"Could someone, anyone, please tell me what the attraction of the Episcopal Church is, what does it offer beyond a tradition for those raised in it?"
Well, it is a liturgical church (like the Catholics), but without the rigid hierarchy, without the Pope. Like Catholics, we take communion every Sunday, whereas most Protestant churches rarely do. The prayer book (particularly the 1928 version, but even with the new language) is widely acknowledged to contain some of the most beautiful language ever written in English. And, I like it because Episcopal priests are almost always very well educated, and almost always they truly understand the world, having had secular careers prior to coming to the priesthood. Plus, since the priests not only can marry and have children, but are expected to, I believe they have a broader understanding of the human condition than Catholic priests.
I was raised in the Episcopal church but left not only the church but faith as a teen, only coming back to both in my early forties. I love my church, and don't want to leave, so I am just waiting to see what happens. Pretty much the only thing I could do would be to become a Catholic, and since I think the Catholic church is also wrong on a number of issues (although not as wrong as the Episcopal church), I would prefer not to do that. How can I abandon the church of John Donne, George Herbert, and C.S. Lewis to people so wrong-headed?
Regardless of denominational differences, though, it is important to remember that the Body of Christ has members in every church-- and that every church also has members who are not true believers. Whether we stay or go, whether we are of this church or that one, or have only a small circle of faithful friends, we are charged with being the salt and the light. Christ's church is eternal, no matter the rise and fall of any particular form that a segment of it may take.
You are right about why someone would love the church. I love it myself, and for the same reasons.
But not all Episcopal churches are the same. Mine is serious, and as biblically oriented as any of the new "Bible" churches, for instance, but is reverent and soothing at the same time. And my congregation is very very concerned about what the heirarchy has done to the church, and we are working to do something about it.
Let's see what comes of all this mess. As my rector says....."God will win in the end."
Well said!
The Church of Jesus Christ is, and forever more shall be, the Church triumphant no matter how hard it's enemies may work to bring it down. Satan and the world may attack from without while apostate pretenders attack more subtly from within, but Christ's body on earth will prevail over all. We have the unconditional promise of our omnipotent Lord that the gates of hell shall not prevail against his Church.
The Anglican rite is different from the Episcopal. It is growing as people flee from the cynicism and hypocrisy of a rite that elevates to shepherd a man whose personal desires and ambition are inimical to the welfare of the flock.
Anglicanchurch.com, I believe, provides information about the true Anglican Church, the one that existed in England up to the 9th century before the popes set out to gain temporal power by dominating all Christian churches. b