Timothy Paul Baymon
The Most Reverend Timothy Paul | |
|---|---|
| Patriarch of the Holy Communion of Churches | |
 | |
| Installed | September 2007 |
| Term ended | Incumbent |
| Orders | |
| Consecration | August, 1999 by Peter Paul Brennan |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Timothy Baymon |
| Spouse | Sandra Baymon |
Timothy Paul (secular name Timothy Baymon)[1] is the founder and first patriarch of the Holy Communion of Churches (also known as the Holy Christian Orthodox Church), a Christian denomination within the Convergence Movement.[2] Having served as president of the World Bishops Council— an ecumenical body of Christian churches and their prelates[3][4]—he also became the founder and senior pastor of the Christian Cathedral in Springfield, Massachusetts.[5][6]
Biography
Timothy Paul was born in Springfield, Massachusetts, and raised in the Church of God in Christ—a historically and predominantly African American, Protestant Christian denomination.
By August 1999, he was elevated into the episcopacy by Peter Paul Brennan, Carl Jimenez, James Lagona and Joseph Grenier.[7] After his episcopal elevation, Baymon, Yvette Flunder, Brennan and George Augustus Stallings sat in the executive college of the World Bishops Council as late as 2007.[8]
Since his episcopal consecration, he has also served in various community boards.[9] Baymon joined the New England Partners in Faith,[10] serving two terms as president of the Council of Churches of Western Massachusetts.
In 2003, Baymon and the World Bishops Council denounced universalism, and also publicly criticized the teachings of Carlton Pearson, whom the council judged to be heretical.[11]
In 2004, Baymon signed a letter with 28 other religious leaders in support of religious freedom in Iraq.[12] Representing the World Bishops Council at the United Nations Department of Public Information / Non-Governmental Organization Conference—now known as the United Nations Civil Society Conference—Baymon urged Christians to "become greater stewards of the earth" by conserving energy, reducing greenhouse gases and deforestation, and creating public and private partnerships which will lead to renewable energy sources.[3]
Baymon founded Epiphany Development Corporation, which, in 2006, announced the planned construction of a $10 million boutique hotel at the Epiphany Tower building in Springfield, Massachusetts.[13][14] In 2017, Baymon and the Holy Communion of Churches filed a lawsuit against the Epiphany Tower owner.[15] In 2018, the hotel planned by Baymon and his church opened.[16]
As of 2020, documents leaked regarding Baymon and his denomination's involvement with offshore shell companies.[17]
Holy Communion of Churches
| Holy Communion of Churches | |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | HCOC |
| Type | Convergence |
| Theology | Clerical marriage, Paleo-orthodoxy |
| Polity | Episcopal |
| Governance | Holy Synod |
| Patriarch | Timothy Paul Baymon |
| Region | North America, South America, Africa, Asia |
| Founder | Timothy Paul Baymon |
| Churches | 700 (2020) |
| Members | 4.6 million (2020) |
| Other name | Holy Christian Orthodox Church |
The Holy Communion of Churches, also known as the Holy Christian Orthodox Church (HCOC) is a predominantly African American Christian denomination established in the United States of America by Timothy Paul Baymon. As part of the Convergence Movement,[2] it gleams toward Eastern Christianity and Pentecostalism.
Its founder claimed that Orthodox Christianity was brought to African Americans through the Holy Communion of Churches, with foreign outreach in Gambia, India, Kenya and Zambia; and according to Baymon, the Holy Communion of Churches consisted of approximately 700 churches, altogether numbering a self-reported 4.6 million members as of 2020.[17]
Doctrine and practice
The denomination's founder asserted that "like the Russian or Greek orthodox churches", "the denomination follows the original interpretations of the early apostles."[17] The Holy Communion of Churches believes that it follows Orthodox Christianity inasmuch as its patristic origins,[18] while—in contrast with mainstream Eastern Orthodox tradition—ordaining women to the presbyterate and episcopate, a practice deemed uncanonical and unbiblical by the Eastern Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodoxy, and Eastern Catholic Churches in union with Rome.[19][20] The Holy Communion of Churches also incardinates and confers its holy orders upon Baptists and Pentecostals, reconstituting their organizations as autocephalous and autonomous dioceses and archdioceses, and provinces.[21]
References
- ↑ "Archbishop promotes safety app". Masslive.
- 1 2 "What We Believe". Holy Communion of Churches. Archived from the original on August 18, 2022. Retrieved 2022-08-18.
- 1 2 "World Bishops' Council President Urges Action From Christians On Climate Change". Religion News Service. September 7, 2007. Archived from the original on October 11, 2007.
- ↑ "Executive College". World Bishops Council. Archived from the original on November 13, 2012.
- ↑ Marla A. Goldberg (July 7, 2007). "Church buys Masonic temple". The Republican.
- ↑ "Church Acquires Historic Masonic Temple". BusinessWest. July 9, 2007. Archived from the original on February 24, 2009.
- ↑ "The Patriarch Archbishop ++Timothy Paul". Holy Communion Of Churches. 2014-07-21. Retrieved 2026-04-26.
- ↑ "Executive Council". World Bishops Council. Archived from the original on 2007-12-18. Retrieved 2026-04-24.
- ↑ "Archbishop Named to Police Oversight Board" (PDF).
- ↑ Jo-Ann Moriarty (July 9, 2006). "$75,000 grant aids job-finding program". The Republican. Archived from the original on September 3, 2006.
- ↑ "News Service Briefs By - Charisma Magazine". Archived from the original on October 9, 2008.
- ↑ "Letter to President Bush on Religious Freedom in Iraq". February 9, 2004. Archived from the original on August 8, 2007.
- ↑ "New Holiday Inn".
- ↑ "Springfield Epiphany Tower developer once again anticipates completion of hotel project after years of delay". The Republican. September 2, 2016.
- ↑ "Church, minister file suit against Epiphany Tower owner over stalled downtown Springfield hotel project". masslive.com. 23 July 2017. Retrieved 2019-02-22.
- ↑ Tuthill, Paul (23 July 2018). "Hotel Developed By Church Group Stands To Profit From Proximity To Casino". www.wamc.org. Retrieved 2019-02-22.
- 1 2 3 "A church, its shell companies and a plan to have rapper Flo Rida plug high-end bubbly". Retrieved 2026-04-24.
- ↑ "Holy Communion Of Churches". Holy Communion Of Churches. Retrieved 2026-04-26.
- ↑ "Ordination of Women - Questions & Answers". Orthodox Church in America. Retrieved 2026-04-24.
- ↑ "Declaration on the Question of Admission of Women to the Ministerial Priesthood". Vatican.
- ↑ "Archbishop Edwers Bio". Friendship Worship Center. Retrieved 2026-04-24.
2022 – Elected General Bishop of the Unified Free Will Baptist Churches Denomination; 2024 – Received Apostolic succession and was elevated as an Archbishop within the Holy Catholic Orthodox Christian Community.