AKA:  Church Bylaws:

The Call of Renunciation:

All over the world there are those who suffer because of poverty and ignorance.  Much of this is due to others being too greedy. There is a faith in material things and a disregard for spiritual gifts. Our world has become so complex, complicated, and even noisy.  In response to the need to simplify our lives, reject greed and ignorance, and discover within our hearts a true connection to God, we are called into a life of renunciation, as defined by our own individual beliefs and circumstances.

The Call to Healing:

According to the twelfth chapter of First Corinthians, we are given gifts from the Holy Spirit (Sophia) to enable us to give service to God.  “To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of Wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge by the same Spirit. To another faith by the same Spirit, to another the gifts of healing by the one Spirit.”  In Sufi teachings there is a whole book, Volume Four of the Message of Hazrat Inayat Khan, devoted to healing. 
We who are members of the order are therefore often called into the practice of the healing arts in many ways. We recognize healing in all the ways we as members may practice it; is a strong and holy calling within Holy Sophia Order of Renunciation. 

The Call to Honor of the Body:

We understand the terms “celibacy,” “chastity,” and “virginity” not in sexual terms but as referring to power. We honor the virginity of all creatures as referring to the right of all beings to own their own power, not handing it over to another, and certainly not being required by any order member to do so. 

The Call to Equality:

We respect and maintain fidelity to an Interfaith Tradition by respecting and holding sacred the true meaning of the word “catholic” and the traditions and beliefs of the Sufi lineage as brought forth by Hazrat Inayat Khan. He initiated, trained, and ordained women in a time and culture that traditionally only ordained men. 
We seek to create and maintain for ourselves a community in which we may be authentically Catholic (in the succession of the historic See of Utrecht), faithful Sufis (in the succession of the Sufi Orders) and flexible and responsive to the culture in which we live and minister. 
As Catholic Sufis, we seek to live into the promise of the true meaning of being “catholic,” a word that means “inclusive” and “universal.”  Our Sufi heritage allows us to honor the universal and inclusive meaning of catholic through the practice of the Sufi Universal Worship service. We honor the dignity and equality of all peoples, regardless of race, belief, gender, and sexual orientation. We also honor the goodness of all creation and the dignity and rights of all creatures. We welcome all creatures to the Eucharist, giving bread and wine to the wise and the foolish alike. 
We likewise recognize the equality of all those associated with the church. Neither gender nor sexual orientation will be a bar to membership or ordination or leadership at any level. 

The Call to Commitment:

The religious life is one of commitment to God, to the process of personal spiritual growth, and to the world. As members we commit to all of these, and whatever else the Spirit of Holy Sophia may call us to do, we discover the form our renunciation will take. 
All people are welcomed as members of our church with no requirement other than a calling to worship with us. 

The Call to Discipline:

We Members focus on our personal spiritual lives. Some members may commit to seeing a spiritual director in order to give due attention to their spiritual formation. For clergy and clergy in-formation, this is a requirement. On a weekly basis we may participate in communal worship with a faith community. On a daily basis we will pray in the way that our hearts direct us.
Our church recognizes certain officers who give their time to help in the running of the church:
1. Prior.  (Chief Executive Officer) Leads the community. Makes final decisions in matters of church policies.  Ordains clergy.
2. Secretary. Keeps files of all notes and documents pertinent to the church, as well as serving as church historian during his or her tenure. 
3. Treasurer. (Chief Financial Officer) Handles financial affairs of the church, responsible for all bank/checking accounts, and for making financial statements available when requested to do so. Often the roles of Secretary and Treasurer are held by one person.
In addition we come under the umbrella of a Bishop.  Helps keep us aware of our heritage and responsibilities as part of a larger community.
Finally, order members may commit themselves to a life of service to those in the wider world. Some members offer Healing in one or more forms to the wider community, such as holy listening, chaplaincy, spiritual scholarship, holding of sacred space for others, mentoring other order members and helping them discern their level of renunciation.

The Call to Holy Orders:

Many of us have discerned a call to an increased level of responsibility and commitment in our ministries, and have sought Holy Orders in order to be faithful to this call. Not all religious people are called to ordination, but many are, and Holy Sophia Order of Renunciation has discerned a process by which a candidate may respond to that call. 
In the order, the role of deacon is a role of service, meeting the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of people in many contexts. Many ministries are strictly diaconal ministries, and the permanent diaconate has a long and respected history. 
Some, however, are called to be priests, which contains the diaconate (priests remain deacons all their lives, but add to it another level of ordination) to which is added the responsibility to teach. A person must serve as a transitional deacon for a minimum of six months before advancing to priesthood.
With increased commitment comes increased responsibility. Holy Orders are not to be taken lightly, but are holy commitments made to God and the church community that cannot be revoked.
All training for religious orders involve lengthy periods of time and education.  The training required for individual members will be at the discretion of the Bishop and Prior and is outlined below. 
An order member who discerns a call to ordination may make application to the Prior, declaring his or her call and expressing a desire to enter the process. The Prior will interview the candidate and then will meet with the Bishop. Together they will take one of three decisions: for ordination, against ordination, or for ordination pending specified further study. 

The Call to Educational Formation:

Candidates for ordination must demonstrate competency in the following areas, according to order of ministry and the responsibilities pertinent to each order. Candidates may pursue studies in a variety of ways. If formal classes are taken at a seminary, a passing grade in those classes will suffice to satisfy the requirement. If a person is doing private study, he or she will work with the church clergy.
Candidates for the Diaconate must demonstrate competency in Old Testament studies, New Testament studies, Sufi studies, Homiletics, Ethics, Theology, and performance of the following Sacraments: Baptism, Marriage, Unction, including an understanding of Ordination. The candidate may receive this training through a Theology degree or from the Bishop or one of the priests qualified to teach these subjects. 
Candidates for the Priesthood must demonstrate competency in Church History, Old Catholic/Independent Catholic History, Advanced Sufi Study, Pastoral Care or Clinical Pastoral Education, Theology: Christology, Soteriology, Theodicy, Eschatology, Theology and performance of the following Sacraments: Eucharist, Confession, Confirmation, and Liturgics. The candidate may receive this training through a Theology degree or from the Bishop or one of the priests qualified to teach these subjects.  Candidates will show competence in Sufi meditation, Universal Worship, and Healing Conductor practice.

Candidates must also choose a spiritual mentor from our list and write an in depth study of that that mentor and how they are inspired towards their own renunciation. Candidates will show an understanding of renunciation and how they act it out in their lives.

The Call to Sacramental Life:

Renunciates share the lineage of Catholic Christianity and Sufism, which are sacramental traditions, and different orders of ministry have the responsibility and privilege to perform various sacraments. 
The  sacraments are: Leading Religious Services, Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Marriage, Ordination, Confession, and Unction (Anointing of the Sick). In the Catholic tradition, Deacons may baptize in liturgical context, perform weddings and holy unions, and anoint for healing. Priests may baptize, marry, hear confession, anoint for healing and perform the Eucharist. Bishops may perform all the functions of a priest, to which is added the ability to Confirm and Ordain.
 Both traditions also may perform funerals and memorials.

The Call to Community:

Order members are encouraged to attend religious services once a month and Order gatherings quarterly. In addition, members will go on one silent retreat of their choice, every year.

The Call to Reformation:

The Order is committed to both fidelity to the past and to the ongoing reformation and re-visioning of tradition as we discern the guidance of Holy Sophia in our personal and communal lives. Therefore we agree that any matter of concern to any church member may be brought to any priest or the bishop at any time for discernment and possible amendment. Members may voice concerns, but it will be up to the discernment of the ordained members and ultimately of the bishop whether to proceed with an amendment.




Please contact Amina if you are interested in joining the Order.

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