The word independent within the Independent Sacramental Movement (ISM) is often misunderstood. To some, it suggests rebellion, division, or isolation. Yet genuine independence—rightly understood—is not about rejecting authority or community, but about reclaiming freedom for the sake of fidelity to truth and conscience.

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Healthy vs. Unhealthy Independence

There is both healthy and unhealthy independence.
Unhealthy independence rejects all accountability and seeks self-will above all else. It is the spirit of the pride of Saul who disobeyed God’s command, or the murmuring of those who rebelled against Moses in the wilderness. Such independence isolates the soul and replaces God’s will with personal ego or resentment. It breeds fragmentation and distrust—the very symptoms that have sometimes wounded the ISM itself.

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Healthy independence, however, is the freedom of those who follow God even when others will not. It is the independence of Elijah, who stood alone before the false prophets of Baal; of Jeremiah, who spoke truth to a corrupt establishment; of the apostles who declared, “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29). This kind of independence is not rebellion—it is fidelity. It is the willingness to stand apart when conscience, Scripture, and the Spirit demand it.

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The Purpose of ISM Independence

The ISM exists not to reject the Church, but to extend its sacramental life to places where traditional structures have faltered or closed their doors. Independence is not a boast but a vocation—a call to serve freely where others cannot or will not. True independence is not about being “anti-institutional,” but about ensuring that the sacraments and apostolic life remain living realities, accessible to all God’s people.

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The Responsibility of Freedom

With independence comes responsibility. The freedom to act must always be tempered by humility, discernment, and love. Each priest, deacon, and bishop within the ISM must remember that independence is not the goal—it is the means by which faithfulness becomes possible. We are not accountable to a hierarchy of domination, but to the Lord who calls us to serve, to teach, to reconcile, and to shepherd His people with integrity.

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Conclusion

Independence, when rooted in obedience to God, is not disunity—it is courage. It is the holy freedom of conscience that has animated prophets, saints, and reformers throughout history. The task of the ISM is to recover and live this healthy independence—not as rebellion, but as a sacred responsibility to truth, mission, and love.