What We Believe

Early. Lots of lightning in a wide stretch of clouds offshore, over the Gulf of Mexico. Can't hear thunder, but I don't have my ears in, so can't judge how far distant they are. Pleasant out here on 7H porch, a person could love being alive on a morning like this.

Life is short, and we haven't much Time, but it's nice at this age to still be able to read and enjoy reading, and to have Time in retirement to do that. I have magazines and books, both hard copy and online access. Reading for pleasure, and reading for study and sermon preparation, and just simply reading whatever is of general interest to me as the person I am.

This past week or so I've read several articles about why churches are declining in membership, why people are quitting coming to church. We're seeing that as part of the pandemic's effects on society; going to church is a habit, a practice, and people getting out of the habit during covid meant falling into new habits, including for Sunday mornings.

I'm not wistful for the old days, but when I was a boy everybody went to church, and in fact, everything else was closed. That changed slowly. I remember my shock a generation ago when I found out that some regular church folks were not in church because their children were active in organized sports. It's not a judgment, it's just a memory of noting that everything is always in a state of flux, changing, evolving.

Yesterday I scanned another article about why people are not going to church, and an answer it gave is that people no longer believe what the church teaches. It went on to say that people actually don't know what the church teaches, and recommended that we teach them.

What we believe is part of what I taught in confirmation classes every year for the past forty years as an active and retired priest and pastor. But I thought I'd get it out and see for myself how clear it is, or is not, what Episcopalians believe.

The Episcopal Church website has a good synopsis, which I copied and pasted below, and am going to comment on. I might add that Episcopalians have minds of our own, and though we bind ourselves to "I believe" statements in our Baptismal Covenant, nobody checks to make sure we do not stray from officialdom; in fact, my personal faith commitment is enshrined in the proverb that I often cite here, inscribed in the lintel over the library door at the Episcopal theological seminary that I attended: Seek The Truth, Come Whence It May, Cost What It Will. I would be doing my own thinking anyway, but seeing it so prominently in such a place made me feel free to Seek.

At any rate, what the Episcopal Church website says we believe seems a good place to start:

As Episcopalians, we believe in and follow the teachings of Jesus Christ, whose life, death, and resurrection saved the world.

We believe that God loves you – no exceptions.

The Episcopal Church embraces a legacy of inclusion, aspiring to tell and exemplify God’s love for every human being; people of all genders and sexual orientations serve as bishops, priests, and deacons in our church. Laypeople and clergy work together in leadership and governance.

Core to our Beliefs:

Book of Common Prayer
“It is a most invaluable part of that blessed ‘liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free,’ that in his worship different forms and usages may without offense be allowed, provided the substance of the Faith be kept entire” (Book of Common Prayer, p. 9).

The Book of Common Prayer is a treasure chest full of devotional and teaching resources for individuals and congregations, but it is also the primary symbol of our unity. We, who are many and diverse, come together in Christ through our worship, our common prayer.

The Bible
“Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them” (Book of Common Prayer, p. 236).

The Bible is our foundation, understood through tradition and reason, containing all things necessary for salvation. Our worship is filled with Scripture from beginning to end. Approximately 70% of the Book of Common Prayer comes directly from the Bible.

Baptismal Covenant
“Do you reaffirm your renunciation of evil and renew your commitment to Jesus Christ?” (Book of Common Prayer, p. 292).

A mini-catechism used at baptisms and on Easter and other special occasions, the baptismal covenant opens with a question-and-answer version of the statement of faith that is the Apostles’ Creed and adds five questions regarding how we, as Christians, are called to live out our faith.

The Catechism
Offered in a question-and-answer format, the catechism found in the back of the Book of Common Prayer (pp. 845-862) helps teach the foundational truths of the Christian faith.

The Creeds
“The Creeds are statements of our basic beliefs about God” (Book of Common Prayer, p. 851).

In the two foundational statements of faith—the Apostles’ Creed used at baptism, and the Nicene Creed used at communion—we join Christians throughout the ages in affirming our faith in the one God who created us, redeemed us, and sanctifies us.

The Sacraments
“Sacraments are outward and visible signs of inward and spiritual grace” (Book of Common Prayer, p. 857).

Besides baptism and the Eucharist (Holy Communion), the church recognizes other spiritual markers in our journey of faith.

Found in the Book of Common Prayer, these include:

Confirmation (the adult affirmation of our baptismal vows), pp. 413-419
Reconciliation of a Penitent (private confession), pp. 447-452
Matrimony (Christian marriage), pp. 422-438
Orders (ordination to deacon, priest, or bishop), pp. 510-555
Unction (anointing with oil those who are sick or dying) pp. 453-467

As my comment, I'll always remember a conversation in my dorm room the summer of 1957 at the U S Navy Officer Candidate School in Newport, Rhode Island. There were four of us in the room, three Roman Catholics and me, an Episcopalian. As we got to know each other evenings after class, religion was a sometime topic of discussion. Summer 1957 was not long after the Pope had canonized the Dogma of the Physical Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven, that Mary was translated bodily, alive, similar to the Ascension of Christ as told in Luke and Acts.

In my innocence, I said, "That's ridiculous, it's impossible, how can you believe that?" One boy (we were all twenty-one, recent college graduates) said, "That the Pope says it is okay with me. I don't have to clutch my breast, look up to heaven and fervently say, 'I believe that!'" I thought his response was brilliant, perfect; and in fact it has helped me lifelong in my own Search, as I Seek. I'm fine with what Episcopalians believe, including I stand and say the Nicene Creed on Sundays, even knowing the Creed's history, and what it is, and that it's a refutation of heresies, an expression of faith decisions, not an assertion of certainty. It's important to my Seeking to remember that the Nicene Creed is faith, not knowledge.

I love and sing the hymns too, regardless that the theology of some of them is outrageous. I read, study, and have loved teaching the Bible. And I say the prayers, the collects, the prayers of the people, the confession of sin, and the eucharistic prayers - - having long ago decided, as I gaze into the night sky, that I'm okay with all of it, including that disillusionment, putting away childish things, is an acceptable Cost.

The Episcopal Church, everything about it, is at the core of my Being, and all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well. I'm good with it. All of it.

RSF&PTL