ANGLICAN ESSENTIALS A course of Adult Catechesis in the Diocese of Alabama Table of Contents Forward: An Introduction to the Faith of our Church......................................................................................p.3 Hospitality and Community Building..............................................................................................................p.5 1. Church History: An Introduction........................................................................................................p.8 PART I. English Heritage Outline...............................................................................................................p.9 Lesson Content ...................................................................................p.10 Interactive Discussion.............................................................................................p.12 PART II. The American Church Outline...................................................................................................................p.13 Lesson Content......................................................................................p.15 Interactive Discussion.............................................................................................p.18 2. Anglican Worship and The Book of Common Prayer, Liturgy and Piety Outline...................................................................................................................p.19 Lesson Content..............................................................................................p.21 Interactive Discussion.........................................................................................pp.25-26 3. Sacramental Life PART I. Baptism and The Holy Eucharist Outline...................................................................................................................p.27 Lesson Content.........................................................................................p.28 Interactive Discussion.............................................................................................p.31 PART II. Other Sacramental Rites Outline....................................................................................................................p.32 Lesson Content........................................................................................p.33 Interactive Discussion.............................................................................................p.39 4. The Authority of Scripture PART I. The Bible’s Place in Anglican Theology Outline..................................................................................................................p.40 Lesson Content.......................................................................................................p.41 Interactive Discussion.............................................................................................p.43 PART II. The Bible’s Authority from Five Perspectives Outline...................................................................................................................p.44 Lesson Content.......................................................................................p.45 Interactive Discussion.............................................................................................p.51 5. Christian Life and Faith PART I. The Nicene Creed Outline............................................................................................................p.52 Lesson Content.................................................................................................p.53 Interactive Discussion.............................................................................................p.57 1 PART II. Baptismal Covenant Outline...................................................................................................................p.58 Lesson Content...............................................................................................p.59 Interactive Discussion.............................................................................................p.68 PART III. Ministers of the Church Outline.................................................................................................................p.69 Lesson Content.........................................................................................................p.70 Interactive Discussion...............................................................................................p.74 PART IV. The Structure & Polity of the Church Outline....................................................................................................................p.75 Lesson Content..........................................................................................................p.76 Interactive Discussion......................................................................................pp.83-84 PART V. Moral Decision Making Outline....................................................................................................................p. 87 Lesson Content: Interactive Discussion...................................................................p.88 PART VI. Engaging the World Outline....................................................................................................................p. 92 Lesson Content.........................................................................................................p.93 Interactive Discussion................................................................................................. p.100 Epilogue: The Anglican Spirit................................................................................... ....................................p.101 Glossary Appendix I: Parts of a Church..............................................................................................p.103 Appendix II: At the Altar......................................................................................................p.104 Appendix III: Vestments.......................................................................................................p.105 Appendix IV. The Church Year.............................................................................................p.106 Appendix V. Methods of Prayer............................................................................................p.107 Bibliography Index..................................................................................................................................p.110 A. Church History .......................................................................................................p.111 B. Anglican Worship, The Book of Common Prayer, Liturgy and Piety....................p.113 C. The Authority of Scripture.....................................................................................p.114 D. The Nicene Creed..................................................................................................p.118 E. Baptismal Covenant.............................................................................................p.119 F. Ministers of the Church....................................................................................p.120 G.The Structure and Polity of the Church...................................................................p.121 H. Moral Decision Making......................................................................................p.122 I. Engaging the World..................................................................................................p.123 2 AN INTRODUCTION TO THE FAITH OF OUR CHURCH The Episcopal Church in the United States is a true part of the one Church of Jesus Christ, which he established by his death and resurrection, empowered by the gift of the Holy Spirit, and through which God works for the redemption of all creation. Members of the Episcopal Church, like all Christians everywhere, follow Jesus Christ, confess the faith of Christ crucified, proclaim his resurrection, and share in his eternal priesthood. The Episcopal Church is a daughter of the Church of England and, together with churches in other nations around the world which share that heritage, is a part of what is called the Anglican Communion. Each national Church within this fellowship is independent of the others in matters of local governance and discipline, but all share a common heritage, a common understanding of Christian tradition and worship, the same creeds, sacraments, and ministry. They look to the Archbishop of Canterbury as the spiritual head and symbol of unity for the entire Communion. Although the Archbishop has no governing authority beyond his own Church of England, his moral and spiritual authority is taken very seriously throughout the worldwide Communion. Members of the Episcopal Church are generally called “Episcopalians.” Members of any Anglican Church, including Episcopalians, can be called “Anglicans”. Anglican Christians accept the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as “containing all things necessary to salvation,” and as being the rule and ultimate standard of faith. The apocryphal books of the Old Testament – which appear in the ancient Greek translation of the Old Testament, but not in the Hebrew Bible – are used and read in our churches, but are not used, as Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Christians do, to establish any doctrine. The Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed, ancient summaries of the Christian faith coming