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139-618: The Episcopal Church ( TEC ), also officially the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America ( PECUSA ), is a member church of the worldwide Anglican Communion based in the United States with additional dioceses elsewhere. It is a mainline Protestant denomination and is divided into nine provinces . The presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church is Sean W. Rowe . As of 2022,

278-491: A Welsh clergyman prominent in jacobite circles, gave the County of Swansea 's assize sermon on 18 April 1710 ( The right way to honour and happiness ), during which he complained of the "rapid growth of deist, freethinking and anti-trinitarian views." The targets of Hancorne's wrath were "irreligion, profaneness and immorality", as well as the "curious, inquisitive sceptics" and the "sin-sick tottering nation". Later, he engaged in

417-520: A campaign to reassert tithe rights. Eventually, under Queen Anne , the High Church party saw its fortunes revive with those of the Tory party, with which it was then strongly associated. However, under the early Hanoverians , both the High Church and Tory parties were once again out of favour. This led to an increasing marginalisation of High Church and Tory viewpoints, as much of the 18th century

556-577: A conservative view on the issue. The 1930 conference, the first to be held since the initial legalisation of abortion in Europe (in Russia in 1920), stated: The Conference further records its abhorrence of the sinful practice of abortion. The 1958 conference's Family in Contemporary Society report affirmed the following position on abortion and was commended by the 1968 conference: In

695-545: A crisis in both the American church and the wider Anglican Communion . In October 2003, Anglican primates (the heads of the Anglican Communion's 38 member churches) convened an emergency meeting. The meeting's final communiqué included the warning that if Robinson's consecration proceeded, it would "tear the fabric of the communion at its deepest level". The news of his ordination caused such an outrage that during

834-615: A fellowship of conservative Anglican churches, has appointed "missionary bishops" in response to the disagreements with the perceived liberalisation in the Anglican churches in North America and Europe. In 2023, ten archbishops within the Anglican Communion and two breakaway churches in North America and Brazil from the Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches (GSFA) declared a state of impaired communion with

973-462: A pastoral letter urging Christians to work "across lines of racial separation, in a common struggle for justice", and the House of Bishops endorsed civil rights legislation. Tensions around the civil rights movement persisted, however. At the 1964 General Convention, when the House of Deputies rejected a resolution sanctioning civil disobedience under special circumstances, Thurgood Marshall , a deputy to

1112-436: A regular process of meeting every three years. At the 1789 convention they adopted a constitution and canons, and reorganized as a House of Deputies and a House of Bishops. The structure of the Episcopal Church was then complete. Later, through the efforts of Bishop Philander Chase (1775–1852) of Ohio, Americans successfully sought material assistance from England for the purpose of training Episcopal clergy. The development of

1251-461: A resolution calling for an end to apartheid in South Africa and in 1985 called for "dioceses, institutions, and agencies" to create equal opportunity employment and affirmative action policies to address any potential "racial inequities" in clergy placement. Because of these and other controversial issues including abortion, individual members and clergy can and do frequently disagree with

1390-533: A resolution removing the definition of marriage as being between one man and one woman was passed by the House of Bishops with 129 in favor, 26 against, and 5 abstaining. The current archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby , expressed "deep concern" over the ruling. In 2016, Anglican leaders temporarily suspended the Episcopal Church from key positions in their global fellowship in response to the church changing its canons on marriage. Transgender people have also joined

1529-690: A same-sex civil partnership. The Church of Ireland recognised that it will "treat civil partners the same as spouses". The Anglican Church of Australia does not have an official position on homosexuality. The conservative Anglican churches encouraging the realignment movement are more concentrated in the Global South. For example, the Anglican Church of Kenya , the Church of Nigeria and the Church of Uganda have opposed homosexuality. GAFCON ,

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1668-545: Is a back-formation from "high churchman", a label used in the 17th and early 18th centuries to describe opponents of religious toleration , with "high" meaning "extreme". As the Puritans began demanding that the English Church abandon some of its traditional liturgical emphases, episcopal structures, parish ornaments and the like, the high church position also came to be distinguished increasingly from that of

1807-850: Is a modern reconstruction. Although no American Anglican bishops existed in the colonial era, the Church of England had an official status in several colonies, which meant that local governments paid tax money to local parishes, and the parishes handled some civic functions. The Church of England was designated the established church in Virginia in 1609, in New York in 1693, in Maryland in 1702, in South Carolina in 1706, in North Carolina in 1730, and in Georgia in 1758. From 1635

1946-552: Is also the oldest surviving non-Roman Catholic church in the New World . It remained part of the Church of England until 1978 when the Anglican Church of Bermuda was formed. The Church of England was the established church not only in England, but in its trans-Oceanic colonies. Thus the only member churches of the present Anglican Communion existing by the mid-18th century were the Church of England, its closely linked sister church

2085-480: Is both Catholic and Reformed . Most of its members live in the Anglosphere of former British territories. Full participation in the sacramental life of each church is available to all communicant members. Because of their historical link to England ( ecclesia anglicana means "English church"), some of the member churches are known as "Anglican", such as the Anglican Church of Canada . Others, for example

2224-494: Is fully independent, retaining its own legislative process and episcopal polity under the leadership of local primates . For many adherents, Anglicanism represents a distinct form of Reformed Protestantism that emerged under the influence of the Reformer Thomas Cranmer , or for yet others, a via media between two branches of Protestantism— Lutheranism and Calvinism —and for others, a denomination that

2363-458: Is the adjective that should be used to describe something affiliated with the church, whereas "Episcopalian" is to be used "only as a noun referring to a member of The Episcopal Church." The Episcopal Church has its origins in the Church of England in the American colonies , and it stresses continuity with the early universal Western Church and claims to maintain apostolic succession (while

2502-626: The Act of Supremacy 1559 ). The Church of England has always thought of itself not as a new foundation but rather as a reformed continuation of the ancient "English Church" ( Ecclesia Anglicana ) and a reassertion of that church's rights. As such it was a distinctly national phenomenon. The Church of Scotland was formed as a separate church from the Roman Catholic Church as a result of the Scottish Reformation in 1560 and

2641-853: The American Civil War began in 1861, Episcopalians in the South formed the Protestant Episcopal Church in the Confederate States of America . However, in the North, the separation was never officially recognized. In particular, the Episcopalian communities in Pennsylvania supported free black communities and the Underground Railroad. By May 16, 1866, the southern dioceses had rejoined the national church. By

2780-468: The Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) in 2008. The ACNA and the Episcopal Church are not in full communion with one another. The "Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America" (PECUSA) and "The Episcopal Church" (TEC) are both official names specified in the church's constitution. The latter is much more commonly used. In other languages, an equivalent is used. For example, in Spanish,

2919-645: The Book of Common Prayer , the Church of England almost drove itself to extinction during the upheaval of the American Revolution . More than any other denomination, the War of Independence internally divided both clergy and laity of the Church of England in America, and opinions covered a wide spectrum of political views: patriots , conciliators, and loyalists . While many Patriots were suspicious of Loyalism in

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3058-543: The Church of Ireland (which also separated from Roman Catholicism under Henry VIII) and the Scottish Episcopal Church which for parts of the 17th and 18th centuries was partially underground (it was suspected of Jacobite sympathies). The enormous expansion in the 18th and 19th centuries of the British Empire brought Anglicanism along with it. At first all these colonial churches were under

3197-482: The Church of Ireland and the Scottish and American Episcopal churches, have official names that do not include "Anglican". Conversely, some churches that do use the name "Anglican" are not part of the communion. These have generally disaffiliated over disagreement with the direction of the communion. The Anglican Communion traces much of its growth to the older mission organisations of the Church of England such as

3336-475: The Episcopal Church (US) consecrated an openly gay bishop in a same-sex relationship, Gene Robinson , in 2003, which led some Episcopalians to defect and found the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA); then, the debate reignited when the Church of England agreed to allow clergy to enter into same-sex civil partnerships , as long as they remained celibate, in 2005. The Church of Nigeria opposed

3475-927: The High Church party. These events culminated in the Glorious Revolution and the exclusion of the Catholic Stuarts from the British throne. The subsequent split over office-holders' oaths of allegiance to the Crown and the Royal Succession, which led to the exclusion of the Non-Juror bishops who refused to recognise the 1688 de facto abdication of the King, and the accession of King William III and Queen Mary II , and did much to damage

3614-551: The Latitudinarians , also known as those promoting a broad church, who sought to minimise the differences between Anglicanism and Reformed Christianity, and to make the church as inclusive as possible by opening its doors as widely as possible to admit other Christian viewpoints. Over time several of the leading lights of the Oxford Movement became Roman Catholics, following the path of John Henry Newman , one of

3753-515: The Northeast and Upper Midwest . The church was organized after the American Revolution , when it became separate from the Church of England , whose clergy are required to swear allegiance to the British monarch as Supreme Governor of the Church of England . The Episcopal Church describes itself as " Protestant , yet catholic " and asserts apostolic succession , tracing its bishops back to

3892-484: The Presbyterian churches). Instead, Anglicans have typically appealed to the Book of Common Prayer (1662) and its offshoots as a guide to Anglican theology and practise. This has had the effect of inculcating in Anglican identity and confession the principle of lex orandi, lex credendi ("the law of praying [is] the law of believing"). Protracted conflict through the 17th century, with radical Protestants on

4031-901: The Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge (founded 1698), the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts (founded 1701) and the Church Missionary Society (founded 1799). The Church of England (which until the 20th century included the Church in Wales ) initially separated from the Roman Catholic Church in 1534 in the reign of Henry VIII , reunited briefly in 1555 under Mary I and then separated again in 1570 under Elizabeth I (the Roman Catholic Church excommunicated Elizabeth I in 1570 in response to

4170-510: The apostles via holy orders . The 1979 Book of Common Prayer , a collection of rites , blessings, liturgies , and prayers used throughout the Anglican Communion, is central to Episcopal worship. A broad spectrum of theological views is represented within the Episcopal Church, including evangelical , Anglo-Catholic , and broad church views. Historically, the members of the Episcopal Church have played leadership roles in many aspects of American life, including politics, business, science,

4309-465: The death penalty and supported the civil rights movement . The church calls for the full legal equality of LGBT people. In view of this trend, the conventions of four dioceses of the Episcopal Church voted in 2007 and 2008 to leave that church and to join the Anglican Church of the Southern Cone of America . Twelve other jurisdictions, serving an estimated 100,000 persons at that time, formed

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4448-679: The non-juring bishops of the Scottish Episcopal Church consecrated him in Aberdeen on November 14, 1784, making him, in the words of scholar Arthur Carl Piepkorn, "the first Anglican bishop appointed to minister outside the British Isles". On August 3, 1785, the first ordinations on American soil took place at Christ Church in Middletown, Connecticut . That same year, 1785, deputations of clergy and laity met in

4587-580: The one, holy, catholic and apostolic church , with worship being based on the Book of Common Prayer . As in the Church of England itself, the Anglican Communion includes the broad spectrum of beliefs and liturgical practises found in the Evangelical , Central and Anglo-Catholic traditions of Anglicanism; both the larger Reformed Anglican and the smaller Arminian Anglican theological perspectives have been represented. Each national or regional church

4726-551: The ordination of women and to varying degrees abortion ). The term high church has also been applied to elements of Protestant churches within which individual congregations or ministers display a division in their liturgical practices, for example, high church Presbyterianism and high church Methodism , and within Lutheranism there is a historic high church and low church distinction comparable with Anglicanism (see Neo-Lutheranism and Pietism ). High church

4865-480: The stewardship of God's creation . On July 29, 1974, a group of women known as the Philadelphia Eleven were irregularly ordained as priests in the Episcopal Church by bishops Daniel Corrigan, Robert L. DeWitt, and Edward R. Welles, assisted by Antonio Ramos . On September 7, 1975, four more women (the " Washington Four ") were irregularly ordained by retired bishop George W. Barrett . In the wake of

5004-495: The vestries and the clergy came loosely under the diocesan authority of the Bishop of London . After 1702, the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts (SPG) began missionary activity throughout the colonies. On the eve of Revolution about 400 independent congregations were reported throughout the colonies. Under the leadership of Lutheran bishop Jesper Swedberg , parishes in colonial America that belonged to

5143-399: The 1960s, opposition to dropping the word "Protestant" had largely subsided. In a 1964 General Convention compromise, priests and lay delegates suggested adding a preamble to the church's constitution, recognizing "The Episcopal Church" as a lawful alternate designation while still retaining the earlier name. The 66th General Convention voted in 1979 to use the name "The Episcopal Church" in

5282-467: The Anglican Communion, but the GSFA reiterated that they intend to remain in the Anglican Communion. Debates about social theology and ethics have occurred at the same time as debates on prayer book revision and the acceptable grounds for achieving full communion with non-Anglican churches. The Anglican Communion has no official legal existence nor any governing structure that might exercise authority over

5421-458: The Anglican Communion. In a watershed moment, on 20 February 2023, following the decision of the Church of England to allow priests to bless same-sex partnerships, ten communion provinces and Anglican realignment churches within the Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches released a statement stating that they had declared " impaired communion " with the Church of England and no longer recognised Justin Welby as "first among equals" among

5560-653: The Anglican party to power in the Cavalier Parliament saw a strong revival of the High Church position in the English body politic. Victorious after a generation of struggle, the Anglican gentry felt the need to re-entrench the re-Anglicanised Church of England as one of the most important elements of the Restoration Settlement through a renewed and strengthened alliance between Throne and Altar, or Church and State. Reverence for martyrdom of

5699-611: The Catholic, Lutheran, Episcopal, Methodist and Reformed traditions are "nearly identical". Several conservative parishes, however, continued to use the 1928 version. In Advent of 2007, the use of the ecumenical Revised Common Lectionary in the Episcopal Church became the standard. In 2018, the General Convention authorized a Task Force for Liturgical and Prayer Book Revision to consider further revisions, particularly to use more inclusive language and to give more attention to

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5838-675: The Church in recent years. The project to create the Authorized Version of the Bible was one such attempt at reconciliation. The continued use of the King James version of the Bible , by Anglicans and other Protestants alike in the English-speaking world, is a reflection of the success of this endeavour at cooperation. During the reign of King Charles I , however, as divisions between Puritan and Anglican elements within

5977-673: The Church of Ceylon to begin planning for the formation of an autonomous province of Ceylon, so as to end his current position as metropolitan of the two dioceses in that country. In addition to other member churches, the churches of the Anglican Communion are in full communion with the Old Catholic churches of the Union of Utrecht and the Scandinavian Lutheran churches of the Porvoo Communion in Europe,

6116-483: The Church of England and announced that they would no longer recognise the archbishop of Canterbury as the "first among equals" among the bishops in the Anglican Communion. However, in the same statement, the ten archbishops said that they would not leave the Anglican Communion. In 2024, the GSFA met again establishing "a new structure," no longer recognising the Archbishop of Canterbury "as the de facto leader" of

6255-496: The Church of England became more bitter, and Protestant Nonconformity outside the Church grew stronger in numbers and more vociferous, the High Church position became associated with the leadership of the High Church Archbishop of Canterbury, William Laud , (see Laudianism ), and government policy to curtail the growth of Protestant Dissent in England and the other possessions of the Crown. See, for example,

6394-472: The Church of England in America between 1776 and 1783, over 80 percent in New England, New York, and New Jersey were loyalists. This is in contrast to the less than 23 percent loyalist clergy in the four southern colonies. Many Church of England clergy remained loyalists as they took their two ordination oaths very seriously. Anglican clergy were obliged to swear allegiance to the king as well as to pray for

6533-544: The Church of England over Seabury's non-juring Scottish orders. The Episcopal Church thus became the first Anglican province outside the British Isles . On 17 September 1792, at the triennial General Convention ( synod ) of the Episcopal Church at Trinity Church on Wall Street , in New York City , Thomas John Claggett who had been elected by the clergy and laity of Maryland, was consecrated by all four of

6672-414: The Church of England's General Synod voted to support allowing clergy to enter in civil same-sex marriages. In 2023, the Anglican Church of Southern Africa's bishops approved the drafting of prayers that could be said with same-sex couples and the draft prayers were published for consideration in 2024. The Church of Ireland has no official position on civil unions, and one senior cleric has entered into

6811-411: The Church of England. Most, but not all, member churches of the communion are the historic national or regional Anglican churches. The Anglican Communion was officially and formally organised and recognised as such at the Lambeth Conference in 1867 in London under the leadership of Charles Longley , Archbishop of Canterbury. The churches of the Anglican Communion consider themselves to be part of

6950-410: The Church of England; but even this small beginning greatly facilitated the growth of Anglicanism around the world. In 1841, a "Colonial Bishoprics Council" was set up and soon many more dioceses were created. In time, it became natural to group these into provinces and a metropolitan bishop was appointed for each province. Although it had at first been somewhat established in many colonies, in 1861 it

7089-464: The Episcopal Church . ) In 1789, representative clergy from nine dioceses met in Philadelphia to ratify the church's initial constitution. The fourth bishop of the Episcopal Church was James Madison , the first bishop of Virginia. Madison was consecrated in 1790 by the Archbishop of Canterbury and two other Church of England bishops. This third American bishop consecrated within the English line of succession occurred because of continuing unease within

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7228-419: The Episcopal Church had 1,584,785 members, of whom 1,432,082 were in the United States. In 2011, it was the nation's 14th largest denomination. In 2015, Pew Research estimated that 1.2 percent of the adult population in the United States, or 3 million people, self-identify as mainline Episcopalians. The church has recorded a regular decline in membership and Sunday attendance since the 1960s, particularly in

7367-433: The Episcopal Church's House of Bishops voted that "any ordained ministry" is open to gay men and lesbians . The New York Times said the move was "likely to send shockwaves through the Anglican Communion". This vote ended a moratorium on ordaining gay bishops passed in 2006 and passed in spite of Archbishop Rowan Williams 's personal call at the start of the convention that, "I hope and pray that there won't be decisions in

7506-586: The Episcopal Church's decision as well as the Church of England's approval for celibate civil partnerships. "The more liberal provinces that are open to changing Church doctrine on marriage in order to allow for same-sex unions include Brazil , Canada , New Zealand , Scotland , South India , South Africa , the US and Wales ". In 2023, the Church of England announced that it will authorise "prayers of thanksgiving, dedication and for God's blessing for same-sex couples". The Church of England also permits clergy to enter into same-sex civil partnerships. In 2024,

7645-404: The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Sweden established ecumenical dialogue that resulted in altar and pulpit fellowship with the Episcopal Church in the 1700s, which led to a merger of all of the Swedish Lutheran churches there into the Episcopal Church by 1846. Embracing the symbols of the British presence in the American colonies, such as the monarchy, the episcopate, and even the language of

7784-430: The GCSP was limited due to the reluctance of conservative bishops in southern dioceses, who objected to the awarding of grants to groups perceived as radical. The GCSP drew opposition from the recently formed Foundation for Christian Theology, a conservative organization opposed to "involv[ing] the Church in the social, political, and economic activities of our times". The Special General Convention also witnessed protests of

7923-399: The General Convention adopted a new prayer book, which was a substantial revision and modernization of the previous 1928 edition. It incorporated many principles of the ecumenical movement and liturgical movement , which had been discussed at Vatican II as well. This version was adopted as the official prayer book in 1979 after an initial three-year trial use. As such, the liturgies used by

8062-464: The General Convention affirmed that there was value in the theological position that women should not be ordained. In 1997, however, the General Convention then determined that "the canons regarding the ordination, licensing, and deployment of women are mandatory" and required noncompliant dioceses to issue status reports on their progress towards full compliance. In 2006, the General Convention elected Katharine Jefferts Schori as Presiding Bishop . She

8201-493: The India-based Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian and Malabar Independent Syrian churches and the Philippine Independent Church , also known as the Aglipayan Church. The churches of the Anglican Communion have traditionally held that ordination in the historic episcopate is a core element in the validity of clerical ordinations. The Roman Catholic Church, however, does not recognise Anglican orders (see Apostolicae curae ). Some Eastern Orthodox churches have issued statements to

8340-443: The Interests of Labor was formed in 1887. During the Gilded Age , highly prominent laity such as bankers J. P. Morgan , industrialist Henry Ford , and art collector Isabella Stewart Gardner played a central role in shaping a distinctive upper class Episcopalian ethos, especially with regard to preserving the arts and history. These philanthropists propelled the Episcopal Church into a quasi-national position of importance while at

8479-464: The Oath of Conformity of the Declaration for Ordination. The evolution of the name can be seen in the church's Book of Common Prayer. In the 1928 BCP, the title page read, "According to the use of The Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America", whereas on the title page of the 1979 BCP it states, "According to the use of The Episcopal Church". "The Episcopal Church in the United States of America" (ECUSA) has never been an official name of

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8618-428: The Old and New Testaments, as "containing all things necessary to salvation," and as being the rule and ultimate standard of faith. (b) The Apostles' Creed , as the Baptismal Symbol; and the Nicene Creed , as the sufficient statement of the Christian faith. (c) The two Sacraments ordained by Christ Himself – Baptism and the Supper of the Lord – ministered with unfailing use of Christ's Words of Institution , and of

8757-410: The Patriots. Starting July 4, 1776, Congress and several states passed laws making prayers for the king and British Parliament acts of treason. The patriot clergy in the South were quick to find reasons to transfer their oaths to the American cause and prayed for the success of the Revolution. One precedent was the transfer of oaths during the Glorious Revolution in England. Most of the patriot clergy in

8896-426: The Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America", which was incorporated by the legislature of New York and established in 1821. The membership of the corporation "shall be considered as comprehending all persons who are members of the Church". This should not be confused with the name of the church itself, as it is a distinct body relating to church governance. According to TEC's style guide, "Episcopal"

9035-404: The Protestant Episcopal Church provides an example of how Americans in the early republic maintained important cultural ties with England. In 1787, two priests – William White of Pennsylvania and Samuel Provoost of New York – were consecrated as bishops by the Archbishop of Canterbury , the Archbishop of York , and the Bishop of Bath and Wells , the legal obstacles having been removed by

9174-432: The Scandinavian Lutheran and Moravian churches accept this claim, the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches do not recognize this claim). The first parish was founded in Jamestown, Virginia , in 1607, under the charter of the Virginia Company of London . The tower of Jamestown Church ( c. 1639–1643) is one of the oldest surviving Anglican church structures in the United States. The Jamestown church building itself

9313-450: The South were able to keep their churches open and services continued. In the wake of the Revolution, American Episcopalians faced the task of preserving a hierarchical church structure in a society infused with republican values . When the clergy of Connecticut elected Samuel Seabury as their bishop in 1783, he sought consecration in England. The Oath of Supremacy prevented Seabury's consecration in England, so he went to Scotland;

9452-442: The Stuart king Charles I as an upholder of his Coronation Oath to protect the Church of England became a hallmark of High Church orthodoxy. At the same time, the Stuart dynasty was expected to maintain its adherence to Anglicanism. This became an important issue for the High Church party and it was to disturb the Restoration Settlement under Charles II's brother, King James II, a convert to Roman Catholicism, and lead to setbacks for

9591-401: The Vietnam War. During this time period, African-American clergy organized the Union of Black Episcopalians to achieve full inclusion of African Americans at all levels of the Episcopal Church. Women were first admitted as delegates to the church's general convention in 1970. In 1975, Vaughan Booker, who confessed to the murder of his wife and was sentenced to life in prison, was ordained to

9730-419: The agreement of the communion prior to these steps being taken. In response, the American Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada answered that the actions had been undertaken after lengthy scriptural and theological reflection, legally in accordance with their own canons and constitutions and after extensive consultation with the provinces of the communion. The Primates' Meeting voted to request

9869-493: The archbishop of Canterbury's refusal to be in communion with the affected jurisdictions. In line with the suggestion of the Windsor Report , Rowan Williams (the then archbishop of Canterbury) established a working group to examine the feasibility of an Anglican covenant which would articulate the conditions for communion in some fashion. The Anglican Communion consists of forty-two autonomous provinces each with its own primate and governing structure. These provinces may take

10008-578: The arts, and education. About three-quarters of the signers of the Declaration of Independence were affiliated with the Episcopal Church, and over a quarter of all Presidents of the United States have been Episcopalians. Historically, Episcopalians were overrepresented among American scientific elite and Nobel Prize winners. Numbers of the most wealthy and affluent American families , such as Boston Brahmin , Old Philadelphians , Tidewater , and Lowcountry gentry or old money , are Episcopalians. In

10147-469: The attempt to reimpose episcopacy on the Church of Scotland , a policy that was 'successful' until the reign of William and Mary, when the office of bishop was discontinued except among the small minority of Scots who belonged to the Scottish Episcopal Church. In the wake of the disestablishment of Anglicanism and the persecution of Anglican beliefs and practices under the Commonwealth , the return of

10286-517: The autonomous provinces of the communion. Taken together, however, the four do function as "instruments of communion", since all churches of the communion participate in them. In order of antiquity, they are: Since there is no binding authority in the Anglican Communion, these international bodies are a vehicle for consultation and persuasion. In recent times, persuasion has tipped over into debates over conformity in certain areas of doctrine, discipline, worship and ethics. The most notable example has been

10425-568: The bishops of the communion. Some effects of the Anglican Communion's dispersed authority have been differences of opinion (and conflicts) arising over divergent practices and doctrines in parts of the communion. Disputes that had been confined to the Church of England could be dealt with legislatively in that realm, but as the communion spread out into new countries and territories, and disparate cultures, controversies often multiplied and intensified. These controversies have generally been of two types: liturgical and social. Rapid social change and

10564-749: The ceremony Robinson wore a bullet-proof vest beneath his vestments , and he also received numerous death threats following his installation as bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire . In 2009, the General Convention charged the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music to develop theological and liturgical resources for same-sex blessings and report back to the General Convention in 2012. It also gave bishops an option to provide "generous pastoral support", especially where civil authorities have legalized same-gender marriage, civil unions, or domestic partnerships. On July 14, 2009,

10703-496: The church and equal protection under the law. The first openly gay person ordained as a priest was Ellen Barrett in 1977. Despite such an affirmation of gay rights , the General Convention affirmed in 1991 that "physical sexual expression" is only appropriate within the monogamous lifelong "union of husband and wife". The church elected its first openly gay bishop, Gene Robinson , in June 2003. News of Robinson's election caused

10842-525: The church but is an alternative commonly seen in English. Since several other churches in the Anglican Communion also use the name "Episcopal", including Scotland and the Philippines , some, for example the Anglicans Online directory, add the phrase "in the United States of America". The full legal name of the national church corporate body is the "Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society of

10981-493: The church is called Iglesia Episcopal Protestante de los Estados Unidos de América or Iglesia Episcopal , and in French Église protestante épiscopale des États-Unis d'Amérique or Église épiscopale . Until 1964, "The Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America" was the only official name in use. In the 19th century, high church members advocated changing the name, which they felt did not acknowledge

11120-644: The church's catholic heritage. They were opposed by the church's evangelical wing, which felt that the "Protestant Episcopal" label accurately reflected the Reformed character of Anglicanism. After 1877, alternative names were regularly proposed and rejected by the General Convention. One proposed alternative was "the American Catholic Church". Respondents to a 1961 poll in The Living Church favored "The American Episcopal Church." By

11259-429: The church's general convention was moved from Houston to Honolulu, due to continuing racial segregation in the former city. At the 1958 general convention, a coalition of liberal church members succeeded in passing a resolution recognizing "the natural dignity and value of every man, of whatever color or race, as created in the image of God". It called on Episcopalians "to work together, in charity and forbearance, towards

11398-426: The church, about three-quarters of the signers of the Declaration of Independence were nominally Anglican laymen, including Thomas Jefferson , William Paca , and George Wythe . It was often assumed that persons considered " High Church " were Loyalists, whereas persons considered " Low Church " were Patriots: assumptions with possibly dangerous implications for the time. Of the approximately three hundred clergy in

11537-405: The church; but it agreed to pass only advisory resolutions. These Lambeth Conferences have been held roughly every ten years since 1878 (the second such conference) and remain the most visible coming-together of the whole communion. The Lambeth Conference of 1998 included what has been seen by Philip Jenkins and others as a "watershed in global Christianity". The 1998 Lambeth Conference considered

11676-550: The colonies which remained linked to the crown, the Church of England began to appoint colonial bishops. In 1787, Charles Inglis ( Bishop of Nova Scotia ) was appointed with a jurisdiction over all of British North America; in time several more colleagues were appointed to other cities in present-day Canada. In 1814, a bishop of Calcutta was made; in 1824 the first bishop was sent to the West Indies and in 1836 to Australia. By 1840 there were still only ten colonial bishops for

11815-399: The coming days that will push us further apart." On July 10, 2012, the Episcopal Church approved an official liturgy for the blessing of same-sex relationships. This liturgy was not a marriage rite, but the blessing included an exchange of vows and the couple's agreement to enter into a lifelong committed relationship. On June 29, 2015, at the 78th General Convention of the Episcopal Church,

11954-563: The communion has more than 85 million members within the Church of England and other autocephalous national and regional churches in full communion. The traditional origins of Anglican doctrine are summarised in the Thirty-nine Articles (1571) and The Books of Homilies . The archbishop of Canterbury in England acts as a focus of unity, recognised as primus inter pares ("first among equals"), but does not exercise authority in Anglican provinces outside of

12093-430: The communion together: first, the shared ecclesial structure of the component churches, manifested in an episcopal polity maintained through the apostolic succession of bishops and synodical government; second, the principle of belief expressed in worship, investing importance in approved prayer books and their rubrics; and third, the historical documents and the writings of early Anglican divines that have influenced

12232-419: The communion's bishops, first convened in 1867 by Charles Longley , the archbishop of Canterbury. From the beginning, these were not intended to displace the autonomy of the emerging provinces of the communion, but to "discuss matters of practical interest, and pronounce what we deem expedient in resolutions which may serve as safe guides to future action". One of the enduringly influential early resolutions of

12371-558: The conference was the so-called Chicago-Lambeth Quadrilateral of 1888. Its intent was to provide the basis for discussions of reunion with the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches, but it had the ancillary effect of establishing parameters of Anglican identity. It establishes four principles with these words: That, in the opinion of this Conference, the following Articles supply a basis on which approach may be by God's blessing made towards Home Reunion: (a) The Holy Scriptures of

12510-522: The controversy over the ordination of the Philadelphia Eleven, the General Convention permitted the ordination of women in 1976 and recognized the ordinations of the 15 forerunners. The first women were canonically ordained to the priesthood in 1977. The first woman to become a bishop, Barbara Harris , was consecrated on February 11, 1989. At the same time, there was still tolerance for those dioceses which opposed women's ordination. In 1994,

12649-615: The convention, led many African-American deputies in a "walk out" protest of the convention. In 1967, Lichtenberger's successor, John Hines , led the Episcopal Church to implement the General Convention Special Program (GCSP). The program was designed to redirect nine million dollars over a three-year period (a quarter of the church's operating budget at the time) to fund special grants for community organizations and grassroots efforts facilitating black empowerment in America's urban ghettos. The effectiveness of

12788-568: The departures of their conservative majorities, all three dioceses now ordain women. With the October 16, 2010, ordination of Margaret Lee, in the Peoria-based Diocese of Quincy, Illinois, women have been ordained as priests in all dioceses of the Episcopal Church in the United States. The Episcopal Church affirmed at the 1976 General Convention that homosexuals are "children of God" who deserve acceptance and pastoral care from

12927-490: The development of the modern communion was the idea of the Lambeth Conferences (discussed above). These conferences demonstrated that the bishops of disparate churches could manifest the unity of the church in their episcopal collegiality despite the absence of universal legal ties. Some bishops were initially reluctant to attend, fearing that the meeting would declare itself a council with power to legislate for

13066-483: The diaconate in Graterford State Prison 's chapel in Pennsylvania after having repented of his sins, becoming a symbol of redemption and atonement. In recent decades, the Episcopal Church, like other mainline churches, has experienced a decline in membership as well as internal controversy over women's ordination and the place of homosexuals in the church . The 1976 General Convention also passed

13205-487: The dissipation of British cultural hegemony over its former colonies contributed to disputes over the role of women, and the parameters of marriage and divorce. In the late 1970s, the Continuing Anglican movement produced a number of new church bodies in opposition to women's ordination , prayer book changes, and the new understandings concerning marriage. The first such controversy of note concerned that of

13344-478: The effect that Anglican orders could be accepted, yet have still reordained former Anglican clergy; other Eastern Orthodox churches have rejected Anglican orders altogether. Orthodox bishop Kallistos Ware explains this apparent discrepancy as follows: Anglican clergy who join the Orthodox Church are reordained; but [some Orthodox churches hold that] if Anglicanism and Orthodoxy were to reach full unity in

13483-546: The elements ordained by Him. (d) The Historic Episcopate , locally adapted in the methods of its administration to the varying needs of the nations and peoples called of God into the Unity of His Church. As mentioned above, the Anglican Communion has no international juridical organisation. The archbishop of Canterbury's role is strictly symbolic and unifying and the communion's three international bodies are consultative and collaborative, their resolutions having no legal effect on

13622-571: The episcopate's role in manifesting visible catholicity and ecumenism. Early in its development following the English Reformation , Anglicanism developed a vernacular prayer book, called the Book of Common Prayer . Unlike other traditions, Anglicanism has never been governed by a magisterium nor by appeal to one founding theologian, nor by an extra-credal summary of doctrine (such as the Westminster Confession of

13761-544: The establishment ... of full opportunities in fields such as education, housing, employment and public accommodations". A 2,500-word pastoral letter was sent by the House of Bishops to be read at all 7,290 Episcopal churches, urging justice in racial matters, with reference to the Supreme Court decision on integration in public schools. In response, the Episcopal Society for Cultural and Racial Unity (ESCRU)

13900-422: The ethos of the communion, an ethos reinforced by its interpretation and expansion by such influential early theologians such as Richard Hooker , Lancelot Andrewes and John Cosin . With the expansion of the British Empire and the growth of Anglicanism outside Great Britain and Ireland, the communion sought to establish new vehicles of unity. The first major expressions of this were the Lambeth Conferences of

14039-424: The ethos of the communion. Originally, the Church of England was self-contained and relied for its unity and identity on its own history, its traditional legal and episcopal structure, and its status as an established church of the state. As such, Anglicanism was from the outset a movement with an explicitly episcopal polity, a characteristic that has been vital in maintaining the unity of the communion by conveying

14178-406: The existing bishops. He was the first bishop of the Episcopal Church ordained and consecrated in America and the fifth bishop consecrated for the Episcopal Church in the United States. In 1856, the first society for African Americans in the Episcopal Church was founded by James Theodore Holly . Named The Protestant Episcopal Society for Promoting The Extension of The Church Among Colored People ,

14317-487: The faith, perhaps such reordination might not be found necessary. It should be added, however, that a number of individual Orthodox theologians hold that under no circumstances would it be possible to recognise the validity of Anglican Orders. High church Because of its history, the term high church also refers to aspects of Anglicanism quite distinct from the Oxford Movement or Anglo-Catholicism. There remain parishes that are high church and yet adhere closely to

14456-605: The fathers of the Oxford Movement and, for a time, a high churchman himself. A lifelong High Churchman, the Reverend Edward Bouverie Pusey remained the spiritual father of the Oxford Movement who remained a priest in the Church of England. To a lesser extent, looking back from the 19th century, the term high church also came to be associated with the beliefs of the Caroline divines and with

14595-560: The first General Convention. They drafted a constitution, proposed a first draft of an American Book of Common Prayer, and began negotiating with English Bishops for the consecration of three bishops. The convention met again in 1786 to make several changes that made their liturgy acceptable to the English bishops and to recommend three clergy (who had been elected by state meetings in Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New York) for consecration as bishops. General Convention met again in 1789, beginning

14734-587: The first to practice in the U.S. and the first black person to sit in the House of Bishops . Bishop Ferguson was consecrated on June 24, 1885, with the then-Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church acting as a consecrator. In the following year, Henry C. Potter , Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New York, addressed his clergymen upon the question of Labor. Church Association for the Advancement of

14873-456: The form of national churches (such as in Canada, Uganda, or Japan) or a collection of nations (such as the West Indies , Central Africa, or Southeast Asia). In addition to the forty-two provinces, there are five extraprovincial churches under the metropolitical authority of the archbishop of Canterbury. In September 2020, the Archbishop of Canterbury announced that he had asked the bishops of

15012-617: The group term Old Dissent . In contrast to the Old High Church's alliance with the Tories , Anglo-Catholicism became increasingly associated with socialism , the Labour Party and greater decision-making liberty for the church's convocations. From the mid-19th century onward, the term High Church generally became associated with a more Anglo-Catholic , while the Latitudinarians were referred to as being Broad Church and

15151-775: The growing influence of the Catholic Revival manifested in the Tractarian and so-called Ritualist controversies of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This controversy produced the Free Church of England and, in the United States and Canada, the Reformed Episcopal Church . While individual Anglicans and member churches within the communion differ in good faith over the circumstances in which abortion should or should not be permitted, Lambeth Conference resolutions have consistently held to

15290-565: The issue of the theology of same-sex attraction in relation to human sexuality. At this 1998 conference for the first time in centuries the Christians of developing regions, especially, Africa, Asia and Latin America, prevailed over the bishops of more prosperous countries (many from the US, Canada and the UK) who supported a redefinition of Anglican doctrine. Seen in this light, 1998 is a date that marked

15429-415: The jurisdiction of the bishop of London . After the American Revolution , the parishes in the newly independent country found it necessary to break formally from a church whose supreme governor was (and remains) the British monarch . Thus they formed their own dioceses and national church, the Episcopal Church in the United States of America , in a mostly amicable separation. At about the same time, in

15568-594: The king, the royal family, and the British Parliament . In general, loyalist clergy stayed by their oaths and prayed for the king or else suspended services. By the end of 1776, some Anglican churches were closing. Anglican priests held services in private homes or lay readers who were not bound by the oaths held morning and evening prayer. During 1775 and 1776, the Continental Congress issued decrees ordering churches to fast and pray on behalf of

15707-527: The late 19th and early 20th centuries, many Episcopalians were active in the Social Gospel movement. Since the 1960s and 1970s, the church has pursued a more liberal Christian course; there remains a wide spectrum of liberals and conservatives within the church. In 2015, the church's 78th triennial General Convention passed resolutions allowing the blessing of same-sex marriages and approved two official liturgies to bless such unions. It has opposed

15846-461: The later formation of the Scottish Episcopal Church began in 1582 in the reign of James VI over disagreements about the role of bishops. The oldest-surviving Anglican church building outside the British Isles (Britain and Ireland) is St Peter's Church in St George's , Bermuda , established in 1612 (though the actual building had to be rebuilt several times over the following century). This

15985-452: The member churches. There is an Anglican Communion Office in London, under the aegis of the archbishop of Canterbury , but it serves only in a supporting and organisational role. The communion is held together by a shared history, expressed in its ecclesiology , polity and ethos , and also by participation in international consultative bodies. Three elements have been important in holding

16124-414: The middle of the 19th century, evangelical Episcopalians disturbed by High Church Tractarianism , while continuing to work in interdenominational agencies, formed their own voluntary societies, and eventually, in 1874, a faction objecting to the revival of ritual practices established the Reformed Episcopal Church . Samuel David Ferguson was the first black bishop consecrated by the Episcopal Church,

16263-508: The need for "programmes at diocesan level, involving both men and women ... to emphasise the sacredness of all human life, the moral issues inherent in clinical abortion, and the possible implications of genetic engineering." In the context of debates around and proposals for the legalisation of euthanasia and assisted suicide , the 1998 conference affirmed that "life is God-given and has intrinsic sanctity, significance and worth". More recently, disagreements over homosexuality have strained

16402-539: The objection of many provinces of the communion (particularly in Africa and Asia) to the changing acceptance of LGBTQ+ individuals in the North American churches (e.g., by blessing same-sex unions and ordaining and consecrating same-sex relationships) and to the process by which changes were undertaken. (See Anglican realignment ) Those who objected condemned these actions as unscriptural, unilateral, and without

16541-518: The one hand and Roman Catholics who recognised the primacy of the Pope on the other, resulted in an association of churches that was both deliberately vague about doctrinal principles, yet bold in developing parameters of acceptable deviation. These parameters were most clearly articulated in the various rubrics of the successive prayer books, as well as the Thirty-nine Articles of Religion (1563). These articles have historically shaped and continue to direct

16680-603: The passage through Parliament of the Consecration of Bishops Abroad Act 1786. Thus there are two branches of apostolic succession for the American bishops: through the non-juring bishops of Scotland who consecrated Samuel Seabury and through the English bishops who consecrated William White, Samuel Provoost, and James Madison. All bishops in the American church are ordained by at least three bishops. The succession of each bishop can be historically traced back to Seabury, White, Provoost, and Madison. ( See Succession of Bishops of

16819-601: The pietistic emphases of the period, practised by the Little Gidding community , such as fasting and lengthy preparations before receiving the Eucharist . During the reign of King James I , there were attempts to diminish the growth of party feeling within the Church of England, and indeed to reconcile to the Church moderate Puritans who did not already conform to the Established Church or who had left

16958-555: The priesthood in the Episcopal Church. The Rev. Cameron Partridge , who transitioned in 2001 and was ordained in 2005, was the first openly transgender priest to preach at the Washington National Cathedral. Anglican Communion The Anglican Communion is the third largest Christian communion after the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches. Formally founded in 1867 in London,

17097-680: The quintessentially Anglican usages and liturgical practices of the Book of Common Prayer . These are now referred to as Centre Church . High church Anglicanism tends to be closer than low church to Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox teachings and spirituality; its hallmarks are relatively elaborate music, altarpieces , and clergy vestments and an emphasis on sacraments . It is intrinsically traditional . High church nonetheless includes many bishops, other clergy and adherents sympathetic to mainstream modern consensus across reformed Christianity that, according to official Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Christian teachings, are anathema (see

17236-426: The rantings of the low churchmen that their Cavalier ancestors had defeated. Over time, their High Church position had become ossified among a remnant of bookish churchmen and country squires. An example of an early 19th-century churchman of this tradition is Sir Robert Inglis MP. Only with the success of the Oxford Movement and its increasing emphases on ritualistic revival from the mid-19th century onward, did

17375-420: The same tenor as those later found under the Catholic revival of the 19th century. High Church clergy and laity were often termed high and dry , in reference to their traditional high attitude with regard to political position of the Church in England, and dry faith, which was accompanied by an austere but decorous mode of worship, as reflective of their idea of an orderly and dignified churchmanship against

17514-404: The same time giving the church a central role in the cultural transformation of the country. Another mark of influence is the fact that more than a quarter of all presidents of the United States have been Episcopalians (see religious affiliations of presidents of the United States ). It was during this period that the Book of Common Prayer was revised, first in 1892 and later in 1928. In 1955,

17653-525: The shift from a West-dominated Christianity to one wherein the growing churches of the two-thirds world are predominant. Many of the provinces in developed countries have continued to adopt more liberal stances on sexuality and other issues, resulting in a number of de facto schisms, such the series of splits which led to the creation of the Anglican Church in North America . Many churches are now in full communion with only some other churches but not others, although all churches continue to claim to be part of

17792-545: The society argued that blacks should be allowed to participate in seminaries and diocesan conventions. The group lost its focus when Holly emigrated to Haiti, but other groups followed after the Civil War. The current Union of Black Episcopalians traces its history to the society. Holly went on to found the Anglican Church in Haiti , where he became the first African-American bishop on November 8, 1874. As Bishop of Haiti, Holly

17931-607: The stated position of the church's leadership. In January 2016, the Anglican Primates Meeting at Canterbury decided that in response to the "distance" caused by what it called "unilateral action on matters of doctrine without catholic unity", "for a period of three years, The Episcopal Church [would neither] represent [the Communion] on ecumenical and interfaith bodies… [nor] take part in decision making on any issues pertaining to doctrine or polity ." In 1976,

18070-503: The strongest terms Christians reject the practice of induced abortion or infanticide, which involves the killing of a life already conceived (as well as a violation of the personality of the mother), save at the dictate of strict and undeniable medical necessity ... the sacredness of life is, in Christian eyes, an absolute which should not be violated. The subsequent Lambeth Conference, in 1978, made no change to this position and commended

18209-687: The term High Church begin to mean something approaching the later term Anglo-Catholic . Even then, it was only employed coterminously in contrast to the Low churchmanship of the Evangelical position. This sought, once again, to lessen the separation of Anglicans (the Established Church) from the majority of Protestant Nonconformists , who by this time included the Methodists as well as adherents of older Protestant denominations like Baptists , Congregationalists , and Presbyterians known by

18348-546: The two churches to withdraw their delegates from the 2005 meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council. Canada and the United States decided to attend the meeting but without exercising their right to vote. They have not been expelled or suspended, since there is no mechanism in this voluntary association to suspend or expel an independent province of the communion. Since membership is based on a province's communion with Canterbury, expulsion would require

18487-533: The unity of High Church party. Later events surrounding the attempts of the Jacobites , the adherents of the excluded dynasts, to regain the English and Scottish thrones, led to a sharpening of anti-Catholic rhetoric in Britain and a distancing of the High Church party from the more ritualistic aspects of Caroline High churchmanship, which were often associated with the schismatic Non-Jurors . Thomas Hancorne ,

18626-565: The unity of the communion as well as its relationships with other Christian denominations, leading to another round of withdrawals from the Anglican Communion. Some churches were founded outside the Anglican Communion in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, largely in opposition to the ordination of openly homosexual bishops and other clergy and are usually referred to as belonging to the Anglican realignment movement, or else as "orthodox" Anglicans. These disagreements were especially noted when

18765-596: Was founded in December 1959 in order to eliminate racial, ethnic, and class barriers within the Episcopal Church. Opposition from southern church leaders prevented the Episcopal Church from taking a strong stand on civil rights prior to 1963. One prominent opponent of the movement was Charles C.J. Carpenter , the Bishop of Alabama. By 1963, many church leaders felt more comfortable speaking out in support of racial equality. That year, Presiding Bishop Arthur Lichtenberger wrote

18904-522: Was given over to the rule of the Whig party and the aristocratic families who were in large measure pragmatic latitudinarians in churchmanship. This was also the Age of Reason , which marked a period of great spiritual somnolence and stultification in the Church of England. Thus, by the end of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th, those liturgical practices prevalent even in High Church circles were not of

19043-433: Was ruled that, except where specifically established, the Church of England had just the same legal position as any other church. Thus a colonial bishop and colonial diocese was by nature quite a different thing from their counterparts back home. In time bishops came to be appointed locally rather than from England and eventually national synods began to pass ecclesiastical legislation independent of England. A crucial step in

19182-605: Was the first African American to attend the Lambeth Conference . However, he was consecrated by the American Church Missionary Society, an Evangelical Episcopal branch of the Church. Episcopal missions chartered by African-Americans in this era were chartered as a Colored Episcopal Mission . All other missions (white) were chartered as an Organized Episcopal Mission. Many historically Black parishes are still in existence to date. When

19321-404: Was the first woman to become a primate in the Anglican Communion. Schori's election was controversial in the wider Anglican Communion because not all of the communion recognized the ordination of women. At the time of the formation of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA), three U.S. dioceses did not ordain women as priests or bishops: San Joaquin , Quincy , and Fort Worth . Following

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