Evangelical Connexion of the Free Church of England

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The Evangelical Connexion of the Free Church of England came into being in 2003, following doctrinal disagreements within the Free Church of England.^[1] The original body had been intended to be a Protestant, Reformed and Evangelical denomination.^[2] However, those leading it led the church in the direction of the modern ecumenical movement. As a result some of the members of the FCE who still held to the doctrinal basis of the FCE (The Doctrines of Grace and Sola Scriptura) felt pushed aside.

The Connexion remains committed to Biblical theology and is essentially paedobaptist, liturgical in worship, and episcopal in polity - though understanding all these from a Scriptural perspective, rather than an essentially Roman Catholic one.

The FCE-EC has no connection with the Church of England and individual members and congregations have contacts within both the FIEC and Affinity. Recent contacts for this group include the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in England and Wales and the Church of England in South Africa. This independent body holds to the supremacy of Scripture [4] and stands in the body of continuing Anglican churches which take their inspiration from Thomas Cranmer.

The Connexion contends that it is the one remaining Protestant, Reformed, Evangelical, Anglican-style Denomination in the UK whose doctrine and worship is still based on Scripture and the Prayer Book. This body holds to the supremacy of Scripture ^[3] and claims to stand in the body of continuing Anglican churches which take their inspiration from Thomas Cranmer. The Connexion has not authorized its own modern language liturgy but does allow, with Bishop's permission, the use of such as 'An English Prayer Book' (Church Society Publications - OUP)

The Rev. Dominic Stockford, a Connexion pastor and former Roman Catholic priest, was recently elected and consecrated a bishop in the church, the first for the Connexion. The date of his consecration was May 5, 2008 and the ceremony was conducted in Swanwick at the Hayes Centre.