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The Holy Catholic Church

The Friends of God

 

Thoughts on the Holy Catholic Church

 

‡ Most Rev. H. A. Spruit

 

I do most reverently believe in the Holy Catholic church, regarding which, it may be ventured:

 

  • It is a "Church" in the sense of a worldwide fellowship of spiritual explorers, linked together by a certain universal kind of approach to God.

 

  • It is "Catholic" (a spacious word derived from ancient Greek: "kata" which means according to, and "holikos" meaning the whole) because it includes the members of all the Churches of God -- Eastern Catholic, Roman Catholic, Anglican, Nestorian, Coptic, high, middle, low, and all others -- provided that they as individuals be sincere friends of God and obedient to Him, according to their hearing of His voice.

 

  • It is "Holy" because it includes the holy ones here on earth that belong to each division and subsection of the Whole, as well as those who have gone beyond the veil of illusion who are friends of God and listen to His voice.

 

  • The single, all inclusive and indispensable Rule of its Founder, binding on all members is this: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart, and with all thy Soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind, and thy neighbor as thyself" (Luke 10:27). Everything of ultimate significance in this Church stems from the Rule.

 

  • It has no absolute canons, decrials or injunctions with regard to policy, ritual or structure; all members being encouraged to fulfill their own inner need with all charity and sincerity, doing all things in an orderly manner as befits the Children of God.

 

  • Its theology deals primarily with the direct experience of God. Its philosophy deals with value, the highest human value -- holiness of life. Therefore, it esteems all devotional means, including sacramental, according to the measure of their effectiveness in helping toward the attainments of these great ends.

 

  • Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is its Supreme Bishop, and its highest Exemplar of Holiness (Col. 1:18). He is also its Supreme Advocate of Wholeness, meaning Catholicity, meaning Unity (Jn. 17:21).

 

  • Its Source of Continuing Life is the Holy Spirit, the Giver of Life, the special Gift of the Father's love and concern.

 

  • Its Roster of Saints includes all holy persons who have followed with all their hearts and minds in the Way of Christ, in the many divisions of the Whole Church, during the whole time since Jesus ascended on high: also all non-Christian souls who have greatly hungered and thirsted after God, everywhere, any time.