Independent Catholic is a term used by many small groups who are not in communion with the Roman Catholic Church or other traditional Episcopally governed Churches such as Eastern and Oriental Orthodox, Anglican or Old Catholic; all of whom function as small (frequently tiny) episcopally-governed Church bodies in many parts of the world. Their largest concentration, however, is in North America.

The term Independent Catholic carries a wide array of meanings for different people. Some use the term to indicate those who are more liberal in social and moral teachings such as supporting gay and lesbian marriage, abortion, and birth control, for example. But there has always been and there is an increasing number of more conserative bodies within this "movement." So, those who use the term as a catch-all for anyone claiming to be "Catholic" but who are not in communion with Rome, Constantinople, Canterbury or Utrecht are probably more accurate in their usage.

A more detailed examination of this phenomenon can be found at the Wikipedia articles "Episcopi vagantes" and "Independent Catholic Churches."

Types of Independent Churches

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Independent Catholic Churches form a very broad category in their own right. They range from "paper churches" to viable denominations, and from ultra-liberal to ultra-traditional in their outlook. Most churches hold to most basic tenets of Catholicism, but will allow for married clergy and use of birth control, whilst some churches appear more liturgically conservative than the modern Roman Catholic Church. While most of the latter advocate conservative liturgy, only a small portion of them is equally conservative in doctrine and morality. Most of them are tolerant towards homosexuals and accept an openly gay lifestyle.

Churches whose orders trace to Arnold Harris Matthew include the Old Roman Catholic Church in North America (led by Archbishop Francis Facione) and the Old Catholic Church of America (led by Archbishop James Bostwick), both of which are generally liturgically conserative, traditional groups, though their approach to homosexuality and the ordination of women can differ widely. A similar group, the Old Catholic Church of the United States (led by Archbishop Robert Matthew Gubala) changed its name in 2005 to the Catholic Apostolic National Church after coming into communion with the Brazilian Catholic Apostolic Church of the former Roman Catholic bishop Carlos Duarte Costa.

The Polish National Catholic Church, whilst once a member of the Utrecht Union, has moved to a more conservative direction (particularly in their opposition to ordaining women priests, causing a break with the Utrecht Union churches) in recent years.

On the other hand, the Liberal Catholic Church is often described as a combination of (slightly adapted) traditional liturgy, and Theosophical, Masonic or New Age theology.

See also

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• Apostolic Succession
• Episcopi vagantes
• Evangelical catholic
• Old Catholic
• Independent Catholic Churches
• Free Church of Antioch
• Warren Prall Watters

Links

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• Old Roman Catholic Church in North America
• Old Catholic Church of America
• Catholic Apostolic National Church
• Polish National Catholic Church
• Liberal Catholic Church International