asks a fundamental question about how we understand and proclaim the Gospel of
Jesus Christ as baptized members of Christ's Body - the Church. We are first
identified as Christians -- baptized by water and the Holy Spirit and marked as
Christ's own forever. Therefore, the heart of the question is a desire to
understand Christian faith, history, worship and mission in the context of how
we have received and live into being members of Christ's One, Holy, Catholic,
and Apostolic Church. By exploring our past, engaging with the present, and
looking to the future, we gain a deeper understanding of who we are as a people
of Christian faith, known as Episcopalians.
While this class serves as preparation for those adults seeking Confirmation, Reception,
or Reaffirmation, it is designed and intended to engage EVERYONE in gaining a better
understanding of The Episcopal Church and what it means to be an Episcopalian. Everyone
from seekers and newcomers to long-time and life-long Episcopalians will find this
class engaging and informative. We invite and encourage all to participate.
Holy Scripture is the basis of our faith and witness. We will explore
the Bible as the Word of God, the historical contexts and development
of biblical texts, and biblical interpretations. Our discussion will
include ways that we engage with the Bible today.
The Episcopal Church is part of Christ's Church with a continuous and
unbroken existence since the time of Jesus Christ and the original
apostles. We are part of the worldwide Anglican Communion, a branch
of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. We will begin looking
at the history of the Church by tracing its development from Jesus and
his original apostles to the English Reformation.
The Episcopal Church / Anglicanism represents a via media ("Middle
Way") that allows us to define ourselves as both Catholic and
Protestant. In this session, we will explore what it is to claim
an "Episcopal or Anglican" identity as we follow the continued
development of the Church from the English Reformation through the
establishment of the Episcopal Church in the United States. We will
also include touchstones of Episcopal Church history leading up to
the present Episcopal Church.
We will explore Christian belief and how Anglican theology and Church
teachings have developed over the centuries and consider how we engage
with theology and church "doctrine" today. We will cover topics such as:
Creation, The Nature of Christ and Incarnation, the Trinity (God in three
"persons"), Sin and Redemption, Sacraments, the Creeds, and the "three-legged"
stool of Scripture, Reason and Tradition.
Sunday worship and daily prayer are central in defining the life and
witness of the Episcopal Church and are shaped by the Book of Common
Prayer (BCP). We will discuss how Episcopalians use the BCP for corporate
worship and prayer as well as individual prayer/devotion. Our exploration
will incorporate the theology and development of the BCP.
There is a rich tradition of Christian mysticism and spirituality in
Anglicanism. We will discuss early Christian mystics, highlight focal
points of Anglican Spirituality, and how these can shape our
spirituality today.
Moral Theology is the discussion of the principles that govern, or
should govern, the behavior of Christians, and their application to
particular circumstances. We will explore Jesus' moral teachings,
New Testament ethics, and the development and application of Anglican
Moral Theology.
All baptized Christians are called to take part in the life and ministry
of the Church. We will explore how Episcopalians understand the Baptismal
Covenant and the ministry of all the baptized: laity, bishops, priests,
and deacons for the work of Christ in the world. Part of our discussion
will focus on the organization and government of the Episcopal Church USA
and the worldwide Anglican Communion of churches.
The mission of the Church is to restore all people to unity with God
and each other in Christ. We will discuss the Church's mission over
the centuries and how mission in the 21st Century is being formed
within Anglicanism and our response as baptized members of the
Body of Christ.