WHAT DO WE BELIEVE?
St. Edmund's belongs to an ancient pedigree: We trace our lineage through the Western Branch of Christianity to the earliest days of the Church, hold to the ancient Creeds, practice the ancient Sacraments, and retain the Apostolic Succession of Bishops, Priests and Deacons.
Christianity arrived in the British Isles in the second century, and a flourishing Celtic Church was well established by the time Pope Gregory sent Augustine to become the first Archbishop of Canterbury in 597 A.D. This situation prevailed until the break between the Anglican Church and Rome at the time of the English Reformation. It was only after the break with Rome that our branch of the Catholic Church began to use the term "Anglican" in distinction from "Roman" Christianity.
There are 80 million members of the Anglican Communion, the third largest Christian Communion (following the Roman and Orthodox churches) in the world and the largest Christian body in the English speaking countries.
Differences between the Episcopal Church and the Roman Catholic Church: People often ask about the primary difference between the Roman Catholic Churches and the Anglican (Episcopal) Churches, and it must be said that the primary distinction is in the way authority is conceived and exercised . Anglican/Episcopal churches retain the ancient hierarchy, but also make room for a democratic structure and place great importance on the voice and power of lay men and women. This is especially true of the Episcopal Church in the United States . In consequence, the Episcopal Church differs from the Roman Church in our encouragement of birth control, our embrace of women clergy, our belief in the importance of individual conscience in matters pertaining to some of life's most personal decisions and in many other practical applications of Christian Faith. There is great agreement between Roman Catholics and Episcopalians, however, on the central beliefs of Christianity.
Saint Edmund's is a Scripturally centered Church: We "believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the Word of God and to contain all things necessary to salvation." The Holy Scriptures form and shape us, and offer a lens through which we view and evaluate the world and all claims to truth. Like the Roman Catholics and the Orthodox Churches , we also draw upon the Apocrypha for wisdom.
Anglicans are not literalist, or fundamentalist, in their reading of Holy Scripture. The Bible was written by human beings inspired by God, and the texts were collected, ordered and approved, also, by human beings. Scripture is not exempt from human frailty and imperfection. St. Paul , in his rousing affirmation of the place of Scripture in the pilgrim life said, "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16 ). This we wholeheartedly believe and affirm.
Holy Scripture then, is authoritative, not authoritarian and can never be read apart from careful interpretation. It is important to understand the cultural milieu in which Scripture was first written and important to avoid crude and simplistic contemporary applications. Scripture is a source of great light, the Church's Book created by the Church under the guidance of the Holy Spirit to illumine the path we walk in commitment to God.
Saint Edmund's is a Thinking Church: Human beings are made in God's image, and the light of God quickens conscience and intelligence and human will for the shaping of the world we live in. Episcopalians applaud the Enlightenment legacy, with its emphasis on critical and historical thinking, academic rigor, and a commitment to the sciences.
As we continue to grow in our understanding of the origin and evolution of the earth and of the human species, of technology, medical advancement, and scientific insight, so God would have us hone our moral and ethical tools to grapple with issues raised by this deepened knowledge. Concern over environmental degradation, and the new terrain of genetic engineering are just two examples of the need to find wisdom as we meet the ethical challenges upon us. Such endeavor is central to our interpretation of the Christian Faith, and a rigorous commitment to the intellectual life is necessary for any faithful response.
Saint Edmund's respects Personal Conscience : Anglicans say that a three-fold stool is required in order balance oneself in this complex world. One leg of that stool is Holy Scripture, the second is the Tradition of the Church, and the third is the light of Reason.
As we exercise our Reason, we will not always find ourselves in unanimous agreement! That is to be expected. Deepened wisdom often flows from the tension between conflicting ideas which have been arrived at carefully, and which are held with respect for those who differ. The exercise of personal conscience is expected and respected in this parish, though it is also expected that conviction will be exercised thoughtfully, and with kindness and generosity toward one's fellow pilgrims on the Faith journey.
OUR WORSHIP
"Lex orandi, lex credendi ," said a former Archbishop of Canterbury, "the Law of Prayer is the Law of Belief." That is to say, the manner in which we pray shapes our belief and understanding about God, the world, and human relationships. How we pray is of crucial importance, and this conviction is expressed in the Anglican Tradition by our commitment to worship according to the Book of Common Prayer, with all things done with great care and attention and a desire to offer ourselves to God in the beauty of holiness. This means we follow a structured pattern in the service, using hallowed prayers of ancient origin, fully involving clergy and congregation together in the liturgy , which means, in Greek, "the work of the people." The panoply of the five senses are evoked through sacred space, colorful vestments, the Word proclaimed, swelling music, and, occasionally, fragrant incense. We bring all that we are, and all that it means to be human, before God in prayer through time-tested forms of the Divine Office.
The Holy Eucharist is the core of Anglican worship (called elsewhere, The Mass, Holy Communion, the Divine Liturgy). We celebrate an early Sunday service at 8AM in our Chapel, and a 10AM service in our Main Church . The service is printed in its entirety in our bulletin for the 10AM service so that those unfamiliar with our forms can follow along with great ease and comfort. All Christians are invited to receive the Sacrament of Holy Communion.
Occasions for Worship are not limited to Sunday morning. The Prayer Book contains daily offices for Morning Prayer, Noonday Prayer, Evening Prayer and Compline, and also daily devotions for individuals and families. These services, particularly Evensong, are periodically offered in the Church or Chapel. Holy Eucharist, the Stations of the Cross and other opportunities for special devotion are offered throughout Lent, on important Feast Days, and at other appropriate times. You may also stop in for personal devotions. Light a candle, kneel and pray!
The Book of Common Prayer was originally compiled by Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Cranmer to simplify the Latin services of the medieval Church and to produce an English prayer book suitable for priest and people. The first version appeared in 1550, with revisions in 1552, and 1559. The warm cadences of Elizabethan English found in the 1559 Book of Common Prayer are familiar to many, and have deeply influenced the development of the English language.
The first American Book of Common Prayer appeared in 1789, owing a debt not only to the English prayer book, but also to the high Scottish Book of Common Prayer. The American prayer book has seen three revisions, the first in 1892, the second in 1928, and the most recent in 1979.
