Episcopal Church?

J

jimmyjazz

2,500+ Posts
My family has been looking for a church for quite a while now. We're driven by the same thing that brings most people back to the church -- kids. I just don't want them growing up without that influence. My wife and I could use a little religion, too.

I was raised Presbyterian. My wife was raised Southern Baptist. She is probably more willing to "compromise" than I am. I don't like touchy-feely church services led by pastors without a keen intellect and a deep knowledge of both theology and history. I was raised in a church where the pastor had a PhD in history, and he had a profound effect on me.

So far, we're coming up a little short in terms of Protestant churches near our house. We're starting to consider my brother-in-law's church (St. David's Episcopal) downtown, as we've always felt welcome there. Furthermore, the rector seems to have many of the characteristics I'm used to in a church leader. Of course, the services are highly ritualized, which I find refreshing, as does my wife.

So what should we expect in terms of theology, doctrine, etc., especially in comparison to the Presbyterian and Baptist denominations? I understand that the Episcopal Church is essentially the Anglican Church, but beyond that, I'm not sure of the commonalities and differences between it and other Protestant denominations. (Of course, we have much homework to do. This thread is just the start of the process.)

Any thoughts are welcome, including discussion of any pressing social issues of the day that many churches struggle with (abortion, gays in the church, the role of women in the church, etc.)
 
It all depends on whether you have a conservative view or not towards the Bible. I think all Christian Churches are against abortion, if they are not they are not really a church. Episcopal and Methodist Churches allow women clergy and are pretty tolerent of homosexuality, I believe. I know that most mainline churches(episcopal,methodist, etc) have shrinking memberships and are 'grayer' age wise. In my area, anyway, evangelical churches appear to have larger youth groups. My children were raised catholic and were pretty much involved their whole childhood in the church.
 
Well if its gays you want, you'll find plenty of them in the Episcopal Church. My parents thought it would be a good idea to drag my brothers and me to a gay Episcopal Church when we were young as a form of "opening our eyes" to other things.

Didn't bother me too much one way or another except when they'd call up anniversaries each week and my brother and I would giggle when it was two guys -- which was most of the time.
 
pevo and others: The United Methodist Church views "homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching" It also teaches that (this is a paraphrase from a longer quotation) all people are people of sacred worth.

This means that in the UMC people can be gay and be members, but the UMC does not ordain 'self avowed practicing homosexuals.' This is because all clergy must be 'celibite outside of marriage or faithful in marriage.' So technically you can be gay and be ordained in the UMC. You just must then choose to live a life of celibecy.
 
Holy Trinity Episcopal is a great church! i know the rector and his wife and they are fantastic.......

I went to St Davids as a kid......when we left it i finally started enjoying church. before that i hated sundays with a passion and felt guilty about it.
 
I think the Episcopal Church is a good balance between the Catholic and Protestant churches. Our experience is that the clergy tends to run liberal (or a lot liberal), but not at all churches. Definitely shop around.

However, it is a great balance. My family and I like the "higher" churches (e.g. more ritual). But, the Church is very tolerant. We're not known as "Whiskey-palians" for nothing!

Unfortunately, the Episcopal Church is not known for very strong youth programs. When our daughter was in high school, we attended an Episcopal Church, but she participated in a Presbyterian youth program on Wed night because it was closer to home, her friends were there, and they had a better program. We were ok with that. She's a cradle Episcopalian, she'll get married in the Church, and we expect that she raise her kids in the Church.

Note: the Archbishop of Canterbury is a kook. However, he has no control of the US Church, thank goodness.
 
What church would Jesus attend? An anti-gay church? A church that doesn't allow women in leadership roles? An anti-semitic church?
 
what does "anti-gay" mean? is that someone who is against gay people or against gay behavior?

i don't think Jesus would want us to be against any gay people, but I do think he would uphold the Torah on homosexuality. the fact that we live during a time that we are dispensing with the key difference in such issues concerns me greatly.


the Episcopal church is dying so fast as to make it quite expedient to join an Anglican church. Same goes for the Presbyterian Church USA, which lost over 300,000 members last year alone (that's out of just over 3 million adherents).

Once the liberal churches abandoned sound teaching Biblically they were destined to begin coming irrelevant despite how hard they are trying to remain relevant.
 
If smart ministers is a key criterium the Epicopal Church is a good place to look. They are not only smart but talke an intellectual approach, rather than a fiery or dogmatic one. Although I have a number of criticisms of the Episcopal Church I always liked their general theory.
 
Jimmy-

The Episcopal Church welcomes you. I love St. Davids, and like you am a big fan of the rector, David Boyd- unlike what you may have heard about the Episcopal church on this thread thus far, in the Episcopal Church and St. Davids in particular you will find an inclusive, young (and getting younger), and rapidly expanding community of honest search and belief.

I don't know where people get the idea that the church is "dying". It is not, and as a cradle Episcopalian I can confidently say that it is more vibrant and alive and responsive than at any time in my life, providing a real spiritual home for the congregation, and not just a place to be seen on Christmas Eve and Easter.

Likewise, I don't know what to make of the "lack of youth programs" comment, since in my experience youth programs have been rapidly expanding for years.

We transfered our membership to St. Alban's (far south) about 2 months ago, because we weren't making the drive into town on Sundays like we needed to. We love St. Albans. But my kids still attend school at St. Davids, and more importantly my wife and I are also involved in the Trinity Center, which is the Church's homeless outreach program, operating out of the basement.

In the Episcopal Church you will find a congregation that is committed to Christ's love. Our teaching and doctrine are serious, but we have no room for judgment of or on the souls of our brothers and sisters. We don't sing as loudly as we should, but we're working on it.
There are two services at St. David's- a traditional mass, and also a contemporary praise service with acoustic guitars and handing out crayons to kids and balloons and whatnot. I come out of a very high church tradition and honestly the contemporary service is too protestant nondenominational for me. But that's the point- as a church we're adapting to serve a population that desperately needs us. And if serving means we don't force them to cross themselves and swish incense under their noses, so be it- the traditions will be there for those who want them.

As for doctrine and so forth, that's a much more complicated question. The Church Universal splits along lines that sinners draw in sand, and for this reason I don't believe it's split at all. Christ asks that I remove the great beam from my own eye and to love my neighbors (and my enemies, even!), and that's plenty enough for me without worrying about who I should exclude from this or that. The Episcopal Church supports me in this work, and for me that's fine.
 
mop, I agree with bozo . . . it seems like you're trying to rock the boat here. Is it OK with you if I say that I am comfortable with an Aryan attending whatever church I attend?

I don't really like the idea of a church that isn't willing to get in the trenches. Sinners seem to be pretty abundant as far as I can tell, and differentiating between the sins in an effort to exclude seems silly.
 
Has anyone gone to St. James off of East MLK (Webberville) lately? As a member of the UT Episcopal student group, we'd go to their 6:00 PM contemporary service every now and again. We called it their "Jazz service," but I don't think they did. You might consider going out there once in a while. Fun service, nice people.

St. David's had a pretty robust youth program that I helped out with a few times. Again, this is more than a few years ago, so things might have changed.
 
i actually agree with both of you as long as that means it is ok to call sin sin. in other words, i am fine with a member of the aryan brotherhood attending my church, but when we get to a passage that teaches against racism (the good samaritan for instance) it should be taught STRONGLY without apology.

the same goes for someone who is living an active gay lifestyle. when we get to Romans 1.

that's my only point. nothing to complicated.

however, i do think there is a time to challenge someone directly in their sin and if they refuse to repent then ask them to leave......this is what Jesus taught in Matthew 18 and what Paul taught in 1 Corinthians 5 and 6.
 
That's completely different from what I said and you know it. I said we don't sit in judgment of or on their souls.
Yes, sin is called sin in the Episcopal church. The focus, however, is on confessing our own and redeeming ourselves, not "casting stones" at others.

In reply to:
Click to expand...
 
bozo,
I like your replies and information on this thread quite a bit. I don't think mop meant anything personal or really attacking by his questions.

I do know that I have a good friend who went to Falls Church (Episcopal) in VA. This is a large OLD Church in the denomination that is currently in the process of leaving, along with others in the diocese (sorry I can't spell well). He moved to Houston a couple of years ago and he has found a Church there, Episcopal as well, but he has reservations about his church there not calling sin sin, and he feels that the Denomination as a whole has lost it's authourity by not submitting to Scriptural authourity. This is his point of view as an Episcopalian. He understands why so many churches are leaving to place themselves under the authourity of African bishops, or being more independant like Christ Church in Plano. All this to be said to say that many Americans ONLY know what the American media says about the Episcopal Church, which is to highly publicise the most controversial things done.
 
yeah bozo...i was honestly asking because many episcopal churches have the reputation (whether true or false i don't know) of being just fine with such things. at my church, which is conservative evangelical charismatic (hope chapel) homosexuality comes up once every year or two. it is certainly not a pet issue or some mean-spirited issue like it is so often depicted by mainliners.

i am sure there are misunderstandings on both sides of the aisle on this issue. i am finishing up my MDiv at Austin Pres so i am certainly not some sheltered person who is not in touch with these things....
 
Mop, I've been to Hope Chapel and it seemed to be a very loving community of believers. I didn't presume any mean spiritedness. The Episcopal church has the reputation it has because we do not have outcasts. Episcopalians are "just fine" with sinners because we are sinners.
 
yeah bozo....i think a few bad apples have made both sides seem bad. at any rate, i was just making sure that it was still ok to preach from the scriptures on controversial issues (like racism, homosexuality and greed)....
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Weekly Prediction Contest

* Predict HORNS-AGGIES *
Sat, Nov 30 • 6:30 PM on ABC

Recent Threads

Prediction Results Threads

2024 Schedules

Back
Top