How do Episcopalian beliefs differ from Catholic beliefs?
A question from a reader: I heard that the Episcopal church believes almost everything the Catholic church believes, expect Episcopalians don’t recognize the Pope as their authority. Does this mean that Espicopalians, like Catholics, don’t take the Bible literally? How else do the two denominations differ?
Episcopalians have women and homosexual priests and bishops.
Yuck.
Well….MODERN Episcopalians differ from the historic Catholic faith in two other HUGE ways….they Ordain women as “priestesses” and have an openly-homosexual Bishop.
Episcopalians do not recognize the primacy of the Pope. They also have ordination of women to the priesthood and as bishops. And they do not follow all the moral teachings of the Catholic Church.
Neither church understand the Bible to be literally true but recognizes you must try to see what it means to say.
Most Episcopalians I personally know aren’t Biblical literalists, but it would be unwise to say that they all are. As Protestants, they reject Papal authority. Parishioners vary in opinion regarding the true presence of Christ in the Holy Eucharist. Episcopalians are often somewhat theologically progressive, and many are willing to advance the rights of women and gays. Women can be ordained as priests and bishops. The rites and liturgy are quite similar between the two churches.
They do not deserve eucharistia.
Episcopalian beliefs are very similar. The only major difference is they don’t accept Papal rulership. They are pretty much a Catholic sect that lost direct connection to the Catholic Church. Having lost their connection, they tend to use the Catholic Church as an evil component of many of the Revelation prophesies. Like most protestant faiths, they blame the Papal system for leaving the Word for false beliefs. Of course, as it has been stated, most of the Episcopalian beliefs are the same as Catholic beliefs.
Episcopalians are some of the most normal mainstream christians. The reject papal authority and also the doctrines the catholic church has added to those found in the bible. They believe in the bible as the sole foundation of doctrine but few would take it literally when it comes to things such as Adam and Eve. They tolerate a wide range of opinions and beliefs. Those who have left over things like the ordination of women left of their own accord, they were not kicked out.
They have the most elegant English in their prayer book (most memorable church phrases other than those from the KJV are Episcopalian in origin). Their services are relatively easy to follow and they accept all baptized christians at the communion rail. If you must be christian, you could do a lot worse than the Episcopalians.
priests can get married in the episcopal church
priests can be women
bishops can be women
(women can’t be in the ministry in the catholic church)
no pope
catholic bible has more books
recently elected a gay bishop though some opposed of this (of coarse some opposed of allowing women into priesthood)
observe the same holidays
no confession of sins like catholics
catholics pray to the virgin Mary as well as god
mass is much like communion
They are both douche bags that believe in fairy tales about an invisible man in the sky?