Why I will not leave the Episcopal Church

By THE REV. DR. WALTER VAN ZANDT WINDSOR

I have dusted off an old piece of mine which I think is timely. – WVZW

Beloved in Christ: In these days of transitions, theological hot-button topics, strange happenings, etc., within the Episcopal Church I am often asked “why do you stay?” And it is true that while I would never want to leave the Episcopal Church (or America’s branch of the Anglican Communion), I do often feel that the institutional Church has left me.

Yet where would I go? To an Episcopal-like Church that looks like the Church did in the 1940s? To an Episcopal-like Church that is charismatic but conservative? To an evangelical Episcopal-like Church? To a different denomination? Nowhere, just be un-Churched? None of those, or a myriad of other choices, seem like real options to me, but why? I was raised in The Episcopal Church, and taught that it was part of the One, True, Holy, Catholic Church, established by Christ. I was taught that as part of the Anglican Communion, the Episcopal Church was maintaining the faith as the Apostles had given it to us and as they had received it from Jesus Himself — and that the threefold ministry of Bishop, Priests and Deacons (Apostolic Succession) was an outward and visible proof of this fact. I was taught that the Church was the Body of Christ, and that Jesus was head of the Church. I was taught that the sacraments were the gifts of God to the Church as the true, sure and effectual avenues for the receiving of His Grace and the outward signs of His love and presence. I was taught that Jesus was the Word of God, and that the Bible and the Church’s Tradition directed us to Him as He has revealed Himself and is revealing Himself. For these reasons, and others too, I’m sure, we are Catholic (yes, capital “C”), in that we maintain the universal faith as it was once delivered, and has been maintained through the ages.

Yes, human institutions change, but the Church, Christ’s Body, does not — nor, then, does Her Truth. If Christ is Head of the Church, we can know for certain that the powers of the world, the flesh, and the devil cannot prevail against Her. Though at times it looks as though we are not winning, we know in our hearts we have already won through Christ Jesus. To leave the Church would be to admit that Christ has been defeated, and I don’t believe that is possible — my faith will not allow me to believe it. Our Lord would NEVER desert His Bride, nor She desert Him — they are as One.

Therefore I remain, fighting the good fight, pitiful soldier though I may be. I can understand people going from one congregation to another (we are after all universal), but to threaten to leave the Church, or to abandon our Communion or to threaten schism, seems cowardly, and as a denial of our Lord. We must stay. We must profess the faith, fight against heresy and blasphemy, yet all the while loving our sisters and brothers in the faith. We must pray, seek forgiveness and reconciliation with God and with each other, and we must work for the spread of the Gospel throughout each heart. Not always in the same order, but always true to our calling to follow Jesus. If, after all, we cannot strive to maintain the faith within The Episcopal Church (ourselves), how can we hope to share it with the un-churched, lost, desolate, needy, disenfranchised and faithless people who so desperately need it?

I love the Church. I love my community of faith, Trinity. I love our diocese and our successor to the Apostles, Bishop Benfield... and you know, I just love all us crazy Episcopalians..

Father Windsor