History of the Province

The Province of Christ the King is a body of Anglican churches which was formed in 1977 to ensure the continuation of historic Anglican Christianity in America. The need for the new Province arose because of changes in the fundamental faith and practices of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America (ECUSA). This radical restructuring of the Episcopal Church was completed at the 1976 Episcopal Convention in Minneapolis, Minnesota. At this meeting sweeping changes were adopted to accommodate new beliefs and practices.

These changes culminated in the approval of the 1979 Prayer Book. The new Prayer Book's theology changed the historic teachings of the Faith and departed from the ideals of The 1928 Book of Common Prayer adopting new optional rites. In the words of one eminent commentator, the book of 1979 signaled a rejection of the Common Prayer tradition itself.
The 1976 General Convention forced an ever-increasing secularization of the church. The unilateral "ordination" of women to the priesthood contradicted apostolic authority as established by Christ Himself.

In 1977 concerned Episcopal clergy and laity who objected to these radical changes gathered in St. Louis, Missouri. They set forth a statement of faith called the Affirmation of Saint Louis, which expressed their commitment as Episcopalians to orthodox Christianity. The next step was the creation of the Diocese (now Province) of Christ the King.

Six Western parishes joined together and elected as their Bishop the Rev. Robert S. Morse, Rector of Saint Peter's Church in Oakland, California. On January 28, 1978, in Denver, Colorado, Father Morse was consecrated Bishop. The Rt. Rev. Albert A Chambers, retired Episcopal Bishop of Springfield, Illinois, was chief consecrator who acted to preserve the American Episcopate.