Synod of Saint Timothy
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Christian Church – Synod of Saint Timothy is a synod or communion of local Christian churches (currently active only in the United States) that was established as an autocephalous body in 2004. The Synod, though linked through apostolic succession (i.e., the historical episcopate) to the Latin, Greek, and Oriental Christian Churches, has no canonical or administrative ties to the mainstream Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, or Oriental Orthodox churches. The Synod is linked, to a limited extent, with the Independent Catholic and Old Catholic movements.
The Synod is governed by an Episcopal Council that is required to meet once every three years, in which the bishops, other clergy, and laity of the Synod meet to discuss items of import. It is the stated preference that all decisions be made by consensus.
The Synod is a liturgical body, with each congregation worshipping according to their own local use. Guidelines exist for worship, but a wide variety of rites are employed. Only ordination rites are mandated for verbatium usage in the Synod.
The Synod was founded upon an Ignatian model of the episcopate, with bishops in the historic episcopate serving (whenever possible) as local pastors, assisted by presbyters, deacons, and deaconesses. A presiding bishop is chosen by the Synod's Episcopal Council to coordinate activities. The current presiding bishop is Bishop Craig (Mar Martin) Davis of Hagerstown, Indiana. Congregations and ministries of the Synod exist in Georgia, Indiana, Ohio, Tennessee, and Texas as of August 2006.
The life of the Synod is outlined in The Book of Common Life. This publication includes the ancient Creeds that the Synod subscribes to, the Synod’s Articles of Religion, its governing guidelines and moral standards, and the liturgical baseline for the Synod. At the time of this writing (September 2006) the book is scheduled for publication in early 2007.
Members of the Synod refer to themselves in varying manners. Some simply choose to call themselves Christians, while others prefer the terms Primitive Catholic and Primitive Orthodox. The body, while claiming valid apostolic succession from both eastern and western sources, is not affiliated with either the Roman Catholic Church or the Eastern or Oriental Orthodox Churches. They are, however, in Altar and Pulpit Fellowship (i.e., intercommunion) with the Old Catholic Orthodox Church and the Celtic Episcopal Church, and maintains a close friendship with the Antiochian Catholic Church in America.
