The Celtic Anabaptist Communion Statement of Principles

The Celtic Anabaptist Communion puts forth the following Statement of Principles to help the world understand who we are:

The Celtic Anabaptist Communion adheres to the Apostles Creed as a general statement of Christian faith.

The CAC is neither Roman Catholic nor Protestant but rather we adhere to a "third way" -- that of the Anabaptists and Celtic Christians.

The CAC seeks to walk a middle way between legalism and license.

The CAC recognizes a kinship with certain aspects of Wesleyan, Anglican, and Eastern Christian spirituality.

The CAC reaches out in fellowship to Christians of different traditions and backgrounds and will seek intercommunion agreements with other jurisdictions.

The CAC believes in all the gifts of the Spirit, while not holding to a Pentecostal or Charismatic interpretation of them.

The CAC believes in religious liberty and freedom of conscience in doctrinal matters. We affirm the four Baptist freedoms: soul freedom, church freedom, Bible freedom, and religious freedom.

With John Wesley, the CAC affirms that, "...as to all opinions which do not strike at the root of Christianity, we think and let think." Also, "if your heart is with my heart, give me your hand."

The CAC affirms the Quaker, Wesleyan, and Arminian Baptist view of John 1:9.

The CAC believes in separation of church and state.

We do not endorse any form of New Age philosophy, "re-imaging," neo-paganism, goddess-worship, etc.; we are not an "anything goes" Communion. We are opposed to syncretistic Christianity.

The CAC does ordain women to all levels of ministry.

We do not discriminate against divorced and/or remarried people.

The CAC does not ordain practicing homosexuals or perform same-sex unions, nor do we endorse or recognize those jurisdictions which do so.

We believe in the communion of saints and the "great cloud of witnesses."

We believe in the stewardship of the earth.

The CAC affirms the teaching of Romans Chapter 2, and other verses, that God Who is infinitely just, merciful, and loving provides a way of salvation for those who have never heard of Christ.

The Celtic Anabaptist Communion affirms the fact that the word translated "eternal" in relation to hell in the New Testament does not mean eternal in the original languages, but rather means an "eon," or "age," -- a long, indefinite period of time. Consequently, the CAC does not affirm an unconditional universalism, an unconditional eternal hell, nor annihilationism. The CAC thus allows for freedom of conscience on details of the afterlife.

The CAC believes abortion as a means of birth control is murder.

The Celtic Anabaptist Communion holds to the doctrine of the priesthood of every believer, and thus we believe that any Christian may administer the sacraments, including consecration of the bread and wine of the Lord's Supper.

The CAC holds that the outward sacraments are not required for salvation, or for membership in the Body of Christ.

God alone is holy and to be revered; therefore, the CAC does not believe in using exalted and exaggerated minister's titles such as "Reverend," "Most Reverend," "Very Reverend," "Your Holiness," etc., etc.

The Celtic Anabaptist Communion does not require reordination of ordained clergy affiliating from other Christian denominations.

The CAC allows its members dual affiliation with other Christian denominations/fellowships/communions.

The CAC allows and encourages local groups of believers to ordain their own ministers, with or without the presence and participation of ordained clergy.

The Celtic Anabaptist Communion believes in the autonomy of the local church. The local church can own its property; it can call and ordain its ministers; and any financial giving beyond the local church is strictly voluntary.

The CAC does not hold to Roman Catholic doctrines of the church, the ministry, the sacraments, or of Mary, the mother of Jesus.

The CAC, unlike many Protestant communions, but in accord with Anglicanism and Methodism, holds that reason, tradition, and experience are also sources of authority for the church, but that these are secondary to the Spirit and the Bible.

The CAC holds to traditional Christian moral and ethical values. Such values will never be subject to any kind of vote by CAC members/clergy. These issues will never be determined by majority opinion as in most mainline denominations. Ageless truths cannot be altered by whims of popular culture. Furthermore, any CAC minister proven to be engaging in immoral and unethical practices is subject to the immediate revoking of their ministerial credentials.

The CAC will never charge a fee for ordination. In Matthew 10:8, Jesus said, "...Freely you have received, freely give."