View text source at Wikipedia
The Orthodox Anglican Communion (OAC) is a communion of churches established in the United States, in 1964 or 1967,[1] by James Parker Dees.[2] It was formed outside of the See of Canterbury and is not part of the Anglican Communion.[1] The OAC adheres to the doctrine, discipline and worship contained in the 1662 Book of Common Prayer and the 1562 Articles of Religion.[3]
The OAC was created as a conservative alternative to the mainstream Anglican Communion.[2] Its presiding bishop also serves as its metropolitan.[3][4] It claims to have "over one million lay members".[1]
Orthodox Anglican Church | |
---|---|
Orientation | Anglicanism |
Polity | Episcopal |
Presiding bishop | Thomas Gordon |
Associations | Orthodox Anglican Communion |
Official website | orthodoxanglican.us |
The Orthodox Anglican Church is a member of the Orthodox Anglican Communion.[1] It was founded as the Anglican Orthodox Church in 1963 or 1964 by James Parker Dees, in Statesville, North Carolina.[2][5]
Dees died in 1990 and was succeeded as leader by George Schneller. Schneller resigned soon after due to illnesses, and the leader became Robert J. Godfrey. In 2000, Godfrey resigned; Scott McLaughlin succeeded him as leader.[2][5]
In 1999, the group changed its name to Episcopal Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of America.[6] It then changed to Orthodox Anglican Church in 2005.[7]
The organization "champions the 1928 Book of Common Prayer, emphasizes Christian orthodoxy, and insists on high moral standards".[2]
Godfrey and McLaughlin were signatories to the Bartonville Agreement in 1999. In 2007, McLaughlin signed a Covenant of Intercommunion between the Orthodox Anglican Church and the Old Catholic Church in Slovakia , represented by Archbishop Augustín Bačinský .[8]