Talk:Christian Churches Together
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Proposed update to Christian Churches Together article
[edit]Hello, and thank you to the editors who maintain this page.
I am the Executive Director of Christian Churches Together in the USA and therefore have a conflict of interest with respect to editing this article directly. In keeping with Wikipedia's conflict-of-interest guidelines, I am proposing the following updates here for independent editors to review and implement if they deem them appropriate.
The proposed revision is intended to improve the article’s accuracy, historical completeness, and sourcing. Specifically, the draft:
Updates the lead section to summarize key characteristics of Christian Churches Together, including its structure of “family groups,” its emphasis on relationship-building, and its consensus decision-making approach.
Adds historical context explaining the early consultations (2001–2005) that led to the founding of CCT and their relationship to the Global Christian Forum process.
Adds sections on the organization’s approach to ecumenism and its relationship to other ecumenical organizations.
Includes a table describing examples of member communions across Christian traditions.
Expands the history of the organization’s national gatherings (Annual Forums), including themes and locations from 2006 through 2025.
Updates leadership titles to reflect Rev. Richard Hamm, Rev. Carlos Malavé, and Dr. Monica Schaap Pierce.
Adds additional references from Religion News Service, Sojourners, Christianity Today, Ecumenical Trends, and other ecumenical sources.
The full proposed draft revision is included below for review.
Thank you for considering these updates, and please feel free to revise or adapt any portion of the draft as needed to meet Wikipedia guidelines.
| Abbreviation | CCT |
|---|---|
| Formation | March 30, 2006 |
| Type | Ecumenical Christian organization |
| Headquarters | United States |
Executive Director | Dr. Monica Schaap Pierce |
| Website | https://www.christianchurchestogether.org |
Christian Churches Together in the USA (CCT) is an ecumenical organization founded in 2006 that brings together national churches and Christian organizations from across the United States for dialogue, relationship-building, and common witness. The fellowship includes participants from Catholic, Orthodox, Mainline Protestant, Evangelical, Pentecostal, and Historic Black Christian traditions and has often been described as the broadest ecumenical fellowship in the United States.[1]
CCT seeks to foster relationships among Christian communities that historically have had limited engagement with one another and to strengthen Christian witness in society through dialogue, shared prayer, and collaboration. Christian Churches Together represents more than 60 million American Christians across 34 participating communions and organizations. [2]
History
[edit]The origins of Christian Churches Together date to consultations among church leaders beginning in 2001 who sought to create a broader ecumenical forum in the United States that would include Christian traditions often absent from earlier national ecumenical bodies.[3]
Early consultations that led to the creation of Christian Churches Together took place between 2001 and 2005 and were influenced in part by developments in the emerging Global Christian Forum. The Global Christian Forum sought to foster encounter and dialogue among a wide range of Christian traditions—including Evangelical, Pentecostal, Catholic, Orthodox, and historic Protestant churches—that had often participated in separate ecumenical networks.[4]
Consultations were held in Baltimore (2001), Chicago (2002), Pasadena (2003), Houston (2004), and Los Altos (2005). Participants explored ways to foster dialogue and cooperation among Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Evangelical, Pentecostal, and Historic Black churches.
Christian Churches Together was formally established on March 30, 2006, during a gathering in Atlanta, Georgia.[5]
Structure and membership
[edit]Christian Churches Together organizes its participants into several broad family groups reflecting major streams of Christianity in the United States.
| Christian Tradition | Participating Communions |
|---|---|
| Catholic | United States Conference of Catholic Bishops |
| Orthodox | Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese; Armenian Orthodox Church in America; Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America; Orthodox Church in America; Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch (Archdiocese of U.S.) |
| Mainline Protestant | Christian Church (Disciples of Christ); Church of the Brethren; The Episcopal Church Evangelical Lutheran Church in America; International Council of Community Churches; Moravian Church; Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.); Reformed Church in America; United Church of Christ; United Methodist Church |
| Evangelical and Pentecostal | Bruderhof Communities; Christian Reformed Church (in North America); Church of God Ministries (Anderson, IN); Hope For You; International Pentecostal Holiness Church; Salvation Army; Vineyard, U.S.A.; Zomi Baptist Churches of America |
| Historic Black churches | African Methodist Episcopal Church; National Baptist Convention of America; National Baptist Convention, U.S.A; United Church of Jesus Christ (Apostolic) |
Membership also includes national Christian organizations that participate in dialogue, prayer, and collaborative initiatives, such as Bread for the World, Bridge of Hope, the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, Habitat for Humanity, International Justice Mission, and Sojourners.
CCT operates through consensus decision-making, meaning that joint initiatives or statements are undertaken only when all participating traditions support the action.
Approach to ecumenism
[edit]A theological framework often associated with the work of Christian Churches Together is Receptive Ecumenism, which emphasizes learning from other Christian traditions by recognizing the gifts they offer and the areas where one's own tradition may grow.[6]
This approach encourages churches to deepen relationships across theological and cultural differences while pursuing shared Christian witness.
Major initiatives
[edit]Christian Churches Together has addressed a number of social and pastoral issues affecting churches and communities in the United States.
Immigration
[edit]CCT has facilitated dialogue among participating churches regarding immigration policy and the pastoral care of migrant communities.
Racism and racial justice
[edit]The organization has convened discussions and issued statements encouraging churches to address racial injustice and promote reconciliation.[7]
Poverty and economic inequality
[edit]Forum gatherings have addressed poverty and economic justice and the role of churches in responding to these challenges.[8]
Mass incarceration
[edit]Participants have also engaged issues related to criminal justice and mass incarceration through dialogue and shared reflection.
Annual Forums
[edit]Christian Churches Together convenes national gatherings known as Annual Forums, bringing together leaders from participating churches and Christian organizations for worship, theological reflection, and dialogue.
| Year | Location | Theme or Focus |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Atlanta, Georgia | The Launching of Christian Churches Together |
| 2007 | Pasadena, California | Is Jesus’ Proclamation Our Proclamation? |
| 2008 | Baltimore, Maryland / Washington, D.C. | Poverty and Evangelism |
| 2009 | Baltimore, Maryland / Washington, D.C. | Poverty |
| 2010 | Seattle, Washington | Evangelism in an Ecumenical Context |
| 2011 | Birmingham, Alabama | Domestic Poverty and Racism through the Lens of the Civil Rights Movement |
| 2012 | Memphis, Tennessee | The Witness of Martin Luther King Jr. and his “Letter from Birmingham Jail” |
| 2013 | Austin, Texas | Immigration and the Churches’ Response to an Unjust Immigration System |
| 2014 | Newark, New Jersey | Mass Incarceration and its Relationship to Race, Immigration, and the Family |
| 2015 | Houston, Texas | The Changing Face of Faith |
| 2016 | Arlington, Virginia / Washington, D.C. | Racial Reconciliation |
| 2017 | Anaheim, California | Winsome Communication for the Sake of the Gospel |
| 2018 | Wichita, Kansas | A Gospel of Life |
| 2019 | Montgomery, Alabama | A Historic Moment of Lament and Transformation |
| 2020 | Virtual | Do Justice, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly with Your God |
| 2021 | Virtual | Overcoming Polarization through Receptive Ecumenism |
| 2022 | Indianapolis, Indiana | Who Does Jesus Call Our Christian Churches to Be in a Polarized Society? |
| 2023 | Savannah, Georgia | Water that Unites and Water that Divides: Baptism and the Journey to Unity and Reconciliation |
| 2024 | Memphis, Tennessee | Come, Holy Spirit: Renew, Restore, and Reconcile |
| 2025 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | The Light of Life: The Gospel and the Witness of the Church |
Leadership
[edit]Christian Churches Together is led by an Executive Director and governed by a Steering Committee representing participating Christian traditions.
Executive Directors have included:
- Rev. Richard Hamm (2006–2018)
- Rev. Carlos Malavé (2018–2022)
- Dr. Monica Schaap Pierce (2022–present)[9]
See also
[edit]- National Council of Churches
- Global Christian Forum
- Ecumenism
- ^ "Christian Churches Together". United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
- ^ "About Christian Churches Together". Christian Churches Together.
- ^ "History of Christian Churches Together". Christian Churches Together.
- ^ "About the Global Christian Forum". Global Christian Forum.
- ^ Banks, Adelle (2007). "Bush library: Christian Churches Together". Religion News Service.
- ^ Murray, Paul D. (2008). Receptive Ecumenism and the Call to Catholic Learning. Oxford University Press.
- ^ Banks, Adelle (2022). "Christian leaders release prayer addressing U.S. polarization". Religion News Service.
- ^ Wallis, Jim (April 2013). "We Dare Not Postpone Action". Sojourners.
- ^ Banks, Adelle (2022). "Christian Churches Together USA names new executive director". Religion News Service.