Episcopal Church in the United States of America

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"Episcopal Church" and "Episcopal" redirect here. For other uses, see Episcopal Church (disambiguation).

The Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America, also known as The Episcopal Church in the USA (ECUSA) is the United States branch of the worldwide Anglican Communion.

[edit] Overview

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The Episcopal Church is composed of 111 dioceses in the United States, the US Virgin Islands, Haiti, the Republic of China (Taiwan), Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Honduras, Puerto Rico, Europe and Venezuela, and has an extra-provincial relationship with the diocese of Cuba.

In the United States, the Church claims a total membership of approximately 2.5 million of whom 2.3 million are formally Episcopalian and 200,000 more are counted as 'other baptized.' Among its members are more than a quarter of all presidents of the United States (see List of United States Presidential religious affiliations).

The Episcopal Church is not a national or state church institution, although state funerals and national days of remembrance are normally held at Washington National Cathedral in the Episcopal manner.

The full legal name of the national church corporate body is The Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America, but this name is rarely used. The Church is usually known as the Episcopal Church in the USA, abbreviated as ECUSA, although it recently has begun to emphasize the name The Episcopal Church, abbreviated as TEC, in recognition of its many dioceses outside the United States.

Like many other Anglican churches, it has entered into full communion with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Old Catholics and, until the ordination of women into the priesthood in 1976, had a special relationship with the Eastern Orthodox Church.

The Episcopal Church since the 1960s and 1970s has played a leading role in the progressive and liberal movements in church and secular politics. For example, the ECUSA ordains women and homosexuals, and in some dioceses blesses same-sex unions. In its resolutions on secular issues it has generally taken a moderate pro-choice line, opposed the death penalty, and supported affirmative action.

[edit] Church Polity

[edit] The National Church

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The church has its national offices in New York City, but the cathedra of its primate, the Presiding Bishop, is housed at Washington National Cathedral.

[edit] The Presiding Bishop

The Presiding Bishop is the spiritual and executive leader of the Episcopal Church. The current presiding bishop is Katharine Jefferts Schori, who succeeded Frank Tracy Griswold on November 1, 2006. Jefferts Schori is the first woman to be nominated or elected to the position.

The Presiding Bishop is elected to a 9-year term by the General Convention of the church.

[edit] The General Convention

The General Convention is the primary governing body of the church, which convenes every three years. The GC is bicameral:

The House of Bishops

As the name implies, the bishops of all the dioceses in the church.
The head of the House of Bishops is the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church.

The House of Deputies

Each diocese elects four clergy and four laypeople as deputies. Clergy may be priests or deacons.
The head of the House of Deputies is the president, who is elected at the prior convention. The president can be either a layperson or priest.

The most recent General Convention met in Columbus, Ohio in June 2006. The 2009 General Convention will meet in Anaheim, California.

[edit] Provinces

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The Episcopal Church in the United States has nine ecclesiastical provinces, numbered as follows (divided by state, not diocese).

New England
New York, New Jersey, Haiti, United States Virgin Islands, and Convocation of American Churches in Europe
Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia
Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee
Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, eastern Missouri, Ohio, Wisconsin
Colorado, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming
Arkansas, Kansas, western Louisiana, western Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas,
Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawai‘i, Idaho, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, Taiwan, Washington
Colombia, Ecuador, Honduras, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Venezuela

Each province is subdivided into dioceses. However, the senior bishop of a province is not an archbishop nor are there any archbishops in the Episcopal Church in the United States.

[edit] The Diocese

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The primary unit of governance in the Episcopal Church is the diocese. In some cases, the diocese owns the physical buildings of the churches in its care.

The ordained leader and executive of the diocese is a bishop. The bishop usually governs with a standing committee, which includes clergy and lay representatives from the diocese. Other ordained leaders include priests (or presbyters) and deacons. Laity participate fully in the life and governance of the Church.

Each diocese has an annual diocesan convention, which includes lay and clergy representatives from all the churches in the diocese. The standing committee is elected at the convention.

Bishops are also elected by the diocesan convention. This is in contrast to other Anglican Churches, where bishops are appointed or selected by the Archbishop. The election is usually confirmed by a majority of the bishops and diocesan standing committees. If the election occurs within 120 days before a General Convention, the confirmation occurs at GC. <ref> Some bishops have faced contentious debate during the confirmation process, including John Shelby Spong of Newark, Barbara Clementine Harris of Massachusetts, Jack Iker of Fort Worth, Keith Ackerman of Quincy, and Gene Robinson of New Hampshire. </ref>

(See also Dioceses of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America.)

[edit] Congregations

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Each diocese is composed of congregations of various kinds:

Cathedrals act as the mother church of a diocese and is often the home of a parish as well. Literally, the cathedral is the location of the cathedra, or bishop's chair. Most, but not all, dioceses have a cathedral. A few have two cathedrals or a cathedral and a pro-cathedral. Others designate a conference or retreat center chapel as a cathedral. As the bishop is responsible for the entire diocese, a priest called a dean usually administers the cathedral. A cathedral's lay governing body is known as a chapter, although some cathedrals have a vestry as well. In the case of the latter, the chapter typically is in charge of diocese-wide matters, while the vestry deals with only the parish.

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Parishes are a self-sustaining congregations, not financially supported by the diocese. Most congregations are parishes. The ordained leader of a parish is a priest, usually called a rector. The two primary lay leaders of each congregation are the wardens, sometimes referred to as senior and junior. In addition to the rector and wardens, laypersons, collectively known as the Vestry, are elected to support the mission and ministry of the congregation. The rector, the wardens, and these laity compose what is known as the vestry. The number of these additional laity may vary depending on the size of the congregation.

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Missions are congregations supported in part by the diocese. A mission is governed similarly to a parish but is more directly responsible to its diocese and bishop. A mission is led by a clergyperson, usually called a vicar. Instead of a vestry, a mission's lay leadership is called either a mission committee or a bishop's committee.

Chapels may be connected to another institution, such as a school or hospital, or it may be a congregation that is active for only part of the year. The latter are usually found in resort areas and are often called "summer chapels". The clergyperson in charge of a chapel is usually known as a chaplain, but a summer chapel may instead have a vicar.

[edit] Beliefs and Practices

[edit] Overview

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Many consider the Episcopal Church to follow the via media or "middle way" between Protestant and strictly Roman Catholic practices. On the one hand, Episcopal liturgy, or the practice of the people in worship, closely resembles that of the Roman Catholic Church and explicitly affirms as one of the bedrocks of the Faith belief, through the Nicene Creed, the "one holy catholic and apostolic" church. The Episcopal Church traces its background through Church of England from the 597 Augustinian mission, and stresses its continuity with the early universal Western church. Thus, many Episcopalians will argue that Roman Catholics are not the only "Catholics", but rather represent one of three branches of Catholicism:

The Eastern Orthodox
The Roman Catholic
The Anglican

(Some consider Oriental Orthodox to be a fourth branch of Catholicism.) The Episcopal Church is a Protestant church, with major differences to Roman Catholicism, including the use of the Book of Common Prayer (see below) and the ordination of women and non-celibate men to the priesthood. In 18th century parlance, "Protestant Episcopal" meant a Protestant church governed by bishops in Apostolic Succession. In this way, the Church was distinguished from both the Roman Catholic Church and the other Protestant churches. The Episcopal Church adheres to the Nicene Creed as the main statement of faith; however, the Church finds the Apostle's Creed sufficient in ecumenical matters.

[edit] Worship Styles

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Varying degrees of liturgical practice prevail within the church, and one finds a variety of worship styles: traditional hymns and anthems, praise and worship music, Anglican chant, liturgical dance, charismatic hand movements, vested clergy, and clergy in street clothing. As varied as services can be, the central binding aspect is the Book of Common Prayer or supplemental liturgies.

Often a congregation or a particular service will be referred to as "low church" or "high church". In theory:

High Church, or more appropriately "Anglo-Catholic", is "more Catholic", and thus inclined towards embellishments such as incense, formal hymns, and a higher degree of ceremonial touches. In addition to clergy vesting in albs, stoles and chasubles, the lay assistants may also be vested in albs.

Low Church is simpler (perhaps only the clergy wear vestments) and may incorporate other elements such as informal praise and worship music. "Low" congregations may tend towards a more "truly" Protestant or evangelical outlook.

Broad Church incorporates elements of both low church and high church.

Although most Episcopalians refer to their churches by these labels, often there is overlapping, and the basic rites do not greatly differ. Typical parish worship features Bible readings from the Old Testament as well as from both the Epistles and the Gospels of the New Testament. Every Eucharist or Holy Communion service must use real wine, not water or grape juice for the sacrament to be valid. (Alcoholics or those wishing for whatever reason to avoid alcohol are entirely free to decline the cup.)

In contrast to many Protestant denominations, a Eucharist can be part of a wedding to celebrate a sacramental marriage and of a funeral as a thank offering (sacrifice) to God and for the comfort of the mourners.

[edit] The Book of Common Prayer

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The Episcopal Church publishes its own Book of Common Prayer (BCP), containing most of the worship services (or "liturgies") used in the Episcopal Church. Because of its widespread use in the church, the BCP is both a reflection of and a source of theology for Episcopalians.

The current edition dates from 1979 and is marked by an attempt to return to full lay participation in all services and the recovery of the Eucharist as the principal service of the church. The 1979 version also reduced the emphasis of personal sin. There was enough strife in implementing and adopting the 1979 BCP that a "resolution of apology" was issued at the 2000 General Convention. <ref> From Synopsis of Social Teaching/Contentious Resolutions of the Episcopal Church (PDF), from the Parish Conversation Curriculum for the 2006 General Convention of the Episcopal Church, page 16. Retrieved Nov 5, 2006. </ref>

Previous American BCPs were issued in 1789, 1892, and 1928. (A proposed BCP was issued in 1786 but not adopted.) The BCP is in the public domain; however, any new revisions of the BCP are copyrighted until they are approved by the General Convention. After this happens, the BCP is placed into the public domain.

The full name of the BCP is: The Book of Common Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments and Other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church Together with The Psalter or Psalms of David According to the use of The Episcopal Church.

The threefold sources of authority in Anglicanism are scripture, tradition, and reason. These three sources uphold and critique each other in a dynamic way.

[edit] Liberal and Conservative

There are many different theologies represented within the Episcopal Church. Some Episcopal theologians hold evangelical positions, affirming the authority of scripture over all. However, there are others who assert a "three-legged stool" of scripture, tradition, and reason all balancing each other.<ref> Anglican Listening goes into detail on how scripture, tradition, and reason work to "uphold and critique each other in a dynamic way". </ref> This struggle between the liberal and evangelical Christian positions in the church surfaced through the consecration of Gene Robinson, an active homosexual bishop. The acceptance/rejection of his consecration is motivated by different views on the authority of and understanding of scripture.<ref>As stated in section 2.16 of To Set Our Hope On Christ (PDF), because "the biblical writers [...] write at different times and in different circumstances, they do not always agree with one another. [...] For example, it is helpful to know that when Ezra (chapter 10) commands the men of Israel to divorce their wives, it is because they had married foreign wives, who are seen to be a danger to Israel in exile. But there is another belief about foreign wives in the Book of Ruth, probably written at about the same time. [...] Today, in some situations, it may be faithful to follow Ezra, while in most situations it is faithful to follow Ruth." </ref> This struggle has some members concerned that the church may not continue its relationship with the larger Anglican Church. Others, however, view this pluralism as an asset, allowing a place for both sides to balance each other.

[edit] Theology

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As a Christian church, the center of Episcopal teaching is the life and resurrection of Jesus Christ.<ref>A Basic Introduction to Christianity from the Visitor's seciton of the Episcopal website.</ref> The basic teachings of the church, or catechism, includes:

Jesus Christ was fully human and fully God. He died and was resurrected from the dead.
Jesus provides the way of eternal life for those who believe.
The Old and New Testaments of the Bible were written by people "under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit". The Apocrypha is additional books that are used in Christian worship.
The two great and necessary sacraments are Holy Baptism and Holy Eucharist
Other sacraments are confirmation, ordination, marriage, reconciliation of a penitent, and unction.
Belief in heaven, hell, and Jesus's return in glory.

The full catechism is included in the Book of Common Prayer. It is also on the Episcopal website [1].

The Episcopal Church differs from many Protestant churches in the following ways:

The use of liturgy and The Book of Common Prayer
The use of wine (not grape juice) in the Eucharist
The emphasis on the Eucharist as the standard form of worship
The requirement that only baptized persons are eligible to receive Communion. <ref name="communion">"Upholding Communion of the Baptized", ECUSA, June 22, 2006.</ref>
The ordination of women
Reverence for saints
Special reverence for Mary
Prayers for the dead
The diocese is the primary unit of governance, not the individual church or denomination as a whole.

The Episcopal Church varies from the Roman Catholic Church in the following ways:

Celibacy is not required of clergy.
Ordination of women.
Eucharist is open to all baptized Christians and is offered to all in both bread and wine.
The democratic structure of the church.
Prayers to the saints, though not forbidden, are not common.
The diocese is the primary unit of governance, not the church as a whole.

[edit] Social Teaching

In general, members of the Episcopal Church tend to be moderate to liberal on most social issues, and mainline to liberal on some theological issues. The preparation materials for delegates to the 2006 General Convention highlighted five areas of "Social Teaching/Contentious Resolutions"<ref> From Synopsis of Social Teaching/Contentious Resolutions of the Episcopal Church (PDF), from the Parish Conversation Curriculum for the 2006 General Convention of the Episcopal Church. Retrieved Nov 6, 2006. </ref> made by the General Convention in the previous 30 years:

Race

Implemented equal opportunity employment and affirmative action within the church
Called for an end to apartheid; commended the South African Church for its ministry
Asserts 'the practice of racism is sin'

Economic Justice

Addressing pay inequities within the church; recommends parity in pay and benefits between clergy and lay employees in equivalent positions
Providing affordable housing
Promotes living wages for all

Ordination of Women

Opened the ordination process to women in 1976
Affirmed that there is value in the theological position that women should not be ordained in 1994
Declared the ordination of women "mandatory" in 1997

1979 Prayer Book Revision

Modernized the liturgy with an emphasis on congregational participation
Changed the theological emphasis to be more evangelistic in nature
In 1979, adopted the 1979 revision as the "official" BCP and required churches using the old (1928) prayer book to also use the 1979 revision
An apology was issued in 2000 for those "offended or alienated during the time of liturgical transition to the 1979 Book of Common Prayer"

Inclusion: Human Sexuality, Diversity, and Equality

Declared that homosexuals are "children of God" and "entitled to full civil rights"
Supported the Equal Rights Amendment
Affirms the teachings of chastity and fidelity in relationships; states that "physical sexual expression" is only appropriate within a monogamous marriage of husband and wife.

[edit] Recent Events

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The 2003 consecration of the openly gay Bishop Gene Robinson of New Hampshire increased the concerns. At the request of the Anglican Communion's Lambeth Commission, ECUSA released To Set Our Hope on Christ on June 21, 2005, which explains "how a person living in a same gender union may be considered eligible to lead the flock of Christ." <ref> Theologians offer response to Windsor Report request: Paper cites 40-year consideration of same-gender relationships from Episcopal News Service. </ref>

The recent election of a woman as Presiding Bishop has been controversial within the church and the wider Anglican Communion. The ordination of women and of non-celibate homosexuals and the practice of blessing same-sex Holy Unions within many dioceses has caused criticism by conservatives within ECUSA and in the greater Anglican Communion. The American Anglican Council, formed in 1996, and the Anglican Communion Network, formed in 2004, both resulted from concerns of conservative dioceses and parishes within the Episcopal Church.

Bishop Jefferts Schori voted to confirm Bishop Robinson and has allowed same-sex Holy Unions in her diocese of Nevada. Eight US bishops have rejected Jefferts Schori's authority and have requested alternative pastoral oversight; in one case, the convention of the diocese supports the bishop; the other seven have not yet considered it. <ref> Episcopal Diocese of Quincy seeks alternative oversight, Episcopal News Service. Quincy joined seven other dioceses in requesting alternative pastoral oversight. </ref>

On December 2, 2006, the Convention of the Diocese of San Joaquin, one of the most conservative dioceses in the church, passed a series of resolutions which, if confirmed at the convention in 2007, set into motion withdrawal from the Episcopal Church and affiliation with another Anglican Church, "“The diocese shall be a constituent member of the Anglican Communion and in full communion with the See of Canterbury.” This was combined with a resolution which removed the present boundaries of the diocese, theoretically allowing it to absorb other dissident congregations in the United States. The small diocese has 48 parishes and 7,000 members but includes an active caucus which opposes secession. <ref>"Episcopal Diocese Votes to Secede From Church" an article in the New York Times by Laurie Goodstein and Carolyn Marshall, December 3, 2006</ref>

See also: Anglican doctrine, Anglican views of homosexuality.

[edit] Saints

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The concept of "saint" in the Episcopal Church is highly influenced by the Catholic tradition although the level of veneration given to saints is much more Protestant. Those inclined to the Anglo-Catholic branch may explicitly invoke saints as intercessors, but most do not. Instead, the saints are used as examples in history of good Christian men and women. Episcopalians pray for each other as members of the Communion of Saints. Both the living and the dead are in the hands of God. With that understanding one sees a wide variety of people thought of as "saints" in the Episcopal Church, including such as Martin Luther and Augustine of Canterbury. In addition, the Church holds that all members are saints of God and hold the potential to be examples to others.

The Episcopal Church publishes Lesser Feasts and Fasts which contains feast days for the various men and women the Church wishes to honor. This book is updated every three years after new saints are added to the liturgical calendar. Some of the specifically American saints included are:

See also Episcopal Calendar of Saints

[edit] History

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Main article: History of the Episcopal Church

The Church of England established itself in the English colonies on the North American continent in Jamestown, Virginia, in 1607. The Episcopal Church was formally separated from the Church of England in 1789 so that clergy would not be required to accept the supremacy of the British monarch. When the clergy of Connecticut elected Samuel Seabury as their bishop, he sought consecration in England. The Oath of Supremacy prevented English bishops from consecrating a non-English bishop, so Seabury went to Scotland; the non-juring Scottish bishops consecrated him in Aberdeen on November 14, 1784, making him the first Episcopal bishop outside the British Isles.

The Episcopal Shield, adopted in 1940, includes both the English cross of St George and a Scottish St Andrew's cross, to reflect the mingled English and Scottish heritage of the church. <ref> Episcopal Shield </ref>

[edit] References

[edit] See also

Complete List of Presiding Bishops
Succession of Bishops of the Episcopal Church in the United States
Anglican Communion
Anglican Communion Network
Churches Uniting in Christ
Anglo-Catholicism
Anglican Catholic Church, an alternative Anglican province that originated in the United States

[edit] Colleges and Seminaries affiliated with the Episcopal Church

[edit] Seminaries

[edit] Colleges

[edit] Further reading

Armentrout, Don S., & Slocum, Robert Boak. (Eds.). ([1999]). An Episcopal Dictionary of the Church: A User Friendly Reference for Episcopalians. New York: Church Publishing Incorporated.
Armentrout, Don S., & Slocum, Robert Boak. (1994). Documents of Witness: A History of the Episcopal Church, 1782-1985. New York: Church Hymnal Corporation.
Caldwell, Sandra M., & Caldwell, Ronald J. (1993). The History of the Episcopal Church in America, 1607-1991: A Bibliography. New York: Garland Publishing.
Hein, David. (2001). Noble Powell and the Episcopal Establishment in the Twentieth Century. Urbana: University of Illinois Press.
Hein, David, and Gardiner H. Shattuck Jr. (2005). The Episcopalians. New York: Church Publishing.
Prichard, Robert W. (Ed.). (1986). Readings from the History of the Episcopal Church. Wilton, CT: Morehouse-Barlow.
The Episcopal Clerical Directory. New York: Church Publishing.
Wall, John N. (2000). A Dictionary for Episcopalians. Boston, MA: Cowley Publications.
Articles on leading Episcopalians, both lay (e.g., George Washington, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Frances Perkins) and ordained, in American National Biography. (1999). Edited by John A. Garraty and Mark C. Carnes. New York: Oxford Univ. Press. Also 100 biographical articles in Hein and Shattuck, The Episcopalians, vide supra.
Anglican and Episcopal History (articles, church reviews, and book reviews)