Christian Churches Together

Christian Churches Together in the USA (CCT) is an organization formed in 2007 to "broaden and expand fellowship, unity and witness among the diverse expressions of Christian traditions in the USA."[1]

Christian Churches Together states that its purpose is to create as a place where people of widely differing Christian backgrounds can come together for dialog and sharing, to seek common ground rather than debate differences. It does not attempt to combine Christian faiths or compromise their distinctiveness. Rather, CCT was created as a space for dialogue and cooperation among churches and a variety of ecumenical Christian ministry organizations. It provides a context in which churches can develop relationships with other churches with whom they presently have little or no contact.

Christian Churches Together includes most, if not all, the Christian traditions in the USA. It also includes non-denominational Christian organizations.

The major activity of the organization is an annual meeting. In the past few years the topics addressed at the annual meeting included evangelism, poverty and racism. The topic for the 2012 annual meeting will be immigration. The CCT can only speak out on issues in which all the churches agree.

History

In 2001, a number of US churches leaders began discussing the possibility of forming a new organization that would provide a broader-based space than that provided by the National Council of Churches or the National Association of Evangelicals. On September 7–8, 2001, various American church leaders met informally in Baltimore to explore whether or not the time had come to “create a new, more inclusive body.” At the meeting no votes were taken, but there was a strong desire among the participants for a broader structure of some kind that would include all the major groupings of churches.

This conversation continued in Chicago (April 4 – 6, 2002), in Pasadena (January 27 – 29, 2003) in Houston (January 7 – 9, 2004) and in Los Altos (June 1 – 3, 2005) with an ever expanding and more diverse group of Christian leaders. As a result of these efforts, 34 churches and organizations formed Christian Churches Together in the USA in Atlanta on March 30, 2006.

Participants in CCT includes churches and associations of churches that are national in scope and national Christian organizations. The number of Christian organizations is limited to twenty percent of the total number of participants. Participant churches and organizations must accept and endorse the theological basis and purposes of the CCT. They must agree to attend meetings on a regular basis and to pay the dues established.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Christian Churches Together homepage

External links

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