Peace

[Priestly1]

I am 42. Married. Father of 8 Children (Desiree@22, Stephano@15, Sierra@11, Kenneth@10, Patricia@7, Juda@4, Hanna@2) and One on the way. I am an Orthodox Catholic Clergyman. I was ordained Deacon in March of 2002, made a Presbyter on June 3, 2003 and elevated to missionary Bishop on June 5, 2003. I separated from my Eastern Jurisdiction on November 15, 2005 because the American Eparchy became corrupt by unbiblical doctrines, historical heresies, judaizing and attempts at Romanizing the Archbishop seat. In december 2005 i, my family and my ministry was welcomed into the Western Rite Orthodox Church USA (Orthodox Old Catholic). I have been ill since then with terminal end stage renal disease. On Febuary 11, 2008 my Sister Rochelle donated her Kidney (Perfect Match) and I am almost fully recovered...and doing fine. No more Hemodialysis!!

Schools Church attended and Religious Movement affiliated with
I attended Cederhurst Elementary School 71 - 77 Roman Catholic, Assembly of God and American Baptist (Charismatic-Jesus Movement)
I attended Honeydew Elementary School 77 - 78 American Baptist (Charismatic - Jesus Movement)
I attended New life Christian Academy 78 - 79 American Baptist (Jesus Movement - Jews for Jesus)
I attended Seattle Regular baptist School 79 - 80 American Baptist (Jesus Movement - Jews for Jesus)
I attended Western Mennonite High School 80 - 81 Valley Christian Fellowship (Jesus - Restoration movement)
I attended Valley Christian Academy 81 - 82 Valley Christian Fellowship (Jesus - Restoration Movement)
I attended Seattle Christian High School 82 - 83 Christian Faith Center (Word of Faith Movement) Mother died 10/18/82
I attended Gig Harbor High School 83 - 84 Episcopal Church USA
I attended Tacoma Community College 83 - 84 Episcopal Church USA
I attended Linn/Benton Community College 85 - 86 Mennonite (Charismatic)
I attended Northwest Christian College 86 -88 Church of the Servant King (House Church Movement) a founding elder

Prodigal son - Season of Sin (Wounded & Burned out) 89 - 1993
True Vine Christian Fellowship (Charismatic - Latter Rain Movement) 93 - 95
Episcopal Church USA & Home Meetings (Orthodox Anglo-Catholic & Charismatic) 95 - 2001
St. Thomas Christian Church of the East 2001 - 2005 (St. Thomas Orthodox Catholicism of India)

I attended St. Thomas Theological Seminary 2002 - 2003 Deacon (Sabbath & Sunday Home Chapel)

St Thomas christian Presbyter & Bishop 2003 - 2005 (Church planting, Sabbath Home Chapel)
Orthodox Old Catholic Bishop (Sabbath Home Chapel) 2005 - Present (visits local Church Sundays & Men's Group)


I use the complete Koine Greek Text and Canon of the Holy Bible from Genesis to Revelation as authoritative, and use these English Translations as faithful and accurate: The Orthodox Study Bible - Thomas Nelsons 2008; The Orthodox Bible - Complete in 2009 & The New American Bible 2008 - Catholic Bible Press. The Greek Text of the New Testament is the basis of the Textus Receptus and the Majority Text. The Greek Text of the Old Testament is the complete LXX. The Latin Version or any other translation is acceptable so long as it agrees with and is faithful to the Original Greek Bible used (OT) and finished (NT) by the Apostles.


I accept the 3 supports of the Historic Faith of Orthodox Catholic Christianity: Scripture, Tradition and Reason. If you remove one, the Faith collapses into subjective and speculative religion. Without Scripture we have no Standard or Rule of Faith to discern Light from Darkness. Without Tradition handed down from Apostles to their pastoral heir we have no context or setting from which to understand the Scriptures....we'd be like the Ethiopian Eunuch. Without Reason we could not comprehend how the Scriptures, buttressed four-square around by Apostolic Tradition, reveal the meanings of Scriptural idioms, implications and difficult passages.

We must remember the Church pre-existed the Scriptures which refers to it and the events which transpired among it's members and founders both from the time of Adam in Eden to John at Patmos. The Old Covenant members of the Church as well as the New Covenant members did not base their culture, communities and spiritual meetings on Scripture.....they are recored in Scripture. Thus we cannot return to a biblical Church organization and community based upon the Bible, as it existed long before the Scriptures were penned. Thus Tradition and it's Community pre-exist Scripture and rightly used garners for us a proper context, safeguard and background to aid us in fully and rightly dividing the Word of God. Because no Scripture is understood from a private (subjective) interpretation. When we forget this and use the Bible in any other way those who are ill informed and unstable distort the very book of Salvation to their own private destruction...or so says Peter.

We recognize 7 Great Sacred Mysteries: Baptism (Born of Water), Charismation (Born of Spirit), Communion (Lord's Table), Reconciliation (Discipline), Marriage, Ordination (Deacon, Presbyter & Bishop) and Anointing the Sick. We hold all of our life in God is a Sacred Mystery.

Unlike the Roman Catholics, the Lutherans or the Anglicans we do not try to define what or how the consecrated Bread and Wine become the Body of Christ (The Bread of Heaven) and the Blood of Christ (The Cup of Salvation). We believe what Christ said and what Paul declared to the Corinthian church on the matter. we do believe those who partake of the Lord's table in an unworthy state before God commit a desecration of the Lord's Body and Blood. They will deservedly receive divine retribution for such sin.

We do not believe in Purgatory, nor the bodily assumption of Mary as queen of Heaven...nor can anyone be infallible. We accept the equality of all believers as royal priests, but recognize the functional differences of it's members. We believe in Salvation by Faith, and that Faith is a verb and thus we must have the obedience of Faith. For by our Faithfulness shall we Live. We deny the views of Montanus, Marcion, Sabellius, Arius and Augustine. Reject Calvinism. We observe the 7th Day as the LORD's Sabbath and celebrate the 1st day for Christ's Resurrection. We believe in Unity on Essential Doctrine, Liberty in Customs and Love in All things.

Rt. Rev. Kenneth W. Huffman

[rae]

Hi! I have never heard of Orthodox Old Catholicism and I am definitely intrigued. Thank you for sharing your background with everyone. Praise God that you are on your way to recovery! If you don't mind, I have a couple of questions about Orthodox Old Catholicism...

In what way is it related to Roman Catholicism?

Do you recognize the Pope or do you have someone else that you regard the same as the Roman Catholics do the Pope?

Do you have a catechism book like the Roman Catholics do?

Is the Apostolic succession of Orthodox Old Catholicism different than Roman Catholicism?

Thanks!

-Rachel

[RickC]

Welcome to the forum, Kenneth,

What a detailed Intro!

I "resonate" {for lack of vocabulary} with much of what Orthodox Christians have to say. But also, like Rae, I'm curious as to your church. An online friend of mine left the Moravian Church to go to the Old Catholic {due to liberal/revisionism in the former}. He's in the Philippines and I've forgotten the exact "name" of his church.

And, Praise God! you are doing well with your new kidney!
My friend's wife did the same thing for their son...who is also doing well!

In Christ,
Rick

[Jason]

Kenneth, I remember you from the old forum and always enjoyed your posts. Thank you for the introduction and I'm glad to hear your health has stabalized!

[Michelle]

Hi Priestly, I'm glad to see you and glad that you are feeling so much better!