Episcopalianism 101: What every atheist should know.

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

Hey all,

Haven’t posted for some time while dealing with life’s little unpleasantries. :rolleyes:

Have a new person in my life and she’s wonderful. Fun, funny, smart, sexy as all get out… and Episcopalian. Now, I’ve enough trouble with being an atheist Jew. Do I really need this agrevation in my life? Yes. Yes I do. :slight_smile:

So I’m here to ask you for your combined knowledge and mercy on a poor ignorant soul who’s probably well on his way to hell anyway. What should I know about Episcopalianism that would make me appeare semi-intelligent in front of her mother (at the Sunday morning service) without appearing to be a hypocrite.

…and yes, I’ll try to wipe that smug little smirk off my face while I sit quietly on my hands through the church service. :smiley:

2

When they ask you if you’d like some tea, say yes.

3

Tea, yes. Bread and wine, no. (But don’t worry, there will be cocktails at 5:00.)

The Episcopalian liturgy is very similar to the Catholic liturgy, if that helps at all. Basically they’ve kept all the frills of the Catholic service, but ditched all that messy misogyny and homophobia (depending on which branch of the church they are in.)

Just follow everyone else’s lead. Kneeling is optional and you don’t need to go to the altar rail. Just politely step aside to let people get past you.

4

Not trying to be snippy, but exactly how does one become an atheist Jew?

5

Look up some post by Siege or Polycarp. They’re both Episcopals and can give you a good idea on what they believe. I should note, too, that Episcopals have a more conservative element as evidence by Skammer.
Lord Ashtar: He could be an Ethinic Jew but religiously atheist.

6

Jewish by circumstance of birth. Atheist by circumstance of place of birth.

I know, I’m a disgrace to atheists and jews alike. :slight_smile:

Okay… so far:
a) I can do tea (is there a restriction on amount of sugar?)
b) Cocktails at 5.
c) Avoid blocking isle and shouting “You’re all sheep!” during the service as devotees file past.

Got it.

Anything else? Any Episcopalian trivia I should know about?

7

Okay, that makes sense.

As far as Episcopailian stuff goes…um…they like to raise their hands when they sing praise songs and pray, or at least they did in the churches I’ve been to which claim to be Episcopalian. Also, don’t be freaked out if the congregation falls silent during prayer and people start praying really loud one at a time.

Kind of flies in the face of that whole “don’t pray as if others can see you” thing, but whatever. YMMV.

8

Ah, a thread I can sink my teeth into. :wink: I’m a cradle Episcopalian, member of the Vestry, LEM, Chalice-bearer, former Postulant.

The churches that Lord Ashtar refers to is that of our more charismatic brethren, which have become more plentiful over the years. But rest assured, we are a mostly staid bunch, inheriting that from the Church of England, our mother church. Sometimes we get a little to stuffy, and things happen like a sub group peels off to follow a more orthodox theology. Anglican Priest John Wesley did this in the mid 1700s, and founded the Methodist Church.

But the following is still true to a certain extent: the fastest way to clear a room of Episcopalians (after they put down their bloodys and martinis) is to start talking about evangelism. Anglicanism is a very open and accepting theology (cf V. Gene Robinson), not dogmatic or particularly pushy. That’s not to say that there aren’t bible thumpers, but even Judaism has the Hassidim and Lubavitchers. Some of the more conservative churches stress faithfulness to God and Scripture, which leads to a strict interpretation of Scripture. But you are probably more likely to find that Episcopal Churches stress community life and unity through the Eucharist, which leads to a tolerant atmosphere.

The church governing structure is a lot like the Federal governing structure, and that is not an accident. The US church had to define itself from the C of E after the Revolution, hence the tradition of continual election of representatives to diocesan and national meetings and committees. We are also a church of Bishops (Episcopal is derived from the Latin for bishop), and each Bishop has a lot of say over what goes on in his or her Diocese. Our spiritual leader is the Archbishop of Canterbury, but he holds no authority over the administration of the worldwide Anglican Communion. Our national leader, or Presiding Bishop, Frank Griswold, holds some authority, but most of what goes on is at the direction of the Bishop. And of course, the Rector is in charge of the individual churches.

Our defining writings are found in the Book of Common Prayer, as services in the first part, and a chatechism (outline of faith) in the back. There are some beautiful prayers in the BCP, and it would be worthwhile to look through them to understand them theologically. We rely a great deal on the Tanakh to help put the New Testament in the proper context (i.e. the time and place the various books were written, and by whom to what audience).

I could go on, ad nauseum. If you have specific questions, post them. I have a great love of the Episcopal Church, and have never seriously considered leaving for another church.

Vlad/Igor

9

Thanks Vlad/Igor. Just as a place to start (good as any I suppose), what is a common structure of a given (average) Sunday service? For example, and, if memory serves correctly, a Sabbath service in synague has a sort of common preamble followed by readings from the Torah, followed by announcements, closing readings and a brunch of bagels, cream cheese and lox. Mostly, it’s just an excuse to eat out on weekends. :slight_smile:

Also, is there much standing/sitting/kneeling/standing going on? Would it be inappropriate to discreetly pinch my girlfriend’s butt during the service? :wink:

10

With all due respect, don’t believe Lord Ashtar – not that I doubt the veracity of what he says! But his experience has evidently been with “charismatic” parishes – a very small element of the Episcopal Church as a whole.

In my experience, there is usually a point at which the priest addresses the congregation with special reference to welcoming newcomers, explaining anything particular that that parish does in the service. This may not be true everywhere, but I’ve seen a broad sampling of churches over the last 22 years that have done it.

You will find two books in the pew with you, usually a smaller (often red) one and a larger (often deep blue) one. The first is the Prayer Book and the second the Hymnal. I presume I don’t have to explain that the text and music of anything sung is in the second? The Prayer Book gives the standard elements of the various services which are held in Episcopal churches. Odds are very high that you will be attending a Eucharist (communion service); that’s nearly standard for the Sunday morning service these days. It’s on p. 355 and following of the Prayer Book (BCP, for “Book of Common Prayer”) unless they’re a very conservative parish using one of the older formats. The bulletin that you’ll probably be handed when you come in will give you the variable parts of the service and what pages in the BCP the other elements fall on.

The following is the SOP, for your information, on the Eucharist, but does vary from church to church, so don’t expect precise conformity to what I’m listing. But enough of it is either mandatory or almost-universal custom that it’s worth presenting:

As you enter the church building, you’ll be greeted by someone, given a bulletin, and possibly escorted to a pew. When you enter the “nave” – the “auditorium” part of the church proper, there will be people seated or kneeling, and probably organ music. This is supposed to provide time for quiet meditition and self-preparation for the service. Find your way quietly to a seat. Sotto voce conversation at this time is not out of order, but try to avoid disturbing others with it.

The service will begin with a hymn, found in the hymnal, for which you stand. The priest(s) and altar servers, and probably a choir, will come in in procession during it. Find the hymn in the Hymnal, by number (the numbered hymns come after 100 pages or so of service music at the front of the hymnal, designated with “S##” coding.) The priest then formally greets the congregation with one of the responsive exchanges from p.355 of the prayer book, says a short prayer printed there, and a musical item follows. Most of the time this is a setting of the “Gloria in Excelsis,” an old canticle of praise, which will be found in that service music in the front of the hymnal. Some churches substitute another hymn here. The priest then prays the Collect of the Day. You sit down after it.

A reading from the Old Testament follows, usually done by a layman, then a psalm, which is read or chanted, usually while seated. Then there’s a reading from one of the epistles in the New Testament. This is followed by a short “gradual” hymn, for which you stand again. During that hymn, the priest and a server will move into a place in the middle of the congregation, usually a short distance into a central aisle. Stay standing for a reading of a passage from one of the Gospels, introduced with formal sentences. After this you sit again, and the Sermon follows. Most Episcopal priests try to base this on the readings, which are supposed to be on a common theme, and tie it to concerns of the day; it’s usually worth listening to, and not the deadly exegesis of Scripture or hellfire-and-brimstone that sermons are usually reputed to be.

This is followed by recitation by all present of the Nicene Creed, for which one stands. What follows this is the Prayers of the People, normally using one of the formats found at p. 383 ff. of the BCP but adapted to local concerns and usually with time when people offer concerns aloud to ask for the prayers of the other members of the congregation. Note that most forms for the prayers have responses you join in with. At some churches the custom is to stand for these, at others to kneel. This is also the case with the General Confession which follows it. After the priest pronounces an absolution after the confession, he or she usually makes announcements, and then formally wishes “The Peace of the Lord be always with you.” This is a time when you greet whoever is seated near you, shaking hands and if appropriate hugging.

For any and all of this, it’s only good manners to do what everybody else is, but there will be absolutely no problem with your remaining silent on anything you feel inappropriate to join in with. Episcopalians as a rule honor the use of the mind to judge what’s right and wrong to do, and do not expect people to say or do things that are not heartfelt.

What follows the Peace is the Offertory, during which three things are going on simultaneously: the priest and servers are preparing the altar for celebrating the Eucharist, there is music (usually an anthem by the choir, but sometimes a hymn everyone joins in on), and a collection is taken. Your contribution is welcomed but not mandatory.

Stand (or remain standing, if there was a hymn) after the Offertory for the initial part of the Eucharistic Prayer. Almost all of this is said by the priest alone – there is a passage a short way into it where everybody sings the Sanctus (“Holy, holy, holy…Hosanna in the highest”). Immediately following this in some churches, people kneel for the rest of the Eucharistic Prayer (sitting is OK if you prefer); in others, people remain standing for the whole prayer. There is one more response (variable according to which Eucharistic Prayer is used) which everyone joins in on. It’s followed by the Lord’s Prayer and an invitation to communion.

It’s your choice whether to go forward at that time or not – we practice “Open Communion” and nobody is turned away from communion. But partaking of it is a meaningful act to us with implications, so you may not feel it appropriate to do so. There is nothing wrong with remaining in your seat – if you do go forward, and do not wish to receive, fold your arms in an X across your chest and you will not be offered communion – but the priest will probably say a blessing over you. Quiet hymns are being sung by choir and usually congregation as well during the time people are taking communion.

When everyone who wants to has taken communion, there’s a short prayer of thanksgiving, a blessing, a final hymn during which the priest and the rest of the folks in the original procession exit, and a final dismissal.

The working rule is: stand for hymns and the Gospel, stand or kneel for prayers, and sit for instruction (including Scripture readings). We joke about “liturgical calesthenics” to comply with the different times we sit, stand, and kneel.

Nobody is going to feel the slightest antipathy for someone who doesn’t have the routine “down” yet – you may impress Girl Friend’s Mother by simply asking what you’re supposed to do next – it shows a willingness to participate. Yell if you have questions!

11

Thanks Polycarp. And all this is accomplished in about an hour’s time? Amen for brevity! :slight_smile:

I understand that some early morning services don’t actually involve much singing. Any specific reason why some services are less musically endowed than others?

Also, given that I’m going strictly out of personal curiosity, I don’t imagine anyone will object if I simply flip randomly through the books during the service. Kind of a brief religious lit audit if you will. I promise to avoid making notes in the margins.

12

**Vlad ** and Polycarp have already done a good job of explaining a lot of what you want to know. May I take the liberty of posting the website of the Episcopal cathedral I attend? It can show you a lot about day to day stuff in a church.

http://www.gracecathedraltopeka.org/

One thing I really like that my congregation has is the Welcome book that is found in all the pews, where the hymnal and Book of Common Prayer are also stashed. It has a lot of info on what a visitor may or may not see at our church. For example, it explains how our 8:30 service is rather “low church”, with little or no music, whereas the 10:30 service is fancier, choir, music, etc., especially on holy days(bells and smells, as we would say). But the best thing about the Welcome book is on the first page. It says not to worry about what everyone else may be doing, do only what makes you feel comfortable, that when you are worshipping God you can’t get it wrong! Emphasis is from the book.
The book also says "There’s one thing we want to get straight up front. You may be wondering ‘Can I take Communion here?’. The answer is not yes, but

13

As a 13-yr old Presbyterian, I went through a class leading up to formally joining the church. Part of it was field trips to other churches. Episcopalians are a lot like Presbyterians; they’re protestant, but pretty formal. Episcopalians do a lot of kneeling and standing during services, so pay attention, and rise and fall with the tide. “Episcopal” and “bishop” come from the same root. Garrison Keillor wrote a new lyric for Ain’t Misbehavin’ (Waller-Razhof) called “Episcopalian, saving my love for you.”

And that is all I know about the Episcopalians.

14

Dang! How did I screw my post up like that?

That final sentence should finish “The answer is not yes, but WE HOPE YOU WILL! this is not the Episcopalian’s table, but God’s.”

I especially like that, because I started life is a very conservative Lutheran church, that most definitely does NOT practice open Communion. As a result, I can not longer partake of the Eucharist in the church where I went to Sunday School, was baptized and confirmed in.

15

There’s a simple explanation, but you won’t like it.

I’ve discovered that whenever I compose a long post speaking positively about the receiving of communion or the Episcopal Church, and about Gene Robinson in particular, that post gets eaten. I’ve formed the theory that the hamsters are very conservative evangelical Protestants theologically.

:smiley:

16

Polycarp has explained pretty much everything, but as a non-Episcopalian who occasionally attends an Episcopalian service, my advice would be to skip the antiphon.

At one point in the service, as you are following along quite happily and clearly, there will be a secion maked “Antiphon.” These are in the front of the BCP, and are numbered A###. Your bulletin will probably list the antipon for the day, or it will be posted somewhere towards the front. However, the service doesn’t slow down for this. As you get to it, think “Aha! Antiphon!” and start fumbling around for the right page, the congregation will keep singing without a pause. By the time you find it, it will be over. It’s short, only a couple of sentences, and will throw you off more than it’s worth.

Just accept that the antiphon will happen without you, and pick up the next line with the rest of the congregation.

17

Huh. Fundie hamsters, who woulda thunk it?

I won’t say it. Absolutely not. I can resist the urge…oh God!..Yes! Yes! I’ll say it!

BAND NAME!

18

I think what your asking for is “what should I expect at an Episcopalian service and how should I act, given that I am not a Christian?”
First of all, you should feel welcome in the Church. Whether you are baptized or not, or a practicing Christian, or an atheist, or whatever you are, you are welcome to be there. Whether or not you are a believer, you can show respect by (1) maintaining a respectful silence, (2) standing and sitting along with the congregation (who will be standing up and then sitting back down at numerours points throughout the service.)

Here’s what to expect in more detail.
When you walk in, they will hand you a bulletin or program with directions for participating in the service.
The service will begin with a sequence of prayers, hymns and bible readings. There will likely be a lot of standing up and then sitting back down. The bulletin should tell you when to do which. When in doubt, just follow the crowd. The congregation will almost always stand up to sing, and for certain of the prayers. You don’t need to sing the hymns, but you should stand up as a sign of respect.

There will likely be moments during the service where the congregation kneels to pray. You should do what your heart tells you to do at this point. If you want to pray, you should of course feel free. If you don’t, you can just sit still.

The last reading before the sermon will be a reading from the gospel of Luke (assuming you go to church sometime in 2004–this is a Luke year.) Everyone will stand during this reading.

Then everyone will sit down for the sermon.
After the sermon, likely everyone will stand to recite a creed, probably the Nicene creed. You should not recite this unless you believe it. If you don’t believe it, the polite thing to do is to stand along with everyone else while they recite it.
Next there will be prayers of the people. Someone will read prayers, with responses from the congregation. (e.g., the reader reads “We pray for the people of the world, remembering those impoverished by war, gree and terrorism. Jesus, Light of the world,” and the congregation responds “give us your grace and your peace.”) Again, same deal: if you do not want to pray, the polite thing to do is to stand silently (are you starting to see a pattern here?)

After the prayers, there will be an “exchange of peace.” The members of the congregation shake hands with those near them. Whoever is sitting next to you, in front of you or behind you will shake your hand. They may say “peace of the lord” or just “good morning.” You can respond with “good morning.”

After the peace, there will be the service of the holy communion. This service consists of more prayers, and more hymns. In preparation for communion, the clergy prepare the bread and wine for the congregation. You probably know this already, but what happens during communion is that the members of congregation step forward, and each in turn receives a piece of bread or a wafer (Christ’s body) and a sip of wine (Christ’s blood.) I am assuming your friend and her mother will step forward to receive communion. At this point, as someone who is not a baptized Christian, have two options. The one I recommend is that you go forward to the communion rail but ask to receive a blessing rather than taking communion. Follow the directions of the ushers, and when you get up the rail, kneel down and cross your arms over your chest. Then the presiding priest will touch your head and say a blessing on you. Last Easter, one of my friends brought a Jewish friend of hers with us to the service. She received this blessing and found it very moving. BUT, if you don’t want to do that (again, do what your heart tells you to do) you can just remain in your pew. Don’t worry about standing out. It’s rare that everyone in a church service steps forward for communion. Usually there are at least a few people who don’t.

After the communion there will probably be a final hymn, and then the blessing and dismissal.

19

Ok, it looks like Polycarp’s post renders mine kind of redundant. Oh, well.

Have fun at church anyway.

20

It appears from your responses throughout the thread that you take something your friend considers serious less than seriously. Wouldn’t it be more honorable and intellectually honest to tell her you’re an atheist rather than making a mockery of her beliefs?

BTW, not an Episcopal