interfaith interlocutors frequently associated with dialogues like those between the Anglican Communion and Roman Catholic Church, the Lutheran World Federation and Roman Catholic Church, and conversations involving Jewish and Muslim organizations represented in venues such as the United Nations and the National Interreligious Leadership Initiative. Its partnerships sometimes intersect with advocacy networks that have worked alongside bodies such as Bread for the World, World Vision, and the National Coalition for the Homeless.

Governance follows a model of shared leadership influenced by precedents in bodies like the World Council of Churches and the National Council of Churches USA, with rotating co-chairs and a steering committee composed of representatives from member traditions including bishops from Episcopal Church (United States), presbyters from Presbyterian Church (USA), and pastors from African Methodist Episcopal Church congregations. Decision-making procedures reflect conciliar methods seen in assemblies such as those of the Anglican Communion and synodal practices in Eastern Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism for consensus-building.

Notable public actions have included joint statements on social concerns that invoked moral frameworks similar to those used by leaders in Sojourners and the National Association of Evangelicals, collaborative responses to national crises alongside organizations like AmeriCares and Red Cross, and educational initiatives run in partnership with seminaries such as Princeton Theological Seminary, Notre Dame Law School, and Harvard Divinity School. The body has issued communiqués referencing contemporary public debates debated in forums involving the United States Supreme Court and the United States Congress.

Critiques have arisen from quarters associated with bodies such as the Southern Baptist Convention, conservative Evangelical networks, and independent Charismatic movements, who argue the fellowship's inclusivity resembles ecumenical efforts from the World Council of Churches era and risks theological compromise similar to controversies around the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification or the Lima Document. Others, drawing parallels with debates at institutions like Princeton Theological Seminary and controversies involving clergy in denominations such as the Episcopal Church (United States), have questioned accountability, transparency, and political engagement.

Category:Christian ecumenical organizations