| |
 |
|
 See also this resource on Episcopal Vocabulary
General Terms - Ecclesiastical
Titles - Architecture - Sacraments
and Services
General terms (top)
Anglican: An adjective describing the worldwide
communion of autonomous churches in communion with the Church of England.
The Episcopal Church is part of that communion. Anglican can also be a
noun: a member of the Anglican Communion.
Apostolic Succession: Episcopalians, along with other Anglicans,
Roman Catholics, Orthodox and some other Christian bodies, trace their
bishops' spiritual heritage in an unbroken line back to the first apostles
of Jesus. The importance of the historic episcopate is a major point in
ecumenical discussions.
Book of Common Prayer: The primary guide for worship
in the Episcopal Church. The first Anglican Book of Common Prayer was
written in English in 1549 by Archbishop Thomas Cranmer, drawing on material
from a number of Latin books and manuals then used to conduct services.
Canons: The written rules governing church policy,
structure and procedure. There are national canons, and each diocese has
its own.
Cathedral: A church that houses the official "seat"
of the bishop. This is the home church of the bishop. The city in which
the cathedral is located is the "see city." Some dioceses have
no cathedral.
Catholic: This word comes from a Greek word meaning
"universal" and may, therefore, be used to apply to all Christians.
When it is used this way, it begins with a lowercase "c." When
used with a capital "C," the writer means the Roman Catholic
Church.
Diocese: A diocese is made up of several local
congregations with a bishop as its chief pastor. Since only a bishop can
consecrate other bishops, ordain priests and deacons and confirm, the
diocese is the basic local unit of the church. Depending on the number
of Episcopalians, a state may have one or several dioceses. The legislative
body of the diocese is an annual convention of clergy and lay deputies
from each congregation.
Episcopal: An adjective derived from the Greek word, episkopos,
meaning overseer or bishop. Episcopalian is the noun. Episcopalians attend
the Episcopal Church.
General Convention: The General Convention is the highest legislative
body of the Episcopal Church. It meets every three years and is made up
of a House of Bishops and a House of Deputies. Half the deputies are clergy
and half laypersons.
Lambeth Quadrilateral: In 1888 the world's Anglican bishops, meeting
at Lambeth in England adopted four articles as essentials in any plan
of union with other Christian bodies: The Holy Scriptures of the Old and
New Testaments, the Apostles' and Nicene creeds, the sacraments of baptism
and holy communion, and the historic episcopate (see Apostolic Succession).
Vestry: The vestry handles the parish's business matters and serves
as a council of advice for the rector. Lay members of the vestry are elected
at a parish's annual meeting. The rector presides at meetings of the vestry.
Ecclesiastical
titles (top)
Bishop: A bishop is a chief minister (servant) or chief pastor
(shepherd) in the Episcopal Church, serving a number of churches that
make up a diocese. A large diocese may have more than one bishop. In that
case the chief bishop is called the diocesan. Assisting bishops are usually
called suffragan bishops. An assisting bishop who will succeed the diocesan
is a bishop coadjutor. All are addressed as "bishop."
Priest: This word comes from a Greek word, presbyter, meaning elder.
Usually a priest is the chief minister in a congregation. Forms of address
depend upon the priest's preference and local custom.
Deacon: A deacon, like a bishop or priest, is an ordained minister.
Deacon comes from the Greek word, diakonos, meaning servant. Deacons usually
serve in local congregations and have a special ministry to the poor,
the sick and the troubled. Deacons are addressed as deacon, Mr., Miss,
Mrs., etc. according to preference or local custom.
Minister: This is a Latin word, meaning servant. In the Episcopal
Church lay persons as well as bishops, priests and deacons are ministers,
servants of God, caring for their brothers and sisters in the church and
those outside it.
Preacher: Preaching is only one function of the ordained ministry
in the Episcopal Church and so preacher is not an appropriate synonym
for bishop, priest or deacon.
Rector/Vicar: The priest in charge of a parish, a self-supporting
church, is the rector. The rector is elected by the vestry. Assisting
priests the rector appoints may be called curate, assistant or associate.
The priest in charge of a mission, supported financially from outside,
is the vicar. The vicar is appointed by the bishop.
Reverend: The Reverend is an appropriate title to precede the full
name of a priest or deacon. The Right Reverend is used for a bishop. Reverend
is an adjective, not a noun, and should be preceded by the article "the."
Architecture
(top)
Narthex: The entrance hall, or the vestibule.
Nave: The pew area of the church building, where the congregation
sits, stands or kneels during public worship.
Chancel: An area of pews, seats, stalls or prayer desks set apart
from the nave, that is used by the ministers leading services and sometimes
by the choir.
Sanctuary: The area immediately surrounding the altar, often enclosed
by an altar rail. In some denominations the word refers to the entire
worship space.
Sacraments
and services (top)
Holy Baptism and Holy Eucharist: These are the two major sacraments
in the Episcopal Church. In baptism God makes us his
children, members of the church, the Body of Christ. The Episcopal Church
recognizes baptism in other Christian bodies, done with water in the name
of the Trinity. In the holy eucharist Episcopalians
recall the saving acts of God and enter communion with Christ and Christians
of all times and places. In this sacrament we are fed spiritually with
the Body and Blood of Christ.
Other Sacraments include:
Confirmation, in which members make a mature commitment to Christ
and receive strength from the Holy Spirit.
Ordination, in which bishops, priests and deacons are made, receiving
authority and grace of the Holy Spirit.
Holy Matrimony, in which woman and man enter a life-long union, receiving
the grace and blessing of God to help them fulfill their vows.
Reconciliation of a Penitent, in which those who repent of their sins
may confess them in the presence of a priest and receive assurance of
pardon and the grace of absolution.
Unction of the Sick, the anointing with oil or laying on of hands
by which God's grace is given for the healing of spirit, mind and body.
Other Services:
The Book of Common Prayer provides a variety of services for individual
and corporate worship. The most widely used, other than the Holy Eucharist,
the central act of corporate worship, are Morning Prayer and Evening
Prayer, both of which may be used for private devotions or public
worship.
Our thanks to Gene Britton who prepared the original
version of this booklet and to Robert Horine and David Sumner who helped
with the revision.
"Episcopal Language" is published by Forward
Movement Publications. ©Forward Movement Publications.
This and other publications may be ordered from
Forward Movement Publications, www.forwardmovement.org.
Communications Office 3/2002
(top)
|
|
