Archbishop Scott McLaughlin holds a Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies, a Master of Arts in Church Administration, and a Doctor of Ministry in Pastoral Theology. Beginning his service to the Lord in 1981 as a Baptist pastor, he was converted to the Catholic expression of the faith as an Anglican in 1984. He was consecrated to the episcopacy in 1999, and in 2000 was elected the Metropolitan Archbishop of the Orthodox Anglican Communion, a global network of national churches of about 1.5 million members. During his episcopacy, he oversaw the formation of 22 new missions in the United States, and began new national churches in Ghana and Italy. He served as President and Chancellor of St. Andrew’s Theological Collage and Seminary in the USA, and helped to establish seminaries for theological education of clergy in Europe, Africa, and Asia. In 2009, he authorized the formation of a Society of St. Francis, and became a Brother in the Society. He has authored and edited texts for theological education and liturgy, including Catholic Principles, Special Introduction to the Old Testament, An Anthology of Readings for the Study of the Holy Order of the Church, The Franciscan Daily Office and the Little Brothers’ and Sisters’ Book of Praise and Prayer. In 2024, McLaughlin was called out of retirement at the request of clergy and laity from around the world, who asked him to found and lead the English Catholic Communion. He resides in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA.