FAQ

WHAT DOES "EPISCOPAL" MEAN?

Episcopos is the Greek word for bishop. Episcopal therefore, means "of bishops. The Episcopal Church maintains the three-fold order of ministry as handed down by the Apostles, deacons, priests, and bishops, in direct descent, through the laying on of hands, from the original Apostles.

IS THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH PROTESTANT OR CATHOLIC?

Both. The Anglican Communion is often referred to as a "bridge church," meaning a bridge between Roman Catholicism and Protestantism.

IS IT TRUE THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND WAS FOUNDED BY HENRY VIII?

No. Henry VIII's desire for an annulment of his marriage to Catherine of Aragon was indeed a political factor in breaking away from the pope's authority. But the trend toward separation from Rome had been building for several centuries in England.

WHAT IS THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER?

the first Book of Common Prayer was collated by the Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Cranmer in 1549, and revised by Cranmer in 1522. After Cranmer died it was revised again, and is still used as the official prayer book of the Church of England. In the prayer book you will find, among other things, the orders of service, prayers for home devotion, other prayers as needed, and the common lectionary for the entire church year.