Hello

Not every one wants to belong to 'an Order' and instead may feel the need to belong to 'a church' so we have created 'a family of St James' to which anyone of faith and good intent may freely belong.

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(For the record, we do not teach anything different to the Order of St James but we may express things differently and perhaps a little more easily.  There is no difference or conflict of teaching but perhaps a difference in perception.)

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The Nazarene Community Church of St James (or Nazarene Church of St James or Nazarene Community of St James) gives you a name and identity without restricting your ministry or tying you to a specific place or denominational style. It is not canon driven but shaped by meeting need and biblically based authenticity. 

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Why have we chosen this name? We need some kind of identity so this name has been very carefully chosen and is loaded with historical relevance and scriptural meaning.  

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Nazarene reflects the name given to the early followers of Jesus. 

 

Community because that is what we are and how we are structured.  We may be separated by distance but not by connection.

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Church because we are connected by belief and faith.  We are part of the communion of saints.

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And finally, St James, because he is our central point of formation.  Jesus taught, St James showed us how to put those teachings into daily practice.

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So who was St James?

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The first bishop of Jerusalem and he knew Jesus intimately.  Brother of our Lord.  But not exactly Christian as we might understand today.  He sits between Judaism and Christianity in those early formative days.  He is key to our understanding, outworking and expression of faith, and had first hand experience and knowledge of the teachings of Jesus and was able to apply these things within the context and power of a simple and freely enacted Godly love.  Quite simply, he is our 'closest to Christ' model of ministry.

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Unlike St Paul, a self appointed 'apostle', who neither met Jesus physically or heard him speak, nor was called as an apostle or was chosen by Jesus to be amongst the twelve. We question therefore his absolute assumption of authority over the teachings of the Jerusalem Church and raise question over some, but not all of his teachings, especially where it differs from or adds unnecessarily to the teachings of Christ, or is 'novel' and unsupported by scripture, or has been hijacked by Paul as given to him alone when it was already commonly accepted knowledge amongst the Christian community. 

 

So, Paul's authority we question as unauthenticated and unsupported although we do not dispute the spiritual relevance and heart felt authenticity of some of his words.  That does not mean he can be trusted unchallenged or that his words can be considered entirely as 'gospel'.  That would simply be imprudent given the scriptural evidence.  There is spiritual truth to be found in his sayings, but not all of them.  Some are little more than his personal opinions and some have no scriptural basis at all.

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So, a twelve point summary overview of what we intend to represent as 'a church/community':-

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1. we are Christocentric - Jesus' teachings are complete in themselves and there are no secrets or hidden teachings.  His words are fully complete and contain all that is necessary and sufficient for salvation in their own right, therefore nothing needs to be added.  Jesus words are 'final' and are the basis and foundation of all we believe and trust.  They are our primary foundation and source of faith.  This is why we call ourselves 'Christian' and those who follow the teachings of St Paul or others should not claim what is not theirs to claim.

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2. we are not Pauline in our theology.  A Pauline view of faith is not a wholly biblically based Christocentric view of our faith as we understand it but one that has been added to and corrupted.  That is not to say the teachings of St Paul don't have value, but a critical approach is appropriate when considering them.  The gospel of St Paul quite different to the Gospel Jesus preached, and Paul's view of Christ is based on his own views and interpretations of Christ rather than being based on first hand experience.  Paul states that faith is sufficient and completely discounts the requirements of the two great commandments - love has nothing to do with salvation and that we are predestined in our calling.  Predestination says we have no control about our future and it is fixed forever.  So why bother?  So what of our God given free will? What place does free will play in our faith if all the outcomes are pre-destined? Surely this is not what God had planned way back in Genesis?

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3. we place St James as the pre-eminent and first bishop of the Christian church, not Paul or Peter.  Also, the Church community in Jerusalem is pre-eminent in relation to all other Christian communities, including Rome.  It is essentially a Jewish interpretation of the Christ and His mission which is then adapted to include those who are not from the Jewish family but have a place in the new and inclusive community of believers.

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4. we acknowledge the Jewish credentials and origins of the Christian church.  We should never forget that Jesus was a Jew and that simple fact has implications for us all in that it shapes and colours all his teaching.  We accept that non-Jews were part of this new family by adoption and a new expression of faith was required to include gentile believers which resulted in the formation of what we now consider to be the beginnings of the Christian church.  It is still based on the two great commandments and fulfils all that is required by law but is fully inclusive above and beyond Jewish teaching.  The Law yet remains the guide, not the object of our devotion and practice, and we have much to learn from it without being bound to it.

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5. we do not accept the authority of those who teach St Paul, or others, over Christ.  They are welcome to their opinion, but opinion is not (in our opinion) the basis of spiritual and scripturally based truth.  Only Christ can save us, not Paul or any one else or any other organisation who claims to represent Christ.  That includes denominationally based churches who claim ultimate authority but who pick and choose what they teach for their own ends rather than teach full, complete and incorruptible  bible truths for the sake of God and mankind.

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6. neither do we accept the authority of those who teach those things not taught by Jesus or who have corrupted or deviated from or contradict his teaching.  Nor do we accept 'historical discernment' as legitimate Christian teaching if it contradicts even one word of the teachings of Christ.

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7. we teach that the basis of all Christian theology is based on the precepts of the two great commandments, love God and love your neighbour. All other is in deficit or is to be considered secondary interpretation.  It has lesser authority if any at all.

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8. we consider the words of the Lord's Prayer as the basis of the first and only valid Christian creed.  In particular you need to be aware of who our prayers are directed to.  This should help you understand whether there is a universal and valid expression of the idea of the Trinity and how it apples to Jesus himself.

 

9.we consider the Epistle of St James as being worthy and equal in stature to the synoptic Gospels.

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10. we acknowledge the biblical views of gender, fatherhood, marriage, abortion, sexuality, family and the priesthood remain God's plan for His people.  For Jesus, marriage, fidelity and family, is central to community and faith, perhaps more so than the priesthood.  Parenthood is a calling and ministry in its own right.

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11. we accept and encourage spirituality rather than expecting our members to compliantly follow the rules of religion. It is better to do those things that are right rather than do as you are told and follow the rules, codes, expressions and language of formalised practices and liturgies, and regulations of faith.  Those things will not save anyone no matter how perfectly observed.  Only God can save, not man, and free will is a protected gift of God in order that love and obedience given is of the highest order and intent.  This is perfect love. 

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12. we accept that our expression of faith, liturgy, canon and practice, can take many different forms and there is no one better than another, only one that is appropriate to our circumstances and need and that of the needs of those around us.  What is right for one may not be right for another, but that does not absolve us in any way from taking responsibility for our decisions in the eyes of God.​​

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Do not expect acceptance from the wider church for our beliefs or what we do.  We challenge their authority and supposed orthodoxy by simply existing and seeking a genuine biblically based truth for a genuinely Christ centred faith and practice.  In Christ alone is enough for our foundation.

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-oOo-

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Just to remind you, we are an apostolic community and have the right to ordain our own priests and license our own pastors and eucharistic and other ministers.  We can do this as we are of an apostolic nature and foundation. We believe our authority and episcopal lines originate from St James himself but in the end our relationship with God and Christ are sufficient in themselves.  We don't need to prove anything in human terms when there is evidence of real ministry to be seen. 

 

If you feel called then please talk to us.  I have my own personal preference as to how my understanding of ministry may be expressed but I also know it is not the only one.  Try me!  Test me!  Convince me!  Let me make things happen for you and enable genuine God given ministry if you need 'authority'.

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Although we have agreed forms of liturgy and practice, none are prescribed, only those things which are appropriate to need in the service of God.  Foundationally, we seek to serve God and our neighbour in our individual and collective ministries.  His way over our way is our preferred way.

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Please note that all our clergy are volunteers and we don't support the principle of salaried ministry. 

 

If you are interested then contact me.  No one has the right to deny ministry, for to deny it is to deny God.  Ministry simply is the love of God in action.  Deny that at your peril!

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​Contact:  fr.ian.osj@gmail.com

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 Rt Rev Ian Walton is the Executive Bishop of OSJ (UK) and can be contacted regarding authorisation of ministry and ministry training by those seeking ordination based on evidential  experience and current practice.  We really do want to encourage validated ministry so let's go for it.

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