The ACC on Church Unity

STATEMENT FROM THE METROPOLITAN OF THE ORIGINAL PROVINCE OF THE ANGLICAN CATHOLIC CHURCH CONCERNING CHURCH UNITY

For the past twelve years, the Anglican Catholic Church (ACC) has had an official policy of seeking unity among Continuing Anglicans in general, but of seeking it first with the Anglican Province of Christ the King (APCK) and the United Episcopal Church of North America (UEC), which are the other two Churches that share our beginnings in the Congress of Saint Louis (1977), in the Affirmation of Saint Louis, and in the 'Chambers Succession' of consecrations of bishops in Denver (1978). In part, this beginning point rested on a judgment of principle, namely that the unfulfilled hopes of 1977-1978 should be realized as soon as possible. In part, this judgement rested in the practical expectation that Churches with so much in common might find it easier to unite than would bodies with less in common.

In any case, it seems to us now desirable to state firmly and clearly the following points:

1. The ACC believes itself to be in a state of full communio in sacris with the APCK and the UEC;

2. The ACC believes that anything which divides these three bodies from each other is regrettable and should be stopped or overcome;

3. The ACC believes that anything that undermines the internal unity and stability of any of these three bodies harms us all and harms the cause of unity among Catholic and Orthodox Anglicans. In particular we believe that one cannot serve the cause of unity by undermining or dividing any of the foundational Churches of the Continuing Church movement;

4. And, finally, the ACC believes that we cannot be in a state of full communio in sacris with any ecclesial body which is a member of the Lambeth Communion or which is in communion with any body that has such membership.

I now call upon the bishops of the UEC and the APCK to join me in affirming these points. I pledge to assist them in sustaining their own unity and stability. And I pledge to work with them, quietly and patiently, in order to build full organic unity amongst ourselves.

(The Most Reverend) Mark Haverland, Ph.D.
Archbishop & Metropolitan
July 3, 2007.
Athens, Georgia

Editor's Note - This statement, in part, could come now as a result of both the recent intercommunion agreement achieved between the ACC and UEC and the very recent developments in the Anglican Province of Christ the King, in which Bishop Rocco A. Florenza of the APCK Diocese of the Eastern States has made a direct overture of communion to the Anglican Church in America (ACA), which is not technically a 'Chambers Succession' body. Please visit http://anglicancontinuum.blogspot.com/ for more information on the subject.
It should be noted as well that, as a result of the intercommunion agreement established between the UEC and the ACC, the United Episcopal Church in North America recently terminated its long-standing concordat of intercommunion with the Anglican Province of America (APA).