American Episcopal Church
Encyclopedia
The American Episcopal Church (AEC) was a conservative Anglican denomination that existed in the USA between 1968 and 1991.
Its growth was temporarily slowed by the relative success of the Continuing Anglican movement
of 1977 and 1978 which culminated in the creation of its own version of an alternative to the Episcopal Church in the United States of America. Following the 1976 General Convention of the Episcopal Church, one in which the ordination of women to the priesthood and a new Prayer Book were approved, traditionalist clergy and laypersons unwilling to accept the recent changes met in St. Louis, Missouri and founded the new "Anglican Church in North America (Episcopal)." That provisional name was formally changed to Anglican Catholic Church
at the new church's first convention held the next year.
Those who organized the "Congress of St. Louis" were departing members of the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada, both of which are member provinces of the Anglican Communion headed by the Archbishop of Canterbury. The American Episcopal Church, which had no such recognition, was not invited to participate in the Congress. Carroll Eugene Simcox
, editor of The Living Church
, joined the AEC in 1982.
The AEC continued to grow, however, and for a while gained new members and parishes from the Anglican Catholic Church as new disputes afflicted the ACC. The AEC and ACC ultimately negotiated a merger in hopes of unifying the conservative Anglican cause in the United States.
The 1991 merger took in all of the former AEC parishes but divided the Anglican Catholic Church, owing to last-minute opposition from some of the ACC's bishops. As a result, the American Episcopal Church was absorbed into the new Anglican Church in America but was joined by less than half of the ACC dioceses, with the others deciding to reject the union agreement and continue the existence of the Anglican Catholic Church.
Its growth was temporarily slowed by the relative success of the Continuing Anglican movement
Continuing Anglican Movement
The term Continuing Anglican movement refers to a number of churches in various countries that have been formed outside of the Anglican Communion. These churches generally believe that "traditional" forms of Anglican faith and worship have been unacceptably revised or abandoned within some...
of 1977 and 1978 which culminated in the creation of its own version of an alternative to the Episcopal Church in the United States of America. Following the 1976 General Convention of the Episcopal Church, one in which the ordination of women to the priesthood and a new Prayer Book were approved, traditionalist clergy and laypersons unwilling to accept the recent changes met in St. Louis, Missouri and founded the new "Anglican Church in North America (Episcopal)." That provisional name was formally changed to Anglican Catholic Church
Anglican Catholic Church
The Anglican Catholic Church is a body of Anglican Christians in the continuing Anglican movement, separate from the Anglican Communion centered on the Archbishop of Canterbury....
at the new church's first convention held the next year.
Those who organized the "Congress of St. Louis" were departing members of the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada, both of which are member provinces of the Anglican Communion headed by the Archbishop of Canterbury. The American Episcopal Church, which had no such recognition, was not invited to participate in the Congress. Carroll Eugene Simcox
Carroll Eugene Simcox
Carroll Eugene Simcox was an American Episcopal priest and editor of The Living Church magazine. Simcox was born in Lisbon, North Dakota and educated at the University of North Dakota. He was ordained deacon in 1937 and priest in 1938. He was rector of Zion Episcopal Church, Manchester, Vermont,...
, editor of The Living Church
The Living Church
The Living Church is a biweekly magazine based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin providing commentary and news information on the Episcopal Church in the United States...
, joined the AEC in 1982.
The AEC continued to grow, however, and for a while gained new members and parishes from the Anglican Catholic Church as new disputes afflicted the ACC. The AEC and ACC ultimately negotiated a merger in hopes of unifying the conservative Anglican cause in the United States.
The 1991 merger took in all of the former AEC parishes but divided the Anglican Catholic Church, owing to last-minute opposition from some of the ACC's bishops. As a result, the American Episcopal Church was absorbed into the new Anglican Church in America but was joined by less than half of the ACC dioceses, with the others deciding to reject the union agreement and continue the existence of the Anglican Catholic Church.