The Episcopal - Catholic Communion History

The Church of the Risen Christ stands within the historic stream of the Independent Episcopal Catholic Movement—a family of churches that uphold the catholic faith, apostolic succession, and sacramental life while exercising ecclesial autonomy from the Roman See. This movement, rich in history and diversity, represents a continuing effort to preserve the ancient faith in contexts of freedom, accountability, and local mission.

Early Foundations of the Independent Catholic Tradition

The origins of the independent Catholic movement may be traced to the early eighteenth century, when questions of jurisdiction and authority began to surface among bishops of the Western Church. In 1724, Dominique Marie Varlet, a Roman Catholic bishop, consecrated Cornelius Steenoven as Archbishop of Utrecht without papal approval. This act—though carried out in fidelity to apostolic order—resulted in separation from Rome and the establishment of what became known as the Old Catholic Church of the Netherlands.

From this pivotal event emerged the principle that episcopal authority and apostolic succession do not depend solely upon papal jurisdiction, but upon the Church’s continuity in faith, order, and sacramental grace. The Old Catholic Church thus became a refuge for clergy and faithful who desired to maintain Catholic doctrine and worship without submission to papal infallibility or centralized control.

The Nineteenth Century and the Birth of the Old Catholic Union

The nineteenth century witnessed renewed tension over the nature of papal authority. The First Vatican Council of 1870 defined the doctrine of papal infallibility and universal jurisdiction, causing many clergy and theologians to separate from Rome in conscience. These believers coalesced around the historic See of Utrecht, forming the Union of Utrecht of the Old Catholic Churches—a communion maintaining the creeds, sacraments, and episcopate of the undivided Church while rejecting excessive papal prerogatives.

This movement provided the theological and ecclesiological foundation upon which later independent episcopal and Catholic jurisdictions would build.

Expansion to Britain and North America

The Old Catholic witness soon reached the English-speaking world. In 1908, Arnold Harris Mathew, a former Roman Catholic priest, was consecrated as Regionary Bishop for Great Britain by the Old Catholic Church of the Netherlands. Within two years, Mathew declared autonomy, forming the Old Catholic Church in Great Britain, a body committed to the Catholic faith expressed through the Anglican patrimony.

In North America, Joseph René Vilatte, consecrated in the Old Catholic line, organized what would become the American Catholic Church in 1915. Through these and similar efforts, the Independent Episcopal Catholic movement took root across the Western world—often referred to as the Independent Sacramental Movement, a broad family of bishops, clergy, and laity preserving the essentials of Catholic faith and worship outside of Roman or Anglican jurisdiction.

The Anglican Free Communion and Episcopal Free Fellowship

The Independent Episcopal Catholic expression continued to evolve throughout the twentieth century. Among the more stable and recognizable branches to emerge was the Anglican Free Communion (International)—a worldwide fellowship of autonomous Catholic and Anglican jurisdictions united by shared faith, apostolic succession, and mutual recognition of orders.

Out of this fellowship arose the Episcopal Free Fellowship, a communion formed to provide a more flexible, pastoral structure for ministries and parishes seeking to uphold catholic order and evangelical zeal without the burdens of excessive bureaucracy or distant hierarchy.

The Church of the Risen Christ is proud to be part of this continuing lineage. Through the Episcopal Free Fellowship, we affirm communion with like-minded jurisdictions who share our devotion to the creeds of the undivided Church, the seven sacraments, the apostolic ministry of bishops, priests, and deacons, and the worship of God in the richness of liturgical tradition.

Distinctive Marks of the Independent Episcopal Catholic Witness

While independent jurisdictions vary in size and governance, certain convictions unite us:

  • Apostolic Succession: We uphold the unbroken continuity of episcopal ordination from the apostles through the laying on of hands, ensuring sacramental validity and ecclesial integrity.

  • Sacramental Life: We celebrate the seven historic sacraments of the Church, especially the Holy Eucharist, as the central act of worship and the true presence of Christ among His people.

  • Orthodox and Catholic Faith: We adhere to the ancient creeds—the Apostles’, Nicene, and Athanasian—as faithful summaries of Christian truth.

  • Autonomy in Communion: Each jurisdiction governs itself independently while maintaining bonds of fellowship and mutual recognition with sister churches.

  • Inclusivity and Mission: Many independent episcopal communities, including ours, extend full sacramental ministry to all the faithful, regardless of marital status, gender, or background, recognizing that the grace of God is not constrained by institutional boundaries.

The Continuing Witness of the Church of the Risen Christ

Our parish life and mission are rooted in this rich and often misunderstood heritage. We are Catholic in faith and worship, Episcopal in order and governance, and Independent in spirit and mission. The Church of the Risen Christ seeks to embody the balance of tradition and freedom that has defined the Independent Episcopal Catholic movement for over three centuries.

We exist not in opposition to the larger Church, but in service to it—preserving the apostolic faith and sacramental life in a form that is pastoral, accessible, and faithful to the Gospel of Christ. Through our connection to the Episcopal Free Fellowship, we participate in a global family of believers who share the same vision: a catholic church renewed by the Spirit, rooted in tradition, and open to all whom Christ calls.

The history of the Independent Episcopal Catholic movement is, at its heart, a story of faithfulness and freedom—faithfulness to the unbroken apostolic tradition, and freedom from institutional constraints that hinder pastoral care and spiritual growth. From the early Dutch Old Catholics to the present-day Episcopal Free Fellowship, this movement continues to remind the world that Christ’s Church is both ancient and living, catholic and free.

In that spirit, the Church of the Risen Christ continues its mission: to preach the risen Lord, to administer the sacraments of grace, and to uphold the faith once delivered to the saints—una sancta catholica et apostolica Ecclesia (Latin for “the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church”).