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The Tranditional Anglican Mission of St. Barnabas The Apostle - Who Are We?
We are a Mission of the Diocese of the West, Anglican Church in America part of the world-wide Traditional Anglican Communion. We are NOT affiliated with the Episcopal Church, U.S.A. We are a Traditional Anglo-Catholic worship community. We believe that in the Holy Scriptures, the Catholic Creeds, the Lords Sacraments and the Apostolic Succession, the essential nature of Christ's Church is faithfully preserved and through them the Catholic Religion is faithfully practiced. St. Barnabas vocation is to worship God, to live in Christ's love, and to offer that love to the whole world.
In the mid-1970s the Protestant Episcopal Church, U.S.A. erupted in a series of doctrinal controversies that came to focus on the nature of holy orders and the Church's liturgy and worship. The "Fellowship of Concerned Churchmen", of whom our Vicar, Father Scott Kingsbury, was President from 2000-2003, called for a Congress of Traditional Anglicans, which met in St. Louis in 1977. From that historic meeting, came the "Affirmation of St. Louis" - our own Traditional Anglican "Magna Carta" - which outlines where we stand as Anglican Traditionalists.
From the Affirmation of St. Louis, a foundational document of the ACA:
Man's Duty to God: All people are bound by the dictates of the Natural Law and by the revealed Will of God, insofar as they can discern themselves.
Marriage & Family Life: The God-given sacramental bond in marriage between on man and one woman is God's loving provision for procreation and family life, and sexual activity is to be practiced only within the bonds of Holy Matrimony.
Sanctity of Human Life: Every human being, from the time of his conception, is a creature and child of God, mande in His image and likeness, an infinitely precious soul; and that the unjustifiable or inexcusable taking of life is always sinful.
A Christian's Duty to be Moral: We believe...it is the duty of the Church and her members to bear witness to Christian Morality, to follow it in their lives, and to reject the false standards of the world.
The Nature of the Church: True religion is revealed to man by God. We cannot decide what is truth, but rather (in obedience) ought to receive, accept, cherish, defend and teach what God has given us. The Church is created by God, and is beyond the ultimate control of man.
Holy Scriptures: The Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments (are) the authentic record of God's revelation of Himself, His saving activity, and moral demands - a revelation valid for all men and all time.
Incompetence of Church Bodies to Alter Truth: We disclaim any right or competence to suppress, alter or amend any of the ancient Ecumenical Creeds and definitions of Faith, to set aside or depart from Holy Scripture, or to alter or deviate from the essential pre-requisites of any Sacrament.
