EPISCOPAL AND ANGLICAN CHURCHES
Christianity arrived on British soil long before the official Church of England was established. Christianity probably found its way to England in the second century, for there is historical evidence of an organized church there among the Celtic tribes by the third century.
The emergence of the Church of England has a rich and colorful history. King Henry VIII (1509–1547) took the throne at age 18 following the death of his father. One thing Henry wanted more than just about anything else was a male heir. His marriage to Catherine of Aragon was unable to produce this heir. She managed to give birth to a daughter, Mary, but also suffered through five miscarriages. This was not acceptable to Henry VIII. He wanted a son.
To remedy the situation, Henry sought a divorce from Catherine—something that Pope Clement VII was unwilling to grant. Henry promptly took matters into his own hands. He convinced the English Parliament to set statutes in place which denied the pope any authority or jurisdiction over the Church of England. In so doing, Henry followed the lead of earlier kings of England who exercised supreme authority over ecclesiastical affairs.
The Church of England thus became independent of the Roman Catholic Church, and Henry VIII declared himself its chief authority. To add insult to injury to the Roman Church, Henry withheld the money England had annually paid Rome.
After the Church of England broke away from Rome, Henry forced the selection of Thomas Cranmer (1489–1556) as the archbishop of Canterbury, the most powerful church office in England. Cranmer then promptly granted an annulment of the marriage between Henry and Catherine. Problem solved!
Over time, Henry went through a series of marriages in hopes of fathering a male heir. His wives included Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves, Catherine Howard, and Catherine Parr. Boleyn gave birth to a daughter, Elizabeth, and Seymour gave birth to a son, Edward. Seymour did not recover from the birth experience and died just two weeks after Edward was born. Nevertheless, Henry now had the male heir he was hoping for.
Following Henry’s death, Edward VII took the throne at age nine. Because of his young age, his uncle Edward Seymour—Lord Protectorship and Duke of Somerset—guided the decisions of Edward’s throne, taking the church in a distinctly Protestant direction in keeping with the theology of the Reformers. Through his influence, Thomas Cranmer’s The Book of Common Prayer was made mandatory for all the churches in England. Neither the Catholics nor the Protestants appreciated this requirement. The Catholics did not like it because celebrating the Mass in Latin was abolished. The Protestants did not like it because of various shortcomings they perceived in the book. Tragically, King Edward died of consumption at age 16 in 1553.
Upon Edward’s death, his older sister Mary I assumed the throne at age 37. Mary was a devout, fervent Catholic, and she returned England to the Roman Catholic fold. She also restored the celebration of the Mass in Latin. Mary’s claim to fame is that she burned at the stake more than 300 Protestants, including Thomas Cranmer. For this, she became widely known as Bloody Mary. England’s recommitment to Roman Catholicism lasted until Mary’s death in 1558 (she ruled a mere five years).
Elizabeth I, at 25 years of age, took the throne after Mary died. History looks favorably upon Elizabeth’s reign, viewing her time on the throne as a truly great era. Seeking peace in her kingdom, Elizabeth sought a “middle way” between Roman Catholicism and Protestantism. She wanted a compromise between the two competing religious systems. Because most Englanders disliked the idea of having to bow before Rome, her middle-way approach for the Church of England was acceptable to most of England’s churchgoers. Meanwhile, she was able to placate Catholics by saying that the worship in the Church of England could be considered a Mass. There were naysayers among the extremists in both camps, but she was able to satisfy the mainstream middle, whose members far outnumbered the extremists. The Church of England was here to stay and would eventually become an influential religious body in the world.
As will be seen below, the Anglican and Episcopal churches that emerged on American soil are rooted in the Church of England.
Distinctive Ideas in Episcopal and Anglican Churches
• Scripture reveals what people need to know about salvation. It must be interpreted according to tradition and human reason. The Book of Common Prayer is the basis of Anglican liturgy.
• Members can accept or reject the Mariology of Roman Catholicism.
• Unlike their Roman Catholic counterparts, Anglican priests can marry.
• Church government is obviously episcopal (it is ruled by bishops).
Founded: 1789
Members: 2,155,000
Congregations: 7100
Beginnings
The Episcopal Church is so named because it is ruled by bishops. (The Greek word episkopos means “bishop” or “overseer.”) The Episcopal Church is also an Anglican church because it has its roots in the Church of England. (Anglican means “English.”)
Members of this denomination have included US presidents, generals, and Supreme Court justices. Two-thirds of the signers of the Declaration of Independence were Episcopalians (Anglicans). Members of the church have included such luminaries as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Patrick Henry.
The Episcopal Church emerged on American soil as an extension of the Church of England, all the while remaining under its jurisdiction. The first Anglican church was founded by English settlers in 1607 in Jamestown, Virginia. As settlers continued to immigrate, Anglican churches continued to crop up around the American colonies, including such cities as Boston (1689), Philadelphia (1695), New York City (1697), and Newport, Rhode Island (1702). By the end of the colonial period, Anglican churches were in all 13 colonies. Indeed, by the time the American War of Independence began (1775), there were some 400 Anglican congregations in the colonies. This represents significant growth.
These Anglican churches experienced a major crisis during the War of Independence. How could one fight for independence from England but maintain allegiance to the English crown by submitting to the Church of England through Anglican churches in American? This predicament caused a split to emerge among Anglican clergy in America. Many Anglican clergymen in the North remained loyal to the English king. These would rather close down their parishes than remove prayer for the English king from the liturgy of the church. These individuals eventually either returned to England, escaped to Canada, or were imprisoned in the colonies.
By contrast, many of the Anglican clergy in the South were colonial patriots, and they chose to withhold allegiance to the Church of England overseas. Their primary interest was independence from England and freedom for the American colonies.
The result for Anglican churches in America was nothing short of catastrophic. By the end of the War of Independence, the church suffered a severe decline in membership. Those that survived were disorganized, and no formal association of churches remained. Everything was in utter disarray.
In keeping with the American spirit, however, the church survived and eventually even thrived. The Anglican clergy who remained in America decided to regroup and establish a denomination that was independent of the Church of England, just as the colonies were now independent from England. The goal was to form a church that would continue the spiritual legacy of the Church of England, which they liked, but that would be completely autonomous. Preliminary steps were taken toward this end when clergy and laity met at the first general convention in Philadelphia in 1785.
The biggest problem the new denomination faced was finding bishops. One result of the war was that England would no longer be sending Church of England bishops to America. This meant that American churches had no way to ordain and consecrate new priests and bishops. With virtually all the church hierarchy residing in England, what were the churches in America to do? To make things even more difficult, English law stipulated that all bishops consecrated in the Church of England must swear allegiance to the British crown. No American clergy would be willing to do this, especially after the War of Independence.
By 1789 the problem was solved. The English Parliament had met and rescinded the requirement that all bishops must swear allegiance to the British crown. This requirement was no longer enforced for bishops who resided in “foreign parts,” such as America. Two Americans, William White and Samuel Provost, sailed to England and were consecrated by the archbishop of Canterbury.
At a convention in 1789, the new denomination adopted a constitution, ratified canons of the church, and revised The Book of Common Prayer for use in American Anglican churches. This represents the formal beginning of the Episcopal Church in America. It was initially called the Protestant Episcopal Church—Protestant to distinguish the church from Roman Catholicism, and Episcopal to reflect that the church is ruled by bishops.
Even though this was a new denomination, it nevertheless derived its basic doctrine, liturgy, and traditions from the Church of England. The denomination’s convention was even careful to stipulate that it had no intention of departing from the Church of England in any essential point of doctrine, discipline, or worship.
In 1801, the church approved a revised version of the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion, which is contained in The Book of Common Prayer. Later in the nineteenth century, the church expanded westward.
Unfortunately, all was not smooth sailing for the new denomination. A controversy erupted in the early 1800s related to the Oxford movement. In 1833, clerics at Oxford University launched a movement that sought a return to certain Catholic elements, such as elaborate rituals and ceremonies related to Catholic liturgy, adherence to the sacraments, and respect for Roman Catholic traditions. This movement resulted in the formation of the High Church party in the Episcopal church, which favored these Roman Catholic elements. In contrast to this party was the Low Church party, which leaned more toward evangelical traditions and doctrine, Bible reading, and minimal ritual and ceremony. This controversy caused bitter differences among members of the Episcopal Church. Between these two groups was the Broad Church party, which represented the middle ground. Episcopalians have since put a positive spin on this conflict by pointing to the great diversity and flexibility that exists within their denomination.
In more recent history, the Episcopal church has been heavily involved in the ecumenical movement. As a basis for ecumenism, the church says unity should be based on Scripture, the Apostles’ and Nicene creeds, the sacraments of baptism and the Eucharist, and the episcopate. In the 1970s and beyond, the denomination has experienced conflict over certain social issues, such as the admission of women into the priesthood and the issue of homosexuality.
Beliefs
The standards of doctrine used in the Episcopal church include…
1. The Apostles’ Creed.
2. The Nicene Creed.
3. The Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion (note that these articles are not binding on clergy and are not to be considered rigid confessions).
4. The Book of Common Prayer. This book constitutes a collection of worship services that Anglican worshippers around the world can use. The phrase common prayer points to the reality that all Anglicans pray these words together, all around the world. This book was initially compiled by Thomas Cranmer in the sixteenth century but has been revised a number of times to fit specific needs among Anglican churches. The purpose has always remained the same: to provide a single book to guide Anglican Christians in proper worship. The book includes the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion, ancient creeds, prayers, liturgies, a church calendar, a catechism, and a lectionary.
Rejection of Roman Catholic doctrines. The Episcopal church rejects some of the distinctive Roman Catholic doctrines, including the jurisdiction of the pope over the church, the infallibility of the pope on Christian doctrine and moral truth, the doctrine of purgatory, and the doctrine of transubstantiation.
Diversity. The Episcopal church is diverse. Within the denomination one will find conservatives and liberals, fundamentalists and modernists, heterosexuals and homosexuals. What brings them unity is The Book of Common Prayer.
The Bible. The Holy Scriptures, embodied in the Old and New Testaments, are the Word of God, containing all that is necessary for salvation. Yet the Bible must not be interpreted apart from tradition and human reason. Church tradition provides modern believers with the experience and understanding of Christians who have lived for the past 2000 years, and this collective wisdom provides a helpful starting point for proper interpretation. The process of weighing all this spiritual data is facilitated through the intelligence and reason God Himself has given humankind. In sum, then, the Bible is authoritative, but church tradition and human reason enable Christians to sort out their own understanding of it as it relates to their own lives.
God. The one true and living God is everlasting and is of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness. He is the Maker and Preserver of all things, visible and invisible. God is a Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Jesus Christ. Jesus, the second person of the Trinity, is eternal and divine, being of the same substance as the Father and the Holy Spirit. Through His life, death, and resurrection, our sins are forgiven, and our lives are brought into fellowship with God.
The Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, proceeds from the Father and the Son. He is of one substance, majesty, and glory with the Father and the Son.
Sin and salvation. Human beings are very far gone from original righteousness and are naturally inclined to evil. Through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, one’s sins are forgiven and one’s life is brought into fellowship with God. Nothing can separate the believer from the love of God.
The church. The one holy, catholic, and apostolic church is the body of Christ. In worship, the church follows the standards laid down in the revised Book of Common Prayer. The church emphasizes unity on the essentials and liberty on the nonessentials. It embraces independent thinking and religious liberty, allowing for a variety of viewpoints. Women are permitted to be ordained to the priesthood.
Church government is obviously episcopal. The local parish is the basic unit of worship, and the bishop ordains all its priests and confirms all its members. A diocese is composed of not less than six parishes in a geographical region, and each is overseen by a bishop. Each bishop is elected by a diocesan convention, subject to the approval of the majority of bishops of the church. The diocesan convention meets annually and is composed of all clergy and lay representatives of the parishes. It serves as the basic legislative body of the church.
Every three years, a General Convention meets to make broad decisions about policy and worship. It consists of a House of Bishops (composed of all diocesan bishops) and a House of Deputies (composed of four priests and four laymen from each diocese). All actions of the church must be passed by both houses. Together, these two houses constitute the supreme legislative, executive, and judicial body of the church.
The sacraments. Two sacraments are ordained by Christ—baptism and the Eucharist. Baptism must be in the name of the Trinity and can be done by pouring, sprinkling, or immersion. Baptism is necessary for regeneration. Baptized persons are confirmed as members of the church by a bishop.
Though transubstantiation is rejected, Christ is believed to reside in the elements in the Eucharist. How He is present is a holy mystery.
Confirmation, confession, anointing the sick, marriage, and ordination (accepted by the Roman Catholic Church as sacraments) are honored in the Episcopal church, but they are not universally accepted as divinely instituted sacraments in the New Testament.
The end times. The righteous will have eternal life and enjoy God forever. The unrighteous will experience eternal death in rejection of God.
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REFORMED EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN AMERICA
Founded: 1873
Members: About 10,000
Congregations: 150
Beginnings
The Reformed Episcopal Church in America emerged in 1873 as a result of increased frustration among evangelicals in the denomination regarding its openness to the High Church group—the wing of the Episcopal church that utilizes Roman Catholic sacerdotal rituals, ornaments, and vestments. These evangelicals believed the Protestant character of the Anglican Church was becoming increasingly compromised.
Another cause of dissatisfaction was the Episcopal church’s unwillingness to interact and fellowship with non-Episcopalians. In 1873, Reverend George Cummins (1822–1876), an assistant bishop of Kentucky in the Episcopal church, was publicly criticized by fellow Episcopalian bishops for participating in an interdenominational communion service sponsored by the Evangelical Alliance in New York City. He felt such criticism was unwarranted, uncharitable, and judgmental. He was not willing to go along with what he considered to be small-mindedness. He therefore resigned his position and, along with 28 other like-minded individuals, met in New York City to organize the Reformed Episcopal Church. At their meeting, they drew up the Declaration of Principles as a basis for their new denomination, a document based on the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion.
In doctrine, the Reformed Episcopal Church is similar to the Episcopal Church with several notable exceptions. The Reformed believers reject the Episcopalian doctrine that Christ resides in the elements of the Eucharist, arguing instead that the Lord’s Supper is symbolic of Christ. They reject the Episcopalian doctrine that baptism is necessary for regeneration, arguing instead that baptism is an outward expression of salvation. They reject the Episcopalian doctrine that the word priest is reserved for clergy alone, arguing instead that the word is applicable to all Christians because the New Testament indicates that all Christians are a part of the priesthood (1 Peter 2:9).
The Bible. Scripture as found in the Old and New Testaments is the written Word of God and contains all that is necessary for salvation. It is supreme in its authority to declare God’s will. The church is not permitted to teach anything as necessary for salvation that is not found in Scripture.
Like the Episcopal Church, the Reformed Episcopal Church believes the Bible must not be interpreted apart from tradition and human reason. In tradition, the church possesses a universal consensus of what Christians have believed regarding faith and practice—as guided by the Holy Spirit—since the beginning of the church, in all parts of the world. Tradition includes the historic creeds, the first four ecumenical councils, the writings of the church fathers, The Book of Common Prayer, and the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion. To understand the Bible, people should use their God-given reason and the insights tradition gives us.
Note, however, that Scripture is the highest authority. Tradition is subordinate to Scripture in authority because tradition could be tainted by human error, historical prejudice, or individual shortcomings. Reason is the lowest authority, for the reasoning capability of a single Christian has less importance than the universal consensus of what Christians have believed and practiced for several thousand years.
God. The one true and living God is everlasting, without body, parts, or passions. He is of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness. He is the Creator and Preserver of all things visible and invisible. God is a Trinity, meaning that the one God is eternally manifest in three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each of the persons is distinct yet equally divine in substance.
Jesus Christ. Jesus was begotten of everlasting from the Father and is very and eternal God. He is of one substance with the Father. In the Incarnation, He took on a human nature in the womb of the Virgin Mary so that two whole and perfect natures—God and man—were joined together in one person, never to be divided. Jesus suffered, was crucified, and was buried to reconcile us to the Father. His sacrifice was not only for original guilt but also for the actual sins of human beings. He was resurrected from the dead on the third day, ascended into heaven, and sits there until He returns to judge humanity at the last day.
The Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity. He is equal to the Father and Son in divine substance, majesty, and glory.
Sin and salvation. Human beings are very far from original righteousness and are naturally inclined to evil. Every person born in the world is deserving of the wrath of God and eternal damnation.
Jesus came to be a holy Lamb without spot, by whose sacrifice the sins of the world are taken away. Human beings are accounted righteous before God only by the merit of Jesus Christ by faith, not by good works. Justification is by faith alone (though see “Sacraments” below).
The church. The church is the body of Christ, a congregation of faithful human beings, a royal priesthood. Through the sacrament of baptism, a person becomes a part of this priesthood. Within this priesthood are the various spiritual gifts and ministries conferred by Christ for the edification of the whole body of Christ, the household of God.
The church has three offices—bishop, elder, and deacon. The highest legislative body is the triennial General Council. Most authority, however, lies at the synodal and parish levels.
The sacraments. Sacraments are outward and visible signs of inward and spiritual grace given to us, as ordained by Christ. Two sacraments are necessary for salvation—baptism and the Eucharist. Through water baptism in the name of the Trinity, an individual dies to sin and rises to new life in Christ. Through this regeneration, baptism washes away original sin and opens the door to God’s grace. This baptism serves to graft a person into the church, the body of Christ. Baptism is a visible confirmation of one’s forgiveness, adoption as a son of God, and status as an heir of salvation.
As mentioned earlier, members of the Reformed Episcopal Church reject the Episcopalian doctrine that Christ resides in the elements of the Eucharist, arguing instead that the Lord’s Supper is symbolic of Christ. The Eucharist is a sacrament of the Christian’s spiritual nourishment and growth in Christ. It is a pledge of the Christian’s communion with Christ and with other Christians as members of His mystical body.
The Reformed Episcopal Church also permits confirmation, penance, matrimony, ordination, and unction as minor, or lesser, sacraments.
The end times. Jesus will return again in the same manner that He ascended—bodily and visibly. He will come again as King and Judge. Eternal blessedness awaits the righteous, while divine judgment and condemnation await those who have rejected God’s provision of redemption in Christ.
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Founded: 1963
Members: 6000
Congregations: 175
Beginnings
This recently formed denomination emerged in 1963 as a result of the protest Reverend James Dees led against the Episcopal Church for its failure to firmly proclaim biblical doctrine. Dees felt the Episcopal Church was more interested in the social gospel than in traditional Anglicanism. Himself a traditional Anglican, Dees grounded his new denomination in the 1928 (unrevised) version of The Book of Common Prayer and the unrevised Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion.
Beliefs
This denomination bases its doctrine on the Nicene Creed, the Apostles’ Creed, and the Athanasian Creed.
The Bible. The canonical books of the Old and New Testaments are viewed as Scripture and contain all things necessary for salvation. Whatever is not contained in the Bible is not to be required of any human being.
God. The one true and living God is everlasting, without body, parts, or passions. He is of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness. He is the Creator and Preserver of all things visible and invisible. In the unity of the Godhead are three Persons, of one substance, power, and eternity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Jesus Christ. Jesus was begotten of everlasting from the Father and is very and eternal God. He is of one substance with the Father. In the Incarnation, He took on a human nature in the womb of the Virgin Mary so that two whole and perfect natures—God and man—were joined together in one person, never to be divided. Jesus suffered, was crucified, and was buried to reconcile us to the Father. His sacrifice was not only for original guilt but also for the actual sins of human beings. He was resurrected from the dead on the third day, ascended into heaven, and sits there until He returns to judge humanity at the last day.
The Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity and is equal to the Father and Son in divine substance, majesty, and glory. He is very and eternal God.
Sin and salvation. Human beings are very far gone from original righteousness and are naturally inclined to evil. Every person born into the world is deserving of God’s wrath and eternal damnation.
Jesus came to be a holy Lamb without spot, by whose sacrifice the sins of the world are taken away. Human beings are accounted righteous before God only by the merit of Jesus Christ through faith and not by good works. Jesus is the only name by which a person can be saved. Justification is by faith alone. Good works are the fruit of faith and follow after justification.
The doctrine of election is affirmed. Before the foundation of the world, God decreed to deliver from curse and damnation those whom He chose in Christ out of humankind, to bring them by Christ to eternal life as vessels made to honor.
People who have received the Holy Spirit can depart from God’s grace and fall into sin. However, by the grace of God, they can amend their lives and return to God.
The church. The visible church of Christ is a congregation of faithful human beings in which the pure Word of God is preached and the sacraments are duly administered.
The sacraments. The two sacraments are baptism and the Supper of the Lord. These sacraments must be received worthily. Those who receive them unworthily purchase for themselves damnation.
The end times. Jesus will one day return again to judge all human beings on the last day. All humans will be resurrected. Those who have lived virtuously will be resurrected unto reward. Those who have lived wickedly will be resurrected unto punishment. There is no purgatory.
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www.anglicanorthodoxchurch.org
Founded: 1977
Members: 12,000
Congregations: 200
Beginnings
The Anglican Catholic Church, founded in 1977, is catholic in the sense of “universal” or “what has been believed everywhere, always, and by all.” It claims to be in concurrence with the great churches of Eastern Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism.
The denomination grew out of the Congress of Saint Louis, Missouri, held in 1977. Many members of the Episcopal Church felt the denomination was becoming increasingly liberal. Evidence for this liberalism included the ordination of women in the church and the denomination’s choice to revise the 1928 version of The Book of Common Prayer (viewed as a departure from true Anglican orthodoxy). This called for a congress of Episcopalians to meet and consider alternatives to the Episcopal Church in order to preserve Anglican orthodoxy. Some 2000 Anglican bishops, clergy, and laypeople attended the congress.
The outcome of the conference was the formulation of the “Affirmation of Saint Louis.” This document specifically denounced the ordination of women, called for an allegiance to traditional Anglican doctrine as contained in the ancient creeds and church fathers, and called for a return to the traditional practices of Anglicanism as set forth in the 1928 edition of The Book of Common Prayer.
The largest body that grew out of this conference was the Anglican Catholic Church, claiming over half its congregations and members. (Other groups formed as well.) The denomination describes itself as a continuation of traditional Anglicanism as expressed in the liturgy of the 1928 Book of Common Prayer and rooted in the Nicene, Apostles’, and Athanasian Creeds. Today the denomination is found not only in North America but also in South America, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia, and Spain.
Beliefs
The Bible. The Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments contain the authentic record of God’s revelation to humanity and are valid for all people in all times. The Bible is inspired and contains God’s revelation of Himself, His saving activity, and His moral demands. The denomination also honors tradition as set forth by the ancient Catholic bishops and doctors, especially as defined by the seven ecumenical councils.
God. The one holy, Almighty God is the Creator of all things. Within the unity of the Godhead are three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Jesus Christ. Jesus is Lord of heaven and earth. Through Him is the full revelation of God. He is the Redeemer of humankind. We are saved through the grace of Jesus Christ.
The Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity. At the sacrament of baptism, one receives the “seal of the Holy Spirit.” The Holy Spirit enables Christians to walk in God’s way.
Sin and salvation. Human beings, having inherited original sin, are very far gone from original righteousness, are in rebellion against God’s authority, and are thus liable to His righteous judgment. Humans cannot save themselves through their own self-efforts. Salvation is only by faith in Christ. There is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.
The church. The church, the body of Christ, bases its worship on the liturgy contained in The Book of Common Prayer. Knowing the liturgy enables each member of the church to pray as if using his or her own personal prayer. The principal act of worship in each service is the celebration of the Eucharist, or Mass (see below).
To become a member of the church, one must make his or her desire known to the clergy and be baptized in water in the name of the Trinity. Baptism constitutes one’s entrance into the Christian church. Most people attend an instruction class before being baptized.
Government in the church is by bishops in the apostolic succession. The three offices of the church are bishops, priests, and deacons.
The sacraments. The church holds to seven sacraments of grace: baptism, confirmation, holy Eucharist, holy matrimony, holy orders, penance, and unction of the sick. Each sacrament is an objective sign of Christ’s continued presence and saving activity among us.
The most important sacrament is the Eucharist. This celebration of Christ’s sacrifice is at the heart of all that church members are and do. In the Eucharist, Christ in His body and blood is truly and really present to each church member. The Eucharist should be celebrated every Sunday and holy day, if not daily.
The end times. All people will one day appear before the judgment seat of Christ.
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