Episcopal Church

[[File:Shield of the US Episcopal Church.svg|thumb|right|165px|Shield of the US Episcopal Church.]]
{{Christianity}}
The '''Episcopal Church''' generally refers to [[Anglican]] Church movements outside of [[England]], especially in the [[United States]]. Within [[Britain]], the Anglican church in Scotland identifies itself as the Scottish Episcopal Church.  Episcopalians all share the Book of Common Prayer, last revised in 1979.  Theoretically, all the different Anglican or Episcopal Churches are in communion with each other, but in practice some of the more [[homophobic]] Episcopalian Churches refuse to stay in communion with Episcopalian Churches that allow gay [[bishop]]s and other religious leaders.

==History==
Prior to the [[American Revolution]], the [[Church of England]] in what was later the United States was known as the Anglican Church just as everywhere else, but after the revolution all things British were suspect, so the church reorganized as the [[Protestant]] Episcopal Church and created their own prayer book instead of using the Church of England's prayer book though they still claim to be united in use of the Book of Common Prayer.  They later dropped "Protestant" from the name and became just the Episcopal Church.  The American Episcopal Church ordained the first woman bishop in 1989 and [[Racism|shock horror]] she was also [[African American]].

==Current status==
[[File:GeneRobinson.jpg|thumb|left|165px|Gene Robinson, the church's first openly homosexual bishop.]]
The American Episcopalians are autonomous but acknowledge the spiritual headship of the [[UK]] Archbishop of Canterbury in some vague way.<ref>[http://anglicansonline.org/basics/what_is_episcopal_ch.html What is the Episcopal Church?]</ref> The Episcopal Church in the US is currently headed by Sean Rowe. Before Rowe it was Michael Curry, the first African American to hold the position. Immediately preceding Curry was Katherine Jefferts Schori, who has a Ph.D. in Oceanography, supports [[Gay marriage|gay unions]], and supported gay bishop {{wpl|Gene Robinson}} during her tenure as head of the Episcopal Church.  Due to Katherine Schori's status as a female, several Dioceses made requests for "alternative primatial oversight.<ref>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katharine_Jefferts_Schori</ref> The liberal branches of American Episcopalianism have not succeeded in establishing any meaningful, loving relationship with African Episcopalians led by [[Kenya]], [[Nigeria]] and [[Uganda]] which favor re-criminalising homosexuality.<ref name=Brown>[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/sep/16/archbishop-of-canterbury-urges-breakup-of-divided-anglican-communion Archbishop of Canterbury plans to loosen ties of divided Anglican communion]</ref>  The world communion of the Episcopal/Anglican Church has been under the threat of schism over the last few decades because of anti-[[homosexual]] bigotry relating to certain American churches' ordination of gay [[bishop]]s and other gay clergy and the ordination of women bishops and other women clergy.  Liberal Americans and Africans are not in communion with each other but both are in contact with Canterbury, England.  Former Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby hopes he can get branches that disagree over sexuality to cooperate over issues like [[climate change]] and inter-religious violence.<ref name=Brown/>

Despite its old traditions, some branches of the American Episcopal Church have been among the more progressive churches, supporting the [[Civil Rights]] Movement, ordaining women long before any other Church, supporting [[gay rights]] (going so far as to actually [[Gay marriage|marry gay and lesbian couples]]), and running meaningful social programs.  In other words, they actually make some attempt to do what [[Jesus]] preached.  Amazing, isn't it so far?  

Several African churches formed 'missionary congregations' in the United States  employing American conservatives and taken worshipers from the Liberal American churches.  American conservatives also write speeches and manifestoes for the Africans.<ref name=Brown/>  The diocese of Pittsburgh has formally split from the American Episcopal Church over the ordination of Gene Robinson, an openly gay bishop. At least one commentator believes the real reason is that the American Episcopal Church favors [[social justice]] in ways that oppose the American [[Religious Right]].<ref>[http://www.bilerico.com/2007/11/gays_unfairly_blamed_for_episcopal_churc.php Gays unfairly blamed for Episcopal Church’s problems]</ref>  

The Episcopal Church have been among the more socially liberal forms of Christianity, and historically has supported the [[eugenics]] movement as it moved into the United States.<ref>https://www.umcjustice.org/who-we-are/social-principles-and-resolutions/repentance-for-support-of-eugenics-3184 Repentance for Support of Eugenics: 2016 Book of Resolutions, #3184] (2016) ''The United Methodist Church''. "Ironically, as the Eugenics Movement came to the United States, the churches, especially the Methodists, the Presbyterians, and the Episcopalians, embraced it."</ref>

Former Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby sees a possible temporary or permanent worldwide split over [[LGBT]] and  women's ordination and over how to deal with the [[Bible]].<ref>[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/09/justin-welby-anglican-communion_n_6296064.html?cps=gravity Archbishop Justin Welby On Anglican Communion: ‘There Is A Possibility That We Will Not Hold Together']</ref>

A meeting of bishops was held in Canterbury in 2016 and the Anglican Church went so far as to ban the United States Episcopalian Church from being represented on major bodies or voting on doctrine or strategy for three years.<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/15/world/europe/anglican-archbishops-sanction-us-episcopal-church-over-gay-marriages.html?_r= Anglican Church Disciplines U.S. Episcopals Over Gay Marriages]</ref> The former Archbishop of Canterbury claimed that it was not done punitively, but everybody knows better than to believe him.  

Former Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby wants Anglican churches to focus rather on other important issues like climate change and religious violence.  In the [[developing world]] Anglican churches are growing rather than declining as in the West.  Some in the developing world resent the dominance of former [[colonial]] rulers within Anglicanism.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jan/14/anglican-church-sanctions-against-liberal-us-church-same-sex-marriage Anglican church avoids split over gay rights – but liberals pay price]</ref><ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-35318392 Anglican communion to restrict US Church over gay marriage]</ref><ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/15/world/europe/anglican-archbishops-sanction-us-episcopal-church-over-gay-marriages.html?_r=1 Anglican Church Disciplines U.S. Episcopals Over Gay Marriages]</ref>

==See also==
*[[Catholic]]
*[[Church of England]]
*[[Protestant]]

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}

[[Category:Christian denominations]]

Categories: Christian denominations