The EACA is established

The EACA was officially established as a canonical ecclesiastical jurisdiction in 1994, with the Consecration of The Rev. Msgr. Craig Bettendorf, a clergyman of the Philippine Independent Church (itself in communion with “Old Catholics”), for its episcopacy, and the promulgation of a Constitution and Codex of Canon Law. Its primary mission has always been that of the building up of Christ’s Church. Jesus’ command that “all might become one through the Creator” is sincerely embraced. Bishop Bettendorf devoted a significant portion of his life to church-planting efforts throughout the United States. His objective, rather radical at that time, was to provide a place where sincere men and women called to sacramental ministry could answer that call irrespective of their sexual orientation/identity.

Following an agreement in 1995 between Bishop Bettendorf and Most Rev. Charles Finn of the Liberal Catholic Church International (a 1941 reorganization of the Old Catholic Church in England) the Church partnered with the LCCI’s St. Alban’s Theological Seminary, to create the Anglican Institute for Affirmative Christian Studies [AIACS] to prepare students for ordained service within the Church.

Upon the retirement of Bishop Bettendorf in 2004, Bishop Rusty Smith, was installed as Presiding Bishop. He serves as the ecclesiastical superior and Ordinary of parishes, missions, and faith communities, as well as individual clergy present throughout the country. The Bishop is also the direct spiritual and jurisdictional authority of clergy (whose ordination rituals have had appropriate matter and form, together with Catholic intention) located internationally who have sworn conformity with the Constitution and Canons of the Church. In 2017 the Church ordained Rev. Kevin Champion and Rev. Craig Chapman as bishops.