otherdenoms

The Episcopal Church is a major denomination that is most similar to the Catholic Church of
the Americas. Its theology is orthodox and its liturgy is traditional. Like the CCA, it ordains
women and is relatively liberal on social issues. While the Episcopal Church has taken a
forward stand on such issues as same-gender marriages and other gay and lesbian matters,
we have seen in the press that they still have a long way toward total acceptance of our gay
and lesbian brothers and sisters. We, in the CCA, cannot and will not discriminate from any
of God's Children.

The Metropolitan Community Church is the largest and most widely recognized
denomination with a direct outreach to the lesbian and gay community. Although
made up of Christians from all backgrounds, the MCC is thoroughly Protestant in
both its polity and liturgy. The government of the denomination is congregational in
nature and the liturgy is typically a blend of "mainline" worship. While MCC liturgy
includes the Eucharist, it is often not focused around the Eucharist as the central act
of worship. The denomination does not have a fixed liturgy.

Furthermore, while the bylaws of the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches accept the
Nicene Creed and Apostles' Creed, these Creeds are rarely used in worship, and doctrinal conformity to their
teachings is often not enforced. We differ from the MCC, therefore, by striving to emphasize our Catholicity
within the Creedal theology of the Universal Church.

Our liturgy, polity and theology are very close to the Roman Catholic Church. In
fact, an honest Roman Catholic would find it difficult to find a major difference
between us.
On many theologically trivial but socially vital issues, however, we are
diametrically opposed to the teachings of Rome. We believe in optional celibacy
for the clergy, ordination of women, celebration of the Eucharist in the home, and
participation of the laity in the election of bishops. Furthermore, we do not
believe that heterosexuality really has anything to do with marriage. Sacraments
are spiritual commitments that should not be denied the people of God for

irrelevant reasons. We believe that whether or not to use birth control and under what circumstances are
decisions best left to a husband and wife. While we discourage divorce, we do not demand an annulment for
the divorced person to remarry within the Church or be fully participating members of the Catholic Church of
the Americas.
Many people who have been condemned by Rome are welcomed in the CCA.

Many of the Independent Catholics, including those who consider themselves "Old Catholics," have separated
from the Roman, Anglican or other major denominations for theological or liturgical reasons. Some of these
groups hold on to older worship forms (such as the Latin Mass or the 1928 Book of Common Prayer). Others
differ over relatively minor points of theology (such as the Immaculate Conception). For these reasons, these
groups often dwell in the past and do not readily associate with the parent bodies.
On the other hand, the Catholic Church of the Americas is separate for social reasons. Our worship is
contemporary and congruent with the mainline liturgical denominations. Our theology is modern. We are
inspired by the opportunities to work side-by-side and along with the mainline churches, so long as our open
and all-inclusive ministry, witness and love are not hindered.

homophobia, and sex-negativity are certainly not uniquely Roman Catholic. Even the generally liberal mainline
Protestants have not successfully corrected the problems.
Generally, the Lutheran Church is liturgical but not as directly focused on the Eucharist as we are (and other
Catholics).
With the modern Lutheran Church we share a theology that Truth must stand up when wronged. Like Martin
Luther nailing his Ninety-Five Theses on the church door, we are boldly making our claim against the sexism
and the homophobia that pervades not just the Church, but our entire society.

We share a very important position with Martin Luther. The Catholic Church of the
Americas stands in direct protest to the Roman Catholic Church's narrow-mindedness
on social issues. Like Luther, we are in agreement with the vast majority of Roman
Catholic doctrines, liturgy, etc., but there are extenuating practices of the Roman
Catholic Church that force us to remain separate
Because these issues are social in nature, rather than theological, we stand in
opposition to most of the Christian denominations on these vital points. Genderism,