WHO WE ARE
A Global Communion with Purpose
Our History
Rooted in tradition, called to serve.
The Anglican Free Communion International (AFCI), formerly known as Free
Protestant Episcopal Church (FPEC) is one of the oldest and most historically important Anglican communions outside the Canterbury Communion. It was founded on 2 November 1897 in London, England, through the union of several episcopal bodies.
independent churches, including the Free Protestant Church, the Ancient British Church, and the Nazarene Episcopal Church. This union was prompted in response to the rise of Anglo-Catholicism within the Church of England, promoting a more evangelical, liturgically free, and apostolically faithful expression of Anglicanism.
Our History
Our Origin and Apostolic Calling
Its first Primus was the Armenian Bishop Leon Chechemian, consecrated in the Armenian Church and later received into the Anglican succession. Together with Bishops James Martin and
Andrew Albert MacLaglen, established a Reformed Episcopal church with a strong biblical and sacramental orientation. In 1917, the church was granted legal recognition in the United Kingdom as a valid Christian denomination, with legally ordained ministers and a valid apostolic succession recognized even by outside historians.
Expansion and Reformation: A Church in Motion
During the 20th century, the communion expanded to North America and then to other regions. In 1978, a split in the United States gave rise to a parallel jurisdiction (the International Free Protestant Episcopal Church), which was reconciled in 2011, restoring the original unity.
In 2012, in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, the FPEC held a historic General Synod where the Declaration of Full Inclusion was officially proclaimed, reaffirming universal access to the sacraments and the Communion's commitment to human rights. At that same meeting, the name "Anglican Free Communion" was publicly adopted.
Renewal and Global Leadership
On January 1, 2020, the General Synod of Bishops, in a historic decision, replaced the then Primate Richard Arthur Palmer and elected Archbishop
Ronald Lee Firestone (United States), consolidating global leadership from the Americas. This election marked a new era of decentralization, administrative modernization, and visibility.
international. The church was formally renamed The Anglican Free Communion International – The Episcopal Free Church.
In 2022, the Very Reverend Raúl Eugenio Toro Jr., of Latin origin and based in Florida (USA), was elected as the new Primate. His consecration and investiture marked the definitive transition towards a Communion more representative of the Americas. Under his leadership, AFCI has strengthened its canonical structure, expanded its presence in Africa and Asia, and multiplied its pastoral impact on migrant, impoverished, and excluded communities.
Global Presence and Commitment to Inclusion
Currently, the AFCI is made up of more than 25 provinces on five continents,
all autonomous but united sacramentally and doctrinally, maintaining the apostolic succession,
Anglican liturgical celebration, and a firm commitment to the Gospel, justice and
inclusion.
The history of the AFCI is not just an institutional chronology: it is the testimony of a Church that
It has resisted marginalization, maintained its fidelity to the Word, and opened its doors to all.
Those who have been rejected in other ecclesial spaces. Today, 128 years after its founding,
The Free Anglican Communion continues to affirm its motto:
“God's gifts are free. No matter who you are or where you come from, there's a place for you.”
at our table.”
Our Reason for Being
We serve with faith, justice and compassion.
The Anglican Free Communion International is not just a church; it is a global spiritual family. We exist to accompany the excluded, proclaim the Gospel freely, and build communities where faith translates into justice, acceptance, and transformation.
Mission
To proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the freedom of the Spirit, restoring dignity, communion, and justice among peoples. To form an Anglican communion open to all, inclusive, and deeply committed to sacramental life, gospel truth, and service to others.
Vision
To be an international episcopal communion that lives the historic Anglican principles—Scripture, tradition, reason—while acting as a global family without borders, made up of autonomous, diverse churches, faithful to apostolic succession, deeply liturgical, and committed to justice, the unity of the Church, and the transformation of human realities.
Core Values
Faith in Christ and apostolic fidelity
Anglican Liturgy and Sacramentality
Unity without uniformity
Radical inclusiveness and pastoral welcome
Social justice and option for the poor
Missionary and ecumenical commitment
Ecclesiastical autonomy in real communion
Trackble
Our mission in action.
The Anglican Free Communion works every day to strengthen Christian unity, promote God's love, and accompany communities around the world.
Through our actions, we seek to build bridges of faith, hope, and reconciliation.
News & Reflections Continental Call to Prayer A global call to united prayer for the poor, governments, and churches in crisis. TO…
Quick Contact
Do you have a question, need spiritual guidance, or want to connect with a community?
Write to us or call us. We're here to listen.
- Oficina Internacional del Primado: Jacksonville, Florida, EE.UU.
- contacto@anglicanfreecommunion.org
Useful Links
- About AFCI
- Mission Statement
- Join as a volunteer
- Documentos oficiales
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Spanish