THE AFFIRMATION OF ST. LOUIS
(DONE AT ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, SEPTEMBER 17, 1977)
THE CONTINUATION OF ANGLICANISM
WE affirm that the Church of our fathers, sustained by the most Holy Trinity, lives yet, and that we, being moved by the Holy Spirit to walk only in that way, are determined to continue in the Catholic Faith, Apostolic Order, Orthodox Worship and Evangelical Witness of the traditional Anglican Church, doing all things necessary for the continuance of the same. We are upheld and strengthened in this determination by the knowledge that many provinces and dioceses of the Anglican Communion have continued steadfast in the same Faith, Order, Worship and Witness, and that they continue to confine ordination to the priesthood and the episcopate to males. We rejoice in these facts and we affirm our solidarity with these provinces and dioceses.
THE DISSOLUTION OF ANGLICAN AND EPISCOPAL CHURCH STRUCTURE
We affirm that the Anglican Church of Canada and the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America, by their unlawful attempts to alter Faith, Order and Morality (especially in their General Synod of 1975 and General Convention of 1976), have departed from Christ’s One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.
THE NEED TO CONTINUE ORDER IN THE CHURCH
We affirm that all former ecclesiastical governments, being fundamentally impaired by the schismatic acts of lawless Councils, are of no effect among us, and that we must now reorder such godly discipline as will strengthen us in the continuation of our common life and witness.
THE INVALIDITY OF SCHISMATIC AUTHORITY
We affirm that the claim of any such schismatic person or body to act against any Church member, clerical or lay, for his witness to the whole Faith is no with no authority of Christ’s true Church, and any such inhibition, deposition or discipline is without effect and is absolutely null and void.
THE NEED FOR PRINCIPLES AND A CONSTITUTION
We affirm that fundamental principals (doctrinal, moral, and constitutional) are necessary for the present, and that a Constitution (redressing the defects and abuses of our former governments) should be adopted, whereby the Church may be soundly continued.
THE CONTINUATION OF COMMUNION WITH FAITHFUL BODIES
We affirm our continued relations of communion with {the See of Canterbury and} all faithful parts of the Anglican Communion1.
WHEREFORE, with a firm trust in Divine Providence, and before Almighty God and all the company of heaven, we solemnly affirm, covenant and declare that we, lawful and faithful members of the Anglican and Episcopal Churches, shall now and hereafter continue and be the unified continuing Anglican Church in North America, in true and valid succession thereto.
FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES
In order to carry out these declarations, we set forth these fundamental Principles for our continued life and witness.
PREFACE:
In the firm conviction that “we shall be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,” and that “there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved”, and acknowledging our duty to proclaim Christ’s saving Truth to all peoples, nations and tongues, we declare our intention to hold fast the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Faith of God. We acknowledge that rule of faith laid down by St. Vincent of Lerins: “Let us hold that which has been believed everywhere, always and by all, for that is truly and properly Catholic”.