Official Description of the Church of Interfaith Christians

Information Scanned from Melton’s Encyclopedia of American Religions eighth edition 2009

Church of Interfaith Christians

c/o Rev. Ed Crabtree, CEO, PO Box 924, Nixa, MO 65714-0924

The Church of Interfaith Christians is a Christian church that uniquely affirms and
embraces all “positive spiritual paths” –from the major world religious traditions,
such as Buddhism and Islam, to smaller paths such as shamanism and earth-
based religions like Wicca. It was founded in 2002 by Ernest A. Steadman.

The church affirms many traditional Christian beliefs, though they are stated in
such a way as to banish exclusivity and open Christianity to other religious world-
views that are also believed to have been inspired by God. Interfaith Christians
believe that God is the force of life itself and that His Son, Jesus Christ, unveiled the
mystery of the Creator by identifying the Holy Spirit and that which dwells in every
human child and allows him or her to be in constant communion with the Father.
It teaches that Jesus Christ brought the message of salvation to all of mankind,
which consists of doing God’s will in all things and forever eliminating the written
law, doctrine, and dogma that had been polluted by man’s flesh. This message
allows humankind to fellowship directly with the Father through the Holy Spirit.

The church draws its authority from the Bible, which it believes to be the
inspired Word of God, while at the same time noting that the Bible is not the exclu-
sive source of all knowledge of our Savior, nor is it entirely accurate in its present
state of interpretation. It also rejects the idea that the present Holy Bible is com-
plete, noting that the so-called “Lost Books of the Bible” derive from the same
period of time and should still be relied upon as sound Scripture for reference pur-
poses.

As with many liberal Christians, the church affirms that there will be many in
Heaven who do not worship the Son or follow His Church on earth. This perspec-
tive has become the basis of the Church of Interfaith Christians’ reworking of
Christian theology and of their affirmation of peoples following other religions.

Steadman has enlarged on the basic ideal of the Church of Interfaith Christians
in a book, Pathway to the Stars, which now serves as a basic text for new members
and ministers. On its Web site, the church invites people who agree with its per-
spective to join and declares its willingness to ordain as ministers any who meet
the very minimal requirements. One of the church’s leaders, Rev. Ed Crabtree, has
written a small volume entitled Beginning Ministry to assist the newly ordained.

Along with Pathway to the Stars and applications for ordination, it is available for
reading through the Internet site.

The church sponsors the Interfaith Christian Radio Network, an Internet radio
station that rnay be accessed through www.live365.com, a popular Internet site for
Web-based radio. The church has an African affiliate, the Universal Interfaith’
Christian Church, Nigeria. It actively supports a nurnber of interfaith organizations,
including the Council for the Parliarnent of the World’s Religions, the International
Association for Religious Freedorn, the Ternple of Understanding, the United
Religions Initiative, and the World Conference on Religion and Peace.

Membership: Not reported. The church has ordained and licensed more than 250
people to the Christian ministry, most in the United States, with a minority scat-
tered around the world in some 14 countries. Some ministers have formed congre-
gations, but most work with a noncongregational ministry.

Sources:

Church of Interfaith Christians.
www.crabtreeinternet.com/church_oUnterfaith_christian/index.php.

Steadrnan, Ernest A. Pathwoy to the Stars. Hawthorn, FL: Steadrnan & Associates,
2001. Posted at www.crabtreeinternet.com/church_oUnterfaith_christian/
reference_library/PATHWAY _ TO_ THE_STARS.pdf.
The Church of Interfaith Christians has started small,