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The Ecumenical Catholic Communion (ECC) is an American independent Catholic church. Its members understand themselves as following the Catholic tradition without being in communion with the Bishop of Rome. The ECC is a confederation of independent communities based in the United States.〔()〕 It differs from Roman Catholic practice in a number of key areas such as: the ordination of married men to the priesthood and from Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox practice in allowing married men in the episcopacy, the ordination of women, the acceptance and ordination of people of all sexual orientations, and allowing marriage after divorce, (although Orthodoxy does permit divorced people to remarry under certain circumstances). The membership of the ECC is about 10,000, including six bishops,〔 and more than 50 communities across 20 states 〔 In 2009, the Ecumenical Anglican Church (EAC), an independent church joined the ECC.〔http://www.ecumenical-catholic-communion.org/eccpdf/new_communities.pdf〕 The ECC is a member of the National Council of Churches (NCC). ==History== The Ecumenical Catholic Communion professes that its roots are to be found in the Old Catholic Church and counts the Declaration of Utrecht among its foundational sources〔 although it is not in communion with the Old Catholic Church of Utrecht. Peter Elder Hickman, founding Bishop of the ECC and Presiding Bishop until 2015, has been key to the evolution of the communion. Originally ordained for the American Baptists, Hickman was drawn to the liturgical elements of the Catholic tradition but had difficulties with some elements of the structure and disciplines of Roman Catholicism.〔Farrell, M. J. (1999, April 23). Old Catholics seek identity at the margins. ''National Catholic Reporter'', p.5.〕 Hickman found a compromise between Roman Catholic sacramental practice and the authority of Rome in an Old Catholic Church community in East Los Angeles.〔 After being ordained a priest in the Old Catholic Church, Hickman saw the potential to start a new community and founded St Matthew Church in Orange County at the end of 1985.〔 Over time, the community of St. Matthew's grew in number and changed locations, worshipping in mortuary and wedding chapels, before being able to acquire its own building. A number of former Roman Catholic priests joined St. Matthew's church and new communities began to be established.〔 In 1995, the St. Matthew's community decided to seek episcopal ordination for Hickman. To this end, he was put forward as a candidate for the episcopacy to the bishops of the Ecumenical Communion of Catholic and Apostolic Churches.〔()〕 In May 1996, Hickman was ordained a bishop by three independent Old Catholic bishops〔 (i.e. not in communion with Utrecht) and, as a result, was considered to be in the apostolic succession.〔(Apostolic succession )〕 The ECC was formally established as a national ecclesial organization on September 19, 2003.〔 A number of communities sought affiliation with the St. Matthew's community and then, after 2003, membership of the ECC. The new communities required ordained leadership and this has resulted in a number of ordinations of both women and men.〔 In 1997, Patricia McElroy became the first woman to be ordained a deacon by Bishop Hickman.〔 In 2000, Hickman ordained Kathy McCarthy to the priesthood, the first such ordination for the ECC.〔 In the following year, the high profile ordination of Mary Ramerman was considered controversial by the Roman Catholic hierarchy but was supported by some who advocate the ordination of women in the Catholic tradition.〔Patterson, M. (2007, December 7). Breakaway parish ordains woman priest. ''National Catholic Reporter'', p. 11.〕 2011 brought the expansion of the ECC to Europe. The Community of the Good Shepherd, rooted in Belgium and currently also existent in the Netherlands and Poland, joined the ECC, and also a parish in Vienna, Austria. Now in Europe 9 communities and missions are part of the Ecumenical Catholic Communion.〔http://ecumenical-catholic-communion.eu/our-communities/〕 In the beginning of December 2013 the Apostolic Catholic Church, under the jurisdiction of Bishop Chuck Leigh joined the Ecumenical Catholic Communion as a member and became a part of ECC Diocese of Florida. The Apostolic Catholic Church is a member of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, Church World Service and Florida Council of Churches.〔http://www.apostoliccatholicchurch.com/ct-menu-item-11/ct-menu-item-13〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Ecumenical Catholic Communion」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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