WHAT IS AN “EPISCOPAL” CHURCH?
The Episcopal Church in the United States of America has its origin in the Anglican Church or Church of England, which formed during the Reformation in the sixteenth century. After the American Revolution of the 1700s, the Anglicans in America formed an independent church in the town of Philadelphia. Due to sentiments following the Revolutionary War, the English refused to ordain the first American bishop, Samuel Seabury. A small group of Anglicans existed in Scotland and consented to consecrate Seabury. That church was called the Scottish Episcopal Church and exists until this day. The term “episcopal” is from the Greek term episkopos (episkopos), which literally means “bishop.” Although the American Episcopal Church is very democratic in its government (meaning bishops, priests, and laity participate in the councils of the church), the term episcopal refers to a church that is governed by bishops. Episcopalians believe in the “apostolic succession” or unbroken line of succession thro
