Louis Falk
Encyclopedia
Louis Wahl Falk III is the President of the House of Bishops of the Anglican Church in America. Until 2002 he was the Primate of the Traditional Anglican Communion
, an international body of continuing Anglican churches.
Falk was born December 30, 1935, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
. In 1953 he graduated from the University School of Milwaukee
. On September 3, 1955, he married Carol Alice Froemming. In 1958 Falk graduated from Lawrence College
(now Lawrence University) with a major in philosophy and a Bachelor of Arts
degree awarded summa cum laude. He is a member of Phi Beta Kappa.
In 1962 Falk graduated with a Master of Divinity
degree awarded cum laude from Nashotah House
, a seminary of the Episcopal Church
. On January 23, 1962, he was ordained a deacon, and on August 6, 1962, he was ordained a priest in the Episcopal Church.
Falk left the active ministry of the Episcopal Church and became a businessman. From 1976 to 1981 he was President of General Growth Management Company in Des Moines, Iowa
.
In the late 1970s Falk joined the Anglican Catholic Church
. He became Rector of Saint Aidan's Parish in Des Moines. In 1981 he was elected first bishop of the Diocese of the Missouri Valley. On February 14, 1981, in Des Moines, he was consecrated a bishop by James Orin Mote (Diocese of the Holy Trinity), Carmino de Cantanzaro (Anglican Catholic Church of Canada
), William F. Burns (Diocese of the Resurrection), William O. Lewis (Diocese of the Midwest), and William Dejarnette Rutherford (Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic).
In 1983 Falk was elected Archbishop and Primate of the Anglican Catholic Church. In the late 1980s, under Falk's leadership, the Anglican Catholic Church entered into discussions with the American Episcopal Church
to effect a union between the two bodies. The two bodies united in October 1991 to form the Anglican Church in America of which Falk became the first primate.
Falk helped convene and create the Traditional Anglican Communion, of which he also became the first primate.
In 2002 Falk resigned as Primate of the Traditional Anglican Communion and was succeeded by Archbishop John Hepworth
. In 2005 Falk retired as Primate of the Anglican Church in America and as Bishop Ordinary of the Diocese of the Missouri Valley. The church re-structured itself and decided not to have a primate, but instead a president of the House of Bishops. Falk was elected the first President of the House of Bishops. He was succeeded as Bishop of the Diocese of the Missouri Valley by Bishop Stephen D. Strawn.
Traditional Anglican Communion
The Traditional Anglican Communion is an international communion of churches in the continuing Anglican movement independent of the Anglican Communion and the Archbishop of Canterbury. The TAC upholds the theological doctrines of the Affirmation of St. Louis and an Anglo-Catholic interpretation of...
, an international body of continuing Anglican churches.
Falk was born December 30, 1935, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
. In 1953 he graduated from the University School of Milwaukee
University School of Milwaukee
The University School of Milwaukee is a private pre-kindergarten through secondary preparatory school located on in River Hills and Milwaukee, Wisconsin...
. On September 3, 1955, he married Carol Alice Froemming. In 1958 Falk graduated from Lawrence College
Lawrence University
Lawrence University is a selective, private liberal arts college with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, in Appleton, Wisconsin. Lawrence University is known for its rigorous academic environment. Founded in 1847, the first classes were held on November 12, 1849...
(now Lawrence University) with a major in philosophy and a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree awarded summa cum laude. He is a member of Phi Beta Kappa.
In 1962 Falk graduated with a Master of Divinity
Master of Divinity
In the academic study of theology, the Master of Divinity is the first professional degree of the pastoral profession in North America...
degree awarded cum laude from Nashotah House
Nashotah House
Nashotah House is an Anglo-Catholic seminary of the Episcopal Church located in Nashotah, Wisconsin, approximately 30 miles from Milwaukee, in the Episcopal Diocese of Milwaukee. The seminary opened its doors in 1842 and received its official charter in 1847...
, a seminary of the Episcopal Church
Episcopal Church (United States)
The Episcopal Church is a mainline Anglican Christian church found mainly in the United States , but also in Honduras, Taiwan, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, the British Virgin Islands and parts of Europe...
. On January 23, 1962, he was ordained a deacon, and on August 6, 1962, he was ordained a priest in the Episcopal Church.
Falk left the active ministry of the Episcopal Church and became a businessman. From 1976 to 1981 he was President of General Growth Management Company in Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the US state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857...
.
In the late 1970s Falk joined the Anglican Catholic Church
Anglican Catholic Church
The Anglican Catholic Church is a body of Anglican Christians in the continuing Anglican movement, separate from the Anglican Communion centered on the Archbishop of Canterbury....
. He became Rector of Saint Aidan's Parish in Des Moines. In 1981 he was elected first bishop of the Diocese of the Missouri Valley. On February 14, 1981, in Des Moines, he was consecrated a bishop by James Orin Mote (Diocese of the Holy Trinity), Carmino de Cantanzaro (Anglican Catholic Church of Canada
Anglican Catholic Church of Canada
The Anglican Catholic Church of Canada is an Anglican church that was founded in the 1970s by conservative Anglicans.-Affiliation:With 30 congregations in Canada, the ACCC is the third-largest of the Anglican churches in Canada, after the ACC and the Anglican Church in North America.The Anglican...
), William F. Burns (Diocese of the Resurrection), William O. Lewis (Diocese of the Midwest), and William Dejarnette Rutherford (Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic).
In 1983 Falk was elected Archbishop and Primate of the Anglican Catholic Church. In the late 1980s, under Falk's leadership, the Anglican Catholic Church entered into discussions with the American Episcopal Church
American Episcopal Church
The American Episcopal Church was a conservative Anglican denomination that existed in the USA between 1968 and 1991.Its growth was temporarily slowed by the relative success of the Continuing Anglican movement of 1977 and 1978 which culminated in the creation of its own version of an alternative...
to effect a union between the two bodies. The two bodies united in October 1991 to form the Anglican Church in America of which Falk became the first primate.
Falk helped convene and create the Traditional Anglican Communion, of which he also became the first primate.
In 2002 Falk resigned as Primate of the Traditional Anglican Communion and was succeeded by Archbishop John Hepworth
John Hepworth
John Anthony Hepworth is an Australian bishop. He is currently the primate and archbishop of the Traditional Anglican Communion, an international body of continuing Anglican churches. He is also the ordinary of the Anglican Catholic Church in Australia.Hepworth began his seminary studies in 1960...
. In 2005 Falk retired as Primate of the Anglican Church in America and as Bishop Ordinary of the Diocese of the Missouri Valley. The church re-structured itself and decided not to have a primate, but instead a president of the House of Bishops. Falk was elected the first President of the House of Bishops. He was succeeded as Bishop of the Diocese of the Missouri Valley by Bishop Stephen D. Strawn.