What We Believe
In the Anglican context, when we say "we believe…", we're speaking of our basic creedal affirmations, the simplest of which is:
"Jesus is Lord."
The Apostles' Creed and Nicene Creed are more detailed versions of this simple declaration. The Creeds flesh out this belief, and they always call on us to engage and to wrestle with them—to make them our own in some way. We do this with a certain ethos.
Here are the basics that guide us on our faith journeys:
We are a worldwide church. We always try to bring a global perspective to our thoughts and actions while being drawn together by a shared liturgy and texts.
We celebrate our diversity. Tolerance is an essential ingredient in the pursuit of truth. Tolerance is not an excuse or a sign of weakness.
We are a "seeker-friendly" church. We do not push our beliefs, we pull people in with our love.
We take the first step knowing that God will meet us wherever we are on our spiritual journey. There is an irresistible force at work: the astonishing truth that God is love, and God works with us in all things for our good. God especially works with our misconceptions, doubts and fears.
We are idealists. We take concepts of peace, equality, justice, mercy, and grace as marching orders. We believe these things are achievable in this fallen world.
We are OK with questions. We have an intense respect for thoughtful holiness. Asking, pondering, wondering and digging into issues, is a form of high worship, not a form of blasphemy. We see the work of the Holy Spirit in science, philosophy, law and human excellence. We are not in opposition to any constructive field of inquiry.
We believe that our spiritual journey is a communal activity. We are all walking together and we try to strengthen and encourage our fellow travelers.
The most succinct summary of our beliefs is contained in this Creed which we recite at every service:
“We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come.
Amen.”
There is no way of telling people that they are all walking around shining like the sun . . .
If only they could all see themselves as they really are. If only we could see each other that way all the time.
— Thomas Merton
AND…
We LOVE Baptisms! And at every baptismal service the entire congregation renews their Baptismal Vows. This is what we say:
Do you believe in God the Father?
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
Do you believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God?
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
Do you believe in God the Holy Spirit?
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.
Will you continue in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers?
I will, with God’s help.
Will you persevere in resisting evil, and, whenever you fall into sin, repent and return to the Lord?
I will, with God’s help.
Will you proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ?
I will, with God’s help.
Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself?
I will, with God’s help.
Will you strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being?
I will, with God’s help.
A Brief History of the Episcopal Protestant Church of America
THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH is the American branch of the Anglican Communion (The church of England).
After the American revolution, Anglicans living in the United States quickly changed their name to "Episcopalians" in order to avoid persecution and also to sever ties with England who was seen as the enemy. We are, however, still part of the worldwide Anglican Communion.
The full legal name of the national church corporate body is the "Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society of 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, however, should not be confused with the name of the church itself, as it is a distinct body relating to church governance.
The Anglican Communion is an inheritor of 2,000 years of catholic and apostolic tradition dating from Christ himself. It is rooted in the Church of England. (Note that "catholic" is spelled here with a small "C", meaning "universal and including a wide variety". Episcopalians are not associated with Roman Catholicism or the Church of Rome except as common followers of Jesus' teachings)
The Episcopal Church came into existence as an independent denomination after the American Revolution. Many of the founders of the United States of America were active Episcopalians. The National Cathedral in Washington DC is an Episcopal church. Today we have between two and three million members in the United States, Mexico, and Central America, all under the jurisdiction of our Presiding Bishop, Michael Curry.
We have many "firsts" for a protestant faith tradition:
In 1988 the Diocese of Massachusetts elected the first Anglican woman bishop, Barbara Harris.
In 2003, at St. Paul's Church in Concord, the Episcopal Church elected the first openly gay bishop, Gene Robinson.
When the Church of England spread throughout the British Empire, sister churches sprang up. These churches, while autonomous in their governance, are bound together by tradition, Scripture, and the inheritance they have received from the Church of England.
Together they make up the Anglican Communion, a body headed spiritually by the Archbishop of Canterbury and having some 80 million members, making it the second largest Christian body in the Western world.