ORDINATION POLICY
CIC ORDINATION POLICY
Background to Ordination
CiC acknowledges that there is a scriptural basis for appointing people by the laying on of hands, recognising those instances in the Early Church where an apostle, or someone acting on behalf of an apostle, would, after due consideration, appoint the initial elders and deacons of a local congregation by the laying on of hands with prayer. (References: Acts 6:6; 1 Timothy 3:10; 5:22a.)
CiC also acknowledges that ministry in the Early Church does not appear to have been limited to those who had received the laying on of hands with prayer, although there were times when it was a feature of commissioning into itinerant and parachurch forms of ministry. (References: Acts 13:3; 1 Timothy 4:14; 2 Timothy 1:6.)
CiC is aware that in nearly 2000 years of church history different patterns and interpretations of such appointments have developed, particularly concerning the privileges and responsibilities incumbent on those appointed into various offices and the nature of apostolic authority.
The differences over the privileges and responsibilities incumbent on those appointed into office remain fundamental. Some have come to believe that the Early Church would have limited the administration of baptism, celebration of communion, presiding at weddings and funerals, and ultimately ordaining others to those duly appointed as office holders. Others have continued to doubt this, drawing no such distinction between appointed office holders and congregation members/ believers when it comes to such matters.
The differences over apostolic authority also remain fundamental. Some have held to a view that the validity of ministerial appointment comes from being able to trace a line of laying on of hands back to one of the twelve apostles appointed by Jesus. Others have continued to believe that there are equally valid alternative ways of interpreting apostolic authority. CiC recognises the validity of both models.
CiC came into existence to facilitate the ministries of those called by God to serve Him, both men and women who are already clearly demonstrating their calling through effectively exercising a God-given ability to oversee one or more aspects of ministry within God’s Kingdom. In so doing, CiC recognises and represents such ministries and accredits their ministers, providing means by which these accredited ministers can hold each other to account for the Kingdom’s sake.
Many coming to CiC will already have been set apart for ministry by the laying on of hands with prayer in a local congregation. Some carry titles as a result of a more formal laying on of hands, whilst others eschew titles, preferring to do all they can to close the gap between office-holders and congregation members/ believers. Furthermore, some who carry titles prefer not to limit the administration of baptism, the celebration of communion, presiding at weddings and funerals, etc to themselves and other title holders.
So the move of God that CiC is seeking to facilitate is a broad one and CiC endeavours not only to respect those who have gone before but to be sensitive to those who are pioneering now whilst making space for those in generations to come. All of this goes to explain why Ordination within CiC is not obligatory, neither for administering baptism, nor for presiding at communion, weddings or funerals, nor for the general tasks expected of serving as an accredited minister.
Nonetheless, CiC takes public ministry extremely seriously and seeks to put as much support, and as many safeguards, as it can around those ministers whose ministry gives them a high level of public exposure. It is this that provides the context for Ordination within CiC.
Practicalities of Ordination within CiC
Whilst no CiC minister with a high level of public exposure is obliged to be formally ordained, CiC counts it a privilege to have its President (or his/her delegated representative) lay hands on such ministers, ordaining them into public office in an appropriate public setting in which others can affirm their prayerful support.
Many practices that have grown up around ordination are wholeheartedly embraced by CiC, especially those that are in place to ensure that the ministry of the Church at large can continually be held in high regard within society and that those in a prominent position, and/or whose ministry circumstances require them to take a ministerial title, do nothing to bring the ministry into disrepute.
It has become standard practice that those ministers being formally ordained should have first proved themselves competent. This is important to CiC as Ordination within CiC is neither dependent on, nor determined by, academic levels of qualification in theology or religious studies.
It has also become standard practice that those being ordained should make certain promises commensurate with their office. The CiC ordination pledge sets particular emphasis on integrity in ministry and those ordained within CiC are required to register their names against the pledges made.
Furthermore, CiC emphasises that those ordained by the President of CiC (or his/her delegated representative) are not ordained into CiC but into the ministry of the Church at large and are expected to behave and speak accordingly in the fulfilment of their ministry.
Ordination within CiC, therefore, is an ordination of proven people into public ministry by the President of CiC (or his/her delegated representative) based on pledges designed to uphold the high-standing of the Church and Christian ministry in society.
Within CiC all accredited ministers are treated as equal, whether or not they are ordained and regardless of what title they may take.
Breadth of recognition of Ordination
Even though CiC Ordination is compatible with Ordination in many branches of the Church, Ordination is not always transferable between Christian denominations. This is particularly true where a denomination regards Ordination as a setting apart into a sacramental ministry and regards its sacramental ministry as the exclusive preserve of those who are ordained in and by that denomination. Nonetheless, such denominations may still recognise Ordination in other denominations, including Ordination within CiC, as valid for ministry in circles beyond their own.