Free Church of England

Free Church of England
ClassificationChristian
OrientationAnglican
ScriptureChristian Bible
TheologyLow church Anglicanism
PolityEpiscopal
Associations
Full communionReformed Episcopal Church
Origin1844
Separated fromChurch of England
Congregations18
Official websitefcofe.org.uk Edit this at Wikidata

The Free Church of England (FCE) is an Episcopal Church based in England. The church was founded when a number of congregations separated from the established Church of England in the middle of the 19th century.[1]

The doctrinal basis of the FCE, together with its Episcopal structures, organisation, worship, ministry and ethos are recognisably Anglican although it is not a member of the Anglican Communion. Its worship style follows that of the Book of Common Prayer or conservative modern-language forms that belong to the Anglican tradition.

The Church of England acknowledges the FCE as a church with valid orders and its canons permit a range of shared liturgical and ministerial activities.

  1. ^ Richard D. Fenwick, "The Free Church of England otherwise called the Reformed Episcopal Church c. 1845 to c. 1927", PhD thesis, University of Wales, 1995.