cms@dragon.uucp (Cindy Smith) (06/05/90)
[This posting was an attempt to supplement my list of denominations
with descriptions of Catholic and Episcopal. This is a bit long
to be used in a summary such as my original one, but it's none
the less an interesting posting. The original posting included
much of my original one, which I've removed. --clh]
To begin the listing of Catholic churches, I thought I'd begin with a
definition from the Pocket Catholic Dictionary (an abridged edition of
the Modern Catholic Dictionary) by John A. Hardon, S.J. (Society of
Jesus; Jesuits). Pages 64-65. (Modifications in format style for
ease of reading only.)
QUOTE.
CATHOLIC. Its original meaning of "general" or "universal" has taken
on a variety of applications in the course of Christian history. First
used by St. Ignatius of Antioch (A.D. 35-107) (Letter to the
Smyrneans, 8, 2), it is now mainly used in five recognized senses:
1. the Catholic Church as distinct from Christian ecclesiastical
bodies that do not recognize the papal primacy;
2. the Catholic faith as the belief of the universal body of the
faithful, namely that which is believed "everywhere, always, and
by all" (Vincentian Canon);
3. orthodoxy as distinguished from what is heretical or schismatical;
4. the undivided Church before the Eastern Schism of 1054; thereafter
the Eastern Church has called itself orthodox, in contract with
those Christian bodies which did not accept the definitions of
Ephesus and Chalcedon on the divinity of Christ.
In general, today the term "Catholic" refers to those Christians who
profess a continued tradition of faith and worship and who hold to the
Apostolic succession of bishops and priests since the time of Christ.
(Etym. Latin catholicus, universal; Greek katholikos, universal.)
END OF QUOTE.
Roman Catholic. Liturgical, connectional, sacramental. Members
believe this Church was founded by Jesus Christ and is the one, holy,
catholic, and apostolic church. Current ecumenical beliefs encourage
broader definition encompassing Orthodox, as well as already accepted
Uniates, Coptics, other groups with irregular orders. Less warm
towards Anglican Catholics, although ecumenical discussions still in
progress. Members in communion with the Bishop of Rome whom they
believe to be the Vicar of Christ (the Living Representative of Christ
on Earth) and the visible head of the Church founded by Christ. The
usage of the term "Roman Catholic Church" became prominant only after
the Protestant Reformation, although its origin dates back to the
early Middle Ages. Belief in the Roman Primacy, to wit: the Bishop
of Rome, the Supreme Pontiff, possesses by divine right the supreme
and full power of jurisdiction over the whole Church (all Christians)
in matters of faith and morals and in matters pertaining to discipline
and government of the Church around the world. Not a symbolic power
but real and actual; not dependant on human authority; affects all
people. Veneration of saints. Saints ("ones set apart" for holiness)
implies Christians in general; specifically refers to distinguished
Christians whom the Church honors for heroism, martyrdom, great
teachings, and whom the Church honors by an official designation in a
process called canonization. Official recognition of sanctity implies
that said saints are in heavenly glory and can be publicly invoked
anywhere, anytime, to the greater glory of God, so that their virtues
or holy death are an example to the faithful. Believes in the Real
Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. Advocates process called
transsubstantiation to explain phenomenon. Apostles and Nicene creeds
formulas of belief containing fundamental doctrines of Christianity.
Organization. Pope (Italian, Father) is the Head of the Church; Jesus
Christ is the Head of the Church (Body of Christ); Pope is living
representative of Christ on earth. College of Cardinals is considered
an organized community of prelates serving the Bishop of Rome. Also
refers to cardinals who gather for the purpose of electing a new Pope.
Collegiality is a reference to the bishops of the Roman Catholic
Church who are in union under the Pope as an episcopal (bishopric)
community. According to Vatican II, "St. Peter and the other Apostles
constitute a single apostolic college. In like manner, the Roman
Pontiff, Peter's successor, and the bishops, successors of the
Apostles, are linked together (Constitution on the Church, III, 21).
The community of which the Pope and bishops comprise was created by
our Lord Jesus Christ and therefore belongs by divine right to the
nature of the Church he founded.
Church hierarchy is three-fold: teaching, pastoral, and sacerdotal.
Prophet or teacher, pastoral or royal office of ruler, and the
priestly office of sanctifying the faithful. Christ transferred this
three-fold office to his divinely appointed Apostles and their
successors.
Catholic hierarchy down the line: Pope, Cardinal, Arch-Bishop,
Bishop, Priest, Deacon, Sub-Deacon. (Sub-Deacons, according to my
sources, get stuck doing the laundry; washing vestments in the
sacrarium).
Episcopal. Liturgical, connectional, sacramental. Makes use of all
seven sacraments instituted by our Lord. Believes in the Real
Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist; generally not interested in
how the process works, i.e., some Episcopalians believe
transsubstantiation adequately and properly explains the process,
others do not. Episcopal hierarchy does not insist members believe
anything other than the Real Presence. Apostles and Nicene Creeds
formulas of belief containing fundamental doctrines of Christianity.
The Episcopal Church of the United States, along with the rest of the
Anglican Communion, has long been at the forefront of the ecumenical
movement. Due to increased interest in forms of worship, the Church
has undergone many revisions, some painful, of its prayer book. The
Liturgical Movement has seen the introduction of new forms of worship
including the reintroduction of many old forms of worship. Such
changes have spurred changes not only in the Anglican Communion as a
whole but also in the Roman Catholic and Protestant churches as well.
The Episcopal Church keeps at the forefront the knowledge that it was
founded by Our Lord Himself and, in the course of its history, the one
Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church has seen many forms of government
and many forms of worship in many languages. At the center Episcopal
theology is the belief that the Episcopal Church received from the
apostles the revelation of God in the Person of Jesus Christ and is
guided by the Holy Spirit in the spread of the Good News.
The Church which Our Lord founded is based on four characteristics:
One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic.
One: Our Church is One. Our Lord founded only One Church
comprised of disciples of Christ. Our Lord is not
responsible for the various sects into which
Christianity is now divided. Perhaps one day the Roman
Catholic Church will become a member of the Anglican
Catholic Communion, healing many wounds in the current
rift. Or perhaps the Roman Catholic Church will accept
the Episcopal Church as a separate rite with irregular
orders, like the Uniates, Coptics, etc. Or perhaps
both.
Holy: The Church is set apart as Israel was always set apart
for God. The Church is sacred, intended to be a bastion
of righteousness against the forces of evil.
Catholic: Our Lord was a light to the Gentiles and the glory
of Israel. All peoples of all cultures, regardless
of economic status or social condition, can embrace
Jesus Christ and become one with God.
Apostolic: The Church was founded by the Apostles who were the
first members and leaders of the new communities of
faith. The business of the Apostles was to
proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ to all
peoples, baptizing them in the Name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Today, the Church is unfortunately divided into what, for the
purposes of this discussion, I shall loosely call Protestant and
Catholic. The Catholic churches include the Church of Rome, the Old
Catholics, the Greek Orthodox Church, and other various national
Eastern churches. The Protestant churches include the Lutheran
Church, various Reformed Churches begotten by John Calvin among which
are the Hugeunots, the Dutch Reformed, and the Presbyterian Churches.
Later, the Baptist, Congregational, Methodist, and other Protestant
churches arose. However, the Episcopal Church of the United States,
being the offspring of the Church of England, is both Catholic and
Protestant.
To be considered Catholic a church must meet several requirements
among which are:
1. A three-fold ministry of bishops, priests, and deacons,
in the tradition of the Apostolic succession sometimes
called the historical episcopate
2. Catholic creeds including the Apostles' Creed and the
Nicene Creed; the Bible; the Sacraments of Baptism and
Communion.
These are conditions which must be met for the union of the Episcopal
Church with any other Church (Chicago Lambeth Quadrilateral of
1886-1888).
To be considered Protestant a church must meet different criteria
among which are:
1. It must proclaim a protest, or witness to, or proclamation
of the fundamental truths of the Gospel
2. It must proclaim a protest, or witness against, or
proclamation against the unique authority of the Pope or
Bishop of Rome over other bishops and clergy, his right
to rule all Christians, and to exercise power accordingly
Obviously, the Episcopal Church meets the essential criteria for
membership in both Churches. Consequently, the Episcopal Church is
often called the "Bridge Church" since it exists between the extremes,
inviting people of all denominations to be strengthened by
participation in the Holy Eucharist. The Episcopal Church is governed
by bishops; however, its finally authority rests in the General
Convention which meets every three years. The structure is very
similar to that found in the Constitution of the United States for
reasons noted earlier: It consists of a House of Bishops and a House
of Deputies, the latter comprised of priests and laity. Each diocese
has the right to send four delegates from among the clergy and four
>From among the laity. Each diocese of the Episcopal Church is
governed by a diocesan convention which meets every year. Every
parish has the right to send a certain number of delegates who are
members of the laity in addition to clergy.
The House of Bishops is roughly similar to the Senate; the House of
Deputies roughly similar to the House of Representatives. The
Presiding Bishop is like the President and the Executive Council is
like the Cabinet. A diocese is like a state, a diocesan convention
like a state legislature, a bishop like a governor. A parish is like
a city, a vestry like a town council, and a rector like a mayor. All
members of the Church have the right to vote, electing representatives
to the vestry and, usually but not always, delegates to diocesan
conventions. Delegates to diocesan conventions elect delegates to the
General Convention.
Parishes are grouped together into dioceses presided over by
bishops; dioceses are divided into Provinces presided over by
archbishops; these in turn are joined together into patriarchates
presided over by patriarchs. In the Episcopal Church, however, there
are no archbishops or patriarchs but instead an elected administrative
head of the Church known as the Presiding Bishop, who is the President
of the Executive Council, which supervises and guides the Church and
also acts as the Board of Directors of the Domestic and Foreign
Missionary Society, which holds the endowment funds for the Church.
Every ten years the Episcopal Church joins with all the other members
of the Anglican Communion to consult together at the Lambeth
Conference in England. The Archbishop of Canterbury is considered the
spiritual head of the Anglican Communion.
Certain churches are considered to be members of what is known as the
Wider Episcopal Fellowship, meaning that we are either in full
communion with them or a relationship of intercommunion; these
churches include: Old Catholic Churches, the Philippine Independent
Church, united churches containing former Anglican dioceses, such as
those of South India, Pakistan, and North India, Bandgladesh, and a
number of other national Churches.
The Episcopal Church is sacramentally based. A Sacrament is "an
outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual base." As such,
there are an unlimited number of sacraments. However, over the course
of time, the Church settled on seven Sacraments: Holy Baptism, Holy
Penance, Holy Confirmation, Holy Eucharist, Holy Matrimony, Holy
Unction, and Holy Orders. The Episcopal Church recognizes two which
are generally necessary for salvation: Baptism and Communion.
However, it recognizes the other five as valid "outward signs of
inward and spiritual grace."
Not everyone in the Episcopal Church partakes of all the Sacraments
or believe all the same things (aside from the Creeds, obviously).
So what makes us Episcopalians? What binds us together as a People?
Answer: The Book of Common Prayer, second only the Bible in its
influence upon our language and culture. Our common worship. The
Pope binds together the Roman Catholic Church as a People; the Book of
Common Prayer binds us together as a People.
Episcopalians are people who ask questions in the belief that faith
needs reason and reason needs grace. Strong in Anglican tradition is
the use of reason in matters religious. Reason, when not misled by
passion, nevertheless works in tension with Scripture and tradition,
always subservient to the Word of God. Reason thus requires the
revelation to which Scripture and tradition attest. The Church
acknowledges reason, therefore, as guided by the Holy Spirit as a
valid guide. "Redeemed reason" therefore can be thought of as a
yearning for God through which Scripture and tradition are the paths.
In many ways, the Episcopal Church encourages the struggle between
individual reason and Church authority. In many ways, the revision of
our Prayer Book is an outstanding example of this attitude at work.
Thus, Episcopalians seek to proclaim the Good News of God in Christ by
word and example through Scripture, tradition, reason, and experience.
Episcopalians are not afraid of worldy wisdom, we embrace it, and use
it to propogate our faith, when such is helpful.
This, then, is what it means to be an Episcopalian: To be a
Christian guided by Scripture, tradition, reason, and experience,
while experiencing other traditions and seeing their value, and thus
being more ecumenical in a vast array of Christian churches by
proclaiming to the world that we are truly One Holy Catholic and
Apostolic Church.