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You can also look at the BCP online to get a feel for the service if you’re nervous about heading to a new church (I get nervous and like to scope out the BCP and also their website).
If you want to read more about the Episcopal Church, I would recommend Walk in Love
He's Catholic, but I enjoyed Father James Martin's Jesus: A Pilgrimage. He also narrates the audiobook version himself, if you like listening.
You can't really go wrong with anything by CS Lewis; it's not about the life of Jesus specifically, but I'd recommend starting with Mere Christianity.
I once went to a church with two priests who disagreed on this issue but everyone got along. One was such a strict universalist that he didn't even like saying that part of the Apostles Creed in the Rite 1 version that mentions hell. That said, you will be fine.
Also, I highly recommend this book: https://www.amazon.com/Gods-Final-Victory-Philosophical-Universalism/dp/1623568498
Personally, I believe in a temporal rather than infinite hell, and thus count as a universalist. This is because it is the only way for me to make sense of God actually conquering sin and death.
Sounds good. Next, you might think about reading the basic worship book, the Book of Common Prayer, for the Articles of Religion and the Catechism.
See as well, a book on the Episcopal Church 101, by Gunn and Wilson Shobe: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079H3N7XG/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1.
Did you post this on the Anglicanism Reddit as well? This Reddit is the best place for talking to Episcopalians in general, although there are some of us over there.
How about sermons? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00C122VDE/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1
Christopher Webber, Anglican Readings for Lent and Easter Week.
Given your background and devotional tendencies, it sounds like you may be suited to what's called Anglocatholic leanings. There may be churches in your area that lean that way, who use incense and have corporate rosaries, for instance. I would suggest this little manual, that is a very catholic style guide to prayer for Episcopalians:
Also, this parish in Philly is a great example of just how Catholic the Episcopal Church CAN be. Most parishes won't be quite this Catholic tending, but I post just to show that you wouldn't have to leave Catholic practices with you.
I don't mind being eye-catching in the congregation. I always wear my Sunday best, no matter what others wear.
I started with hats and fascinators (ala the Royal Family) because that felt the most like an outfit decision rather than a statement. When I didn't get negative feedback on that, I started wearing a mantilla, like of a lacy headband style like this. I've never gotten anything negative from anyone; if anyone comments, which they rarely do, it's to say that they like it. Best of luck to you!
While not bishops anymore I would still strongly recommend looking into N. T. Wright and John Shelby Spong. Specifically, I would check out Surprised by Hope (Wright) and Liberating the Gospels (Spong).
Again, both are no longer bishops but once were and today remain influential contemporary figures in the Church.
I have a similar dilemma about the BCP-NRSV combo; I can’t bring myself to spend the $60 on it and have just contented myself with my separate copies.
That said, I do find value in my Greek-English diglot (Nestle-Aland 28th edition/NRSV-REB) and my Hebrew-English diglot (BHS4/JPS), so I’ll do combos when I feel like it’s worthwhile.
This was a very helpful book for me when I went through my adult confirmation class. It’s easy to read and explains a LOT about the Episcopal church. 💖
https://www.amazon.com/Walk-Love-Episcopal-Beliefs-Practices/dp/0880284552
I would recommend this book Same Sex Unions in Premodern Europe by John Boswell.
Remember, the Holy Tradition is not just what was written by some specific Fathers we have identified as important. The Holy Tradition is about the practice of the church, its liturgies, its rites, its dissenting voices that become majority voices in time, etc.
Professor Boswell lays out a strong case for Christian recognition of Same-sex unions and same sex relationships in pre-modern Europe with patristic witness. Honestly, it appears that no one ever really spoke out against, for example, two men joining themselves together before God (even before the icon of the Virgin Mary), but they did speak against rape, lustful excess, etc.
The voice of the fathers is not univocal on any subject, and neither is the practice of the church. The Holy Spirit, also, is not retired. The Spirit is still guiding us into all truth, even in the matter of same-sex relationships and marriage.
I have been praying the morning office for a couple of months using this app:Morning and Evening Prayer, which is great. It took awhile to get the hang of it. Somedays I feel like it is going through the motions, but if I stop, take a breath, and think about each line as I say it, and apply the scripture portions to my life, I feel peace and better able to handle the day ahead. Or, should I say, I am more conscious of God's grace in my life. I love the different prayers that can be said, depending on circumstances, and how those prayers are meant to change me and make me more mindful, since God already knows all that I have or will pray for.
If you attended a Catholic Mass, than you will find the Episcopalian Holy Eucharist service almost the exact same. So if the Catholic mass didn’t click with you then I highly doubt the Episcopal Church’s liturgy will.
If you want to understand Christianity from the Episcopalian/Anglican perspective than I recommend Being a Christian by Rowan Williams.
https://www.amazon.com/Being-Christian-Baptism-Eucharist-Prayer/dp/0802871976
The New Testament, of course! I've found the Oxford Annotated Edition of the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) to be really helpful with confusing passages.
I'm taking an EfM course and we had to read these two books:
Life in Christ by Julia Gatta The book provides a deep dive into the Eucharist, the liturgical seasons, and forms of prayers. This book will help you develop your spiritual practices beyond going to church on Sundays. Life Together by Dietrich Bonhoeffer. These are Bonhoeffer's thoughts on what living in a Christian community could look like. This is especially significant since Bonhoeffer wrote this right as Hitler was coming to power.
> So what drew you in?
Pretty much all the things you listed! I'd be up for any Mainline Protestant denomination, but I researched and went to a bunch of places in NYC when I was new there. I liked what I learned about Episcopalian stuff the most, so that's what I picked. St. Bart's especially.
EDIT: Adding resources:
This is a really cool book about Episcopal stuff that helped me out a lot as a church noob:
Your Faith, Your Life: An Invitation to The Episcopal Church by Jenifer Gamber
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0765P82ZS/
There's also the Episcopal Daily Office, which gives you systematic readings following the liturgical calendar. It's really great if you're into daily spiritual practice like devotional readings, etc.
This site has it all laid out easily for you:
Most apps I'm aware of don't have many notes, but here's one of the most popular versions, on Amazon. The Catholic Study Bible is also good, and its notes are a bit more readable in my opinion.
I agree with the comments below. You can find them pretty cheap on Amazon if you just want the bare minimum. Don't forget that there is also an eBCP app for iOS and Android. Granted, it hasn't been updated in a LONG time and it's in need of some serious cosmetic work, but it is the entire BCP in app form. Once it is downloaded you don't need internet to access it. I believe it costs $9. At least, that's how much it was when I bought it. I've found that it's super handy to have a BCP on my phone when I can't carry around an actual prayer book.
Nope, you’re spot on. This book is a lovely collection of Mthr Fleming Rutledge’s sermons for Good Friday many years ago. I highly recommend it!
First I highly recommend a copy of the St. Augustine's Prayer Book. It covers this topic and many more really well. It's an excellent guidebook for high church practice in everyday life.
The beauty of Anglicanism is, how to perform that act of discipline and self-denial is not set by the church. You are free to determine what that might look like for you.
The traditional form is to fast from food, which means reduce your consumption (one full meal, one light meal, and skip one.) Or abstaining, meaning no meat, but fish is okay. Traditionally you give that money you saved on food to the poor. Unless it's Ash Wednesday or Good Friday, where a "hard" fast (eating nothing) is more appropriate.
Or maybe you fast from something else, like Netflix or whatever, and give that time to God instead. I would encourage trying the traditional approach at least for a season, it is Advent after all!
The Episcopal Handbook! (I think mine is the 2008 edition??)
I know there's at least one other book that is intended to be far funnier. But this one did answer questions like "why are the doors red," for instance.
Peeking at the changes they made in the newer edition, I might have to buy it!
I disagree, first because the only other explanation for all that material Luke and Matthew share is to go to a source (Q) that is purely speculative, of which we have no copy (now that seems risky to me) and second because there's a very reasonable explanation of just how it is that Luke knew and used Matthew (which I cited in my blog post - Beyond the Q Impasse - Luke's Use of Matthew. Here's a link to that book on Amazon.
As Jimdontcare offered in his comment, I don't find it helpful to turn to an imagined "Q" (boy it's hard to use that source name in today's world) to explain the existence of material shared by Matthew and Luke that is absent in Mark. There is a simpler and much more straightforward explanation that Luke knew and used Matthew, and edited his gospel to suit his (Luke's) own purposes. While there's a fair amount of scholarly support for this idea, it is best summed up in the book I cited "Beyond the Q Impasse, Luke's Use of Matthew." Here's a link to the book on Amazon.
Once I accepted that the Q I'd been taught in seminary wasn't the best explanation, I was left with the question, "Why?" Why Luke leaves off "in spirit" is just one of many places in Luke where I want an answer to that question. My idea as to one of Luke's over-arching purposes is one of the ways I answer that.
As a follow up, I have a Sicilian coworker who explained how I should (not) clean my moka pot. Definitely no soap…only water and wiped clean. Moka pots have the near religious status as cast iron.
When it comes to cast iron, I have a “what did my grandmother do.” After a few rounds of seasoning, the cast iron can actually withstand a dab of soap to help clean.
I find chain mail like the Ringer to be the easiest. Some warm water and a good scrubbing is easily done. It makes clean up very easy.
I did get rid of nonstick cookware due to 1) they all break down, even the expensive stuff and 2) it’s really, really toxic. But my day to day go to is stainless steel or restaurant supply aluminum.
I do understand why nonstick was a godsend, though. When my cast iron is at the end of its seasoning life, scrambled eggs are a mess. But when the skillet is properly seasoned, it’s almost as good as nonstick.
I'm a big fan of Mary's perpetual virginity. Part of that is that I'm celibate, and a virgin; given how often those things are derided, including by Christians, I appreciate them being held in some esteem in the Church. Part of that is that the Marian vocation, of bearing Christ to the world in the great Triune moment of the Annunciation, is essentially the human vocation writ large. Combined with the assurance that we will neither marry nor be given in marriage in the Kingdom of Heaven, Mary's perpetual virginity is a symbol of humanity's ultimate espousal to God.
Have you ever read The Reed of God by Caryll Houselander? She was a lay Roman Catholic woman, and the book is about Mary. The introduction is available to read on the Amazon page for the book, and it's only a few pages. It's a worthwhile read on the virginity of "wise virgins" (including Mary) as "the first-fruits laid upon the fire of sacrifice" vs. that of the "foolish virgins" as "loveless and joyless" and "a windfall of green apples, which are hard and sour because the sun has never penetrated them and warmed them at their core."
Bishop Gene Robinson, the world's first openly gay bishop, wrote a book called God Believes in Love: Straight Talk About Gay Marriage.
That's the Amazon Kindle link, but it's available from a variety of book stores and libraries in a variety of formats.
I haven't read it, but it sounds like it might be the sort of thing you're looking for. He's Episcopalian and served as Bishop of New Hampshire before retiring a few years ago.
I wonder if this book might be of interest to you? It was written by an Episcopal priest who is also a combat veteran, speaking about the horrors of war and effects of PTSD on his life as a Christian and as a priest.
It is absolutely possible to merge an identity as a Christian and an identity as a soldier. To start, it's worth keeping in mind that human conflict is literally as old as humanity itself, and from a Christian lens is a result of the introduction of sin to the world -- that is, humans choosing division and selfishness rather than harmony and unity as God intends for us.
So where there is conflict, there are fighters. And God loves the fighters even though God desires all conflict and war to cease. Because God knows that we are a people that keep being in conflict despite (or because of) our natural predilections. You are not any different than the rest of us sinners - we all slot into a fundamentally broken system of human suffering and conflict. Some of us might be more removed from the violence but that doesn't mean we aren't participating in the violence; perhaps, we are participating in the double violence of forcing people like you into the depths of the fray.
Feeling like an awful Christian is probably the best sign that you are a good Christian. It is those who never feel they have anything to repent for, who are really the ones in danger. It is those of us who are deeply aware of the suffering and "wrongness" in the world that have the motivation to cleave to God and seek a better path. That you have the wherewithal to identify this feeling and come here is a significant point in your favor.
Prayers to you, friend.
What everyone else said. I have the forward movement website on a tab on my phone, and try to do the Morning Prayer most week days.
A portable non electronic resource is a pretty little book called Hour by Hour. It contains a week's worth of short excerpts from the daily prayer services and short scripture passages.
If your main goal is a portable way to pray the offices, one “off the beaten path” option is <em>Hour By Hour</em> which is a slimmed down version (it doesn’t follow the lectionary, it’s more like a weekly pattern similar to noonday prayer/compline). It’s not the actual Daily Office but I still find it a fulfilling prayer practice from time to time, and it is the same size as St. Augustine’s which makes it pretty good for on-the-go prayer.
We have a number of clergy who are veterans and have struggled with similar questions. Fr. David Peters wrote about his experience in his book "Post Traumatic God: How the Church Cares for People Who Have Been to Hell and Back" book
Give your parish a chance and know that God is holding you in your yearning.
We used this audio Bible for EfM. It’s a bit annoying because it comes as DVDs so you have to have a disk drive (something many computers no longer have!) but it was nice because it is NRSV with apocrypha, which is what most people were using (alongside the “Big Red” Oxford Annotated Study Bible).
There is also an Audible version of the Year 3 textbook, McCullough’s “Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years”, which is very helpful.
Audio is definitely a major pro tip for EfM, some weeks have SO much reading that being able to multitask can be a lifesaver. (And actually for some passages it helps keep you focused, because they can be pretty dreary on their own…)
I carry my tome of Prayer Book Offices, the BCP 79, and SAPB in a two-fold bible organizer I snagged off Amazon. The XL size is more than enough for the juggernaut that is PBO.
It would also probably be able to handle my NOAB, though I've never tried. The BCP 79 and SAPB go into the "secondary" fold which is smaller, but if I removed them it could probably handle a compact Bible. Definitely do some measuring and see if this will suit your purposes - it has ample space for a notebook, pens, etc. too.
From my Lutheran church days when I was a communion assistant, we had chalices with a spout. Part of being trained as a CA was taking time to pour water into the individual glass cups.
Part of the duties is the altar guild was to retrieve the glassware and wash them. According to the Lutheran tradition, unused sacramental elements may be returned to the earth from where they came. Our sacristies will often has a special sink whose drain leads directly to the earth. I realize this isn’t Episcopal practice, but it is something we are mindful of and Lutherans do treat the elements with reverence even if not exactly the same as Episcopalians.
And I’ve been to several parishes in the Episcopal church that use a similar pouring chalice. Communicants can elect to receive the wine from the common cup or from such an individually poured cup. They looked pretty much like these cups. I ought to know because I have the same things in my kitchen. And in these parishes, the majority of folks elect to receive them in the sauce cups (including me).
https://www.amazon.com/Glorious-Companions-Centuries-Anglican-Spirituality/dp/0802822223
This one is my go to.
The individual "biographies" in this book are not super in depth, but it introduces you to a LOT of figures, and it gives you other works to seek out.
Whatever you like is fine. If you believe in the veneration of Mary or have theology like Catholics, then pray the Catholic rosary with Catholic prayers, if you don’t believe in their specific theology but like the rosary use a different prayer and meditate. There is also the Anglican rosary that i use ( BALIBALI Handmade 8mm Anglican... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VR33XY9?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share ) which is totally fine as well.
God bless
Radical Love: Introduction to Queer Theology - Rev. Dr. Patrick S. Cheng
https://www.amazon.com/Radical-Love-Introduction-Queer-Theology/dp/1596271329/
From Sin to Amazing Grace: Discovering the Queer Christ - Rev. Dr. Patrick S. Cheng
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1596272384/
This might be more intense than what you are looking for, but there is an Episcopal priest (David Peters) who served in Iraq and now works with veterans, among other people.
He wrote a book called "Post-Traumatic God: How the Church Cares for People Who Have Been to Hell and Back." I haven't read the book myself, and the title makes me think it might be more oriented toward people who have suffered grave trauma than the situation you describe. But then again, your situation sounds rough, and who am I to say what counts as trauma?
At any rate, the book's familiarity with the military side of things, and the question of how to find God in such a setting might be of interest to you.
https://www.amazon.com/Post-Traumatic-God-Church-Cares-People/dp/081923303X
Robert Spitzer's quartet has been a good read thus far, and has helped me through some adverse situations. He's a Jesuit but the quartet has a fairly small (c) catholic approach.
https://www.amazon.com/Finding-True-Happiness-Satisfying-Transcendence-ebook/dp/B00WZMNONG
I've found little cardboard thingys with ribbons, or made my own, to add it. Something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Ribbon-Marker-Insert-Bibles-Missals/dp/B002CWSXR6#immersive-view_1657290610345
The card slips down the spine of the cover.
I am not not mistaking the two, although the differences between the two are a 20th century creation. Before the 20th century there was no distinct difference between studying astronomy and studying astrology, and the two words were used interchangeably.
I really recommend Alexander Boxer's book "A Scheme of Heaven" for a good understanding of the history and historical use of astrology. It's a fascinating academic read.
https://www.amazon.com/Scheme-Heaven-History-Astrology-Destiny/dp/0393634841
I used this audio version of the Bible for the first two years. I admit I didn’t try to find audio versions of the companion texts, though. The McCullough text for Year 3 is available on Audible, and I did use that one.
A good crash course in basic beliefs is Walk In Love by Shobe & Gunn. I haven’t finished it yet and I’m also new (3 months) to being Episcopalian. But I’ve really enjoyed what I’ve read so far.
I'm a convert (complicated religious background with some trauma).
Our priest used this book for this year's Episcopal 101 class and it is very clear and easy to understand: https://www.amazon.com/Walk-Love-Episcopal-Beliefs-Practices/dp/0880284552
I hope you are able to connect with a church in your area. If you aren't able to attend in person, the priest generally will be able to visit you in home to administer the Eucharist. I'm not sure what could be arranged to baptize you, but I'm sure first the priest will want to meet, answer your questions.
These are both imperfect, but these books are really helpful for a newcomer on liturgy, polity, history, and theology.
Walk in Love: Episcopal Beliefs & Practices https://www.amazon.com/dp/0880284552/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_2GTZF0X1V1R4S1MCJHY0
The Ultimate Quest: A Geek’s Guide to (The Episcopal) Church https://www.amazon.com/dp/0819233250/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_4N7N0G8CHGVD6FT55QXR
My congratulations/condolences.
To echo another post, lots of love and patience, along with leadership skills.
You might try this:
​
https://www.amazon.com/Vestry-Handbook-Third-Revised/dp/0819224391
Something like this, maybe? The NRSV is about as Episcopalian as it gets, and that one includes the apocrypha without being a Catholic edition.
I have the Oxford Annotated when I’m studying the Bible and I got a fancy King James Version for just reading. Ive alway been a Shakespeare nerd so the language really appeals to me.
The Matthew Paul Turner books are amazing and he has a new one coming out this Spring. My kid is almost 5 and we read from Growing in God’s Love. Each excerpt has 3 questions at the end that help contextualize the story for her. If the questions are more for older kids I’ll either skip it or reword it.
This is the main BCP that I use:
The Book of Common Prayer https://smile.amazon.com/dp/0898690617/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i_5ZVV9QY3H6KZ75HS6SYQ?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
I really like the size of this one it’s a bit larger, but also feels sturdier. It complements the Bible I use along side it.
I'm new to TEC myself. I bought the "Common Prayer for Children and Families" for my family which is published by the Church Publishing, just like the BCP.
It's has a number of good and thoughtful prayers in it for various religions. Like "For our Muslim friends" and "For our Hindu friends".
The 1979 edition is what is currently authorized. Here is an inexpensive edition. 1979 Book of Common Prayer Economy Edition: Black Imitation Leather https://smile.amazon.com/dp/0898694396/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_D6TZ3H7BST96SCNQC6D5
As long as it says 1979 Book of Common Prayer, then it is the right one. The various options you are seeing are likely about the binding and the size. You've got pew editions, which are generally hardcover. You've got the small personal size which have a faux leather sort of cover and are smaller, then you've got the ones that are a little bit larger with something more like real leather. And then there are ones that have red covers or black covers, but the content is exactly the same. Some will have a Bible or a hymnal also as a part of it. There are lots of different options out there, but what is on the inside should be the same as long as it says 1979.
If you just want a basic one for personal use, get this one- https://smile.amazon.com/1979-Book-Common-Prayer-Economy/dp/0898694396/
Adding my comment from somewhere else about this: > The NRSV officially released a digital version this week which you can view or search here for Kindle: New Revised Standard Version Updated Bible : With Deuterocanonical and Apocryphal Books of the Old Testament https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09NNYLJFD/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_7N4BNA2ZZY96SHCX1NDQ
Anyone want to read it with me? It's an update of over 30 years for the Standard translation for Biblical scholarship, academia and used by the most wide collection of churches.
I've given it a look though, and I am so excited about some of the changes! In particular, Genesis 1.1 is translated "when God began to create" which is perfect for Hebrew's weird grammar in this verse. Romans 3 is translated we are justified "by the faith OF Jesus Christ" which is in line with modern Pauline scholarship and I wrote a whole thesis about translating it that way rather than "in". There is a bunch of other parts as well that make this translation in line with modern scholarship.
The update also is a simple language fix so there are some grammer changes as well as linguistic differences like translating it not as "the epileptic" but "a person suffering from epilepsy" which is how English works these days.
All in all, I'm excited about this translation and want to explore it more. It literally came out this week. anyone want to read through it with me?
It's not exactly what you're asking for, but for Anglican spirituality as a whole, I can't recommend this one enough.
Glorious Companions: Five Centuries of Anglican Spirituality
https://www.amazon.com/Glorious-Companions-Centuries-Anglican-Spirituality/dp/0802822223
is a good place to start.
It's a book about a bunch of famous Anglicans over the centuries. It has a short biography for each of them and a list of their prominent writings.
It's not a super deep text on its own, but it's a great starting point for further research and reading for each of the people it presents.
I have the Kindle version 1982 Hymnal and PDF Book of Common Prayer.
Forwardmovement.org has the St Augustine's Prayer Book in PDF (free) - https://www.forwardmovement.org/Content/Site170/FilesSamples/151277StAugusti_00000077574.pdf
Kindle version of Hour by Hour - https://www.amazon.com/Hour-Edward-S-Gleason-ebook/dp/B007X7EBNU
Welcome! I’d second the recommendation of “Welcome to the Episcopal Church,” but I’d also add a recommendation for “Walk in Love” by Scott Gunn and Melody Wilson Shobe. I personally always find it helpful to understand how things developed, so you want some historic background to the Episcopal Church, I recommend “A History of the Episcopal Church” by Robert Prichard.
The Ultimate Quest is a good introduction if you're into geeky stuff.
To join the video meeting, click this link: https://meet.google.com/xin-meqk-kfu Otherwise, to join by phone, dial +1 224-601-6404 and enter this PIN: 388 173 554# To view more phone numbers, click this link: https://tel.meet/xin-meqk-kfu?hs=5
Hi! Thanks for this detailed answer! I agree with you on the importance of worshipping by doing. I love the two great commandments given by Christ.
You put me on the hunt about other things... I downloaded the Forward Day by Day app to try to get a sense about what you're describing. So essentially it seems to boil down to, you're given particular prayers and scripture to study both day and night. This doesn't limit you to studying or praying about other things as well, but it provides almost like a guidance to your days. This sounds like it may be a good thing- rather than saying I'll study my Bible and then forgetting to do so, you get into the habit of doing that. Does this sound right?
I do have some follow up questions, if that's alright:
- You mentioned the Prayer Book Offices. I'm guessing you mean this here Do you prefer this book to the app? Why or why not? (I can understand having a book to hold though).
- Are there episcopal books or authors or studies you also like to read?
- Will the calendar ever explain what is a feast vs a fast with the saints? Or it's usually a day you learn more about that person?
- So you have a full worship service on Wednesdays as well? Are there Bible discussion classes too?
I probably have more but my phone is dying from research today. 😅 Thank you so much!!
Not Episcopal per se but highly useful. White was a ghost writer for some of the most well known Evangelical televangelists out there, then came out, then was forced out and ended up in the Metropalitan Community Church as a priest in Dallas.
Very good, thorough story of his thinking in changing his mind and accepting himself. Fascinating read.
Stranger at the Gate: To Be Gay and Christian in America https://www.amazon.com/dp/0452273811/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_ZHXH0QH5HRDADN32E1VY
America's first openly bishop speaks to what it took to be elected and laid hands on. Wow. Bomb threats, he wasn't expected to survive day one, everyone wore bomb jackets ... and the threat was from OUTSIDE the church!
In the Eye of the Storm: Swept to the Center by God https://www.amazon.com/dp/1596272813/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_G4ESH5K6KG1S6K3KQABB
As a bishop, Spong though long and hard about LGBT inclusion, and here he gives a very good, detailed account of his coming around to full acceptance. Highly useful.
Yes, I'm a heavily closeted libearian and these are the books I read to change my own mind when I came out.
Here I Stand: My Struggle for a Christianity of Integrity, Love, and Equality https://www.amazon.com/dp/006067539X/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_Z0ZQD9KT3H0DKFZWCX44
Bishop John Shelby Spong has long been a favorite at my church. Not gay specific but very useful and many issues touching LGBT are discussed in depth.
Rescuing the Bible from Fundamentalism: A Bishop Rethinks the Meaning of Scripture https://www.amazon.com/dp/0060675187/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_N0Y3GZYEHVQS37HZ87BN
Biblical Authority or Biblical Tyranny? https://www.amazon.com/dp/1563380854/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_MA99N41PYEYTFJFA3NW9
This gets deep into the nuts and bolts on why gay is OK. This is the one that did it for me.
Gifted by Otherness: Gay and Lesbian Christians in the Church https://www.amazon.com/dp/0819218863/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_D16JFC6E3DFGKG8NFM2P
This is the one we used for several years as textbook in a class that ran for several weeks. This is life transforming.
Hi friend,
I'm so sorry for your losses. With the pandemic, grief has been particularly difficult to navigate these past couple of years.
I empathize with your zoom frustration; it's difficult to get that full effect when we worship from home. For me, lighting a candle and making my personal space sacred helps. Once-in-awhile it feels delicious to worship in my sweats.
You might be able to find in-person services by now. Masks may be required (they are at ours), but you will be able to worship in-person.
I read a book several years ago called Post-Traumatic God: How the Church Cares for Those Who Have Been to Hell and Back . The author is an Episcopalian priest and veteran, and it was very helpful to me, who deals with PTSD (non-combat). It's a thin book, and you might find some helpful bits.
This may be more in depth than you're looking for, but the kindle version is not too expensive (7.99) Inwardly Digest: The Prayer Book as Guide to a Spiritual Life
In addition to the BCP, I'd recommend Rowan Williams' book <em>Being Christian</em>. It's not specifically about Anglican/Episcopal belief/identity, but as a former Archbishop of Canterbury, Williams is certainly speaking from that lens and that book is a great overview of the "tone" of our beliefs.
I also want to note that we see all baptized Christians as "belonging" to the church. Although there are ways to canonically and formally join the Episcopal Church, most of those are aimed at people who are highly involved in the inner structure of the church - members of the Vestry, clergy, and so forth. You're more than welcome to attend the church and participate in the vast majority of parish life.
Ultimately, I'd say that knowing the "right church" contains a significant amount of "gut feeling" (otherwise known as the Holy Spirit). There is no real way to find out where you are best situated other than to simply try it out and prayerfully discern whether you are in the right place. This is my home, so I'm biased, but I think so much of it boils down to finding a community that builds you up as a member of the Body of Christ, rather than ignoring you or tearing you down.
I felt the same way before coming to the Church. The Bible was a stumbling block in my journey to faith. I felt that in order to truly affirm Christianity, every single part of the Bible had to be defended.
But now, I believe that the Bible is a profound source of wisdom, and try to read it regularly. At the same time, it contains things that are blatantly not relevant for today (the Conquest of Canaan, rules regulating slavery, etc). I also find the answers from conservative Biblial Scholars trying to reconcile these issues to be unconvincing.
I'd recommend a book for you that really helped me, "The Bible Tells Me So: Why Defending Scripture Has Made Us Unable to Read It" by Peter Enns. Enns is a Christian and Biblical Scholar who has written countless books on the Bible, Heremeutics, and Theology. But Enns doesn't attempt to explain away everything in the Bible. Enns begins with the Bible as a ancient document, placed in its historical contexts. Stories such as the Conquest of Canaan are how Israelites understood God in their own time, but not for all time. Enns explains how the Bible is better understood as a spiritual journey for Israel, reflecting our own journey as Christians today. You can find the book here:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0062272039/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_i_34XAQ6RKTKACFJZRNXSN
I hope that made sense. I've also heard good things about his book Inspiration and Incarnation, though I haven't read it yet myself.
I watched the book launch event for the new volume <em>Trans and Genderqueer Subjects in Medieval Hagiography</em>, which summarized the essay on her. I’ll see what else I can find.
I use this Bible organizer (in the Extra Large size) for carrying my tome of Prayer Book Offices, and I confirmed the NOAB would fit inside too. It has a second, smaller area that comes with a notebook, but I use it for storing my BCP 79 and St. Dunstan's Plainsong Psalter.
It's really durable and has endured a lot of abuse - I recommend it.
Honestly, in terms of saving time, these have been one of the best purchases I've made. One set for the BCP (mark the Office, the collects, the Psalter, and the Office lectionary) and one for the Bible (mark it all 4 readings).
I would HIGHLY recommend Biblical Truths by Yale New Testament professor Dale B. Martin. He teaches a very well regarded secular/scholarly course on the NT but is personally a practicing Episcopalian. He spends a lot of time in the book talking about how he can affirm the creeds while maintaining a historical understanding of scripture. https://www.amazon.com/Biblical-Truths-Meaning-Scripture-Twenty-first/dp/0300222831
This one is really great and it is official from the ECUSA's publisher https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.churchpublishing.ecp&hl=en_US&gl=US
I bought these last week! Very pretty, and very well-made.
I'm in the process of forming my own rosary prayers based on ACTS (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) but one that I always seem drawn to is simply "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner."
I use the Anglican Rosary: www.amazon.com/Anglican-Rosary-God-Prayers-Meditations-Protestant-ebook/dp/B07X81T2DH/
Joseph S. Pagano and Amy E. Richter are Episcopal priests who are married to each other. They wrote A Man, A Woman, A Word of Love, a series of sermons on love and marriage. I read the introduction to the book and found it to be interesting.
I'm not sure which version of the 1928 BCP you are using, but this is theone I have, and the readings are clearly set forth in the "Psalms and Lessons for the Christian Year."
It's the print version: https://www.amazon.com/1928-Book-Common-Prayer/dp/0195285069
Yeah; there's some on Amazon. One is https://www.amazon.com/Common-Prayer-Revised-Standard-Version/dp/0898695791 but it's still not cheap.
That is an issue with the Anglican Breviary; the cost is a little high, but it's cheaper than the other options to say the Office. That said, what's the issue with the KJV?
I almost included Those Episkopals in my list. That was one of the texts we used in my confirmation class a few years ago.
Those Episkopols
by Dennis Roy Maynard
https://www.amazon.com/Those-Episkopols-Dennis-Roy-Maynard/dp/1885985029/
If you read our various Eucharistic prayers, you’ll see slightly different aspects of the atonement emphasized. But as far as I can tell, the Episcopal Church — like the early church — is much more interested in the fact that we are redeemed by the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, than by the exact mechanics of it. As others have said, by virtue of us being a more progressive denomination, I’ve seen general movement away from PSA and towards a host of other theories in the pews.
You might be interested in a talk that Anglican theologian Sarah Coakley gave on justification earlier this year. You can find the audio for it and her notes here. Also on a more academic front, one of the most celebrated theological accounts — Anglican or otherwise — of the crucifixion in recent years is Fleming Rutledge’s <em>The Crucifixion</em>, in which she makes an effort to rehabilitate substitutionary atonement (and even that of a penal nature in a highly qualified since) in response to its modern detractors.
I think that this issue arises from framing the Bible as a collection of statements that are true or false, rather than a series of meaningful stories that reveal the perspectives of people writing in a particular time and place. I recommend Rev. Sam Wells' The Heart of it All, which masterfully redirects the reader's focus to the overarching narrative themes of the Bible.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08283HC22/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1
Some good advise here. If you are interested download the “welcome to the book of common prayer” book that’s part of a pretty good introductory series of books for The Episcopl Church
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004LKS66U/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_oBGnFbCQ8HPV7
For next year you might seek out a devotional advent calendar. https://www.episcopalbookstore.com/product.aspx?productid=9328
Although the ones where you reveal a chocolate seem to be more popular, these are a tradition to put your mind in the expectant mood of Advent.
Approaching Christmas was a part of my personal Christmas experience for some years. Similar guides are produced each year. The Diocese of West Texas does so and I am sure you can find others.
Many parishes have the tradition of caroling which is very nice. Since we do not use Christmas Carols in our worship until the actual Christmas season having a night to sing the songs is moving.
In our family, we gathered in front of our Christmas tree on Christmas Eve and read The Night Before Christmas followed by a picture book that contained a combination of all the Advent and Christmas stories starting with the stories of Zechariah and Elizabeth and ending with the visit of the wise men. We did this into adulthood until the passing of my mother. My sister continues the tradition to this day with her adult daughters. It is a moving testimony to love.
I also have found that a family tradition of going to see the lights is quite edifying. Experiencing the joy and creativity of our fellows is worthwhile.