History of the Episcopal Church

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Main article: Episcopal Church in the United States of America

Contents 1 Colonies: 1607–1775 2 Revolution: 1775-1789 3 The Church in the American Republic (1789–present) 3.1 Race and the Church 3.2 Women's ordination 3.3 Human sexuality 4 References 5 Further reading

[edit] Colonies: 1607–1775

Although the first congregation of what would become the Episcopal Church in the United States was founded in Jamestown, Virginia, in 1607 as part of the Church of England, the first service read from the Book of Common Prayer on North American soil occurred in 1579 near San Francisco, when the crew of Sir Francis Drake's ship landed in California (which Drake named Nova Albion and claimed for Queen Elizabeth I). English colonists brought the church to all the American colonies.

The Church of England became the established church in Virginia in 1609, Massachusetts in 1620 (until jointly established with the breakaway Congregational Church in 1660)[1], in New Jersey before 1660[2], in the lower part of New York in 1693, in Maryland in 1702, in South Carolina in 1706, in North Carolina in 1730[3], and in Georgia in 1758. This was a matter of local taxes being given to the vestry for use in the churches and schools. Virginia attempted to make requirements about attendance, but with a severe shortage of clergy, they were not enforced. These vestries were part of the Church of England, whose clergy reported to the Bishop of London (from 1635) through appointed "commissaries", especially James Blair, who served from 1685 to 1743.

After 1702 the "Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts" (SPG) began missionary activity throughout the colonies. The ministers were few, the glebes small, the salaries inadequate, and the people quite uninterested in religion, as the vestry became in effect a kind of local government. One historian has explained the workings of the parish (Olmstead, 45):

The parish was a local unit concerned with such matters as the conduct and support of the parish church, the supervision of morals, and the care of the poor. Its officers, who made up the vestry, were ordinarily influential and wealthy property holders chosen by a majority of the parishioners. They appointed the parish ministers, made local assessments, and investigated cases of moral offense for referral to the county court, the next higher judicatory. They also selected the church wardens, who audited the parish accounts and prosecuted morals cases. For several decades the system worked in a democratic fashion, but by the 1660s, the vestries had generally become self-perpetuating units made up of well-to-do landowners. This condition was sharply resented by the small farmers and servants.

The Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, with the support of the Bishop of London, wanted a bishop for the colonies. Strong opposition arose in the South, where a bishop would threaten the privileges of the lay vestry. Opponents conjured up visions of "episcopal palaces, or pontifical revenues, of spiritual courts, and all the pomp, grandeur, luxury and regalia of an American Lambeth" (New York Gazette or Weekly Post Boy, March 14, 1768). John Adams later explained, "the apprehension of Episcopacy" contributed to the American Revolution, capturing the attention "not only of the inquiring mind, but of the common people. . . . The objection was not merely to the office of a bishop, though even that was dreaded, but to the authority of parliament, on which it must be founded" (Bonomi 1998, 200).

On the eve of Revolution, a large fraction of prominent merchants and royal appointees were Anglicans—and were Loyalists. About 27 percent of Anglican priests nationwide supported independence, especially in Virginia. Almost 40 percent—approaching 90 percent in New York and New England—were loyalists. Out of 55 Anglican clergy in New York and New England, only three were Patriots, two of those being from Massachusetts. In Maryland, of the 54 clergy in 1775, only 16 remained to take oaths of allegiance to the new government (McConnell 2003). William Smith made the connection explicit in a 1762 report to the Bishop of London. "The Church is the firmest Basis of Monarchy and the English Constitution", he declared. But if dissenters of "more Republican . . . Principles [with] little affinity to the established Religion and manners" of England ever gained the upper hand, the colonists might begin to think of "Independency and separate Government". Thus "in a Political as well as religious view", Smith stated emphatically, the church should be strengthened by an American bishop and the appointment of "prudent Governors who are friends of our Establishment" (Bonomi 1998, 201).

[edit] Revolution: 1775-1789

By 1775 about 400 independent congregations were reported throughout the colonies. The church was disestablished in all the states during the American Revolution. The Episcopal Church was formally separated from the Church of England in 1789 so that clergy would not be required to accept the supremacy of the British monarch.

When the clergy of Connecticut elected Samuel Seabury as their bishop in 1783, he sought consecration in England. The Oath of Supremacy prevented Seabury's consecration in England, so he went to Scotland; the non-juring Scottish bishops there consecrated him in Aberdeen on November 14, 1784, making him the first Episcopal bishop outside the British Isles. In return, the Scottish bishops requested that the Episcopal Church use the longer Scottish prayer of consecration during the Eucharist, instead of the English prayer. Seabury promised that he would endeavor to make it so.

Three years later, in 1787, two priests - William White of Pennsylvania (right) and Samuel Provoost of New York - were consecrated as bishops by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Archbishop of York, and the Bishop of Wells. Thus there are two branches of Apostolic succession for the American bishops:

1. Through the non-juring bishops of Scotland that consecrated Samuel Seabury.
2. Through the English church that consecrated William White and Samuel Provoost.

All bishops in the American Church are ordained by at least three bishops. One can trace the succession of each back to Seabury, White and Provoost.

See Succession of Bishops of the Episcopal Church (TEC)).

In 1789, representative clergy from nine dioceses met in Philadelphia to ratify the initial constitution of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America. The Church originally took the name of the "Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America" so as to distinguish itself from the other major episcopal Church present in the states at the time, the Roman Catholic Church.

The Episcopal Shield, adopted in 1940, includes both the red Cross of St George, representing England, and a white-on-blue St Andrew's Cross, representing Scotland, to reflect the mingled English and Scottish heritage of the church. The nine crosses which form the St Andrew's Cross represent the nine original dioceses of the Episcopal Church.^[1]

[edit] The Church in the American Republic (1789–present)

As the United States grew, new dioceses were established, as well as the Convocation of American Churches in Europe. After the initial Book of Common Prayer written for the new church in 1789, new revisions appeared in 1892, 1928, and 1979.

In 1873, the Reformed Episcopal Church broke away from the Episcopal Church over what its members saw as the loss of Protestant and evangelical witness in Episcopalianism. During the American Civil War, an Episcopal Church in the Confederate States of America was temporarily formed from the dioceses within the seceded states, but this was viewed as a "separation and not a division", concerning no questions of dogma or practice (other than the prayers for Congress and the President).

[edit] Race and the Church

In 1856 (before the US Civil War) the first society for African-Americans in the Episcopal Church was founded by the Rev James Theodore Holly. Named The Protestant Episcopal Society for Promoting The Extension of The Church Among Colored People, they argued that blacks should be allowed to participate in seminaries and Diocesan Conventions. The group lost its focus when The Rev. Holly emigrated to Haiti, but other groups followed after the Civil War. The current Union of Black Episcopalians traces its history to the Society.^[2]

James Theodore Holly went on to found of the Anglican church in Haiti and became the first African-American bishop on November 8, 1874. As Bishop of Haiti, Bishop Holly was the first African-American to attend the Lambeth Conference.^[3] However, he was consecrated by the American Church Missionary Society, an Evangelical Episcopal branch of the Church.

Samuel David Ferguson was the first black bishop consecrated by The Episcopal Church, the first to practice in the US, and the first black person to sit in the House of Bishops. Bishop Ferguson was consecrated on June 24, 1885, with the then-Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church acting as a consecrator.

In 1976, the General Convention requested that ECUSA's Clergy Deployment Board determine if there were "racial inequities" in clergy placement. It also passed a resolution calling for an end to apartheid in South Africa. In 1985, the GC asked ECUSA "dioceses, institutions, and agencies" to create equal opportunity employment and affirmative action policies. In 1991, the General Convention declared "the practice of racism is sin".^[4]

On June 16, 2006, the Episcopalian House of Bishops endorsed a resolution apologizing for its complicity in the institution of slavery and its silence over “Jim Crow” laws, segregation and racial discrimination. By a unanimous vote, the House endorsed Resolution A123.^[5]

[edit] Women's ordination

In 1976, the General Convention amended Canon law to give women the right to be ordained to the priesthood. The first women were officially ordained to the priesthood that year. (Previously, the "Philadelphia Eleven" were "illegally" ordained on July 29, 1974 in Philadelphia.^[6] Other "irregular" ordinations also occurred in 1974, notably in Palo Alto.. These "irregular" ordinations were also reconciled at the 1976 GC.)^[7]

The first woman bishop, Barbara Harris, was consecrated on February 11, 1989.^[8] In 1994, the General Convention reaffirmed that both men and women may enter into the ordination process, but also recognized that there is value to the theological position of those who oppose women's ordination. It was not until 1997 that the GC declared that "the ordination, licensing and deployment of women are mandatory" and that dioceses that have not ordained women by 1997 "shall give status reports on their implementation".^[9] This has not ended the controversy over women's ordination.

At the present time, three US dioceses do not ordain women at all. Many other churches in the Anglican communion, including the Church of England, ordain women as deacons or priests, but only a few have women serving as bishops. The election of Presiding Bishop Jefferts Schori has drawn attention to this fact; ten other primates of the Anglican communion have stated that they do not recognize Presiding Bishop Jefferts Schori as a primate.^[10] In addition, eight American dioceses have rejected her authority and have asked the Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams to assign them another national leader.^[11]

See also Ordination of Women in the Anglican Communion.

Some former Episcopalians have formed other churches in response to women's ordination; see also Anglican Catholic Church, Congress of St Louis.

[edit] Human sexuality

The Episcopal Church affirmed at the 1976 General Convention that homosexuals are "children of God" who deserve acceptance and pastoral care from the church. It also called for homosexual persons to have equal protection under secular law. This was reaffirmed in 1982. In 1994, the GC determined that church membership would not be determined on "marital status, sex, or sexual orientation". The GC also discourages the use of reparative therapy to "change" homosexuals into heterosexuals.^[12]

Despite these affirmations of gay rights, the GC affirmed in 1991 that "physical sexual expression" is only appropriate within the monogamous, lifelong "union of husband and wife."^[13] Although some dioceses within ECUSA bless same-sex Holy Unions, the church as a whole does not.

The first openly gay priest, Barry Stopfel, was ordained a deacon by Bishop John Shelby Spong in 1989^[14] and a priest by Bishop Walter Righter in 1990. Because the priest in question was not celibate, this resulted in a trial under canon law. The church court dismissed the charges on May 15, 1996, stating that "no clear doctrine"^[15] prohibits ordaining a gay or lesbian person in a committed relationship.^[16]

The first openly homosexual bishop, Gene Robinson, was elected in 2003. Due to the timing of the election, the confirmation that the election was valid was held at the 2003 General Convention. Robinson was confirmed and consecrated on November 2, 2003. Both Bishops Harris and Jefferts Schori voted to confirm Bishop Robinson.

See also Anglican views of homosexuality.

[edit] References

1. ^ Episcopal Shield
2. ^ UBE History
3. ^ UBE History
4. ^ From Synopsis of Social Teaching/Contentious Resolutions of the Episcopal Church (PDF), from the Parish Conversation Curriculum for the 2006 General Convention of the Episcopal Church, page 5. Retrieved November 5, 2006.
5. ^ Bishops Endorse Apology for Slavery Complicity
6. ^ The Philadelphia Eleven, and the consecrating bishops, are listed in the The Philadelphia 11 article on The Episcopal Church website (retrieved November 5, 2006).
7. ^ From Synopsis of Social Teaching/Contentious Resolutions of the Episcopal Church (PDF), from the Parish Conversation Curriculum for the 2006 General Convention of the Episcopal Church, page 14. Retrieved November 5, 2006.
8. ^ Bishop Harris is also the first African-American woman bishop. ECUSA site
9. ^ From Synopsis of Social Teaching/Contentious Resolutions of the Episcopal Church (PDF), from the Parish Conversation Curriculum for the 2006 General Convention of the Episcopal Church, page 15. Retrieved November 5, 2006.
10. ^ Anglicans United
11. ^ Episcopal Diocese of Quincy seeks alternative oversight
12. ^ From Synopsis of Social Teaching/Contentious Resolutions of the Episcopal Church (PDF), from the Parish Conversation Curriculum for the 2006 General Convention of the Episcopal Church, page 26-29. Retrieved November 5, 2006.
13. ^ From Synopsis of Social Teaching/Contentious Resolutions of the Episcopal Church (PDF), from the Parish Conversation Curriculum for the 2006 General Convention of the Episcopal Church, page 23. Retrieved November 5, 2006.
14. ^ A Bishop Speaks: Homosexual History by John Shelby Spong, retrieved Nov 4, 2006.
15. ^ The Episcopal Church And Homosexuality:Activites during 1996.
16. ^ Anglicans Online:The Trial of BIishop Walter Righter.

[edit] Further reading

• Addison, James Thayer. (1951). The Episcopal Church in the United States 1789-1931. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons.
• Albright, Raymond W. (1964). A History of the Protestant Episcopal Church. New York: Macmillan.
• Butler, Diana Hochstedt. (1995)Standing against the Whirlwind: Evangelical Episcopalians in Nineteenth-Century America
• Bonomi, Patricia U. (1988)Under the Cope of Heaven: Religion, Society, and Politics in Colonial America
• Chorley, Edward Clowes. (1946). Men and Movements in the American Episcopal Church. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons.
• Gough, Deborah Mathias. Christ Church, Philadelphia: The Nation's Church in a Changing City (1995)
• Hein, David. (2001). Noble Powell and the Episcopal Establishment in the Twentieth Century. Urbana: University of Illinois Press.
• Hein, David, and Gardiner H. Shattuck Jr. (2005). The Episcopalians. New York: Church Publishing.
• Holmes, David L. (1993). A Brief History of the Episcopal Church. Valley Forge, Pa.: Trinity Press International.
• Manross, William Wilson. (1950). A History of the American Episcopal Church. New York: Morehouse-Gorham.
• Mullin, Robert Bruce. (1986). Episcopal Vision/American Reality: High Church Theology and Social Thought in Evangelical America. New Haven: Yale Univ. Press.
• Nelson, John (2001)A Blessed Company: Parishes, Parsons, and Parishioners in Anglican Virginia, 1690-1776
• Prichard, Robert W. (1999). A History of the Episcopal Church. Rev. ed. Harrisburg, PA: Morehouse Publishing.
• Prichard, Robert W. (1997). The Nature of Salvation: Theological Consensus in the Episcopal Church, 1801-73. Urbana: University of Illinois Press.
• Shattuck, Gardiner H., Jr. (2000). Episcopalians and Race: Civil War to Civil Rights. Lexington, KY: University Press of Kentucky.