THE ORIGIN OF DENOMINATIONS
                            Lesson Eleven

                    CHURCH OF ENGLAND -- ANGLICAN
                     EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN AMERICA
                                (1534)

  I. IT'S BEGINNING:

        "The Church of England or Episcopal Church (1534) had its
     beginning when King Henry VIII severed the church from the rule
     of Rome about 1534. An entanglement of circumstances of both a
     religious and political nature led to England's break with Rome.
     It is unfair to both Henry VIII and the Church of England to
     leave the impression that the only cause for Henry's action was
     the desire to be granted a divorce. This played its part, but
     this was only what might be called the last link in a chain of
     events which led to the act of formally severing connection with
     Rome.

        "The seeds sown by Luther, Wycliffe, and Tyndale continued to
     bear fruit in England. Groups of honest individuals met secretly
     and read the New testament. The more informed they became in
     Holy Writ the more dissatisfied they became with the doings of
     Rome." (Church History, John D. Cox, page 66.)

        King Henry VIII was married to Catherine of Argon (Spain).
     Having no male heir, Henry requested a divorce from Catherine so
     he could marry young Anne Boleyn. Such permission must come from
     the Pope. The divorce was denied. Henry, using his power as
     king, severed the Catholic Church in England from the Papal
     authority. The English Parliament made this break official and
     decreed the King head of the New Anglican Church. This was
     called the Act of Supremacy. The King separated from Catherine
     and married Anne Boleyn.

        During the reign of Edward VI, son of Henry VIII, the Common
     Prayer Book and the Forty-Two Articles of Religion were adopted
     as the creed of the Church. These Articles were later reduced to
     Thirty-Nine Articles as they are now incorporated in the Common
     Book of Prayer.

        From the circumstances of its breaking away from the Roman
     Catholic Church it is easy to see why the Church of England is a
     mirror image of Catholicism in so many ways, retaining much of
     the rituals and forms of Catholicism.

        The Episcopal Church of America "was planted in America by
     the colonists in Virginia and remained under the jurisdiction of
     the Bishop of London until the time of the Revolutionary War.
     Severing its connections with the mother church at the time when
     the Unites States became free, it has been known as the
     Protestant Episcopal Church in America. The creed of the church
     is expressed in the Thirty-Nine Articles of Faith and the Book
     of Common Prayer contains the rituals used in the services of
     the church. It takes its name from its form of church
     government, which is episcopal -- rule by bishops, as opposed to
     Presbyterian form of government -- or rule by elders of the
     local congregation....within the American Church there are two
     groups, one known as the High Church and the other as the Low
     Church." (Church History, Frank Pack, page 29.) (The High Church
     is more like the Catholic in its form or worship than is the Low
     Church.)

 II. SOME OF THE MAJOR DOCTRINES OF THE ANGLICAN CHURCH. ALSO OF THE
     EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

     1. They use the Book of Common Prayer with its thirty-nine
        articles of faith.

     2. Justification or Salvation by faith only. (Art. 11, Prayer
        Book)

     3. Christ died to reconcile His Father to us. (Art. 2, Prayer
        Book)

     4. Pouring is sufficient for baptism. Immersion is permitted.

     5. They teach the doctrine of original sin.

     6. They teach that the Old Testament is divided into ceremonial
        and moral laws and that the ten commandments, including the
        Sabbath day is still binding upon Christians.

     7. They teach that an infant is regenerated in baptism. (Pg. 20,
        Prayer Book)

     8. Their Governmental Structure: "Our structure is similar to
        the federal government. Nationally the church is organized
        with two houses with a presiding bishop. There is the House
        of Bishops and the House of Deputies with elected
        representatives from each diocese, half are clergy and half
        laity. For anything to become binding, it must pass both
        houses which meet every two years at the National Convention.
        Dioceses are comparable to states or regions with each
        presided over by a bishop elected from within the diocese.
        Each congregation is governed by a vestry elected by the
        congregation." (One Way, A Layman's Guide to Denominations,
        Beaumont Enterprise, 1977, Lilla Ross, pg. 34.)

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