Congress of St. Louis
Encyclopedia
The 1977 Congress of St. Louis was an international gathering of nearly 2,000 Anglicans united in their rejection of theological changes introduced by the Anglican Church of Canada
and by the Episcopal Church in the United States of America in its General Convention of 1976. Anglicans who attended this congress felt that these changes amounted to foundational alterations in the American and Canadian provinces of the Anglican Communion
and meant that they had "departed from Christ's One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church."
The Congress of St. Louis produced the Affirmation of St. Louis
which authorized the formation of the "Anglican Church in North America (Episcopal)." Despite the plans for a united North American church, the result was division into several Continuing Anglican
churches: the Anglican Catholic Church
, the Anglican Province of Christ the King
and the Anglican Catholic Church of Canada
.
These continuing churches are described by the Affirmation of St. Louis
as maintaining the faith and practices of the Anglican Church rather than breaking away from it, since it was the Episcopal Church in the United States of America and the Anglican Church of Canada
which introduced the changes seen by the delegates in St. Louis as amounting to a departure from scripture, the Anglican tradition, and the "One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church." Theological liberalism, revisions to the Book of Common Prayer
, and the ordination of women priests were not the only reasons for the split, but they were seen by these churches as evidence of the mainline church's departure from Anglican orthodoxy.
Anglican Church of Canada
The Anglican Church of Canada is the Province of the Anglican Communion in Canada. The official French name is l'Église Anglicane du Canada. The ACC is the third largest church in Canada after the Roman Catholic Church and the United Church of Canada, consisting of 800,000 registered members...
and by the Episcopal Church in the United States of America in its General Convention of 1976. Anglicans who attended this congress felt that these changes amounted to foundational alterations in the American and Canadian provinces 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 meant that they had "departed from Christ's One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church."
The Congress of St. Louis produced 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...
which authorized the formation of the "Anglican Church in North America (Episcopal)." Despite the plans for a united North American church, the result was division into several 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...
churches: the Anglican Catholic Church
Anglican Catholic Church
The Anglican Catholic Church is a body of Anglican Christians in the continuing Anglican movement, separate from the Anglican Communion centered on the Archbishop of Canterbury....
, the Anglican Province of Christ the King
Anglican Province of Christ the King
The Anglican Province of Christ the King is a Continuing Anglican church with traditional forms both of doctrine and liturgy. It is considered one of the more Anglo-Catholic jurisdictions among Continuing Anglican church bodies.-History:...
and 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...
.
These continuing churches are described by 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...
as maintaining the faith and practices of the Anglican Church rather than breaking away from it, since it was the Episcopal Church in the United States of America and the Anglican Church of Canada
Anglican Church of Canada
The Anglican Church of Canada is the Province of the Anglican Communion in Canada. The official French name is l'Église Anglicane du Canada. The ACC is the third largest church in Canada after the Roman Catholic Church and the United Church of Canada, consisting of 800,000 registered members...
which introduced the changes seen by the delegates in St. Louis as amounting to a departure from scripture, the Anglican tradition, and the "One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church." Theological liberalism, revisions to the 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...
, and the ordination of women priests were not the only reasons for the split, but they were seen by these churches as evidence of the mainline church's departure from Anglican orthodoxy.
External links
- The Affirmation of St. Louis, full text of the document.
- History of the Province, from the website of APCKAnglican Province of Christ the KingThe Anglican Province of Christ the King is a Continuing Anglican church with traditional forms both of doctrine and liturgy. It is considered one of the more Anglo-Catholic jurisdictions among Continuing Anglican church bodies.-History:...
. - About The Anglican Catholic Church, a section containing history of the ACCAnglican Catholic ChurchThe Anglican Catholic Church is a body of Anglican Christians in the continuing Anglican movement, separate from the Anglican Communion centered on the Archbishop of Canterbury....
. - Walking Apart, a wiki documenting actions by and milestones of ECUSA in their perceived departure from Anglicanism.