Brief History
An Episcopalian is a member of the Protestant Episcopal Church; one branch of the Anglican Church or Church of England. Today there are forty million Anglicans throughout the world. They all use the Common Book of Prayer. This religious group has been called the “bridge church” between Roman Catholic and Protestant. It preserves the Catholic sacraments and creeds, but rejects the authority of the Bishop of Rome (the Pope).
The Episcopal Church had its beginning from 1531-1539 when Henry VIII, King of England, resorted to political necessity in order to accomplish and justify his divorce from Catherine, and his subsequent marriage to Ann Boleyn. He had passed the “Act of Supremacy” which made him “the only supreme head on earth of the Church of England”. Thus was severed the tie with papal communion, and was established an independent body in England. Henry soon abolished monastic establishments and confiscated their wealth (amounting to some 38 million pounds). It was common knowledge that his break with Rome was not prompted by doctrinal reform or differences (Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia, Vol. I, p.726). Henry VIII in this way became for all practical purposes the “Pope of England”. The Thirty Nine Articles of Faith and their Prayer Book govern the church.
Episcopalian clergymen deny that Henry VIII founded the Episcopalian Church. They simply affirm that it was during his time that “freedom of the English Church from the authority of the Bishop of Rome was achieved”, and that then was ended a long period of protest and agitation against the Roman pope’s usurpations of authority.
The ecclesiastical connections between the Church of England and the English colonists in the new world were broken during the War of Revolution and the Church of England in the colonies became known as the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States. The word ‘Episcopal’ comes from the Greek ‘episcopos’, meaning overseer.
Belief System
Episcopal Belief 1 -The church should be governed by one bishop who rules over a diocese of several local churches.
Word of God 1 – In the Bible, never was one bishop over several churches. The “Diocesan Episcopacy” was unknown. Elder and bishop are two names for the same office in the New Testament (Act. 20:17, 28; Tit. 1:5-7; 1 Pet. 5:1-3). A plurality of elders (also called bishops, overseers, presbyters, shepherds, pastors) guided the local body of believers.There is no case of one man over one church or one man over a plurality of churches (Act. 14:23; 15:2, 22-23; 16:4; Phi. 1:1-2; 1 Tim. 3:1-7; 5:17).
Episcopal Belief 2 – The twelve “great facts of the Apostles Creed” are to be obeyed (J. P. Norris, Catechism and Prayer Book p.9).
Word of God 2 – The Bible and the Bible only is the Christian’s rule of faith and practice (2 Joh. 9-11; 2 Tim. 3:16-17). The so-called, ‘Apostles Creed, was not written by the apostles.
Episcopal Belief 3 – What the parents promise for the child at his or her baptism, the child is bound to believe and obey (Norris, Ibid., p.18).
Word of God 3 – Every person is accountable for his own choices and his own deeds. (See Presbyterianism where Calvinism is discussed). No Bible passage authorizes a father or mother to make promises for what a child shall believe or obey. Beware of doctrines and commandments of men that make void the word of God (Mat. 15:7-9; Mar. 7:6-7).
Episcopal Belief 4 – A person must obey the Ten Commandments as recorded in Exodus, Chapter 20, because his parents bound it upon him at baptism…as well as the “Apostles Creed” (Norris, Ibid).
Word of God 4 – A person who endeavors to be justified by the Law is “severed from Christ” and “fallen away from grace” (Gal. 5:4, 3:24-25; 2 Cor. 3:7-11). The law was taken away (fulfilled by Christ – Mat. 5:17) (Col. 2:14-17; Heb. 7:12; 10:1-4).
Episcopal Belief 5 – Christ taught us the “Lord’s Prayer” and we should pray it today, including “Thy Kingdom come,” because the kingdom only came “imperfectly” on the Day of Pentacost…it is a prayer for church extension and for Second-Advent (Norris, p.34-41).
Word of God 5 – Disciples were never instructed after the Day of Pentacost to petition God that the kingdom might come in any sense whatsoever. The kingdom “came with power” on that Day; nothing failed that God designed for it (Isa. 2:2-4; Mar. 9:1; Act. 1:8; 2:1-47).
Episcopal Belief 6 – “Forms of prayers” are recommended by the Lord (Norris, p.42).
Word of God 6 – Our prayers are not to be stereotyped, lip-service, such as characterized by memorized prayers (Mat. 6:1, 5-15; Mar. 7:5-13). The Lord’s Prayer is recorded in Joh. 17. Obviously he did not intend that any prayer be a repetition of mechanical memorized utterances of the lips.
Episcopal Belief 7 – After the Hampton Court Conference (1604), two sacraments are held to be “necessary to salvation” – Baptism and the Supper of the Lord (Ibid., p.48ff). “Sacrament is an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace given unto us”. Baptism makes infants children of God, members of Christ; imparts remission of sins (Ibid., p.50-51 and Book of Common Prayer, p.230).
Word of God 7 – Sacraments is a word not in the Bible, but let us consider Baptism as administered by them in sprinkling or pouring of water upon an infant for his salvation. Much water required (Joh. 3:23). Went into water (Act. 8:36). Were buried in water (Col. 2:12; Rom. 6:3-4). Came up out of water (Act. 8:38). Never was water brought to a person for baptism in the early church times. If water is all a person receives in baptism for his salvation, then this is a water salvation. This is all a baby receives, for it is too young to be taught, to believe, to repent or to confess. Faith and repentance are prerequisites for all candidates of baptism (Mar. 16:16; Act. 2:38).
Episcopal Belief 8 – Infants are born in sin, in a state of sin, inherited from their parents…”being by nature born in sin and the children of wrath” (Ibid., p.51, 62).
Word of God 8 – Infants do not sin (Rom. 4:15). Sin is a transgression of law. Sin is always an act of the mind or body, hence cannot be transferred to or inherited by another (Jam. 1:14-15). Children do not bear the guilt of their parents’ sin (Eze. 1:38; also chapt. 18, 33). Children are a gift from God (Mat. 18:3; Mar. 10:14). Of such is the kingdom of God (Mat. 18:3, 10; Mar. 10:14). People go astray; are not born astray (Psa. 14:3; Isa. 59:2). We are the offspring of God (Act. 17:29). God is the Father of our Spirits (Heb. 12:9).
Episcopal Belief 9 – “Immersion is the rule of the church, and baptism by affusion (pouring water ove the child’s head) is the exception…but practically affusion has become adopted and immersion seldom desired” (Ibid., p.223).
Word of God 9 – There is one baptism (Eph. 4:5). Baptism is a burial in water (see above). Traditions of men are self-condemned and those who worship thereby are doing so in vain, said our Lord (Mat. 15:1-9).
Episcopal Belief 10 – “Confirmation is the connecting link between the sacraments. It looks backward to Baptism, and forward to Holy Communion…possibly from the first called ‘communion’ (Ibid., p.233). Evangelists could baptize but only apostles could confirm, and the Holy Spirit was given at confirmation, not at baptism (Ibid., p.234-235). Candidates for Confirmation are required to acknowledge, renew and ratify their baptism obligations made by their parents for them when in infancy (Ibid., p.237-255).
Word of God 10 – Those whose faith was confirmed were already Christians, having been previously baptized as adults (Act. 14:22; 15:41; 8:5-20). It was never a “service” or ceremony for children at a set age who had come to an age of responsibility or accountability. The unwarranted practice of infant baptism left a void in the person’s life ordinarily filled by baptism of his own choosing and as a result of his own instruction and faith at a time when he reached the age of accountability. The Holy Spirit is given to all those who obey Christ from their own heart, at baptism (Act. 2:38; 5:32; Rom. 6:3-4; 17-18). When disciples were confirmed in the early church it was simply a strengthening, encouraging, etc.; it was never accompanied by a “first communion” which obviously is a purely human concept “after the precepts of men”. Those who so practice truly make void the word of God regarding true baptism to which every accountable person should and would have access, were it not for the “doctrines and commandments of men”.
Episcopal Belief 11 – Christ died to reconcile God to man (Article 2, Prayer Book).
Word of God 11 – The opposite is true; Christ came to reconcile man to God. We were in need of being brought back (2 Cor. 5:18-19; Rom. 5:10).