Catholic and Reformed

Episcopalians belong to a church that is both "Reformed and Catholic." On the one hand, we stand in the tradition of the Reformation, which formally began in the 16th century but has roots dating much farther back. In the manner of the Reformation, we place priority (not primacy) in Sacred Scripture and salvation by grace. We also relish in worship and reading the Bible in one's native tongue. On the other hand, we are Catholic (meaning, "universal"), descended directly from the earliest Church with Christian roots in the British Isles dating to at least the 2nd century CE. In this Catholic tradition, we maintain the unbroken succession of bishops and continue practicing the ancient Sacraments and liturgical rites. Episcopalians, moreover, are members of the worldwide Anglican Communion, with 85 million members in 164 countries. Among other things, the Anglican Communion finds unity in and through the Archbishop of Canterbury and the long legacy of Anglican (i.e. English) spirituality.

As such, our understanding of God and our core beliefs and practices are based on...

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