Episcopal Church

Albert Charles Erni Jr. Episcopal church handout September 24, 2006 Church Government The Episcopal church in short is a mix between the protestant and the Catholic church. One of the many things the Episcopalians emulate is Church government. Episcopal church government also called Episco polity is basically a hierarchal structure of government or chain of authority. Local churches are led by priests and from there the highest is the Anglican priest or the Archbishop of Canterbury. Monks and nuns are also instituted in the Episco Polity. Special Doctrines Like most other protestant faiths, the Protestants use and value the Apostles Creed and the Nicene Creed. One Document that is very unique to the Episcopal church is called the Thirty-nine articles of the church of England. This document is made up of 39 articles that describe different religious practices used by the Episcopal church and serves as a sort of guide to the religion. Was established by bishops clergy and Laity of the Protestant Episcopal Church at the U.S. Convention September 12, 1801. Baptism The Episcopal Church holds Baptism in a high standard mainly because it is part of their sacramental tradition. They believe that it makes you pure before God. They believe in infant Baptism. They believe it marks them in hopes that one day they will be able to meet God personally. Doing this serves as that child’s first act of obedience to God. The Episcopalians do not immerse. Instead the resort to the pouring over the head with water. This idea was formulated in 150 A.D. When they found a roman mosaic showing one man pouring water over another mans head. Baptism does not make you a child of God; it just makes you apart of the Episcopal church. Baptism also does not save you. It simply welcomes you too the church and allows to be in a place where you can have an encounter with God in Jesus Christ that awakens you to your salvation. Eucharist The Episcopal Church believes in the real presence of the body and blood of Jesus Christ aka transubstantiation. They believe that you must be apart of the church (Baptized) to receive the Eucharist. This idea was rooted in paranoia when the Episcopal Church was persecuted by the secret police. The church wanted to know who had a true interest and allowed only people who were baptized to receive the Eucharist. Now some exceptions are made because of our cultures present state of mind.

Salvation The Episcopal church also resembles the Catholics in the aspect of salvation in their use of sacramental salvation