Church of England (Continuing)
Encyclopedia
The Church of England is part of the Continuing Anglican Movement
. It was founded in England
on 10 February 1994 at a meeting chaired by Dr. David N. Samuel held at St. Mary's, Castle Street, Reading, in reaction to the use of Common Worship
and to the ordination of women
. Unlike the Free Church of England
, which also broke from the Church of England
, the Church of England (Continuing) holds to the unmodified Thirty-Nine Articles
of Religion of the Church of England and to the 1662 Book of Common Prayer
which alone is used by its parishes for worship.
Although the CofEC was widely discussed in Anglican circles at the time of its founding, it has not achieved significant growth since that time. The suggestion has been made that one reason for this may be the greater acceptance of vernacular worship and women clergy among younger Christians, many of whom would logically have come to the Church through the evangelical movement.
Four congregations are listed by the CofEC as of 2009
A fifth congregation in Nuffield near Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire
meets with Nuffield Parish Church. Two congregation, St. Silas and St. Mary's own their own buildings with the remaining congregations meeting at shared venues.
The first bishop of The Church of England (Continuing) was the Rt. Rev'd David Norman Samuel
, now retired and assistant bishop. The current presiding bishop is the Rt. Rev'd Edward Malcolm, minister of St. Silas, Wolverhampton. In addition the Rev'd John Shearer serves as a freelance minister and there are several lay reader
s and preachers.
The Episcopal Succession of the Church of England (Continuing) from the Mother Church of England is through the following lineage of bishops:
John Moore, Archbishop of Canterbury, cons. on 4 Feb. 1787 William White who cons. on 31 Oct. 1832 John Henry Hopkins who cons. on 1 May 1867 Daniel Sylvester Tutile who cons. on 6 June 1911 James DeWolf Perry who cons. on 14 Oct. 1930 Henry Knox Sherrill who cons. on 5 Apr. 1951 Arthur Carl Lichtenberger who cons. on 1 Oct. 1962 Arthur Albert Chambers who cons. on 28 Jan. 1978 Charles Dale David Doren who cons. on 2 June 1984 Albion Williamson Knight, Jr. who cons. on 11 June 1995 David Norman Samuel who cons. on 13 Sept. 1998 Edward Malcolm.
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...
. It was founded in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
on 10 February 1994 at a meeting chaired by Dr. David N. Samuel held at St. Mary's, Castle Street, Reading, in reaction to the use of Common Worship
Common Worship
Common Worship is the name given to the series of services authorised by the General Synod of the Church of England and launched on the first Sunday of Advent in 2000. It represents the most recent stage of development of the Liturgical Movement within the Church and is the successor to the...
and to the ordination of women
Ordination of women
Ordination in general religious usage is the process by which a person is consecrated . The ordination of women is a regular practice among some major religious groups, as it was of several religions of antiquity...
. Unlike the Free Church of England
Free Church of England
The Free Church of England is an Anglican church which separated from the established Church of England in the course of the 19th century. The church was founded by evangelical clergy and congregations in response to the rise of Anglo-Catholicism. The first congregations were formed in 1844...
, which also broke from the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
, the Church of England (Continuing) holds to the unmodified Thirty-Nine Articles
Thirty-Nine Articles
The Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion are the historically defining statements of doctrines of the Anglican church with respect to the controversies of the English Reformation. First established in 1563, the articles served to define the doctrine of the nascent Church of England as it related to...
of Religion of the Church of England and to the 1662 Book of Common Prayer
Book of Common Prayer
The Book of Common Prayer is the short title of a number of related prayer books used in the Anglican Communion, as well as by the Continuing Anglican, "Anglican realignment" and other Anglican churches. The original book, published in 1549 , in the reign of Edward VI, was a product of the English...
which alone is used by its parishes for worship.
Although the CofEC was widely discussed in Anglican circles at the time of its founding, it has not achieved significant growth since that time. The suggestion has been made that one reason for this may be the greater acceptance of vernacular worship and women clergy among younger Christians, many of whom would logically have come to the Church through the evangelical movement.
Four congregations are listed by the CofEC as of 2009
- St. Mary's, Castle Street, Reading, BerkshireReading, BerkshireReading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
, minister Rev'd Edward J. Malcolm - St. John's Church, Colliers Wood, LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, minister Rev'd Peter Ratcliff - St. Silas Church, WolverhamptonWolverhamptonWolverhampton is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands, England. For Eurostat purposes Walsall and Wolverhampton is a NUTS 3 region and is one of five boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "West Midlands" NUTS 2 region...
, minister Rt. Rev'd Edward Malcolm - Holy Trinity Church, Frinton-on-SeaFrinton-on-SeaFrinton-on-Sea is a small seaside town in the Tendring District of Essex, England. It is part of the Parish of Frinton and Walton.-History:...
, minister Mr. Phillip Lievesley
A fifth congregation in Nuffield near Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
meets with Nuffield Parish Church. Two congregation, St. Silas and St. Mary's own their own buildings with the remaining congregations meeting at shared venues.
The first bishop of The Church of England (Continuing) was the Rt. Rev'd David Norman Samuel
David Norman Samuel
David Norman Samuel was the first Presiding Bishop of the Church of England . This Christian denomination was founded on 10 February 1994. Dr. Samuel was originally ordained a deacon in the Church of England in 1961 and was priested the following year. On 11 June 1995 he was consecrated by the Rt....
, now retired and assistant bishop. The current presiding bishop is the Rt. Rev'd Edward Malcolm, minister of St. Silas, Wolverhampton. In addition the Rev'd John Shearer serves as a freelance minister and there are several lay reader
Lay Reader
A lay reader is a layperson authorized by a bishop of the Anglican Church to read some parts of a service of worship. They are members of the congregation called to preach or lead services, but not called to full-time ministry.Anglican lay readers are licensed by the bishop to a particular parish...
s and preachers.
The Episcopal Succession of the Church of England (Continuing) from the Mother Church of England is through the following lineage of bishops:
John Moore, Archbishop of Canterbury, cons. on 4 Feb. 1787 William White who cons. on 31 Oct. 1832 John Henry Hopkins who cons. on 1 May 1867 Daniel Sylvester Tutile who cons. on 6 June 1911 James DeWolf Perry who cons. on 14 Oct. 1930 Henry Knox Sherrill who cons. on 5 Apr. 1951 Arthur Carl Lichtenberger who cons. on 1 Oct. 1962 Arthur Albert Chambers who cons. on 28 Jan. 1978 Charles Dale David Doren who cons. on 2 June 1984 Albion Williamson Knight, Jr. who cons. on 11 June 1995 David Norman Samuel who cons. on 13 Sept. 1998 Edward Malcolm.
External links
- Official website
- The Thirty-nine Articles of Religion as presented by the above