National Anglican Catholic Church
Encyclopedia
The National Anglican Catholic Church of the United States
is an independent fellowship which worship
s in the Anglican manner and in the Catholic
tradition.
Chartered under the religious organization laws of the State of New Jersey
, it had its formal foundation set in 2003 with the publication of its Principles, Positions and Practice handbook. The Church can trace its roots to an earlier association with the American Fellowship Church, a religious organization that has no doctrines but grants Doctor of Divinity degrees by mail for a $50 contribution and/or ordination as minister, priest, "or even rabbi" for $30.
The Church was also formerly associated with the Western Orthodox Church in America. It is from them that the priests of the Church, persons ordained within the Servants of the Resurrection, obtained their Apostolic line of succession
from Bishop C. David Luther, SGS. Bishop Luther was the founder of the Western Orthodox Church in America and subsequently consecrated Bishop Nicholas Owens in September 1977 in Altoona, Pennsylvania
. Bishop Owens, together with others, later established The National Anglican Catholic Church. The current Presiding Bishop of the Church is the Most Right Rev'd Michael Leaf, SR.
Both the Church and the Servants of the Resurrection recognize the Archbishop of Canterbury
as spiritual leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion, but no ties exist between the National Anglican Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion.
Many theologically liberal positions are held by the National Anglican Catholic Church. These include the ordination
of women and homosexuals, tolerance of divorce
as not sufficient cause to separate a catholic from the sacrament
s, and support for euthanasia
, homosexual relations, same-sex civil unions, and various other matters of scriptural inspiration and interpretation. The Church asserts that Jesus Christ leads today in an ever changing contemporary world and "is not locked away in the books of a first century theology or behind isolated marble walls." The Church claims to have been embraced by the gay and lesbian community, particularly in New Jersey and the New England states.
Priests ordained within the Church serve in a religious order known as The Servants of the Resurrection and usually are engaged in in hospital and hospice work, or as workers in community outreach programs. The National Anglican Catholic Church is unrelated to the Anglican Catholic Church and the Anglican Catholic Church of Canada.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
is an independent fellowship which worship
Worship
Worship is an act of religious devotion usually directed towards a deity. The word is derived from the Old English worthscipe, meaning worthiness or worth-ship — to give, at its simplest, worth to something, for example, Christian worship.Evelyn Underhill defines worship thus: "The absolute...
s in the Anglican manner and in the Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
tradition.
Chartered under the religious organization laws of the State of New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, it had its formal foundation set in 2003 with the publication of its Principles, Positions and Practice handbook. The Church can trace its roots to an earlier association with the American Fellowship Church, a religious organization that has no doctrines but grants Doctor of Divinity degrees by mail for a $50 contribution and/or ordination as minister, priest, "or even rabbi" for $30.
The Church was also formerly associated with the Western Orthodox Church in America. It is from them that the priests of the Church, persons ordained within the Servants of the Resurrection, obtained their Apostolic line of succession
Apostolic Succession
Apostolic succession is a doctrine, held by some Christian denominations, which asserts that the chosen successors of the Twelve Apostles, from the first century to the present day, have inherited the spiritual, ecclesiastical and sacramental authority, power, and responsibility that were...
from Bishop C. David Luther, SGS. Bishop Luther was the founder of the Western Orthodox Church in America and subsequently consecrated Bishop Nicholas Owens in September 1977 in Altoona, Pennsylvania
Altoona, Pennsylvania
-History:A major railroad town, Altoona was founded by the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1849 as the site for a shop complex. Altoona was incorporated as a borough on February 6, 1854, and as a city under legislation approved on April 3, 1867, and February 8, 1868...
. Bishop Owens, together with others, later established The National Anglican Catholic Church. The current Presiding Bishop of the Church is the Most Right Rev'd Michael Leaf, SR.
Both the Church and the Servants of the Resurrection recognize the Archbishop of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
as spiritual leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion, but no ties exist between the National Anglican Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion.
Many theologically liberal positions are held by the National Anglican Catholic Church. These include the ordination
Ordination
In general religious use, ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart as clergy to perform various religious rites and ceremonies. The process and ceremonies of ordination itself varies by religion and denomination. One who is in preparation for, or who is...
of women and homosexuals, tolerance of divorce
Divorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
as not sufficient cause to separate a catholic from the sacrament
Sacrament
A sacrament is a sacred rite recognized as of particular importance and significance. There are various views on the existence and meaning of such rites.-General definitions and terms:...
s, and support for euthanasia
Euthanasia
Euthanasia refers to the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to relieve pain and suffering....
, homosexual relations, same-sex civil unions, and various other matters of scriptural inspiration and interpretation. The Church asserts that Jesus Christ leads today in an ever changing contemporary world and "is not locked away in the books of a first century theology or behind isolated marble walls." The Church claims to have been embraced by the gay and lesbian community, particularly in New Jersey and the New England states.
Priests ordained within the Church serve in a religious order known as The Servants of the Resurrection and usually are engaged in in hospital and hospice work, or as workers in community outreach programs. The National Anglican Catholic Church is unrelated to the Anglican Catholic Church and the Anglican Catholic Church of Canada.