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Getting To Know Our Ecumenical
Partners:
The Episcopalians
by Rocky Piro,
Commission on Ecumenical Relations Chair
This is the final
article in a series for The Spirit on church bodies with
which the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) has
entered into full communion. This month we focus on the Episcopal
Church in the United States (ECUS), the latest denomination with
which the ELCA has established a full communion relationship.
Other ecumenical partners include the Presbyterian Church (USA),
the Reformed Church in America, the United Church of Christ and
the Moravian Church. (Articles are posted on the synod’s website
at www.lutheransnw.org in their entirety.)
The Episcopal
Church traces its origins to the Church of England and the 16th Century English Reformation. As with
the Lutheran reformation movement on the European continent, the
English reformation movement evolved and took shape over time.
Under the leadership of Archbishop Thomas Cramner (1489-1556) and
others, many of the basic reformation principles espoused by
Martin Luther and John Calvin, a Swiss theologian, were
incorporated into the life and doctrine of the Church of England.
In fact, the primary doctrinal statement of the English
Reformation, the Thirty-Nine Articles, draws significantly
from the 28 articles of the Lutheran Augsburg Confession.
Church of England congregations
were established in North America by the colonists. After the
American Revolution, the Episcopal Church became an independent,
national church, while remaining
a part of the Anglican Communion of churches. (“Anglican”
is an adjective meaning “English.”) Similar to the Lutheran World Federation, the
Anglican Communion is an association of churches which share an
historical bond and common understanding of Christianity.
Even though the Anglican Communion has English-European roots,
today the majority of Anglicans around the globe are persons of
color.
Many of the early Lutheran
immigrants to the United States developed cordial relationships
with Episcopalians. Indeed, some of the oldest Lutheran
congregations on the East Coast—in Delaware and
Pennsylvania—actually belong to the Episcopal Church, having
transferred in shortly after they discontinued the use of Swedish
in favor of English.
For Episcopalians, the Holy
Scriptures contain everything necessary for Christian belief. The
two sacraments instituted by Jesus, Holy Baptism and Holy
Communion, are central to Christian life. Baptism breaks the hold
of sin on human life and makes the individual a part of Christ’s church. Holy Communion
renews the relationship with God and the church that was given in Baptism. The Episcopal Church’s
worship is based on the Book of Common Prayer. For Episcopalians, many traditions
developed by Christians throughout the ages are viewed as
useful ways of interpreting Scripture and enriching the life of
the church.
Membership in the
Episcopal Church in the United States is more than 2.5
million. There are more than 7,400 congregations across the
country. Worldwide, the Anglican Communion has 70 million members
and is growing.
Episcopalians have a strong commitment to ecumenism, both
in joint mission efforts and in dialogue. The Episcopal Church maintains
a number of social agencies,
hospitals and schools. The church is also very active in
dealing with both domestic and foreign crises of hunger, refugee
resettlement and poverty.
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