The Episcopal Church and the Hope of Communion
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Authors
Wright, Carl Walter
Issue Date
2017-07
Type
Thesis
Language
en_US
Keywords
Communion , School of Theology Theses 2017 , School of Theology, University of the South , Anglican communion , Episcopal Church of the United States of America communion
Alternative Title
Abstract
This thesis suggests that, by virtue of its history and polity, The Episcopal Church in the United States of America (TEC) is uniquely positioned to advance the role and reach of the worldwide Anglican Communion. While the Episcopal Church began its life as a seventeenth century colonial outpost of the Church of England, over time, out of necessity, it began to organize and govern itself quite differently from the "mother church." Yet, in spite of the unique polity it developed, TEC remained loyal to Anglicanism in the seventeenth century; it vigorously pursued new ways to strengthen its relationship with the Church of England in the nineteenth century; and it was instrumental in making the Anglican Communion a global church in the twentieth century. Therefore this thesis will argue that because The Episcopal Church has been a prominent leader in the Communion and a catalyst for its expansion, this role need not be relinquished. Instead, The Episcopal Church might well be indispensable to the Communion's future.
Description
Citation
Publisher
University of the South