Churches in the US
Apr 8th 2007, 5:10 pm
#31
Lapine Member
Joined: Nov 2004
Location: Austin, Texas in my own little world
Posts: 21,691
Re: Churches in the US
The Episcopal Church is part of the worldwide Anglican community and the archbishop is the Archbishop of Canterbury (perhaps you have heard of him?
.)The historical origins of the Anglican church ensure that there are a lot of elements of the Catholic church without a true papacy. Due to separation of church and state in the US, and the fact that we are no longer a British colony, no monarch or government figure holds any position in the church hierarchy.
There is a deep divide between old moneyed, more conservative congregations and very liberal congregations and that's caused some churches to leave the Episcopal church and style themselves as Anglican. However, I see it as a good thing that the doctrine of the church is open enough to allow a fairly wide range of interpretation, versus the fundamental denomination I was raised in (Southern Baptist).
Apr 8th 2007, 11:57 pm
#32
Account Closed
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 8,266
Re: Churches in the US
Sounds like the Portuguese weddings back in Africa. We have what we call 'wedding godparents' - two married couples who stand up for the couple -traditionally you don't have a best man. The bride asks someone she knows, and the groom does the same.
A certain population group from a certain Port. island, would often choose their 'godparents' from the island, who lived there and were among the wealthiest folk in S.A. The two sets would outdo each other in the gifting department. I knew of many couples who had a down payment and their entire home furnished by the 'godparents'!!! (I wasn't so mercenary, and also decided to marry in the S.A. tradition which is the same as yours - but with one heckuva Portuguese festa!!!
).
A certain population group from a certain Port. island, would often choose their 'godparents' from the island, who lived there and were among the wealthiest folk in S.A. The two sets would outdo each other in the gifting department. I knew of many couples who had a down payment and their entire home furnished by the 'godparents'!!! (I wasn't so mercenary, and also decided to marry in the S.A. tradition which is the same as yours - but with one heckuva Portuguese festa!!!
).It sounds just like those Chinese weddings where the guests at the wedding dinner have to give a 'hong bao' aka 'ang pao'; a red envelope with a sum of cash which must at least cover the cost of your meal (it's not unusual for guests to phone the restaurant or hotel beforehand to find out how much each 'table' costs).
The money should always be an even amount and never be say, $104, $154 as in Chinese, the number 4 'sounds like' death. On the other hand, they love multiples of 8 as the number 8 'sounds like' wealth....
At some of the Chinese weddings, someone sits at a table and opens up the hong baos as they are presented, recording who gave it and how much money was inside the envelope where all and sundry can see how generous or mean the guest was LOL!
The money should always be an even amount and never be say, $104, $154 as in Chinese, the number 4 'sounds like' death. On the other hand, they love multiples of 8 as the number 8 'sounds like' wealth....
At some of the Chinese weddings, someone sits at a table and opens up the hong baos as they are presented, recording who gave it and how much money was inside the envelope where all and sundry can see how generous or mean the guest was LOL!
Apr 9th 2007, 8:17 am
#33
Lapine Member
Joined: Nov 2004
Location: Austin, Texas in my own little world
Posts: 21,691
Re: Churches in the US
Sounds similar to the Mexican wedding padrinos.
Apr 10th 2007, 5:28 pm
#34
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: NC Triangle
Posts: 324
Re: Churches in the US
Its status may change, but it will probably remain in some form within the umbrella of the Anglican communion - there will no doubt be some wonderful fudge arrived at.
One amusing thing the local pastor pointed out about the current feud is that many of the member churches (mainly in Africa) who want the Episcopalians expelled from the Anglican structure have no problem with polygamy. So, there's no double standards there at all - just like me not hating church while being agnostic
One amusing thing the local pastor pointed out about the current feud is that many of the member churches (mainly in Africa) who want the Episcopalians expelled from the Anglican structure have no problem with polygamy. So, there's no double standards there at all - just like me not hating church while being agnostic
Apr 11th 2007, 5:37 pm
#36
BE Enthusiast
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 622
Re: Churches in the US
Is it actually affiliated? I attended one at first here out of desperation to meet people and discovered that allthough very similar in service, they have Bishops but nothing higher.........I think. Dont think there is an Archbishop of Connecticut, for example.
They are informally called the "bridge" as many Catholics find it easier to attend their services as it is more similar to the Catholic faith than most US Churches. They also refer to the Vicar as a Priest. I wonder if the Episcopalian church is more similar to "High C of E" in those respects?
Either way, the Episcopalian Church is easier to take than the more commonly found US Evangelical or Charismatic ones with people frequently jumping out of windows and throwing up in the corners.........
They are informally called the "bridge" as many Catholics find it easier to attend their services as it is more similar to the Catholic faith than most US Churches. They also refer to the Vicar as a Priest. I wonder if the Episcopalian church is more similar to "High C of E" in those respects?
Either way, the Episcopalian Church is easier to take than the more commonly found US Evangelical or Charismatic ones with people frequently jumping out of windows and throwing up in the corners.........
It would certainly be true to say that, as a generalisation, most of the Episcopal Church would be considered part of the 'liberal' wing if transposed to England, with some in the 'high-church' or 'Anglo-Catholic' wing, although there are some 'low-church' and/or 'evangelical' Episcopal churches in the USA as well.
The Church of England (and, by extension, other churches of the Anglican Communion) are often thought of, rightly or wrongly, as a sort of 'via media' or 'middle way' between Roman Catholicism and Protestantism - a circumstance that derives, in part, from its history and the settlement that Elizabeth I put in place. For example, the three orders of ministry - bishop, priest and deacon - were retained, although 'low-church' Anglicans would generally be less inclined to use the term 'priest' than their high-church brothers and sisters would (preferring 'minister', 'clergy(man)', or 'vicar' or 'rector'), but the term is used even so, especially at official functions (such as an ordination).
The existence or otherwise of archbishops in a province within in the Anglican Communion is not really relevant, although one or more of the senior bishops is generally accorded the title of Archbishop.
Apr 11th 2007, 5:58 pm
#37
Lapine Member
Joined: Nov 2004
Location: Austin, Texas in my own little world
Posts: 21,691
Re: Churches in the US
It would certainly be true to say that, as a generalisation, most of the Episcopal Church would be considered part of the 'liberal' wing if transposed to England, with some in the 'high-church' or 'Anglo-Catholic' wing, although there are some 'low-church' and/or 'evangelical' Episcopal churches in the USA as well.
Apr 11th 2007, 9:07 pm
#38
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: NC Triangle
Posts: 324
Re: Churches in the US
Yes.... and ordination of women is more controversial in the UK than in the US. Ordination of openly gay priests has happened in the US but I do not think in the UK. Funny -- in most things the UK is more 'liberal' than the US, but not when it comes to the Anglican church!
