PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH, The, the American branch of the Anglican Communion. The Church in America, though quite independent, is in full communion with the Church of England and inherits her eccle siastical position. As the Preface to the Prayer Book states : "This Church is far from intend ing to depart from the Church of England in any essential point of doctrine, discipline or worship; or further than local circumstances require.* To define her principles and position is to define Anglicanism, to interpret that move ment in history known as the English Ref ormation.
In the beginning of the 16th century the Church of England was in full communion with the national churches of western Europe, ac quiescing with them in the headship of the Church of Rome. In doctrine and discipline she had become identified with the prevailing type of Latin Christianity. By the end of the 17 century she had withdrawn from the Roman obedience and had gradually come to assume the position she maintains to-day. This period of transition constituted the Anglican Reforma tion. The status of the Church of England was unique. Positively, the change involved a re assertion of the principles of primitive Chris tianity and an assimilation of the newly awakened tendencies of modern thought. Negatively, it involved the repudiation on the one hand of mediaeval Roman Catholicism, on the other of Continental Protestantism. Angli cans believed that the change involved no breach in the continuity of the English Church. They maintained that in rejecting much that was Roman and mediaeval they had forfeited noth ing essentially catholic.
The American Church inheriting this position claims to be a branch of the primitive Catholic and Apostolic Church. At the same time she is frankly opportunist in adapting herself to the needs and conditions of modern life. In the sense of being not-Roman, she is Protest ant. As maintaining that her continuity with the ancient Church is guaranteed by her posses sion of the Apostolic succession of bishops, she is Episcopal. She is Episcopal also in the sense of being not-Papal. This, perhaps, gives the rationale of her common legal title. Mem bers of the Church are spoken of indifferently as Anglicans, Episcopalians or Churchmen.
The fundamental principles of Anglicanism as well as Anglican terms of inter-communion are indicated in what is known as the Chicago Lambeth Quadrilateral. In 1886 a Commission
on Christian Unity reported to a General Con vention held at Chicago. The substance of their report was embodied in a Declaration of the House of Bishops. Two years later this Dec latation was, with slight modifications, adopted by the bishops of the whole Anglican Commun ion, meeting in conference at the archbishop of Canterbury's palace in Lambeth. The wording of this Anglican Eirenicon, defining the essen tials of the Christian faith, is as follows: The Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, as containing all things necessary to salvation, and as being the rule and ultimate standard of faith; '2. The Apostles' Creed, as the Baptismal Symbol, and the Nicene Creed, as the sufficient statement of the Christian Faith ; 43. The two Sacraments, ordained by Christ Himself —.Baptism and the Supper of the Lord — ministered with unfailing use of Christ's words of institution and of the elements or dained by Him ; 44. The Historic Episcopate locally adapted in the methods of its administration to the varying needs of the nations and peoples called of God into the Unity of His Church.* This declaration may be taken as an offi cial indication of the bases of the Anglican position.
It is the belief and hope of Anglicans that the position gives them good vantage-ground for promoting the cause of Christian unity. They have much in common with all bodies of Chris tians. While their attitude toward Roman Cath olics is one of resolute protest, their quarrel is only with a medimval Romanism by which they believe that the primitive Catholicism of the great Latin Communion has been obscured. Their position more nearly approximates that of Eastern Orthodox Catholicism — Greek Christianity—and that of the Old Catholics. Their relations with both these communions are those of friendly interest and intelligent sym pathy, although there is no inter-communion nor immediate prospect of it. The many differences due to widely differing antecedents oppose diffi culties to the adoption of a common platform. This, however, does not prevent many manifes tations of present friendship and hope of closer relations in future. Recent years have seen a marked rapprochement between the Anglicans and the Russian Orthodox Communion.