The Arrival Christianity in the British Isles
Historical Highlights of the Centuries
The Church of the British Isles can lay its claim to be of Apostolic origin.
The Christian Faith was brought to Great Britain circa 37 a.d. by St. Joseph of Arimathea.
This was accomplished through Apostolic Mandate shortly after the Resurrection of Christ.
St. Joseph was the uncle of Christ through the ancestry of the Holy Mother Mary.
The Christian Faith was brought to Great Britain circa 37 a.d. by St. Joseph of Arimathea.
This was accomplished through Apostolic Mandate shortly after the Resurrection of Christ.
St. Joseph was the uncle of Christ through the ancestry of the Holy Mother Mary.
He was accompanied on one of his many journeys by St. Mary Magdalene and
the other members of the House Church of Bethany.
They were St. Mary, St. Martha and St. Lazarus whom Christ raised from the dead.
the other members of the House Church of Bethany.
They were St. Mary, St. Martha and St. Lazarus whom Christ raised from the dead.
The group settled in Glastonbury ~ The Land of Apples which became the First Great Patriarchate in the West.
The Church of Rome was not organized until some three decades later
when its first Bishop St. Linus became a resident there.
when its first Bishop St. Linus became a resident there.
As a result of the Evangelizing of St. Joseph of Arimathea and his Companions many Pagans accepted the Faith.
Sacred Ministers were Ordained and the Church became established.
Sacred Ministers were Ordained and the Church became established.
Fierce opposition from various pagan Tribal Groups, Religious Sorcerers
and Druid Nature Worshipers was unrelenting.
and Druid Nature Worshipers was unrelenting.
APOSTLES AND OTHERS SOON FOLLOWED
St. Peter and his wife St. Perpetua arrived in Glastonbury circa 55 to 60 a.d.
They worked as a team in furthering the Work already established by St. Joseph and his Companions.
Sources taken from the archives of some Eastern Monasteries tell us that
St. Perpetua labored hard to convert and minister to women and children.
It is also claimed that St. Peter may have composed his Second Epistle while in residence there.
St. Perpetua labored hard to convert and minister to women and children.
It is also claimed that St. Peter may have composed his Second Epistle while in residence there.
Documents that were once suppressed by the Vatican are replete with evidence that
St. Simon the Zealot spent significant time on British soil during different Missions.
The first being circa 44 to 47 a.d. and this would mean
he arrived not long after St. Joseph of Arimathea left Glastonbury.
The second Mission is alleged to have been in the early 60’s shortly after the departure of St. Peter.
There is a third possibility that both St. Peter and St. Simon was there for a brief time together in the 60’s.
St. Simon the Zealot spent significant time on British soil during different Missions.
The first being circa 44 to 47 a.d. and this would mean
he arrived not long after St. Joseph of Arimathea left Glastonbury.
The second Mission is alleged to have been in the early 60’s shortly after the departure of St. Peter.
There is a third possibility that both St. Peter and St. Simon was there for a brief time together in the 60’s.
St. Aristobulus the husband of Salome the sister of the Holy Mother Mary did Missionary work on British soil.
It is not clear whether he was there in the middle 50’s or 60’s as both time periods are very plausible.
It is not clear whether he was there in the middle 50’s or 60’s as both time periods are very plausible.
It has been suggested that St. Peter and St. Aristobulus were on British soil for a time together.
What we do know is that great men Commissioned by the Lord Jesus Christ
and holy women were instrumental in planting the Seeds of the Christian Faith there.
and holy women were instrumental in planting the Seeds of the Christian Faith there.
THE COUNCIL OF ARLES IN 314 A.D.
ARRIVAL OF ST. AUGUSTINE OF ROME In 597 A.D.
ARRIVAL OF ST. AUGUSTINE OF ROME In 597 A.D.
This Council was called to discuss the Donatist heresy which began to permeate the Church in many countries.
43 Bishops and other Clergy also attended. Several Bishops from Britain attended the Council.
43 Bishops and other Clergy also attended. Several Bishops from Britain attended the Council.
Many of the attendees did not know who they were, nor were they familiar with the Church of England.
This proves that when St. Augustine of Rome arrived in England in 597 a.d. the Church was already firmly established.
The Historic Episcopate, Monasteries, Churches, Schools and
Social Welfare Programs for the Faithful were already thriving in the land.
This proves that when St. Augustine of Rome arrived in England in 597 a.d. the Church was already firmly established.
The Historic Episcopate, Monasteries, Churches, Schools and
Social Welfare Programs for the Faithful were already thriving in the land.
This was quite the eye opener for St. Augustine who was informed by the Bishop of Rome he would find none of this.
St. Augustine is credited for much of what was already established hundreds of years before he arrived.
St. Augustine did continue the work he inherited with diligence, piety and fortitude.
TRIALS & TRIBULATIONS PLAGUE THE CHURCH
The next thousand years the Church in England suffered many highs and lows both spiritually and temporally.
There were periods of peace and calm as well as centuries of strife and confusion.
There were periods of peace and calm as well as centuries of strife and confusion.
The Clergy became greedy, slothful and turned a deaf ear to their flocks.
The Monasteries and Convents became dens of iniquity inhabited by men
and women who had little concern over Church affairs.
The Monasteries and Convents became dens of iniquity inhabited by men
and women who had little concern over Church affairs.
The Laity were looking to be fed with Word and Sacrament.
They were not offered spiritual crumbs or crumbs of bread
that fell off the lavish dining tables of these slothful Monastics.
The Bishops of the Dioceses and parish Priests were known to be as bad or worse than their Monastic counterparts.
They were not offered spiritual crumbs or crumbs of bread
that fell off the lavish dining tables of these slothful Monastics.
The Bishops of the Dioceses and parish Priests were known to be as bad or worse than their Monastic counterparts.
The motives of King Henry the VIII to reform the Church can certainly be questioned.
He set about to regain the Kingdom and the Church with he as Supreme Head.
Archbishop Thomas Cranmer was chosen to begin the work of reform and at the same time do Henry’s bidding.
The Archbishop of Canterbury was deathly afraid of the King and spent decades going too and fro on Theological questions.
His character as a Churchman was often called into question by Clergy and Laity alike.
His most steady and productive years were those of 1539 to 1549
when he did his most masterful works on Theology and Liturgy.
when he did his most masterful works on Theology and Liturgy.
Despite his character blunders the Archbishop was a Latin Scholar;
had a charismatic knowledge of the Church Fathers;
was an expert on Biblical Exegesis and a Liturgical Genius.
The 1549 Book of Common Prayer (a masterful revision of the Sarum Missal) was the pinnacle of his Legacy.
had a charismatic knowledge of the Church Fathers;
was an expert on Biblical Exegesis and a Liturgical Genius.
The 1549 Book of Common Prayer (a masterful revision of the Sarum Missal) was the pinnacle of his Legacy.
THE MONARCHY; THE BISHOP OF ROME; THE PURITANS AND THE BISHOPS AT WAR
THE LAITY ARE LEFT BEHIND CONFUSED AND CONFOUNDED
Unfortunately, it was Christ Redeemed, who were caught up in the drama and intrigues
that had no place in their homes and Houses of Worship.
Weekly they were not sure what to expect when they attended Church Services.
that had no place in their homes and Houses of Worship.
Weekly they were not sure what to expect when they attended Church Services.
Politics and Religion became so entangled and entrenched together
it appeared there was no way to untangle the quagmire.
For the better part of the years 1660 to 1880 this war was waged on and off and
for a time Unitarians, Non-Conformists and Calvinists entered the fight.
it appeared there was no way to untangle the quagmire.
For the better part of the years 1660 to 1880 this war was waged on and off and
for a time Unitarians, Non-Conformists and Calvinists entered the fight.
Around the turn of the twentieth century courageous Churchmen sought to end the strife.
Suddenly there appeared to be a holy light at the end of the spiritual tunnel.
The great Liturgical Work of 1549 and the writings of some pious scholarly Bishops
of the seventeen and eighteenth centuries were unearthed and
given new spiritual breath invigorating the Bishops and Laity.
Suddenly there appeared to be a holy light at the end of the spiritual tunnel.
The great Liturgical Work of 1549 and the writings of some pious scholarly Bishops
of the seventeen and eighteenth centuries were unearthed and
given new spiritual breath invigorating the Bishops and Laity.
Then came the reawakening and enlightenment.
A large segment of the Clergy and Laity reclaimed the Church of England as
the Mother Orthodox Church of the British Isles.
THIS CAME TO BE CALLED THE VIA MEDIA.
THIS CAME TO BE CALLED THE VIA MEDIA.
THE ANGLICAN ORTHODOX ARCHDIOCESE
The departure from Biblical Orthodoxy became rampant
throughout Anglican Communion beginning in the early 1970’s.
Biblical Morality, Chastity and Virtuous Living were routinely abandoned
giving way to sexual immorality and indecency.
Females were Ordained to the Sacred Ministry.
The Episcopal Church in the USA became a shell
of what she was merely decades before.
The 1928 Book of Common Prayer was
replaced the severely Liturgical compromised 1979 BCP.
throughout Anglican Communion beginning in the early 1970’s.
Biblical Morality, Chastity and Virtuous Living were routinely abandoned
giving way to sexual immorality and indecency.
Females were Ordained to the Sacred Ministry.
The Episcopal Church in the USA became a shell
of what she was merely decades before.
The 1928 Book of Common Prayer was
replaced the severely Liturgical compromised 1979 BCP.
In response to these and other abrasions of the Faith;
our Archdiocese began to take it present form in the late 1980’s.
Archbishop Peter-Compton Caputo of Maryland was
duly called, elected and Consecrated as the first Bishop.
our Archdiocese began to take it present form in the late 1980’s.
Archbishop Peter-Compton Caputo of Maryland was
duly called, elected and Consecrated as the first Bishop.
Upon the death of Archbishop Caputo in 2001,
Archbishop John Gains of the Anglican Church of
St. James in Delaware succeeded him.
Archbishop John Gains of the Anglican Church of
St. James in Delaware succeeded him.
In 2006 Archbishop Gains unilaterally took the
denomination into another Anglican body.
denomination into another Anglican body.
Archbishop Josephus Johannes Palumbo, OCR of Missouri
was the designated Successor of Archbishop Gains.
He decided to remain in the ++Caputo legacy
was the designated Successor of Archbishop Gains.
He decided to remain in the ++Caputo legacy
and took his place as the head of the Church.
After a time it was decided to rename the Church;
The Anglican Orthodox Archdiocese.
It was felt this better represented our Mission and Theological position.
Other than the name change and Leadership change;
everything else has remained as it has been since our inception.
The Anglican Orthodox Archdiocese.
It was felt this better represented our Mission and Theological position.
Other than the name change and Leadership change;
everything else has remained as it has been since our inception.
We recite the Nicean Creed in its original form;
without the Filioque. “Who proceedeth from the Son.”
without the Filioque. “Who proceedeth from the Son.”
The 1611 King James Bible is its. entirety is the
Version used in the Archdiocese for Public Worship.
Version used in the Archdiocese for Public Worship.
Other modern translations may be used for Private Devotions.
Our Service Books are the 1928 Book of Common Prayer,
The American Missal (1951 & 1951 eds.), the Sarum Missal
(compiled by P.G. Medd+) and the Anglican Missal.
(compiled by P.G. Medd+) and the Anglican Missal.
The Sarum Pontifical is used for all Episcopal Services.
In Summary; we are Orthodox Bible Based Christians
whose Service Books and Missals are based
on the ancient Rites of Old Sherborne Sarum.
CLERGY INQUIRIES
whose Service Books and Missals are based
on the ancient Rites of Old Sherborne Sarum.
CLERGY INQUIRIES
Our school of learning and spiritual formation is Cambridge Hall Theological Seminary.
It is a combination of “Read for Orders” and on-line course work via Zoom.
Contact us for further information about Incardination and the Seminary.
It is a combination of “Read for Orders” and on-line course work via Zoom.
Contact us for further information about Incardination and the Seminary.
Active Clergy, Chaplains, Missions, Parishes and Diocese’s
are welcomed to apply for admission into the Archdiocese.
If you would like more information, please contact us