Old Catholic Apostolic Church
Background[edit]
Founded by a small autocephalous group of Christians in 1999, it was first called the British Liberal Free Church (BLFC) and then later the Society of the Divine Spirit (SDS). Subsequent developments saw the evolution of the SDS into the English Liberal Free Church (ELFC). In 2006, it underwent a major change. Specifically, those on its ministerial team set in place a reorganization and renewal of its mission. Having used the name Independent Old Catholic Church of the Utrecht Succession (IOCCUS) in the interim period, the Presiding Bishop announced on 1 January 2007 that the denomination would bear the name The Liberal Rite.
In 2008, following a year of significant growth, in which John Kersey was consecrated to the episcopacy for the Apostolic Episcopal Church by Archbishop Bertil Persson and the addition of the orders of the Ancient Catholic Church of Archbishop Harold Percival Nicholson, The Liberal Rite was renamed the Liberal Catholic Apostolic Church (LCAC). In 2010, a major split took place. The more esoteric members formed under the Ecclesia Apostolica Divinorum Mysteriorum, with Archbishop Kersey becoming the Prince-Abbot of the Abbey-Principality of San Luigi. The remaining members of the LCAC continued working in the denomination before changing the name of the church to the Old Catholic Apostolic Church (OCAC) on May 14, 2012 to reflect its now dominant Old Catholic membership. It also revived its historic links to the Old Catholics and has opened national churches in Africa, America, Europe and Asia. There is a large presence in Africa, notably Nigeria, but also Benin, Uganda, Kenya and South Africa. In the Americas there is a significant presence in Canada, and a growing one in the United States and South America. OCAC has clergy and missions in India, Philippines, Indonesia and Pakistan, as OCAC seeks to grow into a worldwide communion. Since 2014, the OCAC operates mainly as a mission church, with every clergy member having an active expression of ministry, for example, street preachers, chaplains, prayer leaders, street pastors, and Christian broadcasters, although some have church buildings and chapels.
The current Presiding Bishop is Adrian Glover, consecrated to the episcopacy in 2009 by John Kersey. He was joined in 2015 by Bridget Wilson Hall, consecrated by Adrian Glover and Bishop Louise Lombard. Later Bishop Bridget founded The Liberal Catholic Universalist Church.
History[edit]
The history of the OCAC and the LCAC before it is in one sense the history of Christian liberalism throughout the ages, from the earliest pre-Constantinian times, through to the major liberal resurgence in nineteenth-century hermeneutics and the twentieth-century independent liberal churches. It claims to embrace men and women who have not been able to reconcile their consciences to the teachings and dogmas of the mainstream churches, and who have sought a deeper expression of their relationship with God through the establishment of 'liberal' churches and a free Christianity. Often marginalised and misunderstood, Christian liberals claim to stand for the unity of the church not through the restricting influence of dogma but through the embracing and reconcilation of diverse approaches to faith. These qualities were believed to be present in the earliest church, yet somehow were lost with the spread of the church in the West.
The Old Catholics in Utrecht divided from Rome but retained apostolic successions. They in turn embraced the unfolding 'liberality' and freedoms of expression of the time to be 'liberal catholics'. The Liberal Catholic Movement (LCM) then came into being. The LCM is one of the most recognized Old Catholic groups in the United States[1], with an estimated total world-wide membership of 45,000. The present-day OCAC stems from the LCAC which came into being through the union of the Ancient Catholic Church and The Liberal Rite in March 2008. That same year, the then Metropolitan of the LCAC was enthroned, and its bishops consecrated, by the Emeritus Primate of the Apostolic Episcopal Church, the same church whose 1943 mandate had provided the impetus for the establishment of the Catholic Apostolic Church (Catholicate of the West) and thus in turn for the Ancient Catholic Church. Their heritage includes Liberal Catholics like James Ingall Wedgwood, Johannes van Alphen, Eric Sollick Taylor, and Harold Percival Nicholson. They also have direct influences from Apostolic Evangelists like William Oliver Hutchison and Anglicans and Methodists. These strands joined to form the LCAC, and, as the 'Old Catholics' outnumbered the 'Liberal Catholics', the church's name changed to OCAC to reflect this.
In the modern era, there are numerous historical strands that exert a direct influence on the OCAC today and each of these strands are closely interrelated:
- The Apostolic Episcopal Church
- The Independent Sacramental Movement[2]
- The Old Catholics
- The Catholicate of the West
- The Ancient Catholic Church
- The Liberal Catholic movement
- The Order of Corporate Reunion
- The Liberal Rite
- The Liberal Catholic Apostolic Church
- The Apostolic Faith Church
Post LCAC, the OCAC has developed into a universal, free, ecumenically oriented church seeking an outward expression for its clergy and members. By trying to be open, tolerant, caring, compassionate and effective, OCAC wants to be central in the spectrum of Christendom. With a small but worldwide presence in Africa, North America, South America, Asia and India as well as Europe and their 'home' ground in Great Britain, OCAC states that they are “Christ inspired and Spirit led.”
Current[edit]
The OCAC is the coming together of several strands of independent Catholic Christianity and is also within the Liberal Catholic Movement.
Their roots from the Old Catholic lines go back to and beyond the original Old Catholics of Utrecht. The mergers with similar Liberal Catholic lines make today's OCAC a free, modern and progressive church, yet founded upon the ancient and historic faith of the early church, as they cite from the New Testament book and chapter of Acts 2.
Today, OCAC is a worldwide church, with work and outreach on every continent, and a clergy who are serving Christ in what they do. There are prayer communities, religious orders, and societies alongside Sacramental Worship and evangelism.
They use the Internet and modern social media fully, but are not an on-line only church. They have real people, ministries, missions and societies, but believe in the full use of all tools to communicate their message of “Christ's saving grace.”
They are open to both new members and clergy and welcome contact via the e-mail link on their web site.
Interdenominational Relations[edit]
The OCAC recognises that other communities offer paths to the worship of God and may share significant aspects of theological interpretation and practice with the OCAC, and that where differences in such interpretation and practice may exist, they may offer an opportunity to grow in ecumenical understanding and so build mutual respect within the different branches of Christ's Church. Interdenominational relations are conducted via the Cross Denominational Mission (CDM).
From time to time as may be considered mutually desirable, the OCAC may engage in informal dialogue with other communities and their clergy, leading to an affirmation of friendship and mutual interest. However, the Church considers itself to be in full communion with all Christians. It does not execute instruments of inter-communion, believing that these have the power to divide as much as unite.
The OCAC does not seek to proselytise or convert others to its beliefs in its relations with other communities and no member of clergy should seek to use such opportunities for these purposes.
The OCAC does not engage in hostile campaigns against other denominations and their clergy, believing such to be inherently un-Christian. They believe in positive and constructive dialog with all denominations, including those they do not completely agree with on some matters.
Sacraments[edit]
The OCAC states that they are a mission church, dioceses of ministries rather than dioceses of congregations. They state, however, that everything they do is powered by prayer and sacrament, principally the Eucharist.
The OCAC is Trinitarian, Episcopal and Sacramental, and attempts at a real world outreach. They believe that a sacrament is an outward expression of an inner Grace: that God is at work in the sacrament; and state that their 'bit' need not be perfect to be effective as long as it is done with love and right intent.
They follow the ancient, seven sacraments of Baptism, Penance, Holy Eucharist, Confirmation, Matrimony, Holy Orders, and Unction.
With respect to the Eucharist or Mass, the OCAC has several forms, both traditional and modern. They believe in the Real Presence not least because Christ is recorded to have said that wherever two or more are gathered in His name He is there with them[3], and that includes Eucharist. Transubstantiation - that the bread actually turns into the body of Christ - is believed by some but not all.
They use the empty cross in their worship, as they worship the “Risen Lord”, but they adore the crucifix too, as depicting the moment when theology states that “Christ removed us from the grip of sin.”
Religious Orders[edit]
The following orders are recognised within the OCAC:
- The Order of Saints Francis and Clare
- Community of The Good Shepherd (Holland), after St Augustine.
- De Jonge Ritus (Young Rite) Holland.
- The Compassionists (Canons Regular of Christ Crucified), after St Augustine.
- Benedictines of the Holy Spirit
- Apostolic Marian Old Catholics
Religious Societies[edit]
The following societies are recognised within the OCAC:
- The Cross-Denominational Mission
- The Religious Society of St Simon
- The Independent Liberal Catholic Fellowship
- The King of Love Ministries
- OCAC Friends of Elohim
- Independent Catholic Churches Council
Seminary[edit]
The on-line and distance education platform of the OCAC is St. Catherine's Seminary.
References[edit]
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