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COTACF CHARTER

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COTACF CHARTER
cotacf-charter
Ecclesiastical Charter and Canons
Of The
Church of the Ancient Christian Faith
A Holy Synodal Communion and Fellowship of Churches

To all the faithful in Christ, Health, Peace, Joy, and Apostolic Benediction
in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Ecclesiastical Charter


Article 1. Motive: For the holy people of God, it is essential to act always, and in every manner
appropriate, to ensure the unity in Christ of the consecrated shepherds, pastors, and other ministers
of His Holy Church. It is the responsibility of each shepherd thereof, that is, of each deacon, presbyter
and bishop in the Church of God, to act in accordance with the ancient and apostolic Christian faith so
as to meet this ever-present need.

Article 2. Foundation and Establishment: Now, therefore, in execution of this sacred
responsibility, We, the Holy Synod of the Church of the Ancient Christian Faith, believing
ourselves to be called of Christ and moved of the Holy Spirit in behalf of His Holy Church and her
children throughout the world, and being fully authorized through our sacred Episcopal consecrations
and the powers thereunto appertaining, by these presents, ratify this Ecclesiastical Charter of the
Church of the Ancient Christian Faith, with the provisions that such ecumenical, apostolic,
orthodox, and catholic, Holy Synodal Communion and Fellowship of sacramental, liturgical, and
episcopal churches, ministries, communities and ministers shall be and forever remain in the
apostolic tradition of the historic undivided church, and shall be in fellowship with all Christian
churches, clergy, religious, and faithful, maintaining and observing sound, undefiled apostolic,
orthodox, and catholic doctrine, traditions, discipline, order and sacramental communion.

Article 3. Purposes, Goals and Objectives: The purposes of the Church of the Ancient
Christian Faith are to proclaim the Good News of our Lord Jesus Christ in accordance with His
command: "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of
the Son, and of the Holy Spirit; Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded
you." [Matthew 28:19-20]; and to promote the Christian faith in the fullness of apostolic, orthodox,
and catholic tradition which includes the full spectrum of local rites and traditions throughout the
world; to unite believers on the basis of apostolic, orthodox, and catholic teachings and traditions, in
accordance with the genuine apostolic tradition, for their moral benefit and the satisfaction of their
religious needs; to mutually assist believers united in the Christian faith, by means of prayers,
worship, teaching, and religious discipline, in attaining salvation through participation in the
sacraments and Christian enlightenment, worthy life, and Christian charity; and to undertake
charitable works for the good and welfare of the community. Furthermore, the purposes of the Church
are to provide sacraments and spiritual ministrations for persons of the Christian faith; to witness and
show forth Christian unity, and to establish for this purpose, an absolutely independent, ecumenical,
ecclesiastical Synodal body in which each member episcopal ordinary jurisdiction is absolutely
coequal with all others; to provide for the extension and missionary activity of the Christian faith; to
provide for the instruction and training of the spiritual children and adherents of the apostolic,
orthodox, and catholic Christian faith; and to purchase, sell, hold, administer and dispose of real and
personal property, for the benefit of the Church or of any diocese, parish, congregation, mission,
religious, benevolent, charitable or other institution which may hereafter become a part of, or
affiliated with the Church, and to do and perform any religious work or activity, and to do and
perform any and all acts necessary and proper to further the purposes and objects hereinbefore
contained. The goals and objectives of the Church of the Ancient Christian Faith are to promote
Christian unity; to present the apostolic, orthodox, and catholic Christian faith to any and all people
in all its purity and apostolic fullness, in all the power of the Holy Spirit, in the unity to which the
disciples of Christ are called by His own command; and to provide the people of God with sacraments
and divine services, pastoral care and spiritual guidance, and apostolic, orthodox, and catholic
preaching and teaching of the Holy Gospel.

Article 4. Autonomy: There shall be no rule of general applicability regulating ritual usages,
religious orders or communities, liturgical calendars, service books, rules of prayer or habit,
ecclesiastical vesture, liturgical vestments, or similar matters in this Church.
We agree with Photius of Constantinople (Epist. iii, sec. 6, circa 800 A.D.), "In cases where the thing
disregarded is not the faith, and is no falling away from any general and catholic decree, different
rites and customs being observed among different people, a man who knows how to judge rightly
would decide that neither do those who observe them act wrongly, nor do those who have not
received them break the law" and with Anthimus of Constantinople (Reply of the Orthodox Church to
Roman Catholic Overtures on Reunion, sec. 5, circa 1895 A.D.), "... we do not at all refer to the
differences regarding the ritual of the sacred services and the hymns, or the sacred vestments, and
the like, which matters, even though they still vary, as they did of old, do not in the least injure the
substance and unity of the faith...". All such matters are within the sole authority and competence of
the ordinary Bishops of constituent bodies of the Church. Each local Bishop shall establish the ritual
usages in his ordinary jurisdiction. English is the official administrative language of the Church.

Article 5. Member Jurisdictions: Any jurisdiction of the Holy Church (regardless of its particular
ritual orientation, or its national, racial, or ethnic identity) that is apostolic, orthodox, catholic,
sacramental, liturgical, and episcopal in polity within the Apostolic Succession, may join the Church
by attesting, to any bishop currently seated on the Holy Synod of the Church, that it is in agreement
with the provisions of this Ecclesiastical Charter and the doctrinal and disciplinary positions and
purposes, goals and objectives of the Church of the Ancient Christian Faith, and that it wishes
to associate with the Church. Any such applicant jurisdiction will be accepted upon verification of its
qualification, unless it is denied membership for some genuine grave cause (such as some grave
scandal to the faithful). The general posture of the Church is a warm and open welcome to new
member jurisdictions. Jurisdictions may freely join the Church, and may freely relinquish their
membership without prejudice. Jurisdictions that join the Church are expected to remain in regular
contact with other member jurisdictions; remaining in isolation for more than one quarter, (90 days)
may be cause for revocation of membership.

Article 6. Individuals and Groups: Individuals, who are not Bishops and non-diocesan
communities, societies, etc., may join the Church by application to any member jurisdiction of the
Church, following the application methods and requirements thereof.

Article 7. Nature of Membership: Membership in the Church is entirely ecclesiastical; it does not
give any member any membership rights or voting rights in any legal corporation that is in any way
connected to the Church of the Ancient Christian Faith, except insofar as may be specified in
the Articles of Incorporation and/or By-Laws of any such corporation. Membership in the Church of
the Ancient Christian Faith does not constitute a civil, secular, legal contractual arrangement or
contract of any kind whatsoever, nor does it constitute an employer – employee relationship of any
kind whatsoever; and all members are personally responsible, each individually, for their own housing
and subsistence, and support of every kind. There are no civil, secular, legal benefits of any kind
which accrue by virtue of membership in the Church of the Ancient Christian Faith. It is our express
intention that each jurisdiction within the Church of the Ancient Christian Faith, including any such a
jurisdiction which has a Bishop and/or a Priest- Administrator or which has lost its Bishop and/or
Priest-Administrator, shall be a separate entity, one from another, for all purposes of civil, secular
law. In the Church of the Ancient Christian Faith, no one shall be disqualified from membership, from
any office, or from Holy Orders, nor shall membership, voting, office, or any rights or privileges be
denied or prejudiced, by reason of race, color, ethnicity, or national origin, nor by reason of ritual or
traditional identity.

Article 8. Freedom and Ecumenicity: The Church of the Ancient Christian Faith is and
shall remain free in Christ and does not have, nor claim, nor seek, organic ecclesiastical affiliation
with any Patriarchal See (i.e., not with Rome, Jerusalem, Alexandria, Antioch, Constantinople, or
Moscow), nor with the See of Canterbury, nor with any Sees of the Eastern Churches. Unilaterally, in
the Christian charity enjoined upon us by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, we hold our communion
open to the sacred clergy, religious and faithful of those historic Sees. The Church is now and shall
remain truly ecumenical; that is, the Church of the Ancient Christian Faith considers all believing
Christians to be within the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church of God and treats all believing
Christians, including those who are not apostolic, orthodox, and catholic, as brothers and sisters in
Christ and members of His Holy Church. This does not mean that we do not see any difference
amongst the various denominations and confessions; rather, we see the members of those various
bodies as varying in how they have received the fullness of apostolic, orthodox, and catholic faith and
discipline. We reject the idea that any baptized person who honestly believes the Good News of Jesus
Christ and truly confesses Christ as Lord can or should be excluded from His Holy Church. With
respect to ecclesiastical discipline, the most ancient disciplinary norms and procedures shall be
followed to the extent possible, remembering the ancient principle: "In necessary things, unity; in
doubtful things, liberty; in all things, charity." Unity in the faith is essential; in matters of discipline,
the Church's catholicity is proven by local variety.

Article 9. Concerning Controversies: As to certain controversies which have disturbed His Holy
Church from time to time, the rules of the Church of the Ancient Christian Faith are:
§1. Both Eastern and Western traditional ecclesiastical calendars and Paschalions may be followed;
no single calendar rule shall be imposed.
§2. The matter of Holy Eucharist/Communion is to be determined by the local Episcopate in
consideration of the composition of their community within the frameworks of the instructed within
the Gospel.
§3. Baptism may be by trine immersion in water or trine pouring of water, in accordance with
Chapter VII of The Didache, but not by sprinkling.
§4. Marriage is itself a sacred vocation and it is no impediment to Holy Orders at any rank or at any
time.
§5. Abortion, infanticide, and euthanasia all are homicide and cannot be treated as less.
§6. Non-abortifacient birth control is within the conscience, discretion, and competence of the
prospective parents.
§7. Only men may be ordained to the Holy Orders of Deacon, Priest, and Bishop; The separate and
distinct order of Deaconess is permitted.

Article 10. Apostolic, Orthodox, and Catholic: As an apostolic, orthodox, and catholic church,
the ordinary jurisdictions of the Bishop members of the Church are, of course, apostolic, orthodox,
and catholic, liturgical, and sacramental. These same ordinary jurisdictions are "catholic" in the same
sense as the word is used by Saint Irenaeus of Lyons: "the Catholic Church possesses one and the
same faith throughout the whole world" [St. Irenaeus, Chapter X of Against Heresies, circa 180 Anno Domini] and by Saint Vincent of Lerins: "Now in the Catholic Church itself we take the greatest care to hold
that which has been believed everywhere, always and by all. That is truly and properly 'Catholic,' as
is shown by the very force and meaning of the word, which comprehends everything almost
universally. We shall hold to this rule if we follow universality [i.e. ecumenicity], antiquity, and
consent. We shall follow universality if we acknowledge that one Faith to be true which the whole
Church throughout the world confesses; antiquity if we in no wise depart from those interpretations
which it is clear that our ancestors and fathers proclaimed; consent, if in antiquity itself we keep
following the definitions and opinions of all, or certainly nearly all, Bishops and doctors alike." [The
"Vincentian Canon", 434 Anno Domini, St. Vincent of Lerins, Chapter IV of the Commonitorium.] Accordingly, it is absolutely accurate, true, and historically precise to characterize the Priests of the Church as "Catholic Priests." In all writings and publications of the Church, under all circumstances, the word "catholic" has the meaning explicated in this Article. The Church is also "orthodox" in its plain meaning: truebelieving, true-teaching, true-worshiping. The Church is Catholic but not Papal, Orthodox but not
Eastern or Western.

Article 11. Faith and Doctrine: The primary Profession of Faith of the Church is the ancient and
venerable Apostles' Creed [Symbolum Apostolorum]. St. Irenaeus and Tertullian both provide verification
of the ancient Creed of the Christian Faith at the end of the second century. The Apostles' Creed meets
the Vincentian criteria for Catholicity: antiquity, universality and consent. The member jurisdictions
of the Church may likewise hold and subscribe to the Nicene Creed and the Athanasian Creed.
The Church accepts the universally accepted canon of the Old Testament and the New Testament. The
Septuagint Version of the Holy Scriptures shall, in no way, be forbidden any community of the
C.A.C.F. in which adherence to such a version is the local tradition.

Note: It is the Tradition of this church to hold any “doctrinal position or proposals” based exclusively upon those books within the Septuagint Version of the Holy Scriptures collectively known as the Apocrypha as “suspect” and therefore worthy of confirmation in accordance with both the “universally accepted” canon and the Testimony of the Fathers.
And also considers as works worthy of reading in Church some which were at one time considered
"canonical," including the First and Second Letters of St. Clement of Rome to the Corinthians, The
Didache, and the letters of St. Ignatius of Antioch and St. Polycarp of Smyrna. Other books of The
Apostolic Fathers are also held in high regard, e.g., The Shepherd of Hermes, the Epistle of Barnabas,
the Epistle to Diognetus, the Martyrdom of Polycarp, and the Fragments of Papias.
In short, the Church holds that the faith and discipline of the Church of God in the Apostolic Era and
the following two centuries, (The Ante-Nicene Era) when the apostolic teaching was well
remembered, was and is the full and complete apostolic, orthodox, and catholic faith and discipline;
And holds that nothing whatever dating thereafter (particularly, nothing dating after the intervention
of the Emperor Constantine in and after 325 Anno Domini, and of his successors on the imperial
throne, in the governance of the Holy Church) which innovated upon that earlier, pristine apostolic,
orthodox, and catholic faith and discipline may be considered to be necessary to salvation or binding
upon the people of God.

Article 12. Governance: The Church is genuinely fraternal with respect to the relation of the
Bishops one to another. Every Bishop is the Ordinary of his local particular Diocese and has over him
Jesus Christ, Our Lord, Savior, High Priest and King, Who is the sole Head of Holy Church. The
Church will plan to bring all the member bishops together in Holy Synod in August of every year for
an annual discussion and edification of the body. (Multiple means may be employed to accomplish
this, to include (in order of priority) but not limited to in person gatherings, internet conferences, and
phone conferences.) In any matter requiring a decision amongst the bishops, they should always
attempt to reach consensus in true charity. This Charter cannot be amended except by unanimous
consent of the bishops. It shall stand as the organizing and founding constitution of the Church of
the Ancient Christian Faith.

Article 13. Civil Incorporation: The Church shall be legally incorporated in the State of Virginia.
If the church dissolves, all assets will be given to one or more non-profit religious groups who has
legitimate 501(c)(3) status with the Internal Revenue Service.

Article 14. Civil Law: All members, in their civil business, corporations, etc., must comply with
national/federal, provincial/state, and local secular civil and criminal laws and regulations, and must
undertake everything honestly and ethically, holding the Church and all the other members thereof
harmless and free of liability. Hereby, every member is strongly exhorted to honest, decent, moral,
behavior, in accord with Christian teachings and beliefs, and to comply with national/federal,
provincial/state, and local secular civil and criminal laws and regulations as a law-abiding citizen;
anyone who fails to do so is solely and personally liable for his or her actions or omissions. Moral
turpitude is an absolute cause for expulsion from this Church. All members of the Church are
expected and required hereby to always act legally and with financial responsibility, both in their
private lives and their ministries. The Church disclaims all responsibility and liability of any kind
whatsoever for any and every kind of debt contracted by any member of the Church which is incurred
without proper and explicit prior written authorization and/or in violation of the Church's rules.
Priests must particularly take care to keep accurate records of the sacraments officiated and to comply
with laws and regulations with regard to baptisms, marriages, divorces, burials, and other rites,
including those dealing with filing of records or with religious organizations, non-profit organizations,
fund-raising, etc.; and must acquaint themselves with the laws and regulations in their localities. The
Church does not train anyone for, and does not authorize anyone to engage in, any kind of civillyregulated
professional counseling. All members of the Church are forbidden to perform any kind of
civilly-regulated professional counseling on the basis of membership, position, or rank in the Church,
and are forbidden to represent themselves as any kind of civilly-regulated professional counselor on
the basis of membership in the Church.

Article 15. Recognition of Orders: The matter of recognition of Holy Orders shall be resolved
before any new member is admitted to the Church of the Ancient Christian Faith. The general
policy of the Church is recognition of Holy Orders properly conferred in the lines of Apostolic
Succession through the Eastern and Western Orthodox Churches, the Patriarchal Sees, the See of
Canterbury, and the Sees of the Eastern Churches. Old Catholic and various independent Orthodox,
Catholic, and Anglican lines of succession are generally founded in the older lines described above, as
well as any certificate of ordination from a reputable Christian Body. The Church will take into
consideration time served as minister/pastor over a congregation when making its decision. In the
event that the Church can not recognize the Orders or ordination of a prospective member or member
body, it will make available a means to receive a minister’s license and then ordination at a later date
if the prospective member is so inclined to do so. At such a time the prospective member will be
required to read all documents pertinent to membership in the Church and sign that they agree to
such.

Article 16 Grant of Charter to Jurisdictions: This Ecclesiastical Charter of the Church of the
Ancient Christian Faith is granted to each member jurisdiction in good order.

Article 17 Inalienable Perpetual Existence: The Church of the Ancient Christian Faith
shall exist in perpetuity and shall exist in any place and in any nation where there is even one
member. May God prosper and bless this work in His Name and to His Glory. Amen.


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