Introducing: A Comprehensive Survey of Orthodox Anglican Options in the United States

A Four-Part Research Series Compiled with Claude AI

As I’ve been researching and writing about ACNA’s constitutional problems, a fundamental question kept emerging: What are the actual alternatives?

When discussing institutional dysfunction, it’s not enough to simply critique. We need to understand the full landscape of options available to orthodox Anglicans in America—their strengths, weaknesses, and practical realities.

So I worked with Claude AI to create a comprehensive, systematic survey of every orthodox Anglican jurisdiction operating in the United States as of October 2025.

What This Series Covers

This isn’t a personal opinion piece. It’s a data-driven research compilation developed through systematic interrogative methodology:

Part 1: Introduction & Anglo-Catholic Jurisdictions

Methodology: How we defined “orthodox Anglican” and organized the survey
Anglican Catholic Church (ACC) – 30,000 members worldwide, merging with ACA
Anglican Church in America (ACA) – 5,200 members, voted to merge with ACC
Anglican Province of America (APA) – 4,000 members, G-3 communion
Anglican Province of Christ the King (APCK) – 40+ parishes, California-focused

Part 2: Reformed Protestant & Central Church Jurisdictions

Reformed Episcopal Church (REC) – 7,600 members, 152-year history, growing
United Episcopal Church of North America (UECNA) – 26 parishes, low church
Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) – 130,000 members, constitutional crisis
Church of Nigeria North American Mission (CONNAM) – Recent institutional turmoil

Part 3: “Abandon Ship” – Non-Anglican Options

The Episcopal Church (TEC) – Why staying means abandoning orthodoxy
Personal Ordinariates – “Swimming the Tiber” to Rome
Eastern Orthodoxy – “Swimming the Bosphorus”
Conservative Presbyterian, Lutheran, Baptist options

Part 4: Analysis, Conclusions & Decision Framework

Comparison tables and decision matrices
Three possible futures for orthodox Anglicanism in America
Practical guidance based on your priorities
The fundamental fragmentation problem

Why This Matters

The orthodox Anglican world in America is deeply fragmented. Every jurisdiction represents trade-offs:

Want size and resources? ACNA is your only option—but it’s constitutionally dysfunctional
Want theological clarity? Continuing bodies have it—but they’re tiny, aging, and geographically inaccessible
Want historic continuity? REC has 152 years—but operates as ACNA sub-jurisdiction
Want growth? Only ACNA and REC are growing—everyone else is stable or declining

There is no perfect option.

Understanding this reality matters whether you’re:

An ACNA member wondering if reform is possible
A Continuing Anglican wondering about consolidation
Someone seeking an Anglican church home for the first time
A church leader trying to understand the broader landscape

The AI Assistance Acknowledgment

I want to be transparent: I developed this survey with substantial assistance from Claude AI (Anthropic).

The methodology involved:

Systematic questioning to establish criteria and categories
Web research to gather current data on all jurisdictions
Comparative analysis of institutional characteristics
Synthesis into comprehensive framework

Claude helped with research, organization, analysis, and writing. But the questions asked, criteria established, and analytical framework reflect the priorities relevant to understanding ACNA’s constitutional problems in broader context.

This isn’t “AI wrote it for me.” It’s “AI assisted systematic research I couldn’t accomplish alone in reasonable timeframe.”

How to Use This Survey

If you’re researching options: Start with Part 4’s decision matrices to identify what you prioritize, then read detailed sections on jurisdictions that match your needs.

If you’re in ACNA: Part 2’s ACNA section and Part 4’s analysis explain why constitutional reform matters—and what happens if reform fails.

If you’re in Continuing bodies: Part 1’s Anglo-Catholic sections and Part 4’s consolidation discussion address long-term sustainability questions.

If you’re considering leaving Anglicanism entirely: Part 3 honestly assesses “Abandon Ship” options—Rome, Orthodoxy, Presbyterian, Lutheran—with real trade-offs.

What This Survey Doesn’t Do

This research compilation does not:

Make decisions for you about where to attend church
Substitute for visiting parishes and talking with clergy
Claim to be comprehensive or free from error
Pretend any jurisdiction is perfect
Ignore hard realities about institutional dysfunction

It does provide:

Systematic data on size, vitality, theology, accessibility
Honest strengths and weaknesses assessments
Extensive hyperlinks to primary sources
Framework for making informed decisions
Context for understanding ACNA’s constitutional crisis

Start Reading

Jump to whichever part addresses your immediate questions:

Part 1: Anglo-Catholic Jurisdictions →
ACC, ACA, APA, APCK – the high church options

Part 2: Reformed Protestant & Central Church →
REC, UECNA, ACNA, CONNAM – low church and mixed

Part 3: “Abandon Ship” Options →
TEC, Rome, Orthodoxy, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Baptist

Part 4: Analysis & Decision Framework →
Comparison tables, decision matrices, future scenarios

This series is part of ongoing analysis of ACNA constitutional governance. For the constitutional analysis that prompted this research, see: ACNA Constitutional Articles

There’s also this project which just launched:

Request A Plant Here: The Anglican Mission Map

“And other seed fell on good ground, and brought forth fruit…” – Mark 4 : 8

Across the world, Anglicans are asking one simple question: “Can a faithful parish be planted here?”

This map collects those prayers and interests. Each point represents individuals or small groups longing for worship according to the Book of Common Prayer, the Creeds, and the historic formularies of the Anglican Way.

Whether you are a lifelong Episcopalian, new Anglican, or simply exploring the Prayerbook tradition, you are welcome. This is a shared effort to reawaken the Gospel DNA Bishop Sutton has described – the missionary impulse at the heart of classical Anglicanism.

Questions? Corrections? Updates? Leave them in comments or contact me at amateuranglican@gmail.com. This survey represents October 2025 data; institutional developments may require updates.

Compiled October 2025 with assistance from Claude AI (Anthropic)