Episcopal Missionary Church
Encyclopedia
The Episcopal Missionary Church (EMC) is a Continuing Anglican church body in the United States and a member of the Federation of Anglican Churches in the Americas
. Its founding in the early 1990s can be traced to the protests of members of The Episcopal Church in the United States of America (ECUSA) who were concerned that their church had become massively influenced by secular humanism
(i.e., liberal theologies). At first, these clergy and laypersons sought to change the direction of their church by working from within it, to which end they formed a voluntary association, the "Episcopal Synod of America."
When they later concluded that this approach would not succeed, a new missionary diocese was formed by them, still attempting to remain within ECUSA. In 1992, however, the missionary diocese withdrew from ECUSA and formed a separate church, the Episcopal Missionary Church. The Rt. Rev. A. Donald Davies
, retired ECUSA Bishop of Dallas and Fort Worth, was named the first Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Missionary Church.
The Episcopal Missionary Church affirms the Holy Scriptures as containing all things necessary to salvation and as the ultimate rule and standard of faith. The Church acknowledges the Nicene and Apostles' Creeds and the necessity of the Sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion. It uses the 1928 American edition of the Book of Common Prayer
or the Anglican Missal based upon it, and emphasizes the preservation of Apostolic Succession. The Episcopal Missionary Church embraces a variety of liturgical styles from "Low-Church" to "High-Church Evangelical" to Anglo-Catholic.
The name Episcopal "Missionary" Church was selected as part of the Church's desire to provide a home for all Episcopalians and other Christians who feel that they have been forced from their churches by the growth of liberalism within them. At present, the Episcopal Missionary Church has approximately thirty small parishes scattered throughout the United States.
. The other bishops of the Episcopal Missionary Church are: the Rt. Rev'd William Millsaps
, Presiding Bishop Emeritus, and a former chaplain of the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee
; the Rt. Rev'd Ron Kuykendall, Missionary Bishop and Suffragan for the Diocese of the South; the Rt. Rev'd Doug Pieper; the Rt. Rev'd Wilbert Bailey; the Rt. Rev'd G. Wayne Craig (Ret.); and the Rt. Rev'd Edward P. Whately (Ret.). The EMC has a special relationship with the Rt. Rev'd Dale Howard, Missionary Bishop, and is exploring a relationship with an independent body, The Episcopal Missionary Church of South Africa, whose Presiding Bishop is the Rt. Rev'd Albert Shange.
Federation of Anglican Churches in the Americas
The Federation of Anglican Churches in the Americas is an association of six Anglican jurisdictions with nearly 600 parishes in the New World. The Federation, which was founded in 2006 to enable a closer association of these and other jurisdictions, does not include any provinces of the Anglican...
. Its founding in the early 1990s can be traced to the protests of members of The Episcopal Church in the United States of America (ECUSA) who were concerned that their church had become massively influenced by secular humanism
Secular humanism
Secular Humanism, alternatively known as Humanism , is a secular philosophy that embraces human reason, ethics, justice, and the search for human fulfillment...
(i.e., liberal theologies). At first, these clergy and laypersons sought to change the direction of their church by working from within it, to which end they formed a voluntary association, the "Episcopal Synod of America."
When they later concluded that this approach would not succeed, a new missionary diocese was formed by them, still attempting to remain within ECUSA. In 1992, however, the missionary diocese withdrew from ECUSA and formed a separate church, the Episcopal Missionary Church. The Rt. Rev. A. Donald Davies
A. Donald Davies
The Rt. Rev. A. Donald Davies was the fourth Episcopal bishop of Dallas and subsequently the first Episcopal bishop of Fort Worth. He later founded the Episcopal Missionary Church, after which he became Archbishop and Primate of the Christian Episcopal Church .-References:...
, retired ECUSA Bishop of Dallas and Fort Worth, was named the first Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Missionary Church.
The Episcopal Missionary Church affirms the Holy Scriptures as containing all things necessary to salvation and as the ultimate rule and standard of faith. The Church acknowledges the Nicene and Apostles' Creeds and the necessity of the Sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion. It uses the 1928 American edition of the Book of Common Prayer
Book of Common Prayer
The Book of Common Prayer is the short title of a number of related prayer books used in the Anglican Communion, as well as by the Continuing Anglican, "Anglican realignment" and other Anglican churches. The original book, published in 1549 , in the reign of Edward VI, was a product of the English...
or the Anglican Missal based upon it, and emphasizes the preservation of Apostolic Succession. The Episcopal Missionary Church embraces a variety of liturgical styles from "Low-Church" to "High-Church Evangelical" to Anglo-Catholic.
The name Episcopal "Missionary" Church was selected as part of the Church's desire to provide a home for all Episcopalians and other Christians who feel that they have been forced from their churches by the growth of liberalism within them. At present, the Episcopal Missionary Church has approximately thirty small parishes scattered throughout the United States.
Leadership
The current Presiding Bishop of the EMC and Bishop of the Chesapeake & Northeast is the Rt. Rev'd Council Nedd IICouncil Nedd II
Council Nedd II is an American political, religious and cultural commentator who serves as the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Missionary Church, a Continuing Anglican body. Nedd is the first-born child of Council Nedd of Sumter, South Carolina and Gertrude D...
. The other bishops of the Episcopal Missionary Church are: the Rt. Rev'd William Millsaps
William Millsaps
William Wesley Millsaps is the presiding bishop of the Episcopal Missionary Church, and the rector of Christ Church in Monteagle, Tennessee.He graduated from Princeton University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1961...
, Presiding Bishop Emeritus, and a former chaplain of the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee
Sewanee, Tennessee
Sewanee is an unincorporated locality in Franklin County, Tennessee, United States, treated by the U.S. Census as a census-designated place . The population was 2,361 at the 2000 census...
; the Rt. Rev'd Ron Kuykendall, Missionary Bishop and Suffragan for the Diocese of the South; the Rt. Rev'd Doug Pieper; the Rt. Rev'd Wilbert Bailey; the Rt. Rev'd G. Wayne Craig (Ret.); and the Rt. Rev'd Edward P. Whately (Ret.). The EMC has a special relationship with the Rt. Rev'd Dale Howard, Missionary Bishop, and is exploring a relationship with an independent body, The Episcopal Missionary Church of South Africa, whose Presiding Bishop is the Rt. Rev'd Albert Shange.