Old Catholic Church

Old Catholic Church (disambiguation).

Union of Utrecht

Member churches
Dependent churches

Member churches
Churches with observer status

Anglican Communion

Member churches

Old Catholic Church, Old Catholic Church in Switzerland, called the Association of Independent Catholic Churches which are united in the Union of Utrecht.

The Old Catholic Churches in Germany, Austria and Switzerland arose in protest against the dogmatic definitions of the primacy of jurisdiction, and papal infallibility, in the Dogmatic Constitution Pastor Aeternus were announced at the First Vatican Council on 18 July 1870. Those Roman Catholics who opposed the new dogmas, fell excommunication. They called themselves - with reference to the Old Church - " Old Catholics " to distinguish themselves from their view of the "new" Roman Catholic Church. From 1872/73 saw the founding of their own communities and local churches.

A special meaning within the Old Catholic Church Community comes to the Old Catholic Church of the Netherlands. The Archdiocese of Utrecht is the oldest Old Catholic Church (independent since 1723 from Rome), received episcopal consecration in apostolic succession from which all other Old Catholic Churches, so that after ( Roman Catholic ) canon law the ordinations that are made by Old Catholic bishops, valid but in the case of episcopal ordinations are illicit because they lack the papal confirmation. Basically after also recognize the Orthodox churches to the validity of Old Catholic Orders, provided that they are not donated to or by a woman.

4.1 Old Catholics internationally
4.2 Old Catholics in German-speaking 4.2.1 Germany
4.2.2 Switzerland
4.2.3 Austria

6.1 Scientific Journal
6.2 monographs and anthologies

Name

The official name of the church in Germany is: " Catholic Diocese of the Old Catholics in Germany ". The spelling with a hyphen is therefore in Germany part of the self-designation as the official name of the two other German-speaking churches " Christian Catholic Church of Switzerland " or " Old Catholic Church of Austria " is.

Theology and church order

Understanding of faith

Bible and tradition serve as the basis and rule of faith ( fidei regulators )
For deposit of faith include the dogmatic decisions of the seven Ecumenical Councils
These include in particular: the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed without the filioque as an authentic summary of faith
The belief in the Trinity: there is only one God, in three consubstantial persons ( Father, Son and Holy Spirit) exists
Jesus Christ is true man according to his humanity and true God according to his divinity; in the unmixed unity of his two natures ( divine and human ), he is a single person
Mary is wearing due to their central position in the saving work of God, the Theotokos predicate ( in the Western Church: Mother of God ), as it has the second divine person, the Son of God, conceived and born in virginal integrity through the work of the Holy Spirit

When standing in contradiction to the teachings of the early church following theorems are discarded or rejected: the infallibility of the pope in matters of faith and morals
The universal jurisdiction of the Pope over the whole Church
The Immaculate Conception of Mary
The corporeal assumption of Mary
Transubstantiation

On the other hand, is that Scholars the Pope as Bishop of Rome and Patriarch of the West plays a position of honor
The Eucharist is a sacrificial feast, in which have the Body and Blood of the Lord receiving believers fellowship with one another

Understanding of the church

The ecclesiological principles are binding enshrined in the Statute of the International Bishops' Conference, as well as in the constitutions of the various Old Catholic national churches. So it is, for example, in the Statute of the Old Catholic Church of the Netherlands:

" In other Catholic churches, the Church of Utrecht has the following in common:

In the synod and church order of the Old Catholic Church in Germany there is the interaction of " personal, collegial and communal episcopes " more weighted in favor of the laity:

" We hold on to the old episcopal and synodal constitution of the Church. Then the bishop leads directly and independently the local church with the participation and co-decision of the community of monastics and the People of God. "

Content specified there is the Old Catholic Church in understanding the Constitution of the Christian Catholic Church of Switzerland. Article 3 of the preamble reads:

" Maintaining the catholicity of the Church, is the content and purpose of the apostolic succession. It is thereby accomplished, that the bishop on the other hand undertake with the priests and deacons on the one hand and the laity against each other to preserve the faith of the Apostles and the liturgy and the structure of the early church to unfold in the present and into the future and in all the world weiterzupflanzen. This is shown highlighted in the sacrament of Holy Orders; therefore carried out ordinations to apostolic offices only in the explicit context of the apostolic succession, in which the whole church. "

As the connection between catholicity and Nationalkirchentum can be configured illustrates an example of the legal system of the Polish Catholic Church:

"§ 1 The Polish Catholic Church

Church Order

The Constitution of the Old Catholic Churches is episcopal, synodical and based on democratic principles ( majority decision; separation of powers ): Full -year community members have participation rights, which are mainly carried out in the six-monthly community meetings. These include, inter alia, the choice of the Church Council, the Synodalabgeordneten and usually the pastor.

Compulsion in religion shall be rejected: The obligation of the faithful to auricular confession was abolished in Germany after 1873.
The clergy are generally dispensed from celibacy; However, there have, without prejudice to live voluntarily celibate.
The Stolgebühren for spiritual acts and indulgences were abolished in Germany in 1873.
There are no mandatory bid Sunday.

Role of women, homosexuals and divorced in the Western European Old Catholic Churches: All baptized Christians who share the belief in the Real Presence, are invited to receive the Eucharist ( this also applies to divorced and remarried ).
Women are admitted to the sacrament of Holy Orders, see main article ordination of women.
A second church wedding divorcee is possible under certain circumstances.
The blessing of same-sex couples is possible in consultation with the competent minister.

Liturgical reforms: The Holy Mass and other religious services are celebrated in Germany since 1877, in Switzerland since 1885, in Austria since 1879 and in the Netherlands since 1908 in the local language.
Instead of individual confession sacramental absolution can also be received jointly.
The chalice belongs to the liturgical practice.

Liturgy

The Holy Eucharist with Liturgy of the Word and homily is usually celebrated every Sunday and on solemnities. The body of the Lord is kept in a tabernacle, in addition to the most burning an eternal light.

The degree of solemnity of the liturgy varies depending on the municipality and priests. In some communities the Sunday services are similar to Roman Catholic Weekdays fairs, in other high offices of deacon, altar service and incense are regularly or occasionally held. Outside Germany is kneeling during the consecration and communion. The liturgical services of the cantor, organist and lecturer are exercised by lay people, while children, adolescents and in some adults act as altar servers.

On individual aspects of Old Catholic liturgy give the following main products information:

Worship
Roman rite
Offertory
Prayer
Lord's prayer
Eucharist
Communion Prayer
Communion
Chalice
Liturgical year
Maundy Thursday
Good Friday
Large intercessions
Easter Vigil
Ite, missa est

Criticism from the Roman Catholic side

Occasionally, the Old Catholics was because of their reforms ( eg the introduction of the national language, abolition of compulsory celibacy, more recently, because of the introduction of the ordination of women ) accused of the Roman Catholic side, they were Neuprotestanten. This assertion has been cited by Old Catholic side that the Old Catholic Church does not have the intention to abandon by their reforms, the catholicity of the Church, and, secondly, that the Roman Catholic Church almost one hundred years later, one or the other of her hitherto prevented reform even introduced, such as the reform of the liturgy, the language in worship or the ordination of married men to the Permanent deacons.

The Old Catholic Church sees in their positions and no new reforms that affect the original, generally binding faith of the Church or even undermine. Rather, according to the Old Catholic believes these reforms is an original Catholicism basis, which corresponds to the spirit of the Gospel and the tradition of the Church of the first millennium. The changes in the doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church by the First Vatican Council, which raised the infallibility and the universal jurisdiction of the Pope to binding beliefs are, however, still seen as the real " innovations " that must be rejected for altkirchlicher mind out considered. The Old Catholic movement raised its opposition to Vatican I, not least because it was not an ecumenical council in the early church sense, but rather a Partikularsynode. In addition, among the present Roman Catholic bishops a significant minority who initially rejected the new dogma and the vote withdrew by early departure.

Despite some similarities, such as the emphasis on the synodal principle, the Old Catholic Church, however, differs in its self-understanding principle of the Reformation churches, for example, because they - of the number seven - in addition to the preservation of the apostolic tradition and faith in the sacrificial character of the Eucharist sacraments holds.

Ecumenical Relations

Since the 1870s, sought above all Old Catholics of Germany and Switzerland dialogue with representatives of other churches. So were held on the initiative of Synodalvertretung and at the invitation of Ignaz von Dollinger " Union Conferences " in 1874 /75, Bonn, where in addition also renowned Old Catholic Orthodox, Anglican and Protestant theologians and church leaders took part.

Since 1931 is the Old Catholic Church, the well-known already in the Declaration of Utrecht of 1889 to ecumenism, by the Bonn Agreement in full communion with the Church of England, since 1965 also with the Philippine Independent Church.

She is represented founding member of the World Council of Churches and Christian in many other ecumenical bodies, such as the Working Group Churches in Germany (ACK ). Union attempts with the Orthodox Church came in 1987 to substantial agreement on all essential matters of faith. New need for discussion came on the introduction of the ordination of women, which is not comprehensible for most Orthodox. Nevertheless, the dialogue was re-recorded also on this issue, 2004.

With the Roman Catholic Church a Joint Commission was established in 2004 again formed, which produced its final report on May 12, 2009. The results in 1972 in the "Zurich Nota " submitted a previous dialogue with far-reaching results such as sacramental assistant in emergencies were originally not ratified by Rome. Between the German Old Catholic diocese and the German Bishops' Conference since 1999, but there is an agreement that regulates the acquisition of clergy in the service of their church after a conversion.

Dissemination

Old Catholics internationally

The Old Catholic Churches are united in the Union of Utrecht of the Old Catholic Churches. The bishops of these churches meet regularly under the chairmanship of the Archbishop of Utrecht in the International Old Catholic Bishops ' Conference (IBC ). Every four years there is a International Old Catholic Congress. In the period between congresses occurs on an annual basis along the International Old Catholic laity forum.

Outside the German-speaking world, there are Old Catholic Churches in the Netherlands, Poland and the Czech Republic.

Dependent Old Catholic Churches and communities exist in Denmark, France, Italy, Croatia and Sweden. These are mostly located in the extreme diaspora situation, so for them not have their own bishop may be ordained. Therefore, these communities are directly subordinate to the jurisdiction of the IBC, each assigns them an Old Catholic bishop as a delegate. Unclear is the whereabouts of the Slovenian and Serbian Old Catholics after the demise of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

Some American church communities, who regard themselves as Old Catholic and recognize the Declaration of Utrecht, the IBK requested to join the Union of Utrecht, but these were referred to the Episcopal Church as an interlocutor.

Especially in the U.S., the term " old catholic " in different combinations as a self-designation of faith communities in use, but they are not the member churches of the Utrecht Union or associated with.

Old Catholics in German-speaking

The Old Catholic Church is a small church, which is rather unknown in the wider population. Therefore take place accessions mostly from individuals, from another church either - or come from the unchurched - however, the Old Catholic Churches reject active solicitation. Old Catholic communities are therefore often of manageable size (typically between 200 and 600 members ). Especially in Germany, there are many communities worshipers who belong to another church, but as guests and friends are welcome permanently, even if they do not decide on a candidate. You simply do not have the right to vote in town meetings, but also where they can participate.

Germany

Switzerland

Austria

History

The Old Catholic Church built in the 18th century in the Netherlands.

→ Main article: Old Catholic Church of the Netherlands
→ Main article: Union of Utrecht of the Old Catholic Churches

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