B
barbgal
Guest
I am curious to find out the difference between the Episcopal church and the Catholic church. Can anybody help me out.
- Status
N
Nine_Two
Guest
Are you looking for information on the American branch of the Anglican Communion (or possibly the Scottish branch, although that’s unlikely), or on the Anglican Communion as a whole?
D
drtwhite
Guest
You’ll find an excellent article on such in the Catholic Encyclopedia at the following HTML link:
newadvent.org/cathen/12493a.htm
You may want to bookmark the Catholic Encyclopedia, as a whole, for future reference.
DrTJW
newadvent.org/cathen/12493a.htm
You may want to bookmark the Catholic Encyclopedia, as a whole, for future reference.
DrTJW
P
Poco
Guest
Welcome, barbgal!
The Episcopal Church came from the Anglican Church or Church of England that broke away from the Catholic Church when King Henry VIII of England wanted to be the head of the church in England. Then, as English colonists began moving to the “New World”, Anglican churches were then started in the colonies. After the American Revolution, not wanting to appear English, the Anglican Church in America changed its name to the Episcopal Church.
That’s the short version. Obviously there are doctrinal differences, as well. One big one is the Episcopal church (at least the Episcopal Church USA) allows women to the priesthood (or would that be priestesshood?).
If you would like any more info, please feel free to ask!
The Episcopal Church came from the Anglican Church or Church of England that broke away from the Catholic Church when King Henry VIII of England wanted to be the head of the church in England. Then, as English colonists began moving to the “New World”, Anglican churches were then started in the colonies. After the American Revolution, not wanting to appear English, the Anglican Church in America changed its name to the Episcopal Church.
That’s the short version. Obviously there are doctrinal differences, as well. One big one is the Episcopal church (at least the Episcopal Church USA) allows women to the priesthood (or would that be priestesshood?).
If you would like any more info, please feel free to ask!
P
PilgrimToChrist
Guest
That’s a big question. The Church of England broke off of the Catholic Church but not over doctrinal issues. It was because King Henry VIII wanted an annulment in order to marry a younger woman and he had no grounds to get one so he declared himself to be the head of the church in England and any bishops who did not sign a declaration acknowledging this and recognizing the king’s new marriage was guilty of treason and executed. Only one bishop refused to sign – St. John Fisher.
Hence, there was created the Church of England. At first, they kept the same Mass and the same doctrines. But quickly the Protestants took advantage of the situation and turned the Church of England more Protestant. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer, undertook to translate and rewrite the Mass and other Rites into English known collectively as the “Book of Common Prayer” and a new set of doctrines were drawn up, which are called the “39 Articles”.
Since all the churches had been taken over by Protestants (including Catholic priests who caved to the new Church), Catholic priests would travel in plainclothes to celebrate Mass in people’s houses in secret rooms which would be hidden to the police because being a Catholic priest or harboring one was forbidden under pain of death. After a few years, the rules relaxed and wealthy families could pay the government a large sum of money every year to be allowed to not attend the Church of England services, although Catholic priests and Masses were still secret and illegal.
Fast-forward a few hundred years to the present day. The Church of England and Anglicanism globally (the Episcopal Church in the US) is very diverse. Some churches are very Protestant in their beliefs and practices (called “Evangelical” and “Low Church”) and others are very Catholic in their beliefs and practices (called “(Anglo-)Catholic” and “High Church”). Then you have a Conservative/Liberal divide that crosses both segments. There is a joke that says that “C of E” stands for “Church of Everybody”. All in all, it’s rather quaint and laidback, almost like a hobby, just something people do (at least in England). It’s very liberal (in the classical sense or in the modern sense, depending on which segment you fall into).
In my experience with Anglicanism, the Church of England (and hence Anglicanism in general) is a Church without a purpose. It’s purpose was to have a Church where the head of the Church was the ruling monarch of England so King Henry VIII could marry Anne Boleyn (and then behead her). So it doesn’t really know why it exists – as a modern Protestant church, as “Catholicism-lite”, as a place to get together.
“The Catholic Church is for saints and sinners alone. For respectable people, the Anglican Church will do.” ~ Oscar Wilde (deathbed convert to the Catholic Church)
Hence, there was created the Church of England. At first, they kept the same Mass and the same doctrines. But quickly the Protestants took advantage of the situation and turned the Church of England more Protestant. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer, undertook to translate and rewrite the Mass and other Rites into English known collectively as the “Book of Common Prayer” and a new set of doctrines were drawn up, which are called the “39 Articles”.
Since all the churches had been taken over by Protestants (including Catholic priests who caved to the new Church), Catholic priests would travel in plainclothes to celebrate Mass in people’s houses in secret rooms which would be hidden to the police because being a Catholic priest or harboring one was forbidden under pain of death. After a few years, the rules relaxed and wealthy families could pay the government a large sum of money every year to be allowed to not attend the Church of England services, although Catholic priests and Masses were still secret and illegal.
Fast-forward a few hundred years to the present day. The Church of England and Anglicanism globally (the Episcopal Church in the US) is very diverse. Some churches are very Protestant in their beliefs and practices (called “Evangelical” and “Low Church”) and others are very Catholic in their beliefs and practices (called “(Anglo-)Catholic” and “High Church”). Then you have a Conservative/Liberal divide that crosses both segments. There is a joke that says that “C of E” stands for “Church of Everybody”. All in all, it’s rather quaint and laidback, almost like a hobby, just something people do (at least in England). It’s very liberal (in the classical sense or in the modern sense, depending on which segment you fall into).
In my experience with Anglicanism, the Church of England (and hence Anglicanism in general) is a Church without a purpose. It’s purpose was to have a Church where the head of the Church was the ruling monarch of England so King Henry VIII could marry Anne Boleyn (and then behead her). So it doesn’t really know why it exists – as a modern Protestant church, as “Catholicism-lite”, as a place to get together.
“The Catholic Church is for saints and sinners alone. For respectable people, the Anglican Church will do.” ~ Oscar Wilde (deathbed convert to the Catholic Church)
F
Friar_David_O.Carm
Guest
So wanting a valid marriage to be declared invalid and also wanting to be the head of the Church in place of the pope are not “doctrinal issues”?
G
GaryTaylor
Guest
“That’s a big question. The Church of England broke off of the Catholic Church but not over doctrinal issues. It was because King Henry VIII wanted an annulment in order to marry a younger woman and he had no grounds to get one so he declared himself to be the head of the church in England and any bishops who did not sign a declaration acknowledging this and recognizing the king’s new marriage was guilty of treason and executed. Only one bishop refused to sign – St. John Fisher”
This is the type of thinking thats continues to lead to denominations. If its doesn’t meet your personal agenda. Well, by all means just change that which you don’t like.
This is the type of thinking thats continues to lead to denominations. If its doesn’t meet your personal agenda. Well, by all means just change that which you don’t like.
N
nhylan
Guest
This is also a complete oversimplification of the English Reformation, I would go so far as to say its a complete falsehood actually. The separation that currently exists isn’t even the separation that occurred during Henry VIII’s reign. If you want to know about Anglicanism talk to an Anglican. The Catholic Encyclopedia entry is, quite frankly, inaccurate.“That’s a big question. The Church of England broke off of the Catholic Church but not over doctrinal issues. It was because King Henry VIII wanted an annulment in order to marry a younger woman and he had no grounds to get one so he declared himself to be the head of the church in England and any bishops who did not sign a declaration acknowledging this and recognizing the king’s new marriage was guilty of treason and executed. Only one bishop refused to sign – St. John Fisher”
This is the type of thinking thats continues to lead to denominations. If its doesn’t meet your personal agenda. Well, by all means just change that which you don’t like.
J
JugglingReferee
Guest
If by Episcopal, you mean the US branch of the Anglican Church, I would like to know why the US re-named the Anglican Church the Episcopal Church for their purposes. Why not just leave the name alone? Is this the USA’s way to “put their stamp” on everything?
C
confusedius
Guest
I think, at the time of the American Revolution, some thought swearing allegiance to the King of England had become, shall we say, a bit out of place…
W
wisdomseeker
Guest
It depends of what you want to hear. There is only One Church and that is One Holy Church and that is the CC. I dont know if you can compare those two. As my understanding that Episcopal is not a church. Does that answer ur question?
One Church found by Christ, the CC. the others is just man made congregations.
There is a big and real difference.
N
nhylan
Guest
Wisdomseeker is right in that it depends on what you want to hear. Anglican/Episcopalian understanding of the OHCAC is different from the Roman understanding. The Roman church also insists that Anglican Holy orders are “Utterly null and void.” Unfortunatly, for Roman Catholics (who are compelled to believe this), they are wrong. Episcopal and Anglican priests around the world have a traceable lineage back to the apostles. Episcopalians/Anglicans believe in the real presence in the Eucharist though like our Orthodox Brothers we do not explain exactly how it happens, its a mystery. Organizationally we are largely based around a similar polity that the Roman and Orthodox churches maintain but the laypeople have a much more active roll in the governance of the church. Rather than the Archbishop of Canterbury being like a Pope he is a focus of our Communion. We look to him for guidance and prayer but not for governance. There are also local primates for each church which act as administrative heads, they are called and elected for 6 year terms. Every diocese has at least one Bishop, some have more (the diocese I’m in has 3). Anglican’s understand themselves to be part of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church and confirm this every time Mass/Eucharist/Service is celebrated. We also, as posters on here have noticed and the news and media pick up on, air quite a bit of our dirty laundry out to dry. We tend to publicly debate issues, we have a great deal of transparency when it comes to communion and church-wide issues. We have never, and never will say we are the whole OHCAC, but we are part of it. We don’t have all the answers, no one does and that openness to our faults is what attracts people to Anglicanism. We are messy and I think that sometimes that sort of insults the sensibilities of the Orthodox and some Catholics. in the words of the former Archbishop of Canterbury Michael Ramsey:
For while the Anglican church is vindicated by its place in history, with a strikingly balanced witness to Gospel and Church and sound learning, its greater vindication lies in its pointing through its own history to something of which it is a fragment. Its credentials are its incompleteness, with the tension and the travail of its soul. It is clumsy and untidy, it baffles neatness and logic. For it is not sent to commend itself as ‘the best type of Christianity,’ but by its very brokenness to point to the universal Church wherein all have died.
G
GKC
Guest
But the issue re: Anglican orders, is whether, through a combination of invalid form and invalid intention, around the time of Archbishop Parker, the Anglican Church broke that succession, as alleged in Apostolicae Curae. The subject has been a hobby of mine for years. I say no. But merely pointing to a succession, running back to Apostolic times, does not address the RCC’s points.
GKC
A
agrange
Guest
Episcopal Church USA, thinks Homosexuality is an acceptable life style. It does not preach condemnation of and salvation from sin. It promotes Homosexual marriage as equivalent of Marriage between a man and woman. “Catholic lite”, not hardly. It is as apostate as it can get. They are losing membership because of the extreme libertarian view that just about anything goes. The Episcopal church reminds me of what the new testament writer said when he described those who" have a form of godliness, but deny the power thereof."
I feel sorry for the Episcopalians who fell “Stuck” in a church they no longer recognize.
I feel sorry for the Episcopalians who fell “Stuck” in a church they no longer recognize.
N
nhylan
Guest
Agrange, Its a shame you have such an inaccurate picture of Episcopalianism. Rather than further embarrass yourself I’d be more than happy to have a conversation with you via PM to clear up all your misunderstandings.
B
BrushedByAngels
Guest
My family is made up of both. I’d say Episcopalians of today are very liberal and Catholics are very conservative… In our family it has caused arguments that one will say “well our church is open to gays while the catholic priests hide it” … Oh a Thanksgiving dinner in my family wouldnt be complete without our religion argument. 
A
agrange
Guest
I see there is no denial, No need though, anyone can “Google” Episcopal Homosexual Marriage and read about it for themselves,
N
nhylan
Guest
Because, as everyone knows, if you want the truth Google it
There are preists in the Episcopal Church who have performed weddings for gay couples, I’m not contesting that. Rather I am contesting your obviously incredibly biased opinion of the church and any article you would bring as fuel for your over the top opinion as hysterical.
T
TheRealJuliane
Guest
A few posters referred to the Anglican Church “breaking away” from the Catholic Church because of Henry’s divorce.
As I understand it, the Church of England DID NOT EXIST before Henry VIII wanted his divorce and decided to declare himself divorced in spite of papal refusal to grant an annulment. He created the Church of England and had the Catholic monasteries and cathedrals destroyed all over England.
He was a Catholic before he created the Anglican Church. So that is where the split occurred and where the succession of Rome stopped for his “church.” And that is why the Anglican/Episcopal Church would be Catholic except for the succession issue. They do everything the same b/c it was all Henry knew, he never wanted to be anything but Catholic but he also wanted a divorce, which the Church could not grant him.
As I understand it, the Church of England DID NOT EXIST before Henry VIII wanted his divorce and decided to declare himself divorced in spite of papal refusal to grant an annulment. He created the Church of England and had the Catholic monasteries and cathedrals destroyed all over England.
He was a Catholic before he created the Anglican Church. So that is where the split occurred and where the succession of Rome stopped for his “church.” And that is why the Anglican/Episcopal Church would be Catholic except for the succession issue. They do everything the same b/c it was all Henry knew, he never wanted to be anything but Catholic but he also wanted a divorce, which the Church could not grant him.
- Status