Orthodox Anglican Church
Encyclopedia
The Orthodox Anglican Church (OAC) is the American branch of the Orthodox Anglican Communion
. It is now considered to be part of the Continuing Anglican movement
, although the church predates the Continuing Church movement and was actively opposed to Continuing Anglicanism when it developed during the late 1970s. The church was first incorporated on March 6, 1964 as the Anglican Orthodox Church by Episcopalians who were alarmed at what they considered to be liberal trends in the Episcopal Church in the United States of America..
being initially preserved through Old Catholic and Eastern Orthodox lines.
For more than the first 30 years of its history the church practiced a very low church
variety of Anglicanism, even limiting the celebration of communion
to once a month. Then in 1999 the Presiding Bishop, Robert Godfrey, and the majority of the clergy and laity met in synod. The synod decided to align the church closer to the liturgical standards of the majority of the Continuing Anglican jurisdictions. Laity close to the founding bishop, and a minority of clergy, who were opposed to the changes, separated and incorporated under the Anglican Orthodox Church
name in order to continue the orientation of the church as it had been before the re-alignment.
On April 30, 2000, Bishop Godfrey retired as Presiding Bishop in favor of his suffragan bishop, Scott Earle McLaughlin
. Bishop McLaughlin is the fourth and current Presiding Bishop of the church. In order to match the name of its international communion, in 2005 the jurisdiction changed its name from the Episcopal Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of America to the Orthodox Anglican Church.
Bishop McLaughlin was a signatory to the Bartonville Agreement
in 1999 and in 2007 to a Covenant of Intercommunion between the OAC and the Old Catholic Church in Slovakia, represented by the Most Revd Augustin Bacinsky.
in 2002.
The Orthodox Anglican Church offices and Saint Andrew's Theological College and Seminary are in Thomasville, North Carolina
. The Presiding Bishop of the American church also serves as Metropolitan of the global Orthodox Anglican Communion.
Orthodox Anglican Communion
The Orthodox Anglican Communion was established in 1967 as a self-governing worldwide fellowship of national churches in the Anglican tradition. The Orthodox Anglican Communion was one of the first such communions to be formed outside of the See of Canterbury and therefore is not part of the...
. It is now considered to be part 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...
, although the church predates the Continuing Church movement and was actively opposed to Continuing Anglicanism when it developed during the late 1970s. The church was first incorporated on March 6, 1964 as the Anglican Orthodox Church by Episcopalians who were alarmed at what they considered to be liberal trends in the Episcopal Church in the United States of America..
History
The church was founded as a conservative alternative to the Episcopal Church, with apostolic successionApostolic 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...
being initially preserved through Old Catholic and Eastern Orthodox lines.
For more than the first 30 years of its history the church practiced a very low church
Low church
Low church is a term of distinction in the Church of England or other Anglican churches initially designed to be pejorative. During the series of doctrinal and ecclesiastic challenges to the established church in the 16th and 17th centuries, commentators and others began to refer to those groups...
variety of Anglicanism, even limiting the celebration of communion
Eucharist
The Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance...
to once a month. Then in 1999 the Presiding Bishop, Robert Godfrey, and the majority of the clergy and laity met in synod. The synod decided to align the church closer to the liturgical standards of the majority of the Continuing Anglican jurisdictions. Laity close to the founding bishop, and a minority of clergy, who were opposed to the changes, separated and incorporated under the Anglican Orthodox Church
Anglican Orthodox Church
The Anglican Orthodox Church is one of the older conservative Anglican denominations in the United States that is not in communion with the Archbishop of Canterbury of the Church of England due to the perceived abandonment of Reformation doctrine by that church...
name in order to continue the orientation of the church as it had been before the re-alignment.
On April 30, 2000, Bishop Godfrey retired as Presiding Bishop in favor of his suffragan bishop, Scott Earle McLaughlin
Scott Earle McLaughlin
Scott Earle McLaughlin is the Presiding Bishop of the Orthodox Anglican Church, Metropolitan Archbishop of the Orthodox Anglican Communion, and the Chancellor of Saint Andrew's Theological College and Seminary. On 1 May 1999 McLaughlin was consecrated as a bishop by Herbert M...
. Bishop McLaughlin is the fourth and current Presiding Bishop of the church. In order to match the name of its international communion, in 2005 the jurisdiction changed its name from the Episcopal Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of America to the Orthodox Anglican Church.
Bishop McLaughlin was a signatory to the Bartonville Agreement
Bartonville Agreement
The Bartonville Agreement came from a meeting held on May 1999 by bishops representing both the Anglican Communion's American province and a number of Continuing Anglican jurisdictions in North America...
in 1999 and in 2007 to a Covenant of Intercommunion between the OAC and the Old Catholic Church in Slovakia, represented by the Most Revd Augustin Bacinsky.
Institutions
The theological educational institution of the church was incorporated in 1975 as Cranmer Seminary. The school was renamed Saint Andrew's Theological College and SeminarySaint Andrew's Theological College and Seminary
Saint Andrew's Theological College and Seminary is a church-affiliated educational institution of the Orthodox Anglican Church, the United States branch of the Orthodox Anglican Communion. Instruction began in Statesville, North Carolina in 1967 and the school was formally dedicated as Cranmer...
in 2002.
The Orthodox Anglican Church offices and Saint Andrew's Theological College and Seminary are in Thomasville, North Carolina
Thomasville, North Carolina
Thomasville is a city in Davidson County in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The population was 21,354 at the 2010 census. The city is notable for its furniture industry as are its neighbors of High Point and Lexington. This Piedmont Triad community was established in 1852 and hosts the state's...
. The Presiding Bishop of the American church also serves as Metropolitan of the global Orthodox Anglican Communion.