The name Liberal Catholic Church (LCC) is used by a number of separate
Christian churches throughout the world which are open to
esoteric
Western esotericism, also known as esotericism, esoterism, and sometimes the Western mystery tradition, is a term scholars use to categorise a wide range of loosely related ideas and movements that developed within Western society. These ideas ...
beliefs and hold many ideas in common. Although the term ''Liberal Catholic'' might suggest otherwise, it does not refer to
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 ...
groups within 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 ...
but to groups within the
Independent Catholic
Independent Catholicism is an independent sacramental movement of clergy and laity who self-identify as Catholic (most often as Old Catholic or as Independent Catholic) and form "micro-churches claiming apostolic succession and valid sacramen ...
movement, unrecognised by and not in
communion with the
Pope
The pope ( la, papa, from el, πάππας, translit=pappas, 'father'), also known as supreme pontiff ( or ), Roman pontiff () or sovereign pontiff, is the bishop of Rome (or historically the patriarch of Rome), head of the worldwide Cathol ...
or the rest of the Catholic Church.
There are essentially two groups of Liberal Catholic churches: those which espouse
theosophical ideas and those which do not.
History
Schisms and other departures
1941 schism
In 1941, a schism occurred in the church due to breaches of
canon law
Canon law (from grc, κανών, , a 'straight measuring rod, ruler') is a set of ordinances and regulations made by ecclesiastical authority (church leadership) for the government of a Christian organization or church and its members. It is th ...
and the laws of the state of
California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
on the part of the Presiding Bishop, which led in 1959 to the church known abroad as the
Liberal Catholic Church International earning the legal right to be known as the Liberal Catholic Church in the United States. In America, the entity originally known as the Liberal Catholic Church is known as "The
Liberal Catholic Church, Province of the United States of America."
The Young Rite
In 2006, former LCC Presiding Bishop Johannes van Alphen
consecrated Markus van Alphen who, in turn, established the Young Rite. Bishop Johannes himself eventually joined the Young Rite, serving until his death. Among the tenets of the Young Rite was the belief that all possessed a path to the priesthood, and anyone requesting
ordination
Ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart and elevated from the laity class to the clergy, who are thus then authorized (usually by the denominational hierarchy composed of other clergy) to perform v ...
should receive it.
This practice was abandoned in the United States after Markus van Alphen's retirement and with the establishment of the Community of Saint George, a Young Rite jurisdiction and the only recognized one in the United States. Young Rite USA now requires a multi-year formation program for its clergy.
Teaching
Many in the church accept the concept of
purgatory
Purgatory (, borrowed into English via Anglo-Norman and Old French) is, according to the belief of some Christian denominations (mostly Catholic), an intermediate state after physical death for expiatory purification. The process of purgatory ...
, and in the liturgy of the mass the priest prays for the dead. The church is open to
reincarnation
Reincarnation, also known as rebirth or transmigration, is the philosophical or religious concept that the non-physical essence of a living being begins a new life in a different physical form or body after biological death. Resurrection is ...
.
Sacraments and apostolic succession
According to each Liberal Catholic Church's ''Statement of Principles'', "The Liberal Catholic Church recognises seven fundamental
sacraments, which it enumerates as follows:
Baptism
Baptism (from grc-x-koine, βάπτισμα, váptisma) is a form of ritual purification—a characteristic of many religions throughout time and geography. In Christianity, it is a Christian sacrament of initiation and adoption, almost ...
,
Confirmation, Holy
Eucharist
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 instit ...
,
Absolution
Absolution is a traditional theological term for the forgiveness imparted by ordained Christian priests and experienced by Christian penitents. It is a universal feature of the historic churches of Christendom, although the theology and the pr ...
, Holy
Unction
Anointing is the ritual act of pouring aromatic oil over a person's head or entire body.
By extension, the term is also applied to related acts of sprinkling, dousing, or smearing a person or object with any perfumed oil, milk, butter, or ot ...
, Holy
Matrimony
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...
, and
Holy Orders. It claims an unbroken
apostolic succession through the Old Catholic
Union of Utrecht
The Union of Utrecht ( nl, Unie van Utrecht) was a treaty signed on 23 January 1579 in Utrecht, Netherlands, unifying the northern provinces of the Netherlands, until then under the control of Habsburg Spain.
History
The Union of Utrecht is r ...
and claims that its orders are 'acknowledged as valid throughout the whole of those churches of
Christendom
Christendom historically refers to the Christian states, Christian-majority countries and the countries in which Christianity dominates, prevails,SeMerriam-Webster.com : dictionary, "Christendom"/ref> or is culturally or historically intertwine ...
which maintain the
apostolic succession of orders as a tenet of their
faith
Faith, derived from Latin ''fides'' and Old French ''feid'', is confidence or trust in a person, thing, or In the context of religion, one can define faith as " belief in God or in the doctrines or teachings of religion".
Religious people ofte ...
." The LCC International has modified their Statement of Principles to read "it (the LCC) has preserved an episcopal succession that is valid, as understood throughout the whole of those churches in Christendom that maintain the apostolic succession as a tenet of their faith." The LCC International permits the ordination of
omenand
gays and lesbians.
[http://kingsgarden.org/English/Organizations/LCC.gb/LCIS/Scriptures/Liberal/Cooper/Ceremonies/BlueBook/INDEX_S.htm ]
See also
*
Free Church of Antioch
The Free Church of Antioch is one of several "Malabar Rite" Independent Catholic Churches which claims valid lines of apostolic succession in the historical episcopate which is not in union with the Catholic Pope in Rome or any Orthodox Patriarch ...
*
Maitreya (Benjamin Creme)
Benjamin Creme (5 December 1922 − 24 October 2016) was a Scottish artist, author, esotericist, and editor of '' Share International'' magazine.
He asserted that the second coming, prophesied by many religions, would come in the form of ''M ...
*
Maitreya (Theosophy)
*
Warren Prall Watters
References
External links
Liberal Catholic Church (International) Liberal Catholic Church of AmericaLiberal Catholic Church (International) Province of Great Britain and Ireland
Liberal Catholic Church of AustraliaLiberal Catholic Church of New ZealandLiberal Catholic Community The Priestly Society of the Inner Circle and LightThe Young Rite Liberal Catholic Church-Theosophia Synod
{{Authority control
Christian denominations established in the 20th century
LGBT and Catholicism
Independent Catholic denominations
LGBT churches
Christian organizations established in 1913
Theosophy