Our Beliefs
THE BASICS
First and foremost, Anglicans are Christians. Globally, Anglicans form the third largest body of Christians in the world (around 80 million members) behind the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches. If you want to dig deeper, please see the 39 Articles, our Creeds. and an even lighter read on the Seven Ecumenical Church Councils. A point of primary belief is the Chicago-Lambeth Quadrilateral emphasizing Christian Unity and upholds:
1. Our earnest desire that the Savior's prayer, "That we all may be one," may, in its deepest and truest sense, be speedily fulfilled
2. That we believe that all who have been duly baptized with water, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, are members of the Holy Catholic Church.
3. That in all things of human ordering or human choice, relating to modes of worship and discipline, or to traditional customs, this Church is ready in the spirit of love and humility to forego all preferences of her own
4. That this Church does not seek to absorb other Communions, but rather, co-operating with them on the basis of a common Faith and Order, to discountenance schism, to heal the wounds of the Body of Christ, and to promote the charity which is the chief of Christian graces and the visibile manifestation of Christ to the world.
ORIGINS OF THE NAME
The name “Anglican” is traced back to the ancient Anglo-Saxon tribes of Europe. The tribal name was spelled “Engles” or “Angles” and the tribe’s speech was the precursor to the English language. Their island became known as England, and their Christians were known as Anglicans. The name has nothing to do with “angels.”
GLOBAL ANGLICANS
Just as the English language spread with the British Empire, so did Anglican Christianity. When Anglicans resettled in new lands, they brought their personal faith with them. Chaplains and pastors were often among their number. Additionally, many Anglicans traveled as missionaries to share the Gospel. Consequently, Anglican churches now exist all over the world in more than 165 countries. As Anglican Christians became a global family, the demographics shifted dramatically. While Christians from Britain, the United States, Canada, and Australia continue to play an important role, today the “average” Anglican is a young woman from Sub-Saharan Africa. Epiphany is a member of the Reformed Episcopal Church, a diocese within the Anglican Church In North America.
ORTHODOXY
Epiphany is steadfastly orthodox. We stand by the founding principles and doctrines of the church which are rooted in Scripture as affirmed in the Jerusalem Statement and Declaration which states: “The doctrine of the Church is grounded in the Holy Scriptures and in such teachings of the ancient Fathers and Councils of the Church as are agreeable to the said Scriptures. In particular, such doctrine is to be found in the Thirty-nine Articles of Religion, the Book of Common Prayer and the Ordinal”.
Revisionists within the Communion would have the church move away from its Bible-based orthodox roots. They have ignored Paul’s warning to “not conform to the pattern of this world” (Romans 12:2) and have allowed western secularism to dominate their world view. Epiphany contends for the truth as passed down from the apostles.
BIBLICAL MARRIAGE
The Bible’s teaching on marriage has been under increasing attack in the West over the past decades. Epiphany believes in Gift of Marriage as it is found in the Bible. Starting with the foundations in Genesis’ creation account, marriage is properly understood to be between one man and one woman for life, is a mystery reflecting a deeper mystery of the holy relationship between Christ and his Church and that Jesus upheld and strengthened that view. All of us are sinners in need of a savior. We extend the love of Jesus to all people, but we stand by The Holy Bible as the absolute guidance to marriage and life. Our belief in the importance of marriage is why we advocate pre-marital, marital and post-marital counseling. This is expanded in the Montreal Declaration and the Statement of Marriage from the Diocese of Tanzania, to which this American church has deep ties.
THREE STREAMS
The Anglican ethos holds together three streams of the Christian Church. For those familiar with Church History, Dr. Les Fairfield provides a synopsis of the history that shapes its life today:
The Protestant movement recalled the 16th century Church to the primacy of the Word—written, read, preached, inwardly digested. The 18th century Holiness movement reminded the Church of God’s love for the poor. The Anglo-Catholic movement re-grounded the Church in the sacramental life of worship. All three strands are grounded in the Gospel. Each one extrapolates the Gospel in a specific direction. No strand is dispensable. Other Christian bodies have often taken one strand to an extreme. By God’s grace the Anglican tradition has held the streams in creative tension. This miracle of unity is a treasure worth keeping.
WORSHIP
Anglican worship is diverse, and it is best understood by visiting and attending our church. What is common to all is an inheritance of worship that recognizes the supremacy of the Bible and often finds expression through the Prayer Book. To understand what and how Anglicans pray is to understand what they believe. The Prayer Book, described as the Scriptures arranged for worship, provides helpful resources for everything from personal daily devotions to large public gatherings of worship. It includes prayers for every season of life.