Based on attendance and participation our spring offering, Episcopalian 101, was a great success. This four-week series gave us the chance to explore and discuss important history and relevant questions regarding our faith and the Episcopal Church. These included: What is God? What is an Anglican? Why does it matter?  What does our history tell us about us? How can our history positively shape us, and help us positively impact the world?

The four part curriculum included: the Reformation and formation of the Anglican Communion; the creation and history of the Episcopal Church in America; development of the liturgy; and contemporary issues facing our Church. Every week our discussions were lively, engaging and thought provoking. We surveyed critical events and shared dramatic historical readings.

In one example, three readers representing the Roman Catholic, the German Reformers and the Church of England entertained us with an ironic view of the political, economic and cultural factors that propelled the European upheaval and forged the Church of England, our Mother Church. In another, two fictitious Episcopal priests, one Northern and one Southern, converse during the Civil War. Their encounter illustrated the power of faith, and the commitment of clergy and laity at that awful time to the Episcopal tradition of reconciliation. It was this tradition that, despite the great divide in our country, sustained our church and allowed us to heal along with a broken country.

These historical conversations provided a wonderful basis for our conversation about contemporary issues. If we could reconcile through Christ’s Gospel even after the viciousness of total war, might our tradition of the Anglican via media and Episcopal way of reconciliation be useful in our divided world today? For a discussion on women’s ordination we were fortunate to have Chris’s fiancée Amanda on hand to share her personal perspective and insights regarding women priests.

 

Please contact Chris Delaney, our Christian Education vestry leader at: 610-688-5979 or cdelaney@theaddisgroup.com with questions or suggested topics for future study.