The Episcopal Church strives to live by the message of Christ, in which there are no outcasts and all are welcome. Walking a middle way between Roman Catholicism and Protestant traditions, we are a sacramental and worship-oriented church that promotes thoughtful debate about what God is calling us to do and be, as followers of Christ.
Here from our national church website are excerpts from two Q & A sections that may answer some of your own questions - or raise additional ones. We like to raise questions and to seek God’s answers in faith and practice as a Christian community and invite you to join us in that journey!
1st Journey: What We Believe
2nd Journey: Who is Jesus? The answers of individual voices
(Reprinted from episcopalchurch.org, where you will find much more information about what we believe.)
1st Journey: What We Believe
An Outline of Faith
Commonly called the Catechism
from the Book of Common Prayer, page 844 - 862
Our “catechism” is a commentary on the creeds, but is not meant to be a complete statement of belief and practice; rather, it is a point of departure for the teacher/reader, and it is cast in the traditional question and answer form for ease of reference.
The second use of this catechism is to provide a brief summary of the Church's teaching for an inquiring stranger who picks up a Prayer Book.
The main sections of the Outline begin with a statement “On Human Nature” and end with a summary of our shared “Christian Hope”. In between are sixteen brief summaries of our beliefs, including a survey of our Trinitarian beliefs (God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit); a description of our doctrinal relationship with the Hebrew Covenant and the New Covenant and scripture; our ideas about sin, redemption, and the sacraments (of which there are two: Baptism and Holy Eucharist). The Outline describes our theology of worship and prayer, and the place of our creeds and, importantly our shared ministry in the “priesthood of all believers”.
The concluding statement on the Christian Hope is perhaps the most telling summary. Here it is:
The Christian Hope
Q: What is the Christian hope?
A: The Christian hope is to live with confidence in newness and fullness of life, and to await the coming of Christ in glory, and the completion of God's purpose for the world.
Q: What do we mean by the coming of Christ in glory?
A: By the coming of Christ in glory, we mean that Christ will come, not in weakness but in power, and will make all things new.
Q: What do we mean by heaven and hell?
A: By heaven, we mean eternal life in our enjoyment of God; by hell, we mean eternal death in our rejection of God.
Q: Why do we pray for the dead?
A: We pray for them, because we still hold them in our love, and because we trust that in God's presence those who have chosen to serve him will grow in his love, until they see him as he is.
Q: What do we mean by the last judgment?
A: We believe that Christ will come in glory and judge the living and the dead.
Q: What do we mean by the resurrection of the body?
A: We mean that God will raise us from death in the fullness of our being, that we may live with Christ in the communion of the saints.
Q: What is the communion of saints?
A: The communion of saints is the whole family of God, the living and the dead, those whom we love and those whom we hurt, bound together in Christ by sacrament, prayer, and praise.
Q: What do we mean by everlasting life?
A: By everlasting life, we mean a new existence, in which we are united with all the people of God, in the joy of fully knowing and loving God and each other.
Q: What, then, is our assurance as Christians?
A: Our assurance as Christians is that nothing, not even death, shall separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.
2nd Journey: Who is Jesus? The answers of individual voices.
We asked you on a survey to answer the question: Who is Jesus to you?
Below are some of your responses….
* photos from flickr.com
Christ
I see Christ in every person I meet. This makes me think that Jesus is not some abstract idea or demagogue; he is every person I encounter. "What so ever you do to the least of my people, that you do unto me." – Travis, Parishioner, Texas
In the beauty of the liturgy, Eucharist and beautiful prayers of the Church, I have experienced the presence and peace of the love of Christ as never before. – Chuck, Vestry Member, West Virginia
Love
Jesus brings a message of radical love and transformation. He redeems human suffering and moves us to compassion. – Mary, Parishioner, Tennessee
To me, Jesus is a friend, a constant companion, a protector, a role model, and, most importantly, a savior. He comforts me in the darkest of situations and does not hate me if I make a mistake. I think that this is a love all the world needs to know. – Anon
Jesus tells the world that not only is love worth the risk, it is the only possible way out of our culture of death. And the church proclaims the gospel that all this is actually good news, very good news. – Anon
Son of God
Sometimes he is the Son of God; sometimes he is a prophet to this devastated world; sometimes he is just someone I can talk to. – Jim, Choirmaster and Organist, Texas
Jesus is the Son of God. What exactly that means I'm still working on! What seems to be clear is that Jesus was sent by God to us, to teach, to heal (in so many senses) and to save us. He is important to me as the center of a faith that has dramatically changed my life and how I live it. He is important to the world (the church being part of the world even as we are not "of the world") because he gives us the challenges to change ourselves and our society. He also provides the guidance on how to do it. – Jay, Youth Minister, New York
Relationship
I try to quietly talk to him on a daily basis. – Jason, Parishioner, Maryland
My relationship with Jesus is the most important relationship in my life. – Megan, Pennsylvania
Salvation
Jesus has given us a mission: the salvation of the world. Salvation meaning that we are God's healing agents in this world. We are to be like Jesus in that we heal, love, and give voice to those who have no voice. –Travis, Parishioner, Texas
Jesus is a symbol of what can happen when a person submits entirely to the will of God. He is a symbol to me of justice, especially as a model of someone who does not accept the status quo, who speaks for the downtrodden and the disenfranchised as well as those who wish to put their resources to a spiritual end and to grow in their relationship to God. – Denise, Louisiana
Hope
Jesus leads me into a greater hope. A hope that human beings like him and I can get past violence as we seek God's realm in the world. In his lifetime, Jesus revealed not his own justice, but God's, and he did it not through violence but through steadfastness. Sometimes I feel defeated by the world -- but Jesus' reminds me that he too was defeated by the world, and transformed the world in the process. –Chris, Massachusetts
Jesus is God incarnate, the fullest expression in human life of who God is, the fullest expression of who we are called to be. –Christopher, priest, Connecticut
Forgiveness
Forgiveness is my anchor and my understanding of Jesus is my guide for finding, receiving, and giving forgiveness. There are times when I struggle deeply with this concept but my belief in the absolute forgiveness of God as expressed and exemplified by Jesus is my encouragement. –Candace, Parishioner, Wyoming
Jesus is my personal savior and very important in my life. To me, Jesus is not some visage floating around somewhere. I try to follow his example in my life. As a Deacon and Chaplain I try to find Jesus, that spark of goodness and humanity in all people that I meet. The world needs to hear this message from Jesus, that he has room for everyone. –Debbie, Deacon