All three orders are open to persons of any gender identity and sexual orientation. The Episcopal Church considers itself to be somewhere between Roman Catholicism and Protestantism, integrating the best of both traditions. Church law requires that the dignity of all persons be maintained at all levels of ministry in the Episcopal Church. Sexual orientation and gender identity are both protected designations, meaning that any discrimination against people in these groups is expressly forbidden by church law.
The Episcopal Church also acknowledges that some people hold differing theological opinions and, as such, does not compel any individual or congregation to act outside of conscience regarding human sexuality and gender identity. A recent General Convention the legislative body of the Episcopal Church, which is convened every three years allowed for the blessing of same-sex marriages across the national church.
While individual bishops are given the option not to allow same-sex blessings in their diocese, they are required to provide pastoral care and sacramental access from clergy and congregations which are supportive of LGBTQ persons. The first openly gay and partnered bishop consecrated in the Episcopal Church was the Rt. Gene Robinson, now retired bishop of New Hampshire. Mary Glasspool, suffragan bishop of Los Angeles; the Rev.
Ellen Barrett, the first openly lesbian woman ordained to the priesthood. It is a reenactment of the Last Supper Jesus shared with his disciples before his death on the cross. Any baptized person is welcome to share in this meal of bread and wine. Other Sacraments. What other Sacraments are there? Other Sacraments are confirmation, holy matrimony, reconciliation of a penitent, unction and ordination.
Confirmation is when a baptized person, who has been instructed in the Christian faith, makes a mature commitment to God within a worship setting and receives a special blessing and prayer from a bishop. Holy Matrimony is a Christian marriage, in which two people enter into a lifelong union and make their promises before God in a worship service. Sometimes couples who were married in a civil ceremony will have their marriage blessed in a worship service.
The confession is always made in private and kept in strict confidence. Unction is a special blessing for those who are sick or desire special prayers. A sign of the cross is made on their forehead with blessed oil. Ordination is the sacrament whereby God empowers trained persons for special ministry as deacons, priests or bishops.
The service always includes the laying on of hands by bishops. Visiting With Us. What should I know before visiting an Episcopal Church? Know, first of all, that you are welcome. You are welcome to visit or to worship with us regularly. As a baptized Christian of any denomination we invite you to share in the celebration of Holy Communion, and to become an Episcopalian if you wish.
When you worship with us, you may wonder when to stand or kneel. Practices vary—even among individual Episcopalians in the same parish. The general rule is to stand to sing hymns, to say the Creed and for the reading of the Gospel in the Holy Eucharist service. We sit during readings from the Old Testament or New Testament Letters, the sermon and anthems sung by the choir. We stand or kneel for prayer. The best guide is to follow others. When you visit an Episcopal Church, you will be our respected and welcome guest.
You will not be singled out in an embarrassing way nor asked to stand before the congregation or to come forward. You will worship God with us. The Episcopal Church. So what is it that sets us apart? We like the way we do things, but do not insist that ours is the only or even the best way.
This is why we have been leaders in the Ecumenical movement to reconcile the various denominations of Christianity. The Theologian Robert Hughes III has remarked that if we talk in terms of dogma which are core beliefs that are non-negotiable as opposed to doctrine on which different positions may be held there really are only two for Anglicans: the doctrines of the Trinity, and of the two natures in one person in Christ.
All the rest, while important, are not core to Episcopal identity. Note that other doctrines, such as the Resurrection, are implied by those two.
Adapted from a series of five brochures published by the Episcopal Diocese of Texas, with editing and additions by Episconet and the Rev.
Carol Gadsden. Skip to content. Beliefs What Do Episcopalians Believe? Presiding Bishop Curry. Toggle navigation Episcopal Diocese of Alabama. Toggle navigation Home. What does Church of the Ascension believe? We have written a prayer or collect to express what we believe: Ascension Collect Almighty and Eternal God, you call us together as the Ascension family and bind us in Christian love and witness. Our Vision : To make Christ known by our love for all.
Our Core Values: 1 Gospel-centered Worship — Rooted in the liturgical traditions of the apostolic church, our hearts and minds are focused upon our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ through the: a. The Nicene Creed is a foundational text for most Christian churches, expressing a basic understanding of the nature of God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and the Church.
The first Book of Common Prayer was created in England more than years ago, with a goal of rendering the prayers of worship in the language of the gathered people instead of the language of the educated elite.
This tradition of common-language worship continues today and the Book of Common Prayer has been translated into nearly every spoken language on earth. It is deeply related to the Mass of the Roman Catholics, the Divine Liturgy of the Eastern Orthodox, and the various communion services of Protestantism.
As in all religious customs that have a Eucharist or Communion service, the ceremony is modeled after the words and actions of Jesus Christ at the Last Supper.
The distinct form of sacrament used by the church is found in the Book of Common Prayer. The main features of the Eucharist are bread and wine, which are blessed, broken, and shared by all. In addition to the Holy Eucharist , the Episcopal Church celebrates the sacrament of Baptism , by which people become a part of the Body of Christ, meaning the church congregation, through water and the Holy Spirit. According to the Episcopal Church, it affirms the dignity and equality of all human beings and welcomes all people without any exceptions of race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, orientation, age, or any other reason.
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