Traditional Anglican Communion
Encyclopedia
The Traditional Anglican Communion (TAC) is an international communion
of churches in the continuing Anglican
movement independent of the Anglican Communion
and the Archbishop of Canterbury
. The TAC upholds the theological doctrines of the Affirmation of St. Louis
and an Anglo-Catholic interpretation of the Thirty-Nine Articles
. Each of the respective jurisdictions utilizes a designated Book of Common Prayer deemed free of innovation. Most parishioners of these churches would be described as being traditional Anglo-Catholics
in their theology and liturgical practice. Some parishes use the Anglican Missal
in their liturgies. The TAC is guided by a college of bishops from across the communion and headed by an elected primate .
The TAC was formed in 1991. Archbishop Louis Falk
was its first primate
. He was succeeded in 2002 by Archbishop John Hepworth
of the Anglican Catholic Church in Australia.
The TAC churches have been formed outside of the Anglican Communion churches over a number of different issues. The principal issue has been the ordination of women. Other issues include liturgical revisions, the acceptance of homosexuality and the importance of tradition.
The most common quoted membership numbers, from the TAC itself, is 400,000.
with the See of Rome
without losing core Anglican distinctives and declared their adherence to the doctrines expressed in the Catechism of the Catholic Church
. In a statement authorised by Archbishop Hepworth on 16 October 2007:
The Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
stated, on 5 July 2008, that it was giving serious consideration to the prospect of corporate union with groups of Anglicans, observing that "the situation within the Anglican Communion in general has become markedly more complex". The Traditional Anglican Communion does not hold membership in the Anglican Communion.
On 29 October 2009 the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith announced Pope Benedict XVI
's intention to create a new type of ecclesiastical structure, called a personal ordinariate
, for unspecified groups of Anglicans entering into full communion
with the see of Rome.
The press release envisaged that some married Anglican clergy who join the Roman Catholic Church may be ordained again as Catholic priests
but not as bishops
: "Historical and ecumenical reasons preclude the ordination
of married men as bishops in both the Catholic and Orthodox Churches. The Constitution therefore stipulates that the Ordinary
can be either a priest or an unmarried bishop." On 4 November 2009, Pope Benedict signed the apostolic constitution
, Anglicanorum Coetibus, which was released on 9 November 2009.
On 3 March 2010, in Orlando, Florida, the eight members of the House of Bishops of the Anglican Church in America — the United States branch of the TAC — voted unanimously to formally ask the Vatican to be accepted as a personal ordinariate.On 17 March 2010, leaders of the Canadian branch of the TAC (the Anglican Catholic Church of Canada
) decided to do the same. The TAC member churches in the United Kingdom
and Australia
also petitioned for the formation of respective ordinariates.
Subsequently, all but one of the diocesan bishops of the Anglican Church in America announced that the ACA would not be joining the Roman Catholic Church, even if an offer were extended by the See of Rome.
Africa:
Americas:
Asia:
http://www.anglicanchurchofindia.com/
Europe:
Oceania:
Communion (Christian)
The term communion is derived from Latin communio . The corresponding term in Greek is κοινωνία, which is often translated as "fellowship". In Christianity, the basic meaning of the term communion is an especially close relationship of Christians, as individuals or as a Church, with God and with...
of churches in the continuing Anglican
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...
movement independent 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...
and 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...
. The TAC upholds the theological doctrines of the Affirmation of St. Louis
Affirmation of St. Louis
The Affirmation of St. Louis is the founding document of the Continuing Anglican Movement churches. It was first presented to the Congress of Saint Louis, the 1977 meeting of former members of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America and the Anglican Church of Canada who approved the...
and an Anglo-Catholic interpretation of the 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...
. Each of the respective jurisdictions utilizes a designated Book of Common Prayer deemed free of innovation. Most parishioners of these churches would be described as being traditional Anglo-Catholics
Anglo-Catholicism
The terms Anglo-Catholic and Anglo-Catholicism describe people, beliefs and practices within Anglicanism that affirm the Catholic, rather than Protestant, heritage and identity of the Anglican churches....
in their theology and liturgical practice. Some parishes use the Anglican Missal
Anglican Missal
The Anglican Missal is a liturgical book often used at Mass by Anglo-Catholics and other High Church Anglicans instead of the Book of Common Prayer.-History:...
in their liturgies. The TAC is guided by a college of bishops from across the communion and headed by an elected primate .
The TAC was formed in 1991. Archbishop Louis Falk
Louis Falk
Louis Wahl Falk III is the President of the House of Bishops of the Anglican Church in America. Until 2002 he was the Primate of the Traditional Anglican Communion, an international body of continuing Anglican churches....
was its first primate
Primate (religion)
Primate is a title or rank bestowed on some bishops in certain Christian churches. Depending on the particular tradition, it can denote either jurisdictional authority or ceremonial precedence ....
. He was succeeded in 2002 by Archbishop John Hepworth
John Hepworth
John Anthony Hepworth is an Australian bishop. He is currently the primate and archbishop of the Traditional Anglican Communion, an international body of continuing Anglican churches. He is also the ordinary of the Anglican Catholic Church in Australia.Hepworth began his seminary studies in 1960...
of the Anglican Catholic Church in Australia.
The TAC churches have been formed outside of the Anglican Communion churches over a number of different issues. The principal issue has been the ordination of women. Other issues include liturgical revisions, the acceptance of homosexuality and the importance of tradition.
The most common quoted membership numbers, from the TAC itself, is 400,000.
Overtures to the Holy See
In October 2007 the bishops of TAC formally expressed the desire to enter into full unityFull communion
In Christian ecclesiology, full communion is a relationship between church organizations or groups that mutually recognize their sharing the essential doctrines....
with the See of Rome
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
without losing core Anglican distinctives and declared their adherence to the doctrines expressed in the Catechism of the Catholic Church
Catechism of the Catholic Church
The Catechism of the Catholic Church is the official text of the teachings of the Catholic Church. A provisional, "reference text" was issued by Pope John Paul II on October 11, 1992 — "the thirtieth anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council" — with his apostolic...
. In a statement authorised by Archbishop Hepworth on 16 October 2007:
The College of Bishops of the Traditional Anglican Communion (TAC) met in Plenary Session in Portsmouth, England, in the first week of October 2007 and unanimously agreed to the text of a letter to the See of Rome seeking full, corporate, sacramental union. The Primate of the TAC agreed that no member of the College would give interviews until the Holy SeeHoly SeeThe Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
has considered the letter and responded.
The Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith , previously known as the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Roman and Universal Inquisition , and after 1904 called the Supreme...
stated, on 5 July 2008, that it was giving serious consideration to the prospect of corporate union with groups of Anglicans, observing that "the situation within the Anglican Communion in general has become markedly more complex". The Traditional Anglican Communion does not hold membership in the Anglican Communion.
On 29 October 2009 the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith announced Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
's intention to create a new type of ecclesiastical structure, called a personal ordinariate
Personal Ordinariate
A personal ordinariate is a canonical structure within the Catholic Church enabling former Anglicans to maintain some degree of corporate identity and autonomy with regard to the bishops of the geographical dioceses of the Catholic Church and to preserve elements of their distinctive Anglican...
, for unspecified groups of Anglicans entering into full communion
Full communion
In Christian ecclesiology, full communion is a relationship between church organizations or groups that mutually recognize their sharing the essential doctrines....
with the see of Rome.
The press release envisaged that some married Anglican clergy who join the Roman Catholic Church may be ordained again as Catholic priests
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
but not as bishops
Bishop (Catholic Church)
In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church....
: "Historical and ecumenical reasons preclude 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 married men as bishops in both the Catholic and Orthodox Churches. The Constitution therefore stipulates that the Ordinary
Ordinary
In those hierarchically organised churches of Western Christianity which have an ecclesiastical law system, an ordinary is an officer of the church who by reason of office has ordinary power to execute the church's laws...
can be either a priest or an unmarried bishop." On 4 November 2009, Pope Benedict signed the apostolic constitution
Apostolic constitution
An apostolic constitution is the highest level of decree issued by the Pope. The use of the term constitution comes from Latin constitutio, which referred to any important law issued by the Roman emperor, and is retained in church documents because of the inheritance that the canon law of the...
, Anglicanorum Coetibus, which was released on 9 November 2009.
On 3 March 2010, in Orlando, Florida, the eight members of the House of Bishops of the Anglican Church in America — the United States branch of the TAC — voted unanimously to formally ask the Vatican to be accepted as a personal ordinariate.On 17 March 2010, leaders of the Canadian branch of the TAC (the Anglican Catholic Church of Canada
Anglican Catholic Church of Canada
The Anglican Catholic Church of Canada is an Anglican church that was founded in the 1970s by conservative Anglicans.-Affiliation:With 30 congregations in Canada, the ACCC is the third-largest of the Anglican churches in Canada, after the ACC and the Anglican Church in North America.The Anglican...
) decided to do the same. The TAC member churches in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
also petitioned for the formation of respective ordinariates.
Subsequently, all but one of the diocesan bishops of the Anglican Church in America announced that the ACA would not be joining the Roman Catholic Church, even if an offer were extended by the See of Rome.
Member churches
At present the Traditional Anglican Communion consists of 15 member churches:Africa:
- Anglican Church in Southern Africa - Traditional Rite
- Church of Umzi Wase Tiyopia
- Continuing Anglican Communion in Zambia
Americas:
- Anglican Church in America
- Anglican Catholic Church of CanadaAnglican Catholic Church of CanadaThe Anglican Catholic Church of Canada is an Anglican church that was founded in the 1970s by conservative Anglicans.-Affiliation:With 30 congregations in Canada, the ACCC is the third-largest of the Anglican churches in Canada, after the ACC and the Anglican Church in North America.The Anglican...
- Missionary Diocese of Central America
- Missionary Diocese of Puerto Rico
Asia:
- Anglican Church of IndiaAnglican Church of IndiaThe Anglican Church of India is a union of independent Anglican churches in India. When India became independent in 1947, the Church of South India was formed as a united church of Anglicans, Baptists, Basel Mission, Lutherans and Presbyterians...
http://www.anglicanchurchofindia.com/
- Orthodox Church of Pakistan
- Nippon Kirisuto Sei Ko Kai
- Church Missionary Society
Europe:
- Traditional Anglican Church (England)
- Church of Ireland - Traditional Rite
Oceania:
- Anglican Catholic Church in AustraliaAnglican Catholic Church in AustraliaThe Anglican Catholic Church in Australia is the regional jurisdiction of the Traditional Anglican Communion for most of Australia and also provides episcopal oversight for New Zealand and Japan...
- Church of Torres Strait