 |
What is the
Episcopal
Church? |
Frequently Asked Questions about the
Episcopal Church
and the Anglican
Tradition
By Audrey E. Nickel
| Do you have a question about the
Episcopal Church or the
Anglican Tradition that you don't see addressed here? Drop us a
line at the email address below and we'll see if we can find an answer
for you (or at least give you an idea of where you might begin looking
for an answer). And if you have a question that you think needs
to be added to the Episcopal FAQ page, please let us know! |
- What is the Episcopal Church? The
Episcopal Church of the U.S.A (ECUSA) is the American branch of the
worldwide Anglican Communion -- a "daughter" of the Church of
England.
- How did it get started? There have
been Anglicans in what was to become the United States since the
establishment of the first English colony at Jamestown. Following the
American Revolution, some reorganization was necessary for those
Anglicans who chose to remain in the new country, as the Church of
England is a state church which recognizes the monarch as her secular
head (obviously, not a popular idea in post-Revolutionary America!).
Thus the "Protestant" Episcopal Church of the U.S.A. was born (the word
"Protestant," used to distinguish the Episcopal Church from the Roman
Catholic Church, which is also "episcopal" in its organization, has
since been dropped from the official title). There were some rocky
periods, especially in the early days of the church, when bishops of
the established Church of England were reluctant to consecrate new
bishops who would not recognize the reigning monarch as the head of the
church. That's all water under the bridge, however, and the Episcopal
Church is now fully "in communion" with the Church of England, and with
other Anglican churches throughout the world.
- What does "Episcopal" mean? "Episcopos" is the Greek word for
"bishop." Thus "Episcopal" means
"governed by bishops." The Episcopal Church maintains the three-fold
order of ministry as handed down by the Apostles -- deacons, priests
and bishops -- in direct descent, via the laying on of hands, from the
original Apostles. By the way, "Episcopal" is an adjective: "I belong
to the Episcopal Church." The noun is "Episcopalian": "I am an
Episcopalian."
- So is the Episcopal Church Protestant or
Catholic? Both. Neither. Either. Anglicanism is
often referred to
as a "bridge tradition." When the Church of England separated itself
from Rome, it did not consider itself to be a "Protestant" tradition.
Rather, it saw itself returning to the original organization of the
church, with local/national congregations organized under the rule of
their own bishops. As the church evolved in England, certain elements
of the Reformation (such as worship in the vernacular, an emphasis on
Scriptural authority, and a broader view of what happens during the
consecration of the Eucharist) became a part of its tradition. In an
attempt to reconcile the views of the Reformers with the tradition of
the Catholic Church, the Anglican tradition became a home for both.
Thus you will find very traditional ("high church" or "Anglo-Catholic")
parishes and very reformed ("low church" or Evangelical) parishes
throughout the Anglican Communion. Most parishes probably fall in the
middle of the two extremes.
- Isn't it true that the Church of England was
founded by Henry VIII? Not entirely. While Henry
VIII's desire for
an annullment of his marriage to Catherine of Aragon was, in a manner
of speaking, the straw that broke the camel's back (and, for what it's
worth, Henry's request wasn't out of line with church laws of his
day...but that's another story), the trend toward separation from Rome
had been building for quite some time in England, which had never fully
embraced the rule of the papacy.
- Isn't the Archbishop of Canterbury
the Anglican Pope? No,
he's not. We don't have a pope.
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the spiritual leader of the Church of
England, and is considered "first among equals" by the rest of the
Anglican Communion. He is highly respected, but he does not have the
same authority over the churches of the Anglican Communion that the
Pope has over the Roman Catholic Church.
- How is the church governed? In an
established, self-sustaining congregation, or "parish", day-to-day
matters are handled by a panel of elected lay people called a "vestry."
The head priest, or "rector", handles spiritual and worship-related
matters, and usually serves in an advisory capacity on church
committees. Depending on the size of the congregation, the rector may
have one or several ordained assistants (sometimes referred to as
"curates"). Often there will be other lay or ordained people in charge
of specific areas, such as a music director (who coordinates worship
music for the congregation) or a "sexton" (i.e., a person who handles
physical maintenance of the church building and grounds).
Churches that are not self-sustaining are called "missions."
Often they are newly formed congregations, or congregations with a very
small membership. These churches are administered by the bishop's
office. The head priest of a mission is called a "vicar" because he or
she serves as the bishop's representative. All individual
congregations are part of a larger geographical area called a
"diocese," which is lead by a bishop. Some churches in the
Anglican Communion also have larger administrative districts called
"archdioceses," which are comprised of several dioceses and are
administered by "archbishops." ECUSA does not have
archdioceses or archbishops. Instead we give primacy to a "Presiding
Bishop," who is elected to serve a nine-year term.
- What is "The Book of Common Prayer"?
Contrary to what some believe, The Book of Common Prayer (the "Prayer
Book") is not an "Anglican Bible." We love it, use it and depend on it,
but it is not Scripture (though it does contain quite a lot of
Scripture), and we do not view it or use it as such. The first Book of
Common Prayer was produced by Archbishop Thomas Cranmer in 1549, and
revised by Cranmer in 1552 (further revisions occured in 1559 and 1662;
the latter revision is still used as the official Prayer Book of the
Church of England, and is considered a literary classic among
scholars). The book was intended to facilitate worship in English
rather than Latin, and to bring the rites of the church together into
one book for use by both clergy and layfolk. Each national church in
the Anglican Communion has its own adaptation of the Prayer Book. The
American version, used by most churches in ECUSA, was last revised in
1979 (some Episcopal churches prefer to use the 1928 version). In
the Prayer Book, you will find the orders of service for the various
rites of the church, the Daily Office, prayers for use within the
context of the liturgy and prayers for use in home devotions, the
Lectionary (i.e., the Scriptural readings to be used in corporate
worship, organized so as to carry the congregation through the entire
Bible in a three-year period), the Psalter (Psalms), the Calendar of
the Church Year, The Outline of the Faith (Catechism) and various
historical documents.
- How do Episcopalians worship? If you are
familiar with Roman Catholic or Lutheran services, you will find
Episcopal services remarkably similar. The central rite is the Service
of Holy Eucharist (aka "Communion," or "The Lord's Supper"), analogous
to the Roman Catholic Mass (and referred to as "Mass" by some
Episcopalians). The first part of the liturgy ("The Liturgy of
the Word") consists of prayers, scripture readings and a sermon or
homily. This is followed an Affirmation of Faith (The Nicene Creed),
the Prayers of the People, Confession of Sin, Absolution, and the
Exchange of Peace. The second part of the liturgy ("The Liturgy of the
Eucharist") begins with the offerings of the congregation, then
proceeds with the Eucharistic Prayer, Consecration of the Elements
(bread and wine), Communion, the Post-Communion Prayer, Blessing and
Dismissal. Two Eucharistic Rites are commonly used by the Episcopal
Church: The modern and less-formal Rite II is usually used for most of
the year, with the older and more formal Rite I being used during the
penitential seasons of Advent and Lent.
- Does the church celebrate other rites? Other
public rites of the church include Morning Prayer, Noonday Prayer and
Evensong or Evening Prayer (held at various times in various
churches...see "Schedule of Services" to find when these are held at
St. Luke's), Baptism (held several times during the year; speak with
the rector for more information), Confirmation/Reception (held during
the main Sunday service during the Bishop's annual visitation) and
Ordinations (these are scheduled by the bishop's office, and held at
various churches throughout the diocese).
- How can I learn more about Episcopal worship
practices? The best way to learn more about our
worship practices
is to look through a copy of The Book of Common Prayer. These can
typically be found in the pews in every Episcopal Church, and no one is
likely to mind if drop by to peruse a copy. Copies can also often
be found in libraries and bookstores.
- I'm planning on visiting an Episcopal
Church. May I take communion? All baptized
Christians, regardless
of denomination, may take communion in the Episcopal Church. Your own
denomination may have some restrictions on where you may or may not
communicate, however, so it would be wise to check with a clergyperson
in your own church first.
- What are the sacraments of the Episcopal
Church? Baptism, Confirmation, the Eucharist, Holy
Matrimony,
Reconciliation ("confession"), Ordination and Unction of the Sick. Of
these, Baptism and the Eucharist are considered "necessary"
sacraments...the others are "conditional" sacraments (i.e., they are
not required of all persons, but apply in certain situations).
"Sacraments" are defined as "Outward and visible signs of inward and
spiritual grace, given by Christ as sure and certain means by which we
receive that grace."
- Does the Episcopal Church baptize infants?
Yes. We believe that the grace
conferred by the Sacrament of Baptism is
not and should not be reserved only for "informed believers."
- At what age may a child take communion? A child may take communion at any
age. We do not believe that a certain
"understanding" of the proceedings is necessary for the sacrament to be
valid. The decision of when to take communion is left up to the child
and his/her parents.
- Does the Episcopal Church ordain women to
the clergy? Yes. The Episcopal Church has ordained
women to all
orders of ministry since 1976.
- How do I join the Episcopal Church? Do
I need to be confirmed? If you are coming from a
church in the
Apostolic Succession (i.e., Roman Catholic or Eastern Orthodox), and
have already been confirmed, you would be "received" by the bishop of
your diocese, in a ceremony that normally takes place during the
bishop's visit to your church. If you are coming from a different
tradition, confirmation would be appropriate. Most churches hold
"inquirer's courses" for people interested in reception or confirmation
prior to the bishop's visitation. You will want to speak to the rector
or vicar of your church if you are interested. Note that confirmation
or reception is NOT necessary before you can take communion, or
participate in the life of the church.
- I have already been baptized in another
church. If I become an Episcopalian, do I need to be re-baptized?
No. "We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of
sins." Once you have been baptized with water, in the name of the
Trinity, you have been received by adoption into the family of Christ
(not into a particular denomination) and that need not...in fact,
should not...be repeated. This is true even if you were a tiny
baby when you were baptized. If you wish to make a public,
adult, affirmation of faith, you may choose to be confirmed, if
appropriate (see above). You also always have the option of
publically reaffirming your baptismal vows, even after confirmation, if
you so choose...but this is a highly personal matter, and not in any
way required.
- What is the significance of the Episcopal
Seal ("The Shield") and Flag? This symbol,
which you will see
at virtually every Episcopal Church and website, is the official "logo"
of ECUSA, and depicts our history. It is red, white and
blue...the colors of both the U.S. and England. The red Cross of St.
George on a white field is symbolic of the Church of England. The blue
field in the upper left corner is the Episcopal Church of the U.S.A. It
features a Cross of St. Andrew, in recognition of the fact that the
first American bishop was consecrated in Scotland. This cross is
made up of nine crosslets, which represent the nine dioceses that met
in Philadelphia in 1789 to form the Protestant Episcopal Church of the
U.S.A.
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