The Continuing Anglican Movement, also known as the Anglican Continuum, encompasses a number of Christian churches, principally based in North America, that have an
Anglican
Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of th ...
identity and tradition but are not part of the
Anglican Communion
The Anglican Communion is the third largest Christian communion after the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches. Founded in 1867 in London, the communion has more than 85 million members within the Church of England and other ...
.
These churches generally believe that traditional forms of Anglican faith and worship have been unacceptably revised or abandoned within some churches of the Anglican Communion, but that they, the Continuing Anglicans, are preserving or "continuing" both Anglican lines of
apostolic succession
Apostolic succession is the method whereby the ministry of the Christian Church is held to be derived from the apostles by a continuous succession, which has usually been associated with a claim that the succession is through a series of bish ...
and historic Anglican belief and practice.
The term was first used in 1948 to describe members of the Church of England in
Nandyal
Nandyal is a city and District headquarters of Nandyal district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is a municipality and the headquarters of Nandyal mandal in Nandyal revenue division.
Demographics
In the 2011 census of India, Nandyal ...
who refused to enter the emerging
Church of South India
The Church of South India (CSI) is a united Protestant Church in India. It is the result of union of a number of mainline Protestant denominations in South India after independence.
The Church of South India is the successor of a number of Pr ...
, which united Anglican and some Protestant churches in India. Today, however, the term usually refers to the churches that descend from the
Congress of St. Louis, at which the foundation was laid for a new Anglican church in North America. Some church bodies that predate the
Congress of St. Louis or are of more recent origin have referred to themselves as "Continuing Anglican," although they have no connection to the
Congress of St. Louis and do not adhere to all of its principles.
Relations with the Anglican Communion
Continuing Anglican churches were formed by
clergy
Clergy are formal leaders within established religions. Their roles and functions vary in different religious traditions, but usually involve presiding over specific rituals and teaching their religion's doctrines and practices. Some of the ter ...
and
lay people who left churches belonging to the Anglican Communion. The Continuing Anglican churches believe that those churches have been compromised by adopting secular cultural standards and liberal approaches to theology. Continuing Anglicans generally believe that the faith of some churches in communion with the
Archbishop of Canterbury
The archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and a principal leader of the Church of England, the ceremonial head of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. The current archbishop is Justi ...
have become either
heretical
Heresy is any belief or theory that is strongly at variance with established beliefs or customs, in particular the accepted beliefs of a church or religious organization. The term is usually used in reference to violations of important religi ...
or
heterodox
In religion, heterodoxy (from Ancient Greek: , "other, another, different" + , "popular belief") means "any opinions or doctrines at variance with an official or orthodox position". Under this definition, heterodoxy is similar to unorthodoxy, w ...
and therefore have not sought to be affiliated with the Anglican Communion. Although the term ''Anglican'' historically refers also to those churches in
communion with the
Church of England
The Church of England (C of E) is the established Christian church in England and the mother church of the international Anglican Communion. It traces its history to the Christian church recorded as existing in the Roman province of Britain ...
and the Archbishop of Canterbury, many Continuing churches, particularly those in the United States, use the term ''Anglican'' to differentiate themselves from the
Episcopal Church of the United States, which they consider to be heterodox.
At the 1998
Lambeth Conference
The Lambeth Conference is a decennial assembly of bishops of the Anglican Communion convened by the Archbishop of Canterbury. The first such conference took place at Lambeth in 1867.
As the Anglican Communion is an international association ...
, Resolution IV.11,
Continuing Churches, was added, which asked the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Primates' Meeting to consider how best to initiate and maintain dialogue with such groups with a view to the reconciliation of all who own the Anglican tradition.
Theological unity and diversity
![St](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/St._Mark%27s_Anglican_Church_Vero_Beach_Side_View.jpg)
Anglicanism in general has always sought a balance between the emphases of
Catholicism
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
and
Protestantism
Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century against what its followers perceived to b ...
, while tolerating a range of expressions of
evangelicalism
Evangelicalism (), also called evangelical Christianity or evangelical Protestantism, is a worldwide interdenominational movement within Protestant Christianity that affirms the centrality of being " born again", in which an individual exper ...
and ceremony. Clergy and laity from all Anglican
churchmanship
Churchmanship (or churchpersonship; or tradition in most official contexts) is a way of talking about and labelling different tendencies, parties, or schools of thought within the Church of England and the sister churches of the Anglican Commun ...
traditions have been active in the formation of the Continuing Anglican movement.
There are
high church
The term ''high church'' refers to beliefs and practices of Christian ecclesiology, liturgy, and theology that emphasize formality and resistance to modernisation. Although used in connection with various Christian traditions, the term originate ...
,
broad church, and
low church Continuing Anglican jurisdictions. Some are
Anglo-Catholic
Anglo-Catholicism comprises beliefs and practices that emphasise the Catholic heritage and identity of the various Anglican churches.
The term was coined in the early 19th century, although movements emphasising the Catholic nature of Anglican ...
with richly ceremonial liturgical practices. These include the
Anglican Province of Christ the King
The Anglican Province of Christ the King (APCK) is a Continuing Anglican church with traditional forms both of doctrine and liturgy. It is considered one of the more Anglo-Catholic jurisdictions among Continuing Anglican church bodies.
History
...
, the
Anglican Catholic Church
The Anglican Catholic Church (ACC), also known as the Anglican Catholic Church (Original Province), is a body of Christians in the continuing Anglican movement, which is separate from the Anglican Communion led by the Archbishop of Canterbury ...
, the
Anglican Province of America
The Anglican Province of America (APA) is a Continuing Anglican church in the United States. The church was founded by former members of the Episcopal Church in the United States in order to follow what they consider to be a more truly Christian, ...
, and the
Anglican Church in America
The Anglican Church in America (ACA) is a Continuing Anglican church body and the United States branch of the Traditional Anglican Communion (TAC). The ACA, which is separate from The Episcopal Church, is not a member of the Anglican Communion ...
. Others that belong to a more Evangelical tradition, such as the
United Episcopal Church of North America
The United Episcopal Church of North America (UECNA) is a church in the Anglican tradition and is part of the Continuing Anglican movement. It is not part of the Anglican Communion.
The UECNA describes itself as "embracing the broad base of cere ...
, support the
Thirty-Nine Articles
The Thirty-nine Articles of Religion (commonly abbreviated as the Thirty-nine Articles or the XXXIX Articles) are the historically defining statements of doctrines and practices of the Church of England with respect to the controversies of the ...
and, in some parishes, alternate
Morning Prayer with
Holy Communion
The Eucharist (; from Greek , , ), also known as Holy Communion and the Lord's Supper, is a Christian rite that is considered a sacrament in most churches, and as an ordinance in others. According to the New Testament, the rite was instituted ...
.
The Continuing churches in the United States reject the
1979 revision of the Book of Common Prayer made by
The Episcopal Church and instead use the American 1928 version or earlier official versions of the
Book of Common Prayer
The ''Book of Common Prayer'' (BCP) is the name given to a number of related prayer books used in the Anglican Communion and by other Christian churches historically related to Anglicanism. The original book, published in 1549 in the reign ...
for their services.
Liturgical use of the 1611
Authorized Version
The King James Version (KJV), also the King James Bible (KJB) and the Authorized Version, is an English translation of the Christian Bible for the Church of England, which was commissioned in 1604 and published in 1611, by sponsorship of K ...
of the Bible (known in the United States as the
King James Version
The King James Version (KJV), also the King James Bible (KJB) and the Authorized Version, is an Bible translations into English, English translation of the Christian Bible for the Church of England, which was commissioned in 1604 and publis ...
) is also a common feature. This is done for many reasons, including aesthetics, and in opposition to what the churches regard as
liberal
Liberal or liberalism may refer to:
Politics
* a supporter of liberalism
** Liberalism by country
* an adherent of a Liberal Party
* Liberalism (international relations)
* Sexually liberal feminism
* Social liberalism
Arts, entertainment and m ...
or
progressive theology which is said to characterize some translations of more recent origin.
The
Affirmation of St. Louis The September 14-16, 1977 Congress of St. Louis was an international gathering of nearly 2,000 Anglicans in St. Louis, Missouri, united in their rejection of theological changes introduced by the Anglican Church of Canada and by the Episcopal Churc ...
,
conceived at the
Congress of St. Louis (September 14–16, 1977) by over 2000 concerned bishops, clergy, and laypeople, and, to a lesser extent, the
Thirty-nine Articles
The Thirty-nine Articles of Religion (commonly abbreviated as the Thirty-nine Articles or the XXXIX Articles) are the historically defining statements of doctrines and practices of the Church of England with respect to the controversies of the ...
of Religion, serve as a standard of faith and unity for most Continuing churches.
History
Origins
The Continuing Anglican Movement originated in the
Episcopal Church in the United States of America
The Episcopal Church, based in the United States with additional dioceses elsewhere, is a member church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. It is a mainline Protestant denomination and is divided into nine provinces. The presiding bishop o ...
and the
Anglican Church of Canada
The Anglican Church of Canada (ACC or ACoC) is the Ecclesiastical province#Anglican Communion, province of the Anglican Communion in Canada. The official French-language name is ''l'Église anglicane du Canada''. In 2017, the Anglican Church co ...
. Related churches in other countries were founded later.
In 1976, the
voted to approve the ordination of women to the
priest
A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particu ...
hood and to the
episcopate
A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution.
In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...
and also provisionally adopted a new and doctrinally controversial
Book of Common Prayer
The ''Book of Common Prayer'' (BCP) is the name given to a number of related prayer books used in the Anglican Communion and by other Christian churches historically related to Anglicanism. The original book, published in 1549 in the reign ...
, later called the 1979 version. During the following year, 1977, several thousand dissenting clergy and laypersons responded to those actions by meeting in
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi River, Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the Greater St. Louis, ...
, under the auspices of the Fellowship of Concerned Churchmen, and adopting a theological statement, the
Affirmation of St. Louis The September 14-16, 1977 Congress of St. Louis was an international gathering of nearly 2,000 Anglicans in St. Louis, Missouri, united in their rejection of theological changes introduced by the Anglican Church of Canada and by the Episcopal Churc ...
. The Affirmation expressed a determination "to continue in the Catholic Faith, Apostolic Order, Orthodox Worship, and Evangelical Witness of the traditional Anglican Church, doing all things necessary for the continuance of the same."
Out of this meeting came a new church with the provisional name "Anglican Church in North America (Episcopal)." The first bishops of the new church, later named the Anglican Catholic Church, were consecrated on January 28, 1978, in
Denver, Colorado
Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...
.
In Denver, the first bishop of the new church,
Charles Dale David Doren, formerly the Archdeacon of the Diocese of Taejon in South Korea, was consecrated by the Rt Rev’d
Albert Arthur Chambers
Albert Arthur Chambers (June 22, 1906 – June 18, 1993) was the seventh bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Springfield, serving from 1962 to 1972. He then retired in part because he opposed revising the Book of Common Prayer and ordaining women ...
, formerly the Episcopal Church's Bishop of Springfield (
PECUSA #588)
Joining Bishop Chambers in the consecration of Charles Doren was the Rt Rev’d Francisco de Jesus Pagtakhan of the
Philippine Independent Catholic Church. Letters of Consent and Desire for the Doren consecration were in hand from the Rt Rev’d
Mark Pae
Mark Pae (1926–2013) was an Anglican bishop in the 20th century.
Pae was born in 1926 and educated at Nashotah House, Wisconsin and ordained deacon in 1954 and priest in 1956. He was a priest in the Diocese of Korea to 1965 when the diocese was ...
(Taejon, Korea) and Rt Rev'd
Charles Boynton. The newly consecrated
Charles Doren
Charles Dale David Doren was the first bishop consecrated to serve the Continuing Anglican movement, which began in 1977 in reaction to decisions taken in 1976 at the General Convention of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America. He wa ...
then joined with Chambers and Pagtakhan in consecrating as bishops
James Orin Mote James Orin Mote (January 27, 1922 – April 29, 2006) was a founding member of the Continuing Anglican movement. An alumnus of Canterbury College (Danville, Indiana) and Nashotah House Theological Seminary, he was consecrated in the Anglican Catholi ...
,
Robert S. Morse, and
Peter Francis Watterson. Watterson left the movement shortly afterward and became a
Roman Catholic
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
priest.
The 2007/08 ''Directory of Traditional Anglican and Episcopal Parishes,'' published by The Fellowship of Concerned Churchmen, contained information on over 900 parishes affiliated with either the Continuing Anglican churches or the
Anglican realignment
The Anglican realignment is a movement among some Anglicans to align themselves under new or alternative oversight within or outside the Anglican Communion. This movement is primarily active in parts of the Episcopal Church in the United States ...
movement.
Early fractures and realignment
During the process of ratifying the new church's constitution, disputes developed that split its dioceses into two American churches and a separate Canadian church. These were the
Anglican Catholic Church
The Anglican Catholic Church (ACC), also known as the Anglican Catholic Church (Original Province), is a body of Christians in the continuing Anglican movement, which is separate from the Anglican Communion led by the Archbishop of Canterbury ...
led by
James Orin Mote James Orin Mote (January 27, 1922 – April 29, 2006) was a founding member of the Continuing Anglican movement. An alumnus of Canterbury College (Danville, Indiana) and Nashotah House Theological Seminary, he was consecrated in the Anglican Catholi ...
, the Diocese of Christ the King (now the
Anglican Province of Christ the King
The Anglican Province of Christ the King (APCK) is a Continuing Anglican church with traditional forms both of doctrine and liturgy. It is considered one of the more Anglo-Catholic jurisdictions among Continuing Anglican church bodies.
History
...
) led by
Robert S. Morse, and the
Anglican Catholic Church of Canada
The Anglican Catholic Church of Canada (ACCC) (french: Église Catholique Anglicane du Canada) is a Continuing Anglican church that was founded in 1979 by traditional Anglicans who had separated from the Anglican Church of Canada (ACC). The ACCC h ...
. In 1981,
Charles Doren
Charles Dale David Doren was the first bishop consecrated to serve the Continuing Anglican movement, which began in 1977 in reaction to decisions taken in 1976 at the General Convention of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America. He wa ...
and others left the Anglican Catholic Church to found the
United Episcopal Church of North America
The United Episcopal Church of North America (UECNA) is a church in the Anglican tradition and is part of the Continuing Anglican movement. It is not part of the Anglican Communion.
The UECNA describes itself as "embracing the broad base of cere ...
in opposition to the alleged inhospitality of the other jurisdictions towards
low churchmen.
In 1983, a statement of unity led to the coalescence of the
Anglican Catholic Church
The Anglican Catholic Church (ACC), also known as the Anglican Catholic Church (Original Province), is a body of Christians in the continuing Anglican movement, which is separate from the Anglican Communion led by the Archbishop of Canterbury ...
. In 1984 a portion of the Anglican Episcopal Church of North America merged with the ACC to become the non-geographical Diocese of St. Paul.
In 1991 a number of parishes left the
Anglican Catholic Church
The Anglican Catholic Church (ACC), also known as the Anglican Catholic Church (Original Province), is a body of Christians in the continuing Anglican movement, which is separate from the Anglican Communion led by the Archbishop of Canterbury ...
to merge with the American Episcopal Church and form the
Anglican Church in America
The Anglican Church in America (ACA) is a Continuing Anglican church body and the United States branch of the Traditional Anglican Communion (TAC). The ACA, which is separate from The Episcopal Church, is not a member of the Anglican Communion ...
. Some of those later formed the
Anglican Province of America
The Anglican Province of America (APA) is a Continuing Anglican church in the United States. The church was founded by former members of the Episcopal Church in the United States in order to follow what they consider to be a more truly Christian, ...
after the resignation of Bishop
Anthony F. M. Clavier as bishop ordinary of Diocese of the Eastern United States (ACA). In 1997 additional parishes left the
Anglican Catholic Church
The Anglican Catholic Church (ACC), also known as the Anglican Catholic Church (Original Province), is a body of Christians in the continuing Anglican movement, which is separate from the Anglican Communion led by the Archbishop of Canterbury ...
and formed the
Holy Catholic Church (Anglican Rite).
In 1999, Bishop
Richard Boyce requested membership in the
Anglican Province of America
The Anglican Province of America (APA) is a Continuing Anglican church in the United States. The church was founded by former members of the Episcopal Church in the United States in order to follow what they consider to be a more truly Christian, ...
as the Diocese of the West, and in 2003 the Anglican Rite Synod in the Americas (ARSA) under Bishops Larry Shaver (formerly of the American Episcopal Church and the Anglican Jurisdiction of the Americas) and Herbert M. Groce were received into the Anglican Province of America as the non-geographical Diocese of St. Augustine, later renamed the Diocese of Mid-America.
On March 5, 2003, Ash Wednesday, the
Diocese of the Holy Cross
The Diocese of the Holy Cross (DHC) is a constituent diocese of the Anglican Catholic Church, a continuing Anglican church body in the United States. Unlike most dioceses, it is not geographically defined.
History
The DHC was formed by clergy an ...
seceded from the
Anglican Province of Christ the King
The Anglican Province of Christ the King (APCK) is a Continuing Anglican church with traditional forms both of doctrine and liturgy. It is considered one of the more Anglo-Catholic jurisdictions among Continuing Anglican church bodies.
History
...
over questions surrounding the successor of
Robert S. Morse, James Provence. On July 25, 2007, Bishop Rocco Florenza and most of the parishes in the Eastern Diocese of the
Anglican Province of Christ the King
The Anglican Province of Christ the King (APCK) is a Continuing Anglican church with traditional forms both of doctrine and liturgy. It is considered one of the more Anglo-Catholic jurisdictions among Continuing Anglican church bodies.
History
...
withdrew, joining the
Anglican Church in America
The Anglican Church in America (ACA) is a Continuing Anglican church body and the United States branch of the Traditional Anglican Communion (TAC). The ACA, which is separate from The Episcopal Church, is not a member of the Anglican Communion ...
.
International growth
Some Continuing Anglican bodies have added dioceses outside North America. The two largest international jurisdictions are the
Traditional Anglican Church
The Traditional Anglican Church (TAC), formerly the Traditional Anglican Communion, is an international church consisting of national provinces in the continuing Anglican movement, independent of the Anglican Communion and the Archbishop of Cant ...
and the
Anglican Catholic Church
The Anglican Catholic Church (ACC), also known as the Anglican Catholic Church (Original Province), is a body of Christians in the continuing Anglican movement, which is separate from the Anglican Communion led by the Archbishop of Canterbury ...
. The Traditional Anglican Church comprises national provinces with dioceses, parishes and missions in Australia, Canada, Colombia, Great Britain, Guatemala, India, Ireland, Salvador, South Africa, the United States, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Venezuela. The Anglican Catholic Church has a presence on six continents and nearly two dozen countries. In 1984 the five dioceses of the
Church of India (CIPBC) were received by the Anglican Catholic Church and constituted as its second province, but they rescinded communion between 2013 and 2017 over matters relating to the status of the second province and became independent. In 2018, Archbishop
Mark Haverland
Mark David Haverland (born December 4, 1956) is an American Continuing Anglican bishop. He is the archbishop and metropolitan of the Anglican Catholic Church (ACC).
He studied at Kenyon College, earned his MA at Duquesne University and earned hi ...
and the Most Rev. John Augustine, Metropolitan of the CIPBC, signed an agreement restoring ''communio in sacris''. In September 2021, by a vote of the provincial synod of the Anglican Catholic Church, a third province, the Province of Southern Africa, was established, comprising five dioceses in South Africa and the one diocese in Zimbabwe.
The
Anglican Province of America
The Anglican Province of America (APA) is a Continuing Anglican church in the United States. The church was founded by former members of the Episcopal Church in the United States in order to follow what they consider to be a more truly Christian, ...
also includes global partnerships, with links to congregations in Ecuador, Haiti, Philippines, and India.
Reunification efforts
Grassroots partnerships have been formed between parishes in geographical regions. The
Anglican Fellowship of the Delaware Valley
Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of the l ...
, so named because it encompassed Anglican churches and missions within the Delaware Valley, was formed in 2003 and was led by Bishop Paul C. Hewett of the
Diocese of the Holy Cross
The Diocese of the Holy Cross (DHC) is a constituent diocese of the Anglican Catholic Church, a continuing Anglican church body in the United States. Unlike most dioceses, it is not geographically defined.
History
The DHC was formed by clergy an ...
. It was an association of Anglican churches in Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Jersey that subscribed to the
Affirmation of St. Louis The September 14-16, 1977 Congress of St. Louis was an international gathering of nearly 2,000 Anglicans in St. Louis, Missouri, united in their rejection of theological changes introduced by the Anglican Church of Canada and by the Episcopal Churc ...
and affiliated with
Forward in Faith-UK. In 2005, the Anglican Fellowship of the Delaware Valley sponsored the conference ''The Affirmation of St. Louis: Seeking a Path to Reconciliation and Unity'', which brought together traditionalists in the Episcopal Church and members of the continuing movement to discuss a path to jurisdictional unity. In 2006, representatives from seven Anglican churches announced the formation of Common Cause Appalachia, an alliance of Anglican churches in the Appalachian area of the Southeast United States, to which some continuing Anglican churches in Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, and Tennessee belonged.
ACC-APCK-UECNA
From 2003 to 2011, the
Anglican Catholic Church
The Anglican Catholic Church (ACC), also known as the Anglican Catholic Church (Original Province), is a body of Christians in the continuing Anglican movement, which is separate from the Anglican Communion led by the Archbishop of Canterbury ...
(ACC), the
Anglican Province of Christ the King
The Anglican Province of Christ the King (APCK) is a Continuing Anglican church with traditional forms both of doctrine and liturgy. It is considered one of the more Anglo-Catholic jurisdictions among Continuing Anglican church bodies.
History
...
(APCK), and the
United Episcopal Church of North America
The United Episcopal Church of North America (UECNA) is a church in the Anglican tradition and is part of the Continuing Anglican movement. It is not part of the Anglican Communion.
The UECNA describes itself as "embracing the broad base of cere ...
(UECNA) explored opportunities for greater cooperation and the possibility of achieving organic unity. In 2003, Archbishop John-Charles Vockler of the ACC in a letter, called for prayers for healing of the damaged relations between the ACC and the APCK. On May 17, 2007, Archbishop
Mark Haverland
Mark David Haverland (born December 4, 1956) is an American Continuing Anglican bishop. He is the archbishop and metropolitan of the Anglican Catholic Church (ACC).
He studied at Kenyon College, earned his MA at Duquesne University and earned hi ...
of the ACC signed an intercommunion agreement negotiated with the United Episcopal Church of North America. In July, Archbishop Haverland published a statement on church unity, calling on UECNA and the
Anglican Province of Christ the King
The Anglican Province of Christ the King (APCK) is a Continuing Anglican church with traditional forms both of doctrine and liturgy. It is considered one of the more Anglo-Catholic jurisdictions among Continuing Anglican church bodies.
History
...
to join him in building "full organic unity." Bishop Presley Hutchens of the ACC addressed delegates at the UECNA convention in October 2008 and discussed the possibility of uniting the ACC and UECNA. Although well received at the time, there was a feeling among many of the delegates that the proposal was being rushed, and that no proper consideration was being given to the theological, constitutional, and canonical issues thrown up by the move. In January 2009, one bishop from each jurisdiction consecrated three
suffragan bishop
A suffragan bishop is a type of bishop in some Christian denominations.
In the Anglican Communion, a suffragan bishop is a bishop who is subordinate to a metropolitan bishop or diocesan bishop (bishop ordinary) and so is not normally jurisdiction ...
s in
St. Louis
St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...
, intending that they serve all three jurisdictions.
Moves towards unity with the Anglican Catholic Church were referred for further discussion and subsequently stalled in 2011 by the decision of UECNA to remain an independent jurisdiction.
Approaches and responses to the Roman Catholic Church
One Continuing Anglican church body, the
Traditional Anglican Communion
The Traditional Anglican Church (TAC), formerly the Traditional Anglican Communion, is an international church consisting of national provinces in the continuing Anglican movement, independent of the Anglican Communion and the Archbishop of Cant ...
(TAC), sought reunion with the
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
. In 2004, Archbishop John Hepworth of the TAC reported that based on eight years of dialogue Rome could recognize the TAC as an Anglican church in full communion with the Holy See. In 2007, the TAC made a formal proposal to the
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
for admission into "
full corporate and sacramental union" with that church in a manner that would permit the retention of some of its Anglican heritage. The Vatican announced on July 5, 2008, that it was giving serious consideration to appeals received from various Anglican groups seeking union with itself, observing that "the situation within the Anglican Communion in general has become markedly more complex." On October 29, 2009, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith announced
Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI ( la, Benedictus XVI; it, Benedetto XVI; german: link=no, Benedikt XVI.; born Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger, , on 16 April 1927) is a retired prelate of the Catholic church who served as the head of the Church and the sovereign ...
's intention to create a new type of ecclesiastical structure, called a "
personal ordinariate
A personal ordinariate for former Anglicans, shortened as personal ordinariate or Anglican ordinariate,"...the liturgies approved for the Anglican ordinariates..." "Bishop Stephen Lopes of the Anglican Ordinariate of the Chair of St Peter..." ...
", for groups of Anglicans entering into full communion with the see of Rome. The initial response to this announcement was not entirely positive.
On November 4, 2009,
Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI ( la, Benedictus XVI; it, Benedetto XVI; german: link=no, Benedikt XVI.; born Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger, , on 16 April 1927) is a retired prelate of the Catholic church who served as the head of the Church and the sovereign ...
signed an
apostolic constitution, ''
Anglicanorum coetibus
A personal ordinariate for former Anglicans, shortened as personal ordinariate or Anglican ordinariate,"...the liturgies approved for the Anglican ordinariates..." "Bishop Stephen Lopes of the Anglican Ordinariate of the Chair of St Peter..." i ...
''. The House of Bishops of the
Anglican Church in America
The Anglican Church in America (ACA) is a Continuing Anglican church body and the United States branch of the Traditional Anglican Communion (TAC). The ACA, which is separate from The Episcopal Church, is not a member of the Anglican Communion ...
– the American province of the TAC – responded on March 3, 2010, voting unanimously to request acceptance under the personal ordinariate provision. Within months, however, a majority of the eight ACA bishops made known their opposition to the move, and the church declared its intention to remain a Continuing Anglican body.
The Most Rev.
Mark Haverland
Mark David Haverland (born December 4, 1956) is an American Continuing Anglican bishop. He is the archbishop and metropolitan of the Anglican Catholic Church (ACC).
He studied at Kenyon College, earned his MA at Duquesne University and earned hi ...
(ACC) wrote a response to ''Anglicanorum coetibus'', declining to participate. While the Most Rev. Walter H. Grundorf (APA) offered an initial cautious welcome of Rome's offer, there was no interest for the
Anglican Province of America
The Anglican Province of America (APA) is a Continuing Anglican church in the United States. The church was founded by former members of the Episcopal Church in the United States in order to follow what they consider to be a more truly Christian, ...
as an institution to join.
Common Cause Partnership
Through the
Federation of Anglican Churches in the Americas
The Federation of Anglican Churches in the Americas (FACA) is an association of six Continuing Anglican jurisdictions with nearly 600 parishes in the New World. The Federation, which was founded in 2006 to enable a closer association of the ...
, the Anglican Province of America was associated with the
Common Cause Partnership, an organization seeking to unite various Anglican jurisdictions to form a new conservative province of the Anglican Communion in North America. But when, in July 2008, the APA voted to delay a decision on its membership until a number of contentious issues were resolved in the Common Cause Partnership, including whether or not to accept the practice of ordaining women, the APA's Diocese of the West disaffiliated. It subsequently joined the
Reformed Episcopal Church
The Reformed Episcopal Church (REC) is an Anglican church of evangelical Episcopalian heritage. It was founded in 1873 in New York City by George David Cummins, a former bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church.
The REC is a founding member ...
and, through her, the Common Cause Partnership. On March 4, 2009, the Anglican Province of America (APA) reorganized its Diocese of the West (DOW) with parishes that had chosen not to follow
Richard Boyce out of the APA.
North American Anglican Conference and UECNA
The
Anglican Episcopal Church
The Anglican Episcopal Church (AEC) was a Continuing Anglican church consisting of parishes in Arizona, Alaska, and Florida served by a presiding bishop and several other clergy. The AEC was founded at St. George's Anglican Church in Ventura, Cal ...
and the
Diocese of the Great Lakes
The Diocese of the Great Lakes (DGL) is a Continuing Anglican church body in the United States and Canada. Its worship centers and clergy are currently located in the American Great Lakes states and the Canadian Province of Ontario.
The DGL u ...
formed the
North American Anglican Conference
The North American Anglican Conference (NAAC) is a federation of Continuing Anglican church bodies in the United States and Canada. It was founded on August 15, 2008, by an assembly of bishops, clergy, and laity gathered in Romulus, Michigan, for ...
for mutual assistance between "Biblical Anglican" churches. A suffragan bishop was consecrated for the Anglican Episcopal Church in late 2008 by its presiding bishop and three bishops of the
Diocese of the Great Lakes
The Diocese of the Great Lakes (DGL) is a Continuing Anglican church body in the United States and Canada. Its worship centers and clergy are currently located in the American Great Lakes states and the Canadian Province of Ontario.
The DGL u ...
. In July, 2014, the Diocese of the Great Lakes, under Bishop David Hustwick, joined the UECNA as its diocese for the Great Lakes states and eastern Canada. In January, 2015, a petition was received from Bishop George Conner of the Anglican Episcopal Church at the behest of that jurisdiction's standing committee asking for admission as a non-geographical diocese of the UECNA. This was granted on February 11, 2015.
Anglican Joint Synods – G-4 to G-3
In January 2016, the
Anglican Catholic Church
The Anglican Catholic Church (ACC), also known as the Anglican Catholic Church (Original Province), is a body of Christians in the continuing Anglican movement, which is separate from the Anglican Communion led by the Archbishop of Canterbury ...
, the
Anglican Church in America
The Anglican Church in America (ACA) is a Continuing Anglican church body and the United States branch of the Traditional Anglican Communion (TAC). The ACA, which is separate from The Episcopal Church, is not a member of the Anglican Communion ...
, the
Anglican Province of America
The Anglican Province of America (APA) is a Continuing Anglican church in the United States. The church was founded by former members of the Episcopal Church in the United States in order to follow what they consider to be a more truly Christian, ...
, and the
Diocese of the Holy Cross
The Diocese of the Holy Cross (DHC) is a constituent diocese of the Anglican Catholic Church, a continuing Anglican church body in the United States. Unlike most dioceses, it is not geographically defined.
History
The DHC was formed by clergy an ...
reached a formal accord. Forming the Anglican Joint Synods, a "Group of 4" churches, called the G-4, pursuing eventual corporate unity. A joint synod was planned for all four jurisdictions to discuss common mission and unity.
On October 6, 2017, the Anglican Church in America, the Anglican Catholic Church, the Anglican Province of America, and the Diocese of the Holy Cross signed a ''communio in sacris'' agreement at jointly held
synods in
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
, pledging to pursue full, institutional, and organic union.
On October 13, 2017, Archbishop Shane Janzen, then primate of the
Traditional Anglican Communion
The Traditional Anglican Church (TAC), formerly the Traditional Anglican Communion, is an international church consisting of national provinces in the continuing Anglican movement, independent of the Anglican Communion and the Archbishop of Cant ...
and Metropolitan of the
Anglican Catholic Church of Canada
The Anglican Catholic Church of Canada (ACCC) (french: Église Catholique Anglicane du Canada) is a Continuing Anglican church that was founded in 1979 by traditional Anglicans who had separated from the Anglican Church of Canada (ACC). The ACCC h ...
, together with Bishop Craig Botterill, released a statement expressing the hope that the "initiative will lead to further ecumenical dialogue, cooperation and reconciliation between and among the Continuing Anglican Churches around the world, as well as here in Canada".
In 2019, a joint mission and evangelism ministry called ''Continuing Forward'' was formed for these G-4 jurisdictions. All four were represented at a second joint synod held January 13–17, 2020 in Atlanta.
On September 23, 2021, the Diocese of the Holy Cross voted to join the Anglican Catholic Church as a non-geographical diocese, making the "Group of 4" a "Group of 3" (G-3) churches.
On February 16, 2022, the primates of the Anglican Province of America and the
Traditional Anglican Church
The Traditional Anglican Church (TAC), formerly the Traditional Anglican Communion, is an international church consisting of national provinces in the continuing Anglican movement, independent of the Anglican Communion and the Archbishop of Cant ...
announced the establishment of a full communion agreement between the two traditional Anglican churches. On May 22, 2022,
Rogation Sunday
Rogation days are days of prayer and fasting in Western Christianity. They are observed with processions and the Litany of the Saints. The so-called ''major'' rogation is held on 25 April; the ''minor'' rogations are held on Monday to Wednesday ...
, the
Anglican Province of America
The Anglican Province of America (APA) is a Continuing Anglican church in the United States. The church was founded by former members of the Episcopal Church in the United States in order to follow what they consider to be a more truly Christian, ...
and the
Traditional Anglican Church
The Traditional Anglican Church (TAC), formerly the Traditional Anglican Communion, is an international church consisting of national provinces in the continuing Anglican movement, independent of the Anglican Communion and the Archbishop of Cant ...
officially signed the agreement of full sacramental communion at Saint Barnabas Cathedral,
Dunwoody, Georgia
Dunwoody is a city located in DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. As a northern suburb of Atlanta, Dunwoody is part of the Atlanta metropolitan area. It was incorporated as a city on December 1, 2008 but its area establishment dates back to t ...
.
Dialogue with the Polish National Catholic Church
A dialogue between the G-3 (at the time, G-4) churches and the
Polish National Catholic Church
The Polish National Catholic Church (PNCC) is an independent Old Catholic church based in the United States and founded by Polish-Americans.
The PNCC is not in communion with the Roman Catholic Church.http://www.saplv.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/ ...
(PNCC) was opened, resulting from the desire to restore the kind of intercommunion that the PNCC had shared with the
Protestant Episcopal Church
The Episcopal Church, based in the United States with additional dioceses elsewhere, is a member church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. It is a mainline Protestant denomination and is divided into nine Ecclesiastical provinces and dioces ...
in the United States. The meetings began after representatives of the PNCC were invited to attend the Anglican Joint Synods of the G-4 in 2017. The dialogue has addressed various issues and ways the churches can continue to grow closer together and achieve unity.
The first official dialogue was held January 15, 2019, in
Dunwoody, Georgia
Dunwoody is a city located in DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. As a northern suburb of Atlanta, Dunwoody is part of the Atlanta metropolitan area. It was incorporated as a city on December 1, 2008 but its area establishment dates back to t ...
. The jurisdictions of the G-4 were represented by their presiding bishops and archbishops from the Anglican Catholic Church, the Anglican Church in America, the Anglican Province of America, and the Diocese of the Holy Cross. Also in attendance was a bishop of the
Anglican Catholic Church of Canada
The Anglican Catholic Church of Canada (ACCC) (french: Église Catholique Anglicane du Canada) is a Continuing Anglican church that was founded in 1979 by traditional Anglicans who had separated from the Anglican Church of Canada (ACC). The ACCC h ...
(ACCC). The PNCC was represented by three bishops, including Prime Bishop
Anthony Mikovsky
Anthony Mikovsky (born January 6, 1966) is an American Polish National Catholic bishop. He is Prime Bishop of the Polish National Catholic Church, having been elected at the General Synod of the church in October 2010 and his installation at 21 ...
and Bishop
Paul Sobiechowski, and two senior priests. The four met again in 2020, 2021, and 2022 in order to advance the dialogue.
As a part of the ACC's worldwide efforts with the
Union of Scranton
The Union of Scranton is a communion of Old Catholic churches established in 2008 by the Polish National Catholic Church (PNCC) of the United States, after the Union of Utrecht began ordaining women and blessing same-sex unions. Since then, ...
, meetings have been held between the
Nordic Catholic Church
The Nordic Catholic Church ( no, den nordisk-katolske kirke) is a church body based in Norway of High Church Lutheran patrimony. The Nordic Catholic Church is a member of the Union of Scranton.
The Nordic Catholic Church was founded in 1999 b ...
and the ACC Diocese of the United Kingdom.
As of October 2022, G-3 representatives were also in attendance with the bishops of the PNCC at the 125th anniversary and General Synod of the Polish National Catholic Church in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
Churches
There have been occasional surveys of "orthodox" Anglican churches conducted by the Fellowship of Concerned Churchmen, with numbers reported from 2007 and 2011 and 2015.
The following is a list of denominations that derive from the
Congress of St. Louis and the January 28, 1978, consecrations. The approximate number of their North American parishes and missions is shown in parentheses.
![St](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/63/St._Paul%27s_Anglican_Church_%28Portland%2C_Maine%29.jpg)
*
Anglican Catholic Church
The Anglican Catholic Church (ACC), also known as the Anglican Catholic Church (Original Province), is a body of Christians in the continuing Anglican movement, which is separate from the Anglican Communion led by the Archbishop of Canterbury ...
(including
Diocese of the Holy Cross
The Diocese of the Holy Cross (DHC) is a constituent diocese of the Anglican Catholic Church, a continuing Anglican church body in the United States. Unlike most dioceses, it is not geographically defined.
History
The DHC was formed by clergy an ...
) (97)
*
Anglican Catholic Church of Canada
The Anglican Catholic Church of Canada (ACCC) (french: Église Catholique Anglicane du Canada) is a Continuing Anglican church that was founded in 1979 by traditional Anglicans who had separated from the Anglican Church of Canada (ACC). The ACCC h ...
(12)
*
Anglican Church in America
The Anglican Church in America (ACA) is a Continuing Anglican church body and the United States branch of the Traditional Anglican Communion (TAC). The ACA, which is separate from The Episcopal Church, is not a member of the Anglican Communion ...
(41)
*
Anglican Province of America
The Anglican Province of America (APA) is a Continuing Anglican church in the United States. The church was founded by former members of the Episcopal Church in the United States in order to follow what they consider to be a more truly Christian, ...
(47)
*
Anglican Province of Christ the King
The Anglican Province of Christ the King (APCK) is a Continuing Anglican church with traditional forms both of doctrine and liturgy. It is considered one of the more Anglo-Catholic jurisdictions among Continuing Anglican church bodies.
History
...
(37)
*
Holy Catholic Church (Anglican Rite) (6)
*Traditional Anglican Church of Canada (9)
*
United Episcopal Church of North America
The United Episcopal Church of North America (UECNA) is a church in the Anglican tradition and is part of the Continuing Anglican movement. It is not part of the Anglican Communion.
The UECNA describes itself as "embracing the broad base of cere ...
(24)
Other Continuing Anglican churches
Other church bodies commonly called "Continuing Anglican" were founded independently of the Continuing Anglican movement of the 1970s, some before and others later. Among these are the
Free Church of England
The Free Church of England (FCE) is an episcopal church based in England. The church was founded when a number of congregations separated from the established Church of England in the middle of the 19th century.
The doctrinal basis of the F ...
(the first congregations of which were founded in 1844), the
Reformed Episcopal Church
The Reformed Episcopal Church (REC) is an Anglican church of evangelical Episcopalian heritage. It was founded in 1873 in New York City by George David Cummins, a former bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church.
The REC is a founding member ...
(founded in 1873), the
Orthodox Anglican Church
The Orthodox Anglican Communion (OAC) is a communion of churches established in 1964 or 1967, by James Parker Dees. The AOC was formed outside of the See of Canterbury; the OAC is not part of the Anglican Communion. The Anglican Orthodox Communio ...
(founded in 1963 as the Anglican Orthodox Church), and the
Southern Episcopal Church (founded in 1965).
*
American Anglican Church
The American Anglican Church (AAC) is a Continuing Anglican jurisdiction which was founded later in the history of the Continuing Anglican movement, ultimately deriving from controversies in the Episcopal Church. These were over the ordination o ...
(13)
* Anglican Orthodox Church (5)
*
Christian Episcopal Church of North America (4)
*
Episcopal Missionary Church
The Episcopal Missionary Church (EMC) is a Continuing Anglican church body in the United States and a member of the Federation of Anglican Churches in the Americas. Its founding in the early 1990s can be traced to the protests of members of The ...
(19)
*
Orthodox Anglican Church
The Orthodox Anglican Communion (OAC) is a communion of churches established in 1964 or 1967, by James Parker Dees. The AOC was formed outside of the See of Canterbury; the OAC is not part of the Anglican Communion. The Anglican Orthodox Communio ...
(15)
*
Southern Episcopal Church (3)
*
United Anglican Church The United Anglican Church is a small American Continuing Anglican denomination formed in 2002 through the merger of the Traditional Episcopal Church (TEC) and the Anglo-Catholic Church in the Americas (ACTA). It has parishes in Pennsylvania, Dela ...
Defunct churches
Other churches that emerged from the jurisdictions derived from the Congress of St. Louis, or merged with existing jurisdictions, or otherwise ceased.
* American Episcopal Church (1970 - 1991)
* Anglican Episcopal Church of North America (1972 - 1984)
*
Anglican Rite Jurisdiction of the Americas (1981 - ?)
* Anglican Rite Synod in the Americas (? - 2003)
* Anglican Rite Synod of America
* Anglo-Catholic Church in the Americas (2000 - 2009)
*
Traditional Protestant Episcopal Church
The Traditional Protestant Episcopal Church (TPEC) was a jurisdiction of the Continuing Anglican movement in the Reformed Anglican tradition. It was founded in 1991 by Richard G. Melli, formerly a priest of the Anglican Catholic Church, Diocese ...
(1991 - 2011)
See also
*
Anglican realignment
The Anglican realignment is a movement among some Anglicans to align themselves under new or alternative oversight within or outside the Anglican Communion. This movement is primarily active in parts of the Episcopal Church in the United States ...
*
Bartonville Agreement
The Bartonville Agreement came from a meeting held in May 1999 by bishops representing both the Anglican Communion's American province ( The Episcopal Church) and a number of Continuing Anglican jurisdictions in North America. As such, it was an e ...
*
Federation of Anglican Churches in the Americas
The Federation of Anglican Churches in the Americas (FACA) is an association of six Continuing Anglican jurisdictions with nearly 600 parishes in the New World. The Federation, which was founded in 2006 to enable a closer association of the ...
*
Continuing church
Continuing churches are Christian denominations that form when a church union between different denominations occurs and members or congregations do not wish to join the new denomination but instead choose to continue the heritage and identity of ...
*
Convergence Movement
The Convergence Movement, also known as the Ancient-Future Faith movement, is a Protestant Christian movement that began during the Fourth Great Awakening (1960–1980) in the United States.
Largely a result of the ecumenical movement and its fo ...
References
Further reading
* de Catanzaro, Carmino J., Bp. ''Anglican Catholic: What's in a Name?'' Westmount, Qué.: Anglican Catholic Church of Canada, Parish of Saint Athanasius,
98-? Without ISBN
*de Catanzaro, Carmino J., Bp. ''Why on Earth
s therethe Church?'' Westmount, Qué.: Anglican Catholic Church of Canada,
98-? Without ISBN
*Dees, James P., Bp. ''Reformation Anglicanism: an address ... on the Occasion of the Dedication of Cranmer Seminary ... Sept. 19, 1971 ... of the Anglican Orthodox Church''. Statesville, N.C.: Anglican Orthodox Church, 1971.
1p., col. ill.
*''The League of Independent Episcopal Parishes (LIEP)'', sponsored by the Traditional Episcopal Church. Spring Hill, Flor.: League of Independent Episcopal Churches,
99- ''N.B''.: No personal author or specific committee is credited for the text of this pamphlet.
*Palmer, Roland F. ''The Anglican Catholic Church of Canada: Questions & Answers''. Westmount, Qué.: Anglican Catholic Church of Canada,
98-? Without ISBN
*''The Traditional Episcopal Church''. Spring Hill, Flor.: Traditional Episcopal Church,
99- ''N.B''.: No personal author or specific committee is credited for the text of this pamphlet.
*Gallo, Michael F.
The Continuing Anglicans: Credible Movement or Ecclesiastical Dead End? Touchstone Magazine, Winter, 1989.
*''Divided We Stand: A History of the Continuing Anglican Movement'' by
Douglas Bess
Douglas may refer to:
People
* Douglas (given name)
* Douglas (surname)
Animals
*Douglas (parrot), macaw that starred as the parrot ''Rosalinda'' in Pippi Longstocking
*Douglas the camel, a camel in the Confederate Army in the American Civil W ...
,
Tractarian Press, 2002, . Revised edition,
Apocryphile Press, September 2006,
The Continuum and Its Problems A Paper Delivered By Wallace Spaulding To The Fellowship of Concerned Churchmen, September 2009.
*Warner, C. V. (2010). Recognizing Anglican Catholic identity: an historical review of the Anglican Catholic Movement, the affirmation of St. Louis and the traditional Anglican Communion
https://scholar.acadiau.ca/islandora/object/theses:3832*Miller, D. A. (2011). A “Continuing” Anglican Congregation: St George's Church, Las Vegas, 22 August 2010, 12th Sunday after Trinity. ''Anglican and Episcopal History'', ''80''(1), 74–78.
http://www.jstor.org/stable/42612658
*Andrews, Robert M. (2022). Continuing Anglicanism? The History, Theology, and Contexts of “The Affirmation of St Louis” (1977). ''Journal of Religious History'', ''46''(1), 40–60.
https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9809.12821
External links
at anglicansonline.org, with weblinks for most of the Continuing Anglican churches and some other non-Anglican churches.
''The Measure of A Bishop: The ''Episcopi Vagantes,'' Apostolic Succession, and the Legitimacy of the Anglican "Continuing Church" Movement'' A master's degree thesis, written by a student at
Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, containing historical information on Continuing Anglican and related churches.
Shelter in the Storm Safe Church Listof traditional/Orthodox Anglican churches
*
ttps://merecomments.typepad.com/merecomments/2006/10/anglican_taxono.html Anglican Taxonomyby Dr. William J. Tighe
{{DEFAULTSORT:Continuing Anglican Movement
Anglican Church of Canada
*
Episcopal Church (United States)
LGBT and Anglicanism