Of or relating to England or the English
During the Reformation in the 16th Century, Henry VIII declared the
Church of England independent of the Roman Catholic Church with himself
as its head. It was the result of many factors, some political and some
theological, but it has given rise to a distinct form of Christianity,
known as Anglicanism.
The Episcopal Church is a member of the worldwide Anglican Communion,
the churches around the world that trace their roots to the Church of
England, and maintain a “communion” with it, hence the name
“Anglican.” Other members of the Communion include the Anglican
Church of Canada and the Anglican Church of Nigeria. In fact, most Anglicans
now live in Africa.
The member churches of the Anglican Communion are joined together by
choice in love, and have no direct authority over one another. The Archbishop
of Canterbury, the head of the Church of England, is acknowledged as
the spiritual head of the Anglican Communion, but while respected, the
Archbishop does not have direct authority over any Anglican Church outside
of England.
While there are other churches that call themselves “Anglican,”
only one Church in any country can be considered “in full communion”
with the Church of England, and the Episcopal Church is the American
member of the Communion.
Of or relating to a succession of spiritual authority from the 12 Apostles, regarded by Anglicans, Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, and some others to have been perpetuated by successive ordinations of bishops and to be requisite for valid orders and administration of sacraments.
A sacrament marked by the symbolic use of water and resulting in admission of the recipient into the church. This is full initiation by water and the Holy Spirit into Christ's Body, the church. God establishes an indissoluble bond with each person in baptism. God adopts us, making us members of the church and inheritors of the Kingdom of God. In baptism we are made sharers in the new life of the Holy Spirit and the forgiveness of sins. Baptism is the foundation for all future church participation and ministry. Each candidate for baptism in the Episcopal Church is to be sponsored by one or more baptized persons. Sponsors (godparents) speak on behalf of candidates for baptism that are infants or younger children and cannot speak for themselves at the Presentation and Examination of the Candidates. During the baptismal rite the members of the congregation promise to do all they can to support the candidates for baptism in their life in Christ. They join with the candidates by renewing the baptismal covenant. The water of baptism may be administered by immersion or effusion (pouring). Candidates are baptized "in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit," and then marked on the forehead with the sign of the cross.
One who has received the sacrament of Baptism.
The Holy Scriptures of the Old Testament and New Testament, written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, containing all things necessary to salvation. The Old Testament reveals God's mighty acts in creation, the deliverance of the people of Israel from bondage in Egypt, and the making of the old covenant with the chosen people. God's saving will for his people is made known in the Old Testament through the gift of the Law in the Ten Commandments and through the witness of the prophets. The Old Testament is also known as the "Hebrew Scriptures." The New Testament describes the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Messiah, whose coming was foretold in the Old Testament. It also tells the story of the creation of the Christian church through the gift of the Holy Spirit and presents the new covenant, based on love, which is the new relationship with God given by Jesus Christ to all who believe in him. The additional books of the Apocrypha, written by people of the old covenant, are often included in the Bible. Although selections from the Apocrypha are used in the worship of the Episcopal Church, the Apocryphal books are not generally considered of equal scriptural authority in Anglicanism with the Old Testament and New Testament.
The chief ecclesiastical authority, in modern churches usually in charge
of a diocese and regarded as having received the highest ordination
in unbroken succession from the apostles.
“Episcopal” means “bishop” in Greek, and the
Episcopal Church is governed in part by its bishops. The basic unit
of ministry in the Episcopal Church is the “diocese,” or
a region of a reasonable number of Episcopalians. Each diocese is presided
over by a “diocesan bishop” who may have help from a variety
of other kinds of bishops, depending on the circumstances. The Diocesan
Bishop chooses and ordains priests and deacons to serve the “parishes,”
or congregations, of the diocese, which carryout the ministry of the
diocese in their local communities.
Now called the Anglican Church. During the reign of King Henry VIII, the Church, in England, broke formal ties with Rome and became the Church of England
The body of people ordained for religious service (i.e. deacons, priests,
and bishops).
Members of one of three distinct orders of ordained ministry (with bishops and presbyters). In the Episcopal Church a deacon exercises "a special ministry of servanthood" directly under the deacon's bishop, serving all people and especially those in need. This definition reflects the practice of the early church, in which deacons were ordained "not to the priesthood but to the servanthood [diakonia, "ministry"] of the bishop" (Hippolytus, Apostolic Tradition). In the ancient Greek-speaking world the term diakonos meant an intermediary who acted or spoke for a superior. Christian deacons were agents of the bishop, often with oversight of charity. Since ancient times the liturgical functions of deacons have suggested the activity of angels. As they proclaim the gospel, lead intercessions, wait at the Eucharistic table, and direct the order of the assembly, deacons act as sacred messengers, agents, and attendants. The revival of the order of deacons in the twentieth century has emphasized social care and service. Many bishops in the Episcopal Church expect their deacons to promote care of the needy outside the church. In addition to those who are ordained a deacon as a permanent vocation, there are also "transitional deacons" who are ordained deacon as a preliminary step toward ordination as a priest. This practice is required by the canons of the Episcopal Church, but those who favor direct ordination to the order for which one is chosen have questioned its theology and usefulness.
A geographic region containing a reasonable number of churches and
Episcopalians under the jurisdiction of a bishop.
Ecclesiastical Of or relating to a church, especially as an organized
institution.
1) Of or relating to a Bishop
2) Of, relating to, or involving church government by bishops.
3) Of, or relating to the Episcopal Church
Eucharist The sacrament of Christ's body and blood, and the principal act of Christian worship. The term is from the Greek, "thanksgiving." Jesus instituted the Eucharist "on the night when he was betrayed." At the Last Supper he shared the bread and cup of wine at a sacred meal with his disciples. He identified the bread with his body and the wine with his blood of the new covenant. Jesus commanded his disciples to "do this" in remembrance of him (see 1 Cor 11:23-26; Mk 14:22-25; Mt 26:26-29; Lk 22:14-20). Christ's sacrifice is made present by the Eucharist, and in it we are united to his one self-offering. The Last Supper provides the basis for the fourfold Eucharistic action of taking, blessing, breaking, and sharing. Christ's body and blood are really present in the sacrament of the Eucharist and received by faith. Christ's presence is also known in the gathered Eucharistic community. The Eucharist is also called the Lord's Supper, Holy Communion, the Divine Liturgy, the Mass, and the Great Offertory.
Something of mixed origin or composition
The body of people who are not clergy (see Clergy)
A prescribed form or set of forms for public religious worship. Also
it can be the church's public worship of God. The term is derived from
Greek words for "people" and "work." The church's
public worship of God is the work of the Christian people. The life
of Christ active in the church by the Spirit is expressed through liturgy.
In ancient Greece, liturgy indicated work done for the public at private
expense. Such public works were not necessarily religious in nature.
The unity of the members of the church in Christ is expressed most fully
in liturgy. Liturgy expresses the church's identity and mission, including
the church's calling to invite others and to serve with concern for
the needs of the world. Whether many or few do the liturgy, it is the
corporate liturgy of the whole church. Liturgy does not include private
devotions or acts of piety by individuals and groups. For example, saying
the Rosary is not a liturgy.
Liturgy is sacramental. Outward and visible realities are used to express
the inward and spiritual realities of God's presence in our lives. Liturgy
reflects the belief of incarnational theology that tangible and finite
things may reveal divine grace and glory. By the Spirit, through liturgy,
the church manifests the love of God and the unity we share in Christ.
The Father and the Son shared this loving unity, and it is offered to
all Christian believers. Liturgy is a public and social event. It engages
our lives and faith, our thoughts, feelings, hopes, and needs-especially
our need for salvation in Christ. Liturgy includes actions and words,
symbols and ritual, scriptures and liturgical texts, gestures and vestments,
prayers that are spoken or sung. The seasons, feasts, and fasts of the
calendar of the church year and the lectionaries also shape it for the
Holy Eucharist and the Daily Office. Liturgy is to involve the various
members and ministries of the church so that all are drawn together
into one living expression of divine worship. It expresses what we believe
and know about God, including belief and knowledge that cannot be completely
stated in words.
The term "liturgy" may refer to the rites or texts that order
the church's worship. It may indicate in particular the Eucharist, which
is also known as the Divine Liturgy. In eastern Christianity, the term
is applied more narrowly to the Eucharist and not to other rites of
divine worship. In the west, it includes all public rites and offices
of the church.
Of, relating to, or in accordance with liturgy.
To invest with ministerial or priestly authority; confer holy orders on.
The form of governance under which the church operates.
Derived from the Greek presbyteros, "elder," or "old man," the term is used as a synonym for presbyter. Presbyters constituted a collegiate ruling body of institutions in Judaism. The ministry of a priest or presbyter is to represent Christ and his Church, particularly as pastor to the people; to share with the bishop in the overseeing of the Church; to proclaim the gospel; to administer the sacraments; and to bless and declare pardon in the name of God. The term "priest" is more frequently used than "presbyter" in the Episcopal Church. Some members of the Episcopal Church have favored use of "presbyter" because of the historic association of the term "priest" with a narrow Eucharistic piety or with Old Testament sacrifice.
An outward and visible signs of inward and spiritual grace, given by Christ as sure and certain means for receiving God's grace.
Baptism and Eucharist (communion) are the two great sacraments given by Christ to the church. The Episcopal Church recognizes that five other sacramental rites evolved in the church under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, including Confirmation, Ordination, Holy Matrimony, Reconciliation (confession), and Unction (the anointing of the sick with oil, or the laying on of hands).
Having a focus on the sacraments.
This word comes from the Latin for "writings" and refers
to a collection of the most important documents in a given religious
community (i.e. Bible). Many different religions have scriptures. The
term "canon," which means a rule or listing, refers to the
list of items included in a scripture.
The word "Bible" is used by Christians to refer to the Old
Testament and New Testament, the two parts of scripture. Other books,
called the Apocrypha, are often included in the Bible. In the Jewish
tradition the Old Testament is called Hebrew Scripture. When early Christians
began to select writings for their scripture, they wanted to keep the
Hebrew scripture and therefore chose to use the titles Old Testament
(or covenant) for the Jewish writings and New Testament for the normative
Christian writings. The Apocrypha is a collection of books written by
people of the old covenant. The Articles of Religion note that these
books may be read "for example of life and instruction of manners,"
but are not used to establish any doctrine.
The selection of writings to be included in the New Testament was not
final until about 360 A.D. Some Christians did not want to include the
Gospel of John or the Second Letter of Peter. After a long period of
time, the currently accepted canon of scripture was determined on the
basis of apostolic authorship or attribution and widespread acceptance
of the texts included in the canon. (See also Bible, The)
A system or school of opinions concerning God and religious questions
Of or relating to theology