Union of Scranton

Union of Scranton
Classification	Catholic
Theology	Ultrajectine
Governance	Episcopal
Leader	Prime Bishop Anthony Mikovsky
Region	North America, Europe
Headquarters	Scranton, Pennsylvania, United States
Origin	2008
Branched from	Roman Catholic Church
Members	c. 26,000

The Union of Scranton is a communion of Old Catholic churches established in 2008 by the Polish National Catholic Church of the United States, after the Union of Utrecht they had been part of began ordaining women and blessing same-sex unions. Since then, it has expanded to include the Nordic Catholic Church, began by people who had separated from the Church of Norway, a Lutheran state church, in opposition to similar practices and has developed a more Catholic theology. It also includes the Christ-Catholic Church in Germany as a daughter-church of the NCC, which traces its history through the Union of Utrecht and the PNCC,^[1] as well as St. Severin's Abbey which is the German Province of the Order of Port Royal.

Beliefs

The beliefs shared by the churches of the Union of Scranton, distinguishing them from the Roman Catholic and the Utrecht Union churches, are described in the Declaration of Scranton.^[2] The Declaration of Scranton is an expansion upon the principles set forth in the Declaration of Utrecht, adding theologically conservative expressions of faith in the sacraments of marriage and holy orders.^[3]

In the Declaration of Scranton, the signatories:

reject the dogma of papal infallibility and the universal episcopate of the Bishop of Rome
reject the dogmatic pronouncement of the Immaculate Conception, although not the dogma itself
reject the dogmatic pronouncement of the Assumption of Mary, although not the dogma itself
reject ordination of women to the priesthood, consecration of women to the episcopate, and the blessing of same-sex unions, and
affirm a sacrificial understanding of the Eucharist, not as a continual repetition nor a renewal of Jesus' sacrifice, but as a perpetual commemoration of the sacrifice.

Members

Polish National Catholic Church
- Polish National Catholic Church Deanery in Italy
- Polish National Catholic Church in Poland
Nordic Catholic Church
- Nordic Catholic Church mission in Sweden
- Nordic Catholic Church in France
- Nordic Catholic Church mission in Hungary
- Nordic Catholic Church mission in the United Kingdom
- Old Catholic Church in Italy (Chiesa Vecchio-Cattolica in Italia)
- Christ-Catholic Church in Germany (St. Severin's Abbey included)

Relationships

The Polish National Catholic Church and Nordic Catholic Church are currently in dialogue with the Free Church of England.

References

↑ "Geschichte der Christ-Katholischen Kirche in Deutschland" (in German). Christ-Katholische Kirche in Deutschland. Retrieved June 9, 2014.
↑ "The Declaration of Scranton" (PDF). The Union of Scranton. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
↑ "The Declaration of Scranton Official Commentary" (PDF). The Union of Scranton. Retrieved 27 January 2013.

External links

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