Orthodox Anglican Communion
Encyclopedia
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 Anglican Communion
. The Orthodox Anglican Communion adheres to the doctrine, discipline and worship contained in the classic Anglican formularies, especially in the 1662 English, 1928 American, 1929 Scottish and 1962 Canadian Books of Common Prayer.
The presiding bishop
of the American branch of the communion, known in the U.S. as the Orthodox Anglican Church
, serves as metropolitan
of the global communion. The current metropolitan is the Most Reverend Scott Earle McLaughlin
. He is the fourth archbishop
to serve as head of the Orthodox Anglican Communion.
The communion has over one million members worldwide' with branches in North and South America, Europe, Africa and Asia. The first regional conference of bishops was convened by the communion's Primate at the Imperial Hotel in Kisumu, Kenya on August 24, 2009. The five African bishops in attendance elected Archbishop Jacob Welbourne of Ghana to be the first President of the OAC African Bishop's Conference. Clergy in the United States and Europe train at Saint Andrew's Theological College and Seminary
, based in North Carolina. The apostolic orders of the communion are Anglican, Old Catholic and Orthodox
in origin.
Full communion
In Christian ecclesiology, full communion is a relationship between church organizations or groups that mutually recognize their sharing the essential doctrines....
to be formed outside of the See of Canterbury and therefore is not part of the Anglican Communion
Anglican Communion
The Anglican Communion is an international association of national and regional Anglican churches in full communion with the Church of England and specifically with its principal primate, the Archbishop of Canterbury...
. The Orthodox Anglican Communion adheres to the doctrine, discipline and worship contained in the classic Anglican formularies, especially in the 1662 English, 1928 American, 1929 Scottish and 1962 Canadian Books of Common Prayer.
The presiding bishop
Presiding Bishop
The Presiding Bishop is an ecclesiastical position in some denominations of Christianity.- Evangelical Lutheran Church in America :The Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is the chief ecumenical officer of the church, and the leader and caretaker for the bishops of the...
of the American branch of the communion, known in the U.S. as the Orthodox Anglican Church
Orthodox Anglican Church
The Orthodox Anglican Church 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...
, serves as metropolitan
Metropolitan bishop
In Christian churches with episcopal polity, the rank of metropolitan bishop, or simply metropolitan, pertains to the diocesan bishop or archbishop of a metropolis; that is, the chief city of a historical Roman province, ecclesiastical province, or regional capital.Before the establishment of...
of the global communion. The current metropolitan is the Most Reverend 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...
. He is the fourth archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
to serve as head of the Orthodox Anglican Communion.
The communion has over one million members worldwide' with branches in North and South America, Europe, Africa and Asia. The first regional conference of bishops was convened by the communion's Primate at the Imperial Hotel in Kisumu, Kenya on August 24, 2009. The five African bishops in attendance elected Archbishop Jacob Welbourne of Ghana to be the first President of the OAC African Bishop's Conference. Clergy in the United States and Europe train at Saint Andrew's Theological College and Seminary
Saint 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...
, based in North Carolina. The apostolic orders of the communion are Anglican, Old Catholic and Orthodox
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
in origin.