| Church of Hawaiʻi | |
|---|---|
 Kamehameha IV andQueen Emma established the Anglican Church of Hawaiʻi in 1862 | |
| Classification | Christian |
| Orientation | Anglican |
| Theology | Anglican doctrine |
| Polity | Episcopal |
| Region | Hawaiʻi |
| Founder | Kamehameha IV |
| Origin | 1862 Kingdom of Hawaiʻi |
| Branched from | Anglican Communion |
| Merged into | American Episcopal Church as theDiocese of Hawai'i |
TheChurch of Hawaiʻi, originally called theHawaiian Reformed Catholic Church, was thestate church andnational church of theKingdom of Hawaiʻi from 1862 to 1893. It was theecclesiastical province of theAnglican Communion inHawaiʻi, which later merged into theAmerican Episcopal Church during the establishment of theRepublic of Hawaii.
As a young prince, KingKamehameha IV had visitedEngland and was impressed by the rich ceremony of theChurch of England, compared to the dour simplicity of the American missionaries who educated him as a child. Hisqueen consortQueen Emma had a British grandfather and was brought up in a house of a British Anglican doctor. Their 1856 wedding ceremony included Anglican prayers but had to be performed by theCongregationalist minister.
In 1859, Emma wrote toVictoria of the United Kingdom to request a clergyman from the English church. The King's foreign minister,Robert Crichton Wyllie, also made requests through diplomatic contacts. In 1860,Samuel Wilberforce suggested expanding the mission to include abishop who could organize a new branch.William Ingraham Kip of theEpiscopal Church inCalifornia also supported the idea, but theAmerican Civil War prevented any help from them[who?].[1] The idea was approved byJohn Bird Sumner and British Foreign SecretaryLord John Russell. The first Bishop wasThomas Nettleship Staley, consecrated on December 15, 1861.[2]
The sending of Staley caused friction with theAmerican Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions even before he arrived in 1862; making him a bishop concerned the Congregationalists, who opposed any kind of religious hierarchy.Rufus Anderson, of the American Board, became a fierce critic, accusing him ofritualism. The officially chartered name of "Hawaiian Reformed Catholic Church" provoked criticism as "papist". After Kamehameha IV died, an elaborate funeral service was held which was compared to aPontifical High Mass.[1] Staley was even attacked by American writerMark Twain, and others whom he called "Puritans".[1]
The Church of Hawaiʻi became the official royal church, with land donated from the royal family's holdings, not the government. Emma was baptized, followed by a youngDavid Kalākaua who would later also become king. TheRoyal Mausoleum was built with a private chapel, which contrasted to the simple unadorned graveyards preferred by earlier missionaries. Observance of the holidays ofChristmas andGood Friday was begun. Since Kamehameha IV had died on the feast ofSaint Andrew, the first cathedral constructed in Hawaiʻi by his brother the new KingKamehameha V was called theSaint Andrew's Cathedral. The cornerstone was laid in 1867, and it became the official residence of the bishop. Two associated schools were also started:Saint Andrew's Priory School for Girls, and a boys' school named forSaint Alban, which eventually became part of ʻIolani School.
After theoverthrow of the monarchy in 1893 andUnited Statesannexation in 1898, the Church of Hawaiʻi was dissolved and became theEpiscopal Diocese of Hawaiʻi as territorial jurisdiction was transferred to theEpiscopal Church in the United States of America.[3]
