Open Episcopal Church

In 1994 Jonathan Blake, who had been a priest in the Church of England for over 12 years, effected a Deed of Relinquishment,{{Cite web |url=http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/33-34/91/section/3 |title=Clerical Disabilities Act 1870 |website=Legislation |access-date=June 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121113170147/http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/33-34/91/section/3 |archive-date=November 13, 2012}} severing his denominational ties.

As an independent priest{{Cite web|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/have-dog-collar-will-travel-counselling-dance-workshops-conflict-resolution-arbitration-exorcism-jim-1444165.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220524/http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/have-dog-collar-will-travel-counselling-dance-workshops-conflict-resolution-arbitration-exorcism-jim-1444165.html |archive-date=24 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Have dog collar, will travel: Counselling, dance workshops, conflict|date=October 21, 1994|website=The Independent}} he offered sacramental ministry to all. In 1997 he wrote about these experiences in his book, For God's Sake Don't Go To Church.For God's Sake Don't Go To Church {{ISBN|0-85305-446-0}} Published by Arthur James. The same year he nailed 95 theses{{Cite web |url=https://www.bishopjonathanblake.com/theses.htm |title=Jonathan's 95 Theses |website=The Most Reverend Jonathan Clive Blake |access-date=June 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110910172210/https://www.bishopjonathanblake.com/theses.htm |archive-date=September 10, 2011}} to the door of Canterbury Cathedral, for which he was arrested{{cite book |last=Chryssides |first=George D. |year=2012 |title=Historical Dictionary of New Religious Movements |publisher=Scarecrow Press |page=260 |isbn=9780810861947}} but not charged.{{Cite web |url=http://www.christian-alternative.com/authors/archbishop-jonathan-blake |title=Archbishop Jonathan Blake || Christian Alternative || Author Profile |access-date=2017-06-26 |archive-date=2017-09-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170901201601/http://www.christian-alternative.com/authors/archbishop-jonathan-blake |url-status=dead }}

A lesbian from the north of England arranged to meet Blake after reading his book. She felt a call to the ministry but had been rebuffed by the church over her sexuality and was interested in independent ministry. Following the meeting Blake placed an advert in the Church Times inviting all those interested in such a ministry to a conference the following March. Over 100 people contacted him, among them Richard Palmer,{{Cite web |url=http://www.lcc.cc/ |title=lcc.cc|website=www.lcc.cc}} who had been consecrated as a bishop of the Liberal Catholic Church in 1997, but had resigned in April 1999.

Blake wrote the Founding Principles{{Cite web |url=http://sicm.eu/ |title=Welcome to the SICM Website |website=SICM |access-date=June 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100909152045/http://www.sicm.eu/index2.html |archive-date=September 9, 2010}} of the Society for Independent Christian Ministry (SICM), which was inaugurated by a group of Christians reciting the Lord’s Prayer in the Sanctum of the Holy Circle TrustThe Holy Circle Trust. Charity Number 1066062 near Ryarsh in Kent at sunrise on 1 January 2000.

In February 2001, Blake conducted the first gay wedding blessing on Richard and Judy's prime time TV programme This Morning.{{Cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/1170214.stm |title=Richard and Judy screen gay wedding |date=February 14, 2001 |website=BBC News |access-date=June 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131104102038/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/1170214.stm |archive-date=November 4, 2013}}

By the time SICM met for the third time in Bournemouth, Palmer required those who had been ordained simply in Dartford to be ordained sub conditione at this gathering in a full rite of ordination. Blake realized that a new denomination had to be founded and set about writing the necessary canons.{{citation needed|date=June 2017}}

At Hazlewood Castle, Michael Wilson{{Cite web |url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/5825155.rent-a-bishop-service/ |title=Rent-a-bishop at your service |date=August 7, 2004 |website=Lancashire Telegraph |access-date=June 24, 2023}} was consecrated a bishop by Palmer and Blake. The three bishops issued the "Hazlewood Declaration" on 10 November 2001, which facilitated the creation of the Open Episcopal Church. The church viewed itself as being in succession from the Old Catholic Church, which had been established in England in 1908 by Arnold Mathew from See of Utrecht and continued through the Liberal Catholic Church.{{Cite web |url=https://openepiscopalchurch.org//about/about.html |title=About |website=The Open Episcopal Church |access-date=June 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727150222/https://openepiscopalchurch.org//about/about.html |archive-date=July 27, 2011}}

The first congress of the church was held at the All Saints Pastoral Centre in June 2004. The church's college of bishops met at Weston Manor in Oxfordshire in January 2005 and Wilson, an evangelical, resigned from the Church. The second congress was held at Whaley Hall at Whaley Bridge in mid 2005. In October, Roger Whatley{{Cite web |url=http://www.churchtimes.co.uk/content.asp?id=75762 |title=Roger Whatley |website=Church Times |access-date=June 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120325084855/http://www.churchtimes.co.uk/content.asp?id=75762 |archive-date=March 25, 2012}} was consecrated a bishop in the Chapel of the Ammerdown Conference Centre.

The church has had three archbishops: Richard Palmer, who left the church along with Roger Whatley after the allotted five-years of Palmer's tenure as archbishop ended; Elizabeth Stuart, who left the church in 2006 and was appointed the Archbishop of the Province of Great Britain and Ireland of the more traditionalist Liberal Catholic Church International; and Jonathan Blake, OEC's founder, who was the church's sole remaining bishop after Stuart left.

In 2008 the Open Episcopal Church became a member of the International Council of Community Churches{{cite book |last=Hooton |first=Michael |year=2016 |title=The Extended Family |publisher=Wipf & Stock Publishers |pages=159–160 |isbn=9781498280853}} and through them, a member of the World Council of Churches and Churches Uniting in Christ.{{cite web |url=http://www.icccnow.org/Europe/ |title=Europe |website=International Council of Community Churches |access-date=June 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160512010940/http://www.icccnow.org/Europe/ |archive-date=May 12, 2016}}

The church received national and international attention due to the wedding blessing Blake conducted for reality television figures Jade Goody and Jack Tweed,{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/celebritynews/4779170/Jade-Goodys-wedding-The-final-preparations.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090226192213/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/celebritynews/4779170/Jade-Goodys-wedding-The-final-preparations.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2009-02-26|title=Jade Goody's Wedding}}{{cite web |url=http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/damianthompson/8679611/Jade_Goody_Archbishop_Blake_and_the_strange_phenomenon_of_wandering_bishops/ |title=Jade Goody, Archbishop Blake and the strange phenomenon of 'wandering bishops' |last=Thompson |first=Damian |date=February 22, 2009 |website=The Telegraph |access-date=June 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111021182819/http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/damianthompson/8679611/Jade_Goody_Archbishop_Blake_and_the_strange_phenomenon_of_wandering_bishops/ |archive-date=October 21, 2011}} through interviews broadcast after Jade Goody's death,{{Cite web |url=http://www.talktalk.co.uk/video/11383/news/Bishop-praises-Jade/#36029 |title=Bishop praises Jade |website=Talk Talk |access-date=June 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121003005522/http://www.talktalk.co.uk/video/11383/news/Bishop-praises-Jade/ |archive-date=October 3, 2012}} through the prayer released before Jade Goody's funeral,{{Cite web|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/jade-goodys-funeral-what-the-star-385901|title=Jade Goody's funeral: What the star planned for her last journey|date=April 2, 2009|website=mirror}} through Blake's response to Michael Parkinson's criticism of Goody,{{cite web |url=http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Jade-Goody-Bishop-Jonathan-Blake-Hits-Back-At-Sir-Michael-Parkinsons-Criticism/Article/200904215258069 |title=Bishop Hits Back After Jade Goody Criticism |date=April 8, 2009 |website=Sky News |access-date=June 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090411015058/http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Jade-Goody-Bishop-Jonathan-Blake-Hits-Back-At-Sir-Michael-Parkinsons-Criticism/Article/200904215258069 |archive-date=April 11, 2009}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/celebritynews/jade-goody/5123450/Bishop-hits-back-at-Sir-Michael-Parkinson-comments-on-Jade-Goody.html |title=Bishop hits back at Sir Michael Parkinson comments on Jade Goody |date=April 8, 2009 |website=Telegraph |access-date=June 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090411190246/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/celebritynews/jade-goody/5123450/Bishop-hits-back-at-Sir-Michael-Parkinson-comments-on-Jade-Goody.html |archive-date=April 11, 2009}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/jade-goodys-wedding-bishop-defends-789622 |title=Jade Goody's wedding bishop defends her against Sir Michael Parkinson's criticism |date=April 8, 2009 |website=Mirror |access-date=June 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121021151116/https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/jade-goodys-wedding-bishop-defends-789622 |archive-date=October 21, 2012}} through the launch of Post the Host (an outreach provision to distribute the consecrated Hosts by post),{{cite web |url=http://www.postthehost.net |title=Find Here Your Way to God |website=Post the Host |access-date=June 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230514002118/https://www.postthehost.net/index2.html |archive-date=May 14, 2023}}

{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/jun/09/worship-communion-wafers-post |title=Praise the Lord and post the Host: church's plan to woo worshippers |last=Butt |first=Riazat |date=June 8, 2009 |website=The Guardian |access-date=June 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130906192443/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/jun/09/worship-communion-wafers-post |archive-date=September 6, 2013}}{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/belief/2009/jun/09/communion-wafer-post |title=The Open Episcopal Church's wafer wheeze |last=Tompkins |first=Stephen |website=The Guardian |date=9 June 2009 |access-date=June 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130906162031/https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/belief/2009/jun/09/communion-wafer-post |archive-date=September 6, 2013}}{{cite web |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/5483394/Church-leaders-offer-communion-wafers-in-the-post.html |title=Church leaders offer communion wafers in the post |date=June 9, 2009 |website=Telegraph |access-date=June 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090612205234/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/5483394/Church-leaders-offer-communion-wafers-in-the-post.html |archive-date=June 12, 2009}}{{cite web |url=http://ship-of-fools.com/features/columnists/crows_nest/024.html |title=Mass hysteria |last=Tomkins |first=Stephen |date=June 2009 |website=Ship of Fools |access-date=June 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090702110601/http://ship-of-fools.com/features/columnists/crows_nest/024.html |archive-date=July 2, 2009}}{{cite web |url=http://blog.adw.org/2009/06/reductio-ad-absurdum-host-in-the-post |title=Reductio Ad Absurdum - Host in the Post! |last=Pope |first=Charles |date=June 9, 2011 |website=Archdiocese of Washington |access-date=June 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110809195242/http://blog.adw.org/2009/06/reductio-ad-absurdum-host-in-the-post/ |archive-date=August 9, 2011}}{{cite web |url=http://www.religionnews.com/index.php?/rnsblog/host_by_post |title=Host by post |date=June 9, 2009 |website=Religion News Service |access-date=June 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110929005715/http://www.religionnews.com/index.php?/rnsblog/host_by_post |archive-date=September 29, 2011}}{{cite web |url=https://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2014/08/satanists-are-planning-to-desecrate-the-host-at-a-black-mass-lets-stop-them/# |title=Satanists are planning to desecrate the Host at a Black Mass. Let's stop them |last=Thompson |first=Damian |date=August 20, 2014 |website=The Spectator |access-date=June 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160325045524/https://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2014/08/satanists-are-planning-to-desecrate-the-host-at-a-black-mass-lets-stop-them/ |archive-date=March 25, 2016}} and through David Gillham leading the prayers in the Scottish Parliament.{{cite web |url=http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/chamber/mop-10/mop10-01-20.htm |title=Minutes of Proceedings Vol. 3, No. 47 Session 3 |date=January 20, 2010 |website=The Scottish Parliament |access-date=June 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100423162559/http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/chamber/mop-10/mop10-01-20.htm |archive-date=April 23, 2010}}

Following Jade Goody's wedding, Christopher Woods, Chaplain and Director of Studies in Theology at Christ's College, Cambridge, called upon the Church of England to speak out against Blake and the OEC. The Church of England declined to comment.{{cite web |url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/religion/article/bishop-who-blessed-union-of-jade-goody-and-jack-tweed-faces-criticism-wkh00z27wr7 |title=Bishop who blessed union of Jade Goody and Jack Tweed faces criticism |last=Gledhill |first=Ruth |date=February 23, 2009 |website=The Times |access-date=June 24, 2023 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230625001817/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/bishop-who-blessed-union-of-jade-goody-and-jack-tweed-faces-criticism-wkh00z27wr7 |archive-date=June 25, 2023}}

The church consecrated the first woman as a bishop for Wales in 2007.{{citation needed|date=April 2019}} The bishop of Scotland, David Gillham, ordained Helen Hamilton at St Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall, Orkney in 2010; Gillham later fell into dispute with the church and left.{{Cite web |last=McQuillan |first=Rebecca |date=April 2, 2012 |title=Helen Hamilton, Scotland's First Female Bishop |url=https://www.pressreader.com/uk/the-herald/20120402/282376921549061 |access-date=June 21, 2023 |via=PressReader}} Hamilton was subsequently consecrated as the first woman bishop for Scotland in June 2012.{{Cite web |url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/13060905.nun-made-scotlands-first-bishop/ |title=Nun made Scotland's first bishop |date=June 7, 2012 |website=The Herald |access-date=June 25, 2023}} She made an episcopal visit to Derry.{{Cite web |url=https://www.northernirelandworld.com/news/bishop-helen-makes-first-visit-to-the-city-2733957 |title=Bishop Helen makes first visit to the city |website=Northern Ireland |date=17 September 2012 |access-date=June 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230625002538/https://www.northernirelandworld.com/news/bishop-helen-makes-first-visit-to-the-city-2733957 |archive-date=June 25, 2023}} In 2013 the church consecrated a female bishop for Northumberland.{{Cite web |url=https://www.heraldtimesonline.com/story/lifestyle/faith/2013/12/28/ew-church-comes-to-bloomingto/117427858/ |title=New church comes to Bloomington |date=December 28, 2013 |website=The Herald-Times |access-date=June 24, 2023}}

Blake contributed to the book A Strange Vocation: Independent Bishops Tell Their Stories in 2009,A strange Vocation - Independent bishops tell their stories {{ISBN|1-933993-75-8}} Published by Apocryphile Press and contributed liturgical material to Geoffrey Duncan's anthology Courage to LoveCourage to Love {{ISBN|0-8298-1468-X}} Published by The Pilgrim Press and Leanne Tigert and Maren Tirabassi's compilation All Whom God Has Joined.All Whom God has Joined {{ISBN|0-8298-1838-3}} Published by The Pilgrim Press In 2014 Blake's book That Old Devil Called God Again: The Scourge of Religion was published.{{Cite web |url=http://www.christian-alternative.com/authors/archbishop-jonathan-blake |title=Archbishop Jonathan Blake |website=Christian Alternative The New Open Spaces |access-date=June 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160807192643/http://www.christian-alternative.com/authors/archbishop-jonathan-blake |archive-date=August 7, 2016}}

The church has clerics from Anglican, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Lutheran and Franciscan backgrounds and has grown internationally into America, Egypt, Brazil and Thailand.{{Cite web |url=https://allsaintschiangmai.com/2013/06/ |title=Worship begins in Chiang Mai! |date=June 24, 2013 |website=All Saints' Chiang Mai |access-date=June 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140818125529/https://allsaintschiangmai.com/2013/06/ |archive-date=August 18, 2014}} The church promotes its KITE Awards for young people making a positive difference in the community.{{Cite web |url=https://openepiscopalchurch.org//organisation/kite.html |title=The OEC Kite Awards 2012 |website=The Open Episcopal Church |access-date=June 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120317024141/https://openepiscopalchurch.org//organisation/kite.html |archive-date=March 17, 2012}}{{Cite web |url=http://www.openepiscopalchurch.org/pdf/NetworkNorwichKITEArticle.pdf |title=Apply for 10k award says Norfolk Deacon |website=The Norwich and Norfolk Christian Community |access-date=June 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210630155218/http://www.openepiscopalchurch.org/pdf/NetworkNorwichKITEArticle.pdf |archive-date=June 30, 2021}}

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