The Anglican and Episcopalian Church

The Anglican Communion is a coalition between Anglican sects such as the Episcopalian Church, the Church of England, and the Scottish Episcopal Church (among others). The Church of England, the original member of the Communion and is otherwise known as the Anglican Church, was founded in 1538 by King Henry VI, after a schism with the Roman Catholic Church because of a disagreement between the King and the Pope. The disagreement was in regard to King Henry's numerous wives, and in one case he requested a divorce so that he would be able to remarry, but was consequently denied a divorce by the Pope. That's when King Henry took action. Until the 18th century, there were only three members in the Anglican Communion, the three mentioned above; however, today there are over forty active members in the Communion, including the Episcopal Church of the United States.

The Anglican Church was one of the most prominent religions in North America, though its ties were severely strained following the American Revolution. The colonists who were formerly part of the Anglican Church established the Episcopal Church, so that they could continue practicing their same religious beliefs, without associating with the King, who was despised at this time. The first Bishop of the Episcopal Church was Samuel Seabury, who had to go to Scotland in order to be consecrated, due to the Oath of Supremacy (allegiance) to the King, that would be required if he were consecrated within the Church of England.

Today, there are 111 dioceses of the Anglican Church (especially that of the Episcopal Church) in the United States. Statistics vary, but it is thought that there are approximately 73 million members of the Anglican Church worldwide, with over four million of those residing in the United States. The Episcopal Church recognizes itself as being the moderate religion between Protestantism and Roman-Catholicism, and thus draws a large group of followers.

The main leader of the Episcopalian Church in the United States is the current president, the Most Reverend Katharine Jeffert Schori. Katharine Schori was elected by her fellow bishops to serve in the facet of president, and she was elected in 2006. She's attracted quite a following and there is immense support for her within the organization. Under her tenure, some of the most controversial topics have came up within the church, including topics dealing with human sexuality, economic justice, and women's role in the church.

The essential doctrine of the Episcopalian Church is similar to that of other Christian organizations. Episcopalians believe that Jesus was both fully divine and fully human, he died, and he was resurrected. They also believe that Jesus is their savior and provides the proper guidance to eternal life. Their source of text is the Old Testament and the New Testament, both of which were written with the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. However, they do not read the Apocrypha books. The two most vital sacraments in the religion are Baptism and receiving Eucharist, though other sacraments are practiced. The other sacraments that are celebrated are marriage, confirmation, unction (anointing with oil), ordination and reconciliation. The Episcopal Church also believes in heaven and hell.

The worship style of the church varies among each individual church, however traditional hymns, praise and worship music, clergy in both street clothing and traditional robes, chanting, and a wide display of energy are displayed within most churches. The fundamental part of their church service is derived by the Book of Common Prayer (a book unique to the Episcopal Church that outlines their doctrine, theology, and worship services. Another unique aspect of their worship style is that Eucharist can be offered at funerals and weddings. There are three different types of Episcopal churches: high church, low church, and broad church. The high church practices more traditional beliefs, whereas the low church is more modern in their worship style, and the broad church is a healthy combination of the two. The symbol of the organization is based on St. George's Cross (also the symbol of the country of England), though it also contains aspects of St. Andrew's Cross which illustrates its connection with the Scottish Episcopal Church.