What is an Episcopalian

 Perhaps you've walked past an Episcopal Church and wondered what goes on behind the red doors.

 Perhaps you've heard a lot about Christianity from the media and you're wondering if what you've heard is even remotely accurate. A lot of it isn't. The extremists at both edges get most of the publicity, while the Episcopal Church sits firmly in the middle of the spectrum on pretty much every major issue.

 This page isn't meant as a comprehensive guide to Christian belief. It's intended to give you some background information so that — we hope — you'll feel comfortable enough to come to a church service, feel welcomed as a “Guest” and begin finding out more about us.

 We welcome visitors, a.k.a, GUESTS. Coming along for a look doesn't commit you to anything.

 The Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion

The Episcopal Church is part of the worldwide Anglican Communion, which is made up of more than 80 million members in 44 regional and national member churches in more than 160 countries.  The Episcopal Church is divided into geographic areas known as dioceses. St. James' is part of the Diocese of Kentucky, one of two dioceses in our Commonwealth; the other Diocese in Kentucky being the Diocese of Lexington which heads eastward from Lexington to the West Virginia border.

 The oldest continuously functioning Church in the USA, Episcopalians have been worshiping in this country since the foundation of the Jamestown colony in Virginia in 1607, which was an entirely Anglican affair. During the colonial era, Anglicans were perhaps the largest denomination in the country, but we lost many members during the Revolution, in which a significant number of Anglicans remained loyal to the British cause and left the country for Canada, Bermuda or other areas.

 Nevertheless, many of the country’s founders – Ben Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, Paul Revere, Patrick Henry, Madison, Monroe, Hamilton – were faithful members of The Episcopal Church who regularly attended service, served on parish vestries (administrative boards) and found spiritual strength in the words of the Book of Common Prayer and the distinctive Anglican approach to living biblical Christian lives. Wait, you've heard they were all deists? Well, deism isn't another word for atheism. It's a kind of theological view that emphasizes human responsibility as opposed to relying on divine miracles to set things right. 

 Much of Anglican worship, like that of other churches, is based on traditions stretching back centuries.

The Episcopal Church is a Welcoming Church

The Episcopal Church welcomes new members, but to a newcomer, much of what we do can look puzzling or entirely incomprehensible. We take Paul’s words about doing things "decently and in order” pretty seriously – worship is anything but "made up on the spot.” Centuries of thought and prayer have gone into putting together some beautiful, and we believe true, words of prayer: centuries of devotion have gone into customs and ceremonies, which are beautiful, and we believe helpful. But like a great wine or an even greater novel, our charms may take a bit of getting used to.

 Some say that we're a church of refugees, which is to say 70% of Episcopalians weren't born that way.  Most of us came from other Christian denominations or from no church background at all.  So what's the draw?

Since many converts come as adults, chances are logic and reason play a role in a person's decision to become Episcopalian.  The Episcopal Church has consistently been called a "middle road" - a "via media" - between Roman Catholicism and Protestantism.  We bring the reverence and rootedness of the ancient tradition alongside a clear devotion to the Bible and priesthood of all believers. 

 While we believe we are a spiritual path and way more than a required set of beliefs, basic traditional beliefs are expressed in the Book of Common Prayer, and especially in the Catechism (page 845). Worship and sacramental life in The Episcopal Church are centered around the use of the Book of Common Prayer.

Our Foundation of Faith

The foundation of faith in The Episcopal Church is often described using the image of a three-legged stool [see Richard Hooker below].

The first leg of the stool is Holy Scripture. The catechism in the Prayer Book says of the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament that “God inspired their human authors” and that “God still speaks to us through the Bible” (BCP 853). The Old Testament conveys the story of the covenant relationship between Israel and God. The New Testament reveals the Incarnation of God in the person of Jesus Christ. Holy Scripture serves as the touchstone of our lives.

 The second leg of the stool is tradition. Tradition consists of the wisdom and teaching of those generations of saints who have gone before us. Tradition guides our living and our interpretation of Scripture.

 The third leg of the stool is reason. We understand our human reason to be a gift from God. Therefore, the use of reason in interpreting Scripture, engaging the past Tradition of the Church, and navigating through the contingencies of our world is highly valued in The Episcopal Church.

Some people become Episcopalians because of our views on Holy Communion, women's ordination, human rights, or full inclusion of LGBT people.  Some love the music.  Others marry into the church.  And some come because it's convenient, as there are over 7,000 Episcopal Church congregations in the U.S., Europe and Latin America.  No matter why people come, we like to think that we are a place of welcome and inclusion, with warmth and joy, understanding and hope.

ALL ARE WELCOME!

Richard Hooker (1554-1600)  affirmed the threefold Anglican sources of authority-scripture, tradition, and reason. He countered the Roman Catholic argument which treated the Bible and tradition as equally authoritative for belief. He also countered the Puritans whose literal obedience to scripture was so absolute that they considered unlawful whatever scripture did not command. He recognized the absolute authority of scripture where it spoke plainly. Reason was to be used in reading scripture. If scripture were silent or ambiguous, wisdom would consult the tradition of the church. On this foundation Hooker built an elaborate theory based on the "absolute fundamental of natural law," the expression of God's supreme wisdom which governs the universe and to which both ecclesiastical and civil polity must yield. [reference: Episcopal Church.org/Library/Glossary]

Thanks to Grace Church, Carthage MO. and the Church of the Advent, Louisville KY for content.