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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, also known as Episcopalianism in some countries, is a Western Christianity, Western Christian tradition which developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the ...
identity and tradition but are not part of the
Anglican Communion The Anglican Communion is a Christian Full communion, communion consisting of the Church of England and other autocephalous national and regional churches in full communion. The archbishop of Canterbury in England acts as a focus of unity, ...
. 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 Christian ministry, ministry of the Christian Church is considered by some Christian denominations to be derived from the Twelve Apostles, apostles by a continuous succession, which has usually been ...
and historic Anglican belief and practice. The term was first used in 1948 to describe members of the Church of England in 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 Protestant denominations in South India that occurred after the independence of India. With a membership of over 4.5 million, it ...
, which united the Anglican Church of India, Burma and Ceylon with the Reformed (Presbyterian and Congregationalist) and Methodist 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 and which produced the Affirmation of St. Louis, which opens with the title "The Continuation of Anglicanism". Some church bodies that pre-date the Congress of St. Louis (such as 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 FC ...
and
Reformed Episcopal Church The Reformed Episcopal Church (REC) is an Anglican Church. It was founded in 1873 in New York City by George David Cummins, a former bishop of the Episcopal Church (United States), Protestant Episcopal Church. The REC is a founding member of the ...
), or are of more recent origin (such as the
Church of England (Continuing) The Church of England (Continuing) is part of the Continuing Anglican Movement. It was founded in 1994. Since 2008 the church has regularly exhibited at the Christian Resources Exhibition at Esher, Surrey and elsewhere in England. It publishes a ...
and Independent Anglican Church Canada Synod), have referred to themselves as "Continuing Anglican" as they are traditional in belief and practice, though did not emerge subsequent to the Congress of St. Louis. As these bodies are members of the Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (GAFCON), they are referred to as " Confessing Anglican churches". The churches defined as "Continuing Anglican" are historically separate from
GAFCON The Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (branded as GAFCON or Gafcon) is a communion of conservative Anglicanism, Anglican churches, aligned with the Confessing Movement, that formed in 2008 in response to ongoing theological disputes in th ...
that contains Confessing Anglican denominations such as the
Anglican Church in North America The Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) is a Christian denomination in the Anglican tradition in the United States and Canada. It also includes ten congregations in Mexico, two mission churches in Guatemala, and a missionary diocese in Cuba. ...
, though in literature GAFCON members have been referred to as "Continuing Anglican" in the sense that they seek to embody "conservative Anglicanism" or "Traditional Anglicanism".


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 Primus inter pares, ceremonial head of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the bishop of the diocese of Canterbury. The first archbishop ...
have become either heretical or heterodox 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 State religion#State churches, established List of Christian denominations, Christian church in England and the Crown Dependencies. It is the mother church of the Anglicanism, Anglican Christian tradition, ...
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. In 1978, Presiding Bishop John M. Allin released a statement with the
Archbishop of Canterbury The archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and a principal leader of the Church of England, the Primus inter pares, ceremonial head of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the bishop of the diocese of Canterbury. The first archbishop ...
, Dr. Donald Coggan, that the Anglican Church formed from the consecrations performed by Bishop Chambers was in communion neither with the See of Canterbury, nor the Episcopal Church, nor the greater Anglican Communion. At the 1998
Lambeth Conference The Lambeth Conference convenes as the Archbishop of Canterbury summons an assembly of Anglican bishops every ten years. The first took place at Lambeth in 1867. As regional and national churches freely associate with the Anglican Communion, ...
, 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 partake of the Anglican tradition.


Theological unity and diversity

Anglicanism in general has historically viewed itself as a ''via media'' between the
Reformed Reform is beneficial change. Reform, reformed or reforming may also refer to: Media * ''Reform'' (album), a 2011 album by Jane Zhang * Reform (band), a Swedish jazz fusion group * ''Reform'' (magazine), a Christian magazine Places * Reform, Al ...
tradition and the
Lutheran Lutheranism is a major branch of Protestantism that emerged under the work of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German friar and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practices of the Catholic Church launched ...
tradition, and after the
Oxford Movement The Oxford Movement was a theological movement of high-church members of the Church of England which began in the 1830s and eventually developed into Anglo-Catholicism. The movement, whose original devotees were mostly associated with the Un ...
, certain clerics have sought a balance of the emphases of
Catholicism The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
and
Protestantism Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...
, while tolerating a range of expressions of
evangelicalism Evangelicalism (), also called evangelical Christianity or evangelical Protestantism, is a worldwide, interdenominational movement within Protestantism, Protestant Christianity that emphasizes evangelism, or the preaching and spreading of th ...
and ceremony. Clergy and laity from all Anglican
churchmanship Churchmanship (also 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 Com ...
traditions have been active in the formation of the Continuing Anglican movement. There are
high church A ''high church'' is a Christian Church whose beliefs and practices of Christian ecclesiology, Christian liturgy, liturgy, and Christian theology, theology emphasize "ritual, priestly authority, ndsacraments," and a standard liturgy. Although ...
,
broad church Broad church is latitudinarian churchmanship in the Church of England in particular and Anglicanism in general, meaning that the church permits a broad range of opinion on various issues of Anglican doctrine. In the American Episcopal Churc ...
, and
low church In Anglican Christianity, the term ''low church'' refers to those who give little emphasis to ritual, often having an emphasis on preaching, individual salvation, and personal conversion. The term is most often used in a liturgical sense, denot ...
Continuing Anglican jurisdictions. Some are
Anglo-Catholic Anglo-Catholicism comprises beliefs and practices that emphasise the Catholicism, Catholic heritage (especially pre-English Reformation, Reformation roots) and identity of the Church of England and various churches within Anglicanism. Anglo-Ca ...
with richly ceremonial liturgical practices. These include the Anglican Province of Christ the King, the Anglican Catholic Church, 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. History In the 1960s, the Episcopal Church in the United States ...
, and the Anglican Church in America. Others that belong to the Reformed Anglican tradition, such as the United Episcopal Church of North America, support the Thirty-Nine Articles and, in some parishes, alternate Morning Prayer with
Holy Communion The Eucharist ( ; from , ), also called Holy Communion, the Blessed Sacrament or the Lord's Supper, is a Christian rite, considered a sacrament in most churches and an ordinance in others. Christians believe that the rite was instituted by J ...
. The Continuing churches in the United States reject the 1979 revision of the Book of Common Prayer made by the
Episcopal Church (United States) The Episcopal Church (TEC), also known as the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America (PECUSA), is a member of the worldwide Anglican Communion, based in the United States. It is a mainline Protestant denomination and is ...
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 title given to a number of related prayer books used in the Anglican Communion and by other Christianity, Christian churches historically related to Anglicanism. The Book of Common Prayer (1549), fi ...
, for their services. The liturgical use of the 1611
Authorized Version The King James Version (KJV), also the King James Bible (KJB) and the Authorized Version (AV), is an Early Modern English translation of the Christian Bible for the Church of England, which was commissioned in 1604 and published in 1611, by ...
of the Bible (known in the United States as the King James Version) is also a common feature. This is done for many reasons, including aesthetic preferences and theological opposition to what the churches regard as liberal or progressive theology, which is said to characterize some more recent translations. The Affirmation of St. Louis—adopted at the Congress of St. Louis (September 14–16, 1977) by over 2000 bishops, clergy, and laypeople—and to a lesser extent the Thirty-nine Articles of Religion and
The Books of Homilies ''The Books of Homilies'' (1547, 1562, and 1571) are two books together containing thirty-three sermons developing the authorized reformed doctrines of the Church of England in depth and detail, as appointed for use in the 35th Article of the T ...
serve as standards 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 (TEC), also known as the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America (PECUSA), is a member of the worldwide Anglican Communion, based in the United States. It is a mainline Protestant denomination and is ...
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 2016, the Anglican Church of ...
. Related churches in other countries were founded later. In 1976, the General Convention of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America 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 deity, deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in parti ...
hood and to the
episcopate A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of dioceses. The role ...
and also provisionally adopted a new and doctrinally controversial
Book of Common Prayer The ''Book of Common Prayer'' (BCP) is the title given to a number of related prayer books used in the Anglican Communion and by other Christianity, Christian churches historically related to Anglicanism. The Book of Common Prayer (1549), fi ...
, later called the 1979 version. During the following year, several thousand dissenting clergy and laypersons responded to those actions by meeting in
St. Louis St. Louis ( , sometimes referred to as St. Louis City, Saint Louis or STL) is an independent city in the U.S. state of Missouri. It lies near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a populatio ...
, Missouri, under the auspices of the Fellowship of Concerned Churchmen, where they adopted a theological statement, the Affirmation of St. Louis of 1977. 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 List of municipalities in Colorado#Consolidated city and county, consolidated city and county, the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Colorado, most populous city of the U.S. state of ...
. The main Continuing Anglican churches claim
apostolic succession Apostolic succession is the method whereby the Christian ministry, ministry of the Christian Church is considered by some Christian denominations to be derived from the Twelve Apostles, apostles by a continuous succession, which has usually been ...
, originating from The Episcopal Church from before the date of ordination of women to the priesthood. It is also stated that there are
Old Catholic The terms Old Catholic Church, Old Catholics, Old-Catholic churches, or Old Catholic movement, designate "any of the groups of Western Christians who believe themselves to maintain in complete loyalty the doctrine and traditions of the Great C ...
and Polish National Catholic Church consecrations in the line of succession. 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, formerly the Episcopal Church's Bishop of Springfield ( PECUSA #588) and Acting Metropolitan of the ACNA. 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 (Taejon, Korea) and Rt Rev'd Charles Boynton. Originally, a minimum of four consecrating bishops was sought, following the precedent of PECUSA. However, Bishop Boynton did not attend due to ill health. Bishop Pae reportedly intended to be present, but upon the release of his name, the Archbishop of Canterbury ordered him not to attend. The canonicity of the third consecrator by letter of written consent was defended at the consecration. The newly consecrated Charles Doren 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 Rector of St. Mary's Church in Den ...
, Robert S. Morse, and Peter Francis Watterson. Watterson left the movement shortly afterward and became a
Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...
priest. What had provisionally been called the Anglican Church in North America (Episcopal), was renamed the Anglican Catholic Church at the constitutional assembly in Denver, October 18–21, 1978. "Anglican Catholic Church" had previously been considered as a possible alternative name of the Protestant Episcopal Church USA before the decision to adopt the name by which it is commonly known, The Episcopal Church. The new church continued to appeal to disaffected Episcopalians to join. Some parishes of The Episcopal Church attempted to join the Anglican Catholic Church with their church building and property, leading to numerous court challenges. Only a few parishes were able to retain their property outright, such as St. James, Cleveland. By 1985, it was estimated that up to 20,000 people had left The Episcopal Church for the newly formed Anglican Catholic Church.


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 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 Rector of St. Mary's Church in Den ...
, the Diocese of Christ the King (now the Anglican Province of Christ the King) led by Robert S. Morse, and the
Anglican Catholic Church of Canada The Anglican Catholic Church of Canada (ACCC) () is a Continuing Anglican church that was founded in 1979 by traditional Anglicans who had separated from the Anglican Church of Canada. The ACCC has fifteen parishes and missions; with two bishops a ...
. In 1981, Charles Doren and others left the Anglican Catholic Church to found the United Episcopal Church of North America in opposition to the alleged inhospitality of the other jurisdictions towards
low church In Anglican Christianity, the term ''low church'' refers to those who give little emphasis to ritual, often having an emphasis on preaching, individual salvation, and personal conversion. The term is most often used in a liturgical sense, denot ...
men. In 1983, a statement of unity led to the coalescence of the Anglican Catholic Church. 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. Some Continuing Anglican bishops began discussing forming an international communion of Continuing Anglican churches in 1988, and met in 1989 to form the Traditional Anglican Communion. In 1991, multiple Anglican jurisdictions were invited to attend a conference in October in
Deerfield Beach, Florida Deerfield Beach is a city in Broward County, Florida, United States, just south of the Palm Beach County, Florida, Palm Beach County line. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 86,859, making it the Broward County# ...
, to create a united church. The United Episcopal Church of North America and the Diocese of Christ the King declined to participate. At that meeting, a number of parishes left the Anglican Catholic Church to merge with the American Episcopal Church and form the Anglican Church in America as a part of the Traditional 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. History In the 1960s, the Episcopal Church in the United States ...
after the resignation of Bishop Anthony F. M. Clavier as bishop ordinary of Diocese of the Eastern United States (ACA) in 1995. In 1997, additional parishes left the Anglican Catholic Church 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. History In the 1960s, the Episcopal Church in the United States ...
as the Diocese of the West. 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 seceded from the Anglican Province of Christ the King over questions surrounding James Provence, the successor of Robert S. Morse. On July 25, 2007, Bishop Rocco Florenza and most of the parishes in the Eastern Diocese of the Anglican Province of Christ the King withdrew, joining the Anglican Church in America. 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 (United States), Episco ...
movement.


International growth

Some Continuing Anglican bodies have added dioceses outside North America. The two largest international jurisdictions are the Traditional Anglican Church and the Anglican Catholic Church. 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 and the Most Rev. John Augustine, Metropolitan of the CIPBC, signed an agreement restoring . 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 Province now contains 11 dioceses, including a diocese in
Tanzania Tanzania, officially the United Republic of Tanzania, is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It is bordered by Uganda to the northwest; Kenya to the northeast; the Indian Ocean to the east; Mozambique and Malawi to t ...
. 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. History In the 1960s, the Episcopal Church in the United States ...
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, 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. It was an association of Anglican churches in Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Jersey that subscribed to the Affirmation of St. Louis 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. In September 2004, Bishops and clergy of the Anglican Catholic Church (ACC), the Anglican Province of Christ the King (APCK), and the Anglican Church in America (ACA), together with some clergy of Forward in Faith, made a joint pilgrimage to the tomb of Bishop Charles Grafton in
Fond du Lac, Wisconsin Fond du Lac () is a city in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, United States, and its county seat. It is located at the southern end of Lake Winnebago and had a population of 44,678 at the 2020 census. The city forms the core of the Fond du Lac met ...
.


ACC-APCK-UECNA

From 2003 to 2011, the Anglican Catholic Church, the Anglican Province of Christ the King, and the United Episcopal Church of North America (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 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 APCK 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 Catholic Church, a suffragan bishop leads a diocese within an ecclesiastical province other than the principal diocese, the metropolitan archdiocese; the diocese led b ...
s in
St. Louis St. Louis ( , sometimes referred to as St. Louis City, Saint Louis or STL) is an independent city in the U.S. state of Missouri. It lies near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a populatio ...
, 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 (TAC), sought union with the
Roman Catholic Church The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
. 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 List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
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 BenedictXVI (born Joseph Alois Ratzinger; 16 April 1927 – 31 December 2022) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 19 April 2005 until his resignation on 28 February 2013. Benedict's election as p ...
'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,"Bishop Stephen Lopes of the Anglican Ordinariate of the Chair of St Peter..." is a canonical structure within the Catholic Church establis ...
", 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 signed an
apostolic constitution An apostolic constitution () is the most solemn form of legislation issued by the Pope.New Commentary on the Code of Canon Law, pg. 57, footnote 36. By their nature, apostolic constitutions are addressed to the public. Generic constitutions use ...
, . The House of Bishops of the Anglican Church in America – 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. Difficulties with the conditions placed on TAC clergy and parishes, particularly in Canada, resulted in many in the
Anglican Catholic Church of Canada The Anglican Catholic Church of Canada (ACCC) () is a Continuing Anglican church that was founded in 1979 by traditional Anglicans who had separated from the Anglican Church of Canada. The ACCC has fifteen parishes and missions; with two bishops a ...
to remain Anglicans. The Most Rev. Mark Haverland (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. History In the 1960s, the Episcopal Church in the United States ...
as an institution to join. In 2012, the TAC College of Bishops met and formally accepted the resignation of Archbishop John Hepworth. Archbishop John Hepworth was officially dismissed from the TAC College of Bishops on October 10, 2012.


Common Cause Partnership

Through the Federation of Anglican Churches in the Americas, 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 in January 2008 declined to become a full partner. 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. It was founded in 1873 in New York City by George David Cummins, a former bishop of the Episcopal Church (United States), Protestant Episcopal Church. The REC is a founding member of the ...
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 and the Diocese of the Great Lakes formed the North American Anglican Conference 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. 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 Church in America, 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. History In the 1960s, the Episcopal Church in the United States ...
, and the Diocese of the Holy Cross 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 A synod () is a council of a Christian denomination, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. The word ''synod'' comes from the Ancient Greek () ; the term is analogous with the Latin word . Originally, ...
in
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, Georgia, pledging to pursue full, institutional, and organic union. On October 13, 2017, Archbishop Shane Janzen, then primate of the Traditional Anglican Communion and Metropolitan of the
Anglican Catholic Church of Canada The Anglican Catholic Church of Canada (ACCC) () is a Continuing Anglican church that was founded in 1979 by traditional Anglicans who had separated from the Anglican Church of Canada. The ACCC has fifteen parishes and missions; with two bishops a ...
, 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 announced the establishment of a full communion agreement between the two traditional Anglican churches. On May 22, 2022, Rogation Sunday, the Anglican Province of America and the Traditional Anglican Church 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 Atlanta metropolitan area, 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 ...
. At the 2023 Anglican Joint Synods, the House of Bishops of the Anglican Church of America resolved to seek "fullest unity possible with the Anglican Catholic Church while maintaining the integrity and unity of the Traditional Anglican Church."


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 (PNCC) opened, resulting from the desire to restore the kind of intercommunion that the PNCC had shared with the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States before 1978. The meetings began after representatives of the PNCC were invited and attended 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. 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) () is a Continuing Anglican church that was founded in 1979 by traditional Anglicans who had separated from the Anglican Church of Canada. The ACCC has fifteen parishes and missions; with two bishops a ...
(ACCC). The PNCC was represented by three bishops, including Prime Bishop Anthony Mikovsky and Bishop Paul Sobiechowski, and two senior priests. On July 28, 2020, the G-4/PNCC Ecumenical Dialogue Group met via Zoom. On October 5–6, 2021, the G-3/PNCC Ecumenical Dialogue Group met at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Manchester, New Hampshire. On March 15–16, 2022, the G-3/PNCC Ecumenical Dialogue Group met at the Anglican Cathedral of the Epiphany in Columbia, South Carolina. 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. As a part of the ACC's worldwide efforts with the Union of Scranton, meetings have been held between the ACC Diocese of the United Kingdom and the
Nordic Catholic Church The Nordic Catholic Church (NCC; ), formerly known as the Lutheran Free Synod of Norway, is an Old Catholic church body of High church Lutheranism, high church Lutheran patrimony, that is based in Norway. The church is a member of the Union of Sc ...
, an
Old Catholic The terms Old Catholic Church, Old Catholics, Old-Catholic churches, or Old Catholic movement, designate "any of the groups of Western Christians who believe themselves to maintain in complete loyalty the doctrine and traditions of the Great C ...
denomination of High Church Lutheran patrimony. On January 23–25, 2023, delegates of the G-3 and the PNCC met for their 7th Dialogue at St. Paul's Anglican Church (APA),
Melbourne, Florida Melbourne ( ) is a city in Brevard County, Florida, United States. It is located southeast of Orlando, Florida, Orlando along Florida's Space Coast, named because of the region's proximity to Cape Canaveral and the Kennedy Space Center. The city ...
, and produced this statement:


Dialogue with the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod

In May 2024, representatives of the G3 churches met with representatives of the
Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod (LCMS), also known as the Missouri Synod, is an orthodox, traditional confessional Lutheran Christian denomination, denomination in the United States. With 1.7 million members as of 2022 it is the second-l ...
(LCMS) in
St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis ( , sometimes referred to as St. Louis City, Saint Louis or STL) is an Independent city (United States), independent city in the U.S. state of Missouri. It lies near the confluence of the Mississippi River, Mississippi and the Miss ...
. Continuing meetings were planned for the future for the purpose of both parties coming to understand the other better, and to form joint statements on pressing theological or moral matters.


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 and dioceses worldwide that derive from the Congress of St. Louis and the January 28, 1978, consecrations.


North America

The approximate number of parishes and missions is shown in parentheses. * Anglican Catholic Church (including Diocese of the Holy Cross) (87) *
Anglican Catholic Church of Canada The Anglican Catholic Church of Canada (ACCC) () is a Continuing Anglican church that was founded in 1979 by traditional Anglicans who had separated from the Anglican Church of Canada. The ACCC has fifteen parishes and missions; with two bishops a ...
(TAC) (12) * Anglican Church in America (TAC) (51) *
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. History In the 1960s, the Episcopal Church in the United States ...
(42) * Anglican Province of Christ the King (37) * Holy Catholic Church (Anglican Rite) (8) * Traditional Anglican Church of Canada (ACC) (9) * United Episcopal Church of North America (24)


South America and Caribbean

* Diocese of the New Grenada (Colombia, Venezuela, Chile and Brazil) (ACC) * Indigenous Pastorale of the Anglican Province of America in Ecuador (APA) * Missionary Diocese of the Caribbean (ACC) * Traditional Anglican Church in Latin America (TAC) * Diocese of Peutro Rico and the Caribbean (TAC)


Europe

*
Church of England (Continuing) The Church of England (Continuing) is part of the Continuing Anglican Movement. It was founded in 1994. Since 2008 the church has regularly exhibited at the Christian Resources Exhibition at Esher, Surrey and elsewhere in England. It publishes a ...
* Church of Ireland – Traditional Rite (TAC) * Deanery of Europe (ACC) * Diocese of the United Kingdom (ACC) * Traditional Anglican Church in Britain (TAC)


Africa

* Anglican Church in Southern Africa (TAC) * Continuing Anglican Church in Zimbabwe (TAC) * Diocese of the Aweil (Sudan) (ACC) * Diocese of Cameroon (ACC) * Diocese of Christ the Redeemer (South Africa) (ACC) * Diocese of Congo (
South Kivu South Kivu (; ) is one of Provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 26 provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Its capital city, capital is Bukavu. Located within the East African Rift's western branch Albertine Rift, it is ...
(exclusive Fizi, Uvira and Mwenga),
North Kivu North Kivu () is a Provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, province bordering Lake Kivu in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. The capital city is Goma. Spanning approximately 59,483 square kilometers with a population esti ...
, Central, West, North and South) (ACC) * Diocese of Kenya (ACC) * Missionary Diocese of Eastern Congo ( Fizi, Uvira and Mwenga) (ACC) * Missionary Diocese of Rwanda (ACC) * Missionary Diocese of the West (South Africa) (ACC) * Province of Southern Africa (ACC) ** Diocese of Kei ** Missionary Diocese of
Ekurhuleni The City of Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality (; ; ; ) is a metropolitan municipality that forms the local government of the East Rand region of Gauteng, a large suburban region east of Johannesburg. ''Ekurhuleni'' means "place of peace" in Xi ...
** Missionary Diocese of Saint Paul ** Missionary Diocese of Vaal ** Missionary Diocese of
Johannesburg Johannesburg ( , , ; Zulu language, Zulu and Xhosa language, Xhosa: eGoli ) (colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, Jo'burg or "The City of Gold") is the most populous city in South Africa. With 5,538,596 people in the City of Johannesburg alon ...
** Diocese of Christ the King ** Diocese of
Zimbabwe file:Zimbabwe, relief map.jpg, upright=1.22, Zimbabwe, relief map Zimbabwe, officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Bots ...
** Diocese of
Port Elizabeth Gqeberha ( , ), formerly named Port Elizabeth, and colloquially referred to as P.E., is a major seaport and the most populous city in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It is the seat of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipal ...
** Diocese of
East London East London is the part of London, England, east of the ancient City of London and north of the River Thames as it begins to widen. East London developed as London Docklands, London's docklands and the primary industrial centre. The expansion of ...
** Missionary Diocese of Qumbu ** Diocese of
Tanzania Tanzania, officially the United Republic of Tanzania, is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It is bordered by Uganda to the northwest; Kenya to the northeast; the Indian Ocean to the east; Mozambique and Malawi to t ...
** Patrimony of the North West (South Africa) ** Patrimony of the
Western Cape The Western Cape ( ; , ) is a provinces of South Africa, province of South Africa, situated on the south-western coast of the country. It is the List of South African provinces by area, fourth largest of the nine provinces with an area of , an ...
* Traditional Anglican Church in Zambia (TAC)


Asia

* Anglican Church of India – CIPBC (TAC) * Church of India-CIPBC (ACC) * Diocese of Lahore (Pakistan) (ACC) * Anglican Church in America (ACA) Deanery of Indonesia


Oceania

* Church of the Torres Strait (TAC) * Missionary Diocese of Australia and New Zealand (ACC) * Missionary Diocese of the Philippines (ACC) * Traditional Anglican Church in Australia (TAC)


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 FC ...
(the first congregations of which were founded in 1844), the Orthodox Anglican Church (founded in 1963 as the Anglican Orthodox Church), the Southern Episcopal Church (founded in 1965). and the
Reformed Episcopal Church The Reformed Episcopal Church (REC) is an Anglican Church. It was founded in 1873 in New York City by George David Cummins, a former bishop of the Episcopal Church (United States), Protestant Episcopal Church. The REC is a founding member of the ...
(founded in 1873). North American communities that fall into this category (with approximate number of congregations) are: * American Anglican Church (13) * Anglican Orthodox Church (9) * Christian Episcopal Church of North America (6) * Episcopal Missionary Church (10) * Independent Anglican Church, Canada Synod (10) * Orthodox Anglican Church (10) * Southern Episcopal Church (3) * United Anglican Church


Defunct churches

Other American churches that emerged from the jurisdictions derived from the Congress of St. Louis, then 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) * Reformed Anglican Church (2009–2023) * Traditional Protestant Episcopal Church (1991–2011)


Affiliated educational institutions


Saint Joseph of Arimathea Theological College

Originally founded in 1952 by Robert S. Morse as the Episcopal Chaplaincy at
Stanford University Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University, is a Private university, private research university in Stanford, California, United States. It was founded in 1885 by railroad magnate Leland Stanford (the eighth ...
, it was renamed the St. Joseph of Arimathea Foundation in 1960. In 1964, the current location one block south of the
University of California, Berkeley The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California), is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Berkeley, California, United States. Founded in 1868 and named after t ...
was purchased. Due to disagreements between Robert S. Morse and the current Episcopal bishop, James Pike, in 1963 Morse resigned as chairman but filled the Board with Orthodox and Catholic clergy, including Prince Vasili Romanov and the Very Rev. Alexander Schmemann. The St. Joseph's Student Center hosted Orthodox, Catholic, and Anglican services throughout the week. The chapel, also named for Saint Joseph of Arimethea, was built in 1975 and features a sixteenth century
crucifix A crucifix (from the Latin meaning '(one) fixed to a cross') is a cross with an image of Jesus on it, as distinct from a bare cross. The representation of Jesus himself on the cross is referred to in English as the (Latin for 'body'). The cru ...
. Saint Joseph of Arimathea Anglican Theological College was founded in 1979 as a seminary for the newly formed Diocese of Christ the King. It continues to offer classes, in person and online, mostly for prospective clergy of the Anglican Province of Christ the King.


Holyrood Seminary

Holyrood Seminary was established by the Anglican Catholic Church in 1981 to address the shortage of priests in the newly formed church. The building purchased was former hospital in
Liberty, New York Liberty is a Administrative divisions of New York#Town, town in Sullivan County, New York, Sullivan County, New York (state), New York, United States. The population was 10,159 at the 2020 census.US Census Bureau, 2020 Census Report QuickFacts, ...
. The building had previously been purchased in 1979 by St. Alban's Anglican Catholic Holyrood Seminary of
Richmond, Virginia Richmond ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), U.S. commonwealth of Virginia. Incorporated in 1742, Richmond has been an independent city (United States), independent city since 1871. ...
. The seminary produced many graduates who were ordained in the Anglican Catholic Church and other continuing churches. The seminary closed in 1998.


Saint Bede's Anglican Catholic Theological College

Saint Bede's Anglican Catholic Theological College was established in 2001 to serve the needs of the
Anglican Catholic Church of Canada The Anglican Catholic Church of Canada (ACCC) () is a Continuing Anglican church that was founded in 1979 by traditional Anglicans who had separated from the Anglican Church of Canada. The ACCC has fifteen parishes and missions; with two bishops a ...
and Traditional Anglican Church as well as other Continuing Anglican Churches. It offers courses leading to Bachelor in Theology (B.Th.), Master of Divinity (M.Div.), or Master of Theological Studies (M.T.S) degrees. In 2018, Saint Bede's Anglican Catholic Theological College was accredited by Accreditation Service for International Schools, Colleges and Universities (ASIC). Based in
Victoria, British Columbia Victoria is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of British Columbia, on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific Ocean, Pacific coast. The city has a population of 91,867, and the Gre ...
, it also offers classes online.


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 (United States), Episco ...
* Bartonville Agreement * Federation of Anglican Churches in the Americas * Continuing church * Convergence Movement *
Independent sacramental movement The independent sacramental movement (ISM) is a loose collection of individuals and Christian denominations that are not part of the historic sacramental Christian denominations embodying catholicity (such as the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox ...


References


Further reading

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


External links

* Links to most of the Continuing Anglican churches and some other non-Anglican, Episcopalian churches * Historical information on Continuing Anglican and related churches. * *
The Anglican Joint Synods
''Anglican-synods.com''. Comprehensive website of the jurisdictions which signed the Atlanta Concordat of 2017 with parish locations and resources. {{DEFAULTSORT:Continuing Anglican Movement Anglican Church of Canada * Episcopal Church (United States) Anglicanism in Africa Anglicanism in the United States Anglicanism in the United Kingdom Continuing Anglican denominations Continuing Anglicans Continuing Anglicans by nationality Anglicanism in Canada Anglican denominations in South America Anglican denominations established in the 20th century Anglican ecclesiastical provinces