Preserving the Faith
In 1977 an international congress of nearly 2000 Anglican bishops, clergy, and lay people met in St. Louis, Missouri in response to actions taken by the Episcipal Church (USA), that represented a move away from the apostolic faith as understood within the Anglican tradition. Their object was to determine the actions necessary to establish an orthodox jurisdiction in which traditional Anglicanism would be maintained.
The Affirmation of St. Louis was adopted by those meeting in St. Louis as a statement of principles to guide them and others in the establishment of this new Anglican jurisdiction. It pledges 「to continue in the Catholic Faith, Apostolic Order, Orthodox Worship and Evangelical Witness of the traditional Anglican Church,」 and to do 「all things necessary for the continuance of the same.」 Part of that pledge involved the consecration of the Right Reverend James Orin Mote, the first Bishop of the Anglican Catholic Church.
The Anglican Catholic Church, along with The Anglican Province of Christ the King, and the United Episcopal Church of North America uphold and maintain the belief and practice set out in this important document.