Anglican and Catholic?
We are a Traditional Anglican Church in that we preserve the Historic Beliefs, Holy Tradition, Creeds, and Liturgies used by the Church in England prior to their latest reformation commenced in the middle of the last century. We are Catholic in that Catholicity is considered one of Four Marks of the Church, the others being Unity, Sanctity, and Apostolicity. When we say ‘I believe in one Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church’ in the Nicene Creed of AD 381, it is crucially important to remember that when the early Christians used the term “catholic,” they were not referring to any particular church, denomination, rite, or communion. They were simply referring to all true believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Anglican Catholic Church was established following a Congress of Concerned Churchmen in the wake of an increasingly liberal theology accepted by the worldwide Anglican Communion. Those who met at St. Louis, Missouri in the United States of America on September 17, 1977 declared an Affirmation of Belief now called The Affirmation of St. Louis. The first bishops of the Church were consecrated in Denver, Colorado, United States of America on 28 January 1978.
The Anglican Catholic Church was established in Australia in 1987 and in New Zealand in 1988.
The Missionary Diocese of Australia and New Zealand within the Anglican Catholic Church (Original Province) continues to steadfastly maintain the Anglican expression of the Catholic faith. The Worship of the Church is contained within The Book of Common Prayer in its 1549 English, 1928 American or 1962 Canadian editions, as well as various Anglican Missals. The Church maintains the Apostolic Order of Bishop, Priest and Deacon.
Sadly, over the past 2000 years the Body of Christ, the Church, has been attacked by false teachings. These, invariably attempting to widen the boundaries of our Faith, causing doubt and discord among believers. It fell to those we call the Fathers of the Church who, guided by the Holy Spirit, laid down the limits to those boundaries, the Creeds being an example of these guidelines.
For Christians, who find their spiritual strength in the dogmatic teachings of the Church, in its biblical understanding of being the mystical Body of Christ, and in the Sacraments which are its life-giving-force, the time had arrived to firmly reassert a traditional and orthodox understanding of Faith. The Anglican Catholic Church was born in a quest to maintain the fullness of the historic Anglican tradition of the Catholic faith.
The Anglican Catholic Church does not condemn nor detract from any soul seeking to know the Love of God in another way. Members of this Church live to declare that which we believe and those of other persuasions will do similarly. A pivotal prayer for every member of the Church is to intercede for the unity of the Church according to the mind of Christ. We pray for all who are seeking a knowledge and love of God and most especially for all who 'ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for yours. Jer 6.xvi.
+Ian Woodman
Bishop - Episcopal Visitor to Australia and New Zealand
‘The Anglican Catholic Church - Preserving the past, Shaping the future’
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