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]