Episcopalians Characteristics?

Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America

Episcopal Church

Episcopal Church in the USA (ECUSA)

Episcopalians

The Episcopal Church is the U.S. branch of the Anglican Church. It was essentially created by Samuel Seabury, its first bishop, in 1784 but was officially organized in 1789 as the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States. Anglicanism arrived on the American continent much earlier of course, with the English settlers of the 17th century. Anglicanism was most dominant in Virginia, but it had spread throughout the colonies by the time of the American Revolution.

Unfortunately, Anglicanism was perceived as an important symbol of British rule and the British monarchy; as a consequence, Anglicanism suffered greatly from the Revolution as the clergy were often forced to return to England while lay members gravitated to other churches. After the Revolution, those who wanted to remain true to Anglican traditions while also remaining independent of British control formed what would be the Episcopal Church. The Episcopal Church is today a part of the Anglican Communion because it traces its roots back to the Church of England the English Reformation. It does not, however, recognize the absolute authority of the English monarch over it.

The Episcopal Church has experienced just one schism, in 1873 when George David Cummins created the Reformed Episcopal Church. Cummins had been an assistant bishop in Kentucky when he participated in a communion service with other Protestants. As a result, he was censured - but he believed strongly in forging stronger ties with other Protestant denominations so he resigned his position in order to create a new church. Today the Reformed Episcopal Church has several thousand members.

The dioceses included under the Episcopal Church is not limited to just those within the United States. They also include: Haiti, the US Virgin Islands, Taiwan, Columbia, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, and Honduras. This is why the very common name "Episcopal Church in the USA" is incorrect. The full incorporated name of the Episcopal Church is: Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America. It is little wonder that shorter forms, even if incorrect, are so common.

The Episcopal Church has long been marked by conflict and debate between liberals and conservatives. In 1979 scholars sought to introduce a revision to the Book of Common Prayer which was, in part, characterized by modern rather than Elizabethan English - something opposed by many. Other changes which caused a great deal of controversy included steps taken in 1976 to remove traditional barriers that blocked women's participation in the Church. Finally, in 1989, Barbara Harris became the first female bishop in the entire Anglican Communion - something that was greeted with protests from conservatives not only in the Episcopal Church but around the world.

Within the Episcopal Church there have been a number of very outspoken, popular, and controversial liberal theologians. One of the most famous is the Bishop John Shelby Spong whose numerous books have raised serious questions about many traditional Christian practices and beliefs. So what keeps the liberals and conservatives together? The Episcopal Church has maintained unity despite diversity by insisting on unity of conduct and worship rather than through a profession of beliefs. Thus, one can argue that the Episcopal Church is based upon orthopraxy (right conduct) rather than orthodoxy (right belief).

This is aided by the way in which the Episcopal Church is governed, something heavily influenced by the development of American democracy at the time that the Episcopalianism was created. Church authority is equally divided among bishops, clergy, and laity. Each diocese is administered by one or more bishops who have a great deal of freedom of belief and practice relative to others - thus, one diocese can elect to bless same-sex marriages even if others don't or object.

All the diocese are, in turn, beholden to the policy decisions of a General Convention that meets every three years and is made up of bishops, clergy, and lay representatives. Any changes in policy proposed at a General Convention must be approved by a vote in two separate bodies, the House of Bishops (consisting of bishops, naturally) and the House of Deputies (clergy and laity). There is no central figure or governing body which has absolute authority over all the Episcopal or Anglican diocese in the world. Connections between the various diocese are generated by choice, custom, and the general closeness of both belief and practice.