How is the episcopalian church different from the Catholic Church?

Answer 1

The Episcopal church is both catholic and reformed at the same time, holding onto catholicity of the early church all the while seeing this through the enlightenment of the Reformation. Some of the primary differences of the Episcopal church are rejection of the idea that the Bishop of Rome (Pope) has primary authority over the Church Universal, clergy can marry, transsubtantiation of Eucharist is not mandatory doctrine, females can be ordained as priests in most dioceses and provinces, much less centralized control by church hierarchy, lay persons have far greater involvement in church administration and leadership, bishops are generally elected (as opposed to being appointed by a central authority), and there's a system of governance that is similar to our federal structure with bicameral houses and a presiding bishop.

Answer 2

First of all it is almost an historical accident that the Anglican church is called Episcopal- which is an adjective form of Episcopus- the Rank title of Bishop. The Episcopal Church has Bishops and archbishops in its hierarchy. There are three main brances of Episcopalianism- HIgh Church, quite formal and preferring catholic-sounding clerical titles (such as Priest), The Broad Church- which has (Ministers) and minimizes catholic drift, if you will ( famous poet and Christmas Carol writer Phillips Brooks was of the Broad Church perusasion- and finally the Anglo-Catholics ( not recognized by Rome) who even have monastic orders and celibate religious life ( these are not very common, and are not optimized for utility value- as would be Nuns and Brothers in Roman church- as they are such a minority! So Episcopal refers to the office of Bishop. Strange priests are we who never straightly walk- but all aslant, through sideways passage stalk- from the poem ( the Bishop) dealing with the Chess piece-not the Episcopal rank!

Answer 3

The Catholic Church is an apostolic Church (ie they can trace their roots back to the apostles) that has three levels of ordination, deacons, priests annd bishops,and which takes their authority from the pope and the Vatican. The Catholic Church is a Christian denomination that adheres to the Nicene Creed as the basic tenet of Christian faith, but also has adopted other doctrines over the past 2000 years including the idea of purgatory, the nature of the mass and various doctrines surrounding the Virgin Mary.

In many ways, the Episcopalian Church is very similar. The Episcopalians are a branch ('in communion with') the Anglican Church worldwide - a Protestant denomination that began with the mother Church - the Church of England - in the 16th Century,and is also an apostolic Church. The Episcopalian Church has similar doctrines to the Catholic Church, accepts the Nicene Creed as their statement of faith, and is a Christian denomination having threefold orders (ie deacons, priests and bishops (the 'episcopate' - hence the 'Episcopalians') just like the Catholic Church. However, it mostly rejects some of the doctrines that the Cathoolics have adopted that iit sees as unBiblical, and rejects the authority of the pope.

Answer 4

The Episcopal Church is the national church of the U.S.A. that belongs to the Anglican Communion. The Anglican Communion has its origins with the Church of England, established by Parliament by declaring that King Henry VIII was the supreme head of the church, and breaking communion with the bishop of Rome.

The Catholic Church is the communion of churches that remain in communion wiht the bishop of Rome (the Pope).

In terms of liturgy, theology, and history, the Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion (including The Epsicopal Church) are very similar. On certain moral and social issues they are more likely to differ. The fundamental difference is on the relationship of ecclesial authority at the world-wide level and at the local level, and whether orthodoxy (right belief) or orthopraxis (right worship) should be the primary bond of unity.

For example: Both maintain the three-fold offices of Bishop, Presbyter, and Deacon as ordained ministries, but The Episcopal Church will ordain women, and homosexual men living in open, committed relationships, while the Catholic Church will not. The Anglican Communion mostly considers these issues to be decided on at a local or regional level, while the Catholic Church maintains the authority for these decisions rests with the universal authority, ie, an Ecumenical Council and the Pope.

Answer 5

Catholicism was founded by Our Blessed Lord, Jesus Christ, in order to bring His Saving sacraments to all people. He established on earth 2,000 years ago, and promised that it would be one, holy, catholic, and apostolic,and that He would remain with it until the end of the world. He sent the Holy Spirit to guide it, and St. Peter, and his successors, the Popes, to be His visible head on earth.

The Episcopalian religion, on the other hand, was founded by King Henry VIII and His daughter, Elizabeth, primarily because Henry did not wish to follow Our Blessed Lord's guidelines for marriage, thus he established his own church which would allow him to do whatever he wanted, and he did this fifteen hundred years after Our Blessed Lord established the Catholic Church. His daughter, Elizabeth I codified the Anglican Church, and persecuted the Catholics to the death, as she was illegitimate according to Christian marriage and legitimacy rules.

The first, Catholicism, is the only real Christianity, and is guaranteed by God; the second is a protestant faith made up by sinful men in order to continue sinning while feeling like they were being religious.

Answer 6

The Episcopal church does not recognize the authority of the Pope.

Answer 7

Catholicism is under the authority of the Pope. Episcopalianism is under the authority of the ArchBishop of Cantebury.