History

Until the American Revolution, what we commonly refer to as “The Episcopal Church” today was the Church of England in the colonies.  Thereafter, it became the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America.  Just like today’s American culture, The Episcopal Church is a blend of many cultures and traditions.

The Church of England was established during the Reformation, which began in 1517 and spread throughout Europe under the direction of church leaders who worked together.  Among these leaders were Martin Luther whose work led to formation of the Lutheran Church, John Calvin whose work led to the formation of The Reformed Church and Presbyterian Church, and Thomas Cranmer whose work led to formation of the Church of England under Henry VIII.

Today, the Episcopal Church is a part of the worldwide Anglican Communion.  While it remains autonomous of the Church of England, this affiliation unites The Episcopal Church with Anglican congregations worldwide.

The word “Episcopal” is Greek for “bishop” to indicate that the church is governed by bishops.  Since the Episcopal Church in the United States was established by many of our nation’s founders, our system of church governance mimics the federal system with two legislative houses and a presiding bishop.

Via Media or “The Middle Way”

An important part of our tradition is to seek the “middle way”.  Anglicans (and, yes, Episcopalians are Anglicans, too) are both catholic and protestant at the same time, maintaining much of the tradition and practice of the Roman Catholic church yet rejecting the primacy of the Bishop of Rome over the Church Universal. 

For example, The Episcopal Church places emphasis on Apostolic Succession (also known as the “Historic Episcopate”).  This means Episcopal priests are ordained by others in a line of ordinations that trace back to the Twelve Apostles of Christ.  This is not a characteristic of other Protestant faiths.

The Episcopal Church in modern times has a tradition of welcoming and accommodating all, which is a concept that is sometimes referred to as the “big tent”.  The Episcopal Church has a strong ethic toward social justice and was first among the Anglican Communion to ordain women.  Even today, ordination of women is not a universal practice among all provinces of the Worldwide Communion.

Anglican tradition places much emphasis on local customs and standards.  For example, one important mandate of the early church was for liturgy to be celebrated in “such a Tongue as the people understandeth” and not necessarily Latin as was the “custom of the Primitive Church”.  Based on this tradition of respect for local practices, what may be fitting for practice in the United States may not be suitable in a developing country and the “big tent” accommodates these differences by allowing wide discretion to the bishop of each diocese.   

Our church both accepts and reveres the traditions and doctrines of the ancient catholic faith, yet we look at them through the lens of the Reformation, with eyes of reason, and a mind open to inquiry.  We engage the scripture the same way, recognizing that it is so rich with wisdom that it can inform different ages and cultures, and speak to us daily in fresh and meaningful ways.  Hence the term, "three legged stool," which is an Anglican metaphor for our belief that we learn about God through scripture, tradition, and reason.

Thus you might meet people who sound more 'catholic' and others who sound more 'reformed.'  But all Episcopalians turn to scripture, doctrine and tradition in order to lead holy lives, where the living Christ might be reflected in the body of believers for the fulfillment of the Kingdom of Heaven.  In this effort we are formed and shaped by our common prayer, and by God's abundant love for all of creation.  The Church is concerned for each of its members, and invites all people to explore their faith and grow in grace along with us. 

The Book of Common Prayer

The first Book of Common Prayer (BCP), written by Thomas Cranmer and published in 1549, is considered a masterpiece of English prose.  Because ours is not a strongly doctrinal church, Anglicans are united through liturgical practices set forth in the BCP.  While different versions of the Prayer Book exist from country to country, they are all quite similar. 

If you wish to learn more about the history of the church, turn to the back of the BCP where you’ll find Historical Documents, which explain the tenets and history of our faith practice.

Also contained in the Historical Documents is an 1886 passage that established The Episcopal Church’s position as an ecumenical church:  “we hereby declare our desire and readiness…to enter into brotherly conference with all or any Christian Bodies seeking the restoration of the organic unity of the Church”.

The Episcopal Shield

The red cross on a white field is the St. George Cross, an indicator of our link to the Church of England, the mother church of the Anglican Communion.  The miniature crosses in the blue quadrant symbolize the nine original American dioceses that met in Philadelphia in 1789 to adopt the constitution of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America. 

The outline of the miniature crosses is in the form of St. Andrew's Cross in tribute to the Scottish church's role in ordaining the first American bishop, Samuel Seabury, in 1784. The colors red, white and blue symbolize, respectively, the sacrifice of Christ and Christian martyrs, the purity of the Christian faith, and the humanity of Christ received from the Virgin Mary.  In duplicating the colors of the American flag, they also represent the Episcopal Church's standing as the U.S. branch of the Anglican Communion.

(Our thanks to the Diocese of Chicago for this text on the Shield.)