The Wenatchee World, the “fiercely independent voice of North Central Washington,” offers up some local wisdom about the Episcopal Church in the form of five bullet-points from the Rev. Patton Boyle of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Wenatchee. Boyle, briefly profiled before moving on to a short primer on “being Episcopalian,” makes an interesting observation about ministry that many people might relate to:
Now, after being an ordained minister for 38 years and a priest for 37, Boyle says it’s part of the natural rhythm of his life. “Ministry makes introverts more extroverted. … I tended to think too deeply about stuff when I was younger. I think I’ve mellowed over the years.”
The five things you ought to know read almost like a rebuttal to media portrayals of the Episcopal church. It’s okay that we disagree, he says; worship is what brings us together. We draw from both Catholic and Protestant traditions, and yes, we are part of the Anglican Communion. From bullet-point No. 2:
The Episcopal Church approaches the faith from three basic standpoints: Scripture, reason and tradition. Episcopalians aren’t expected to accept everything they are told or always agree with the priest or other leaders. “They take what is of value and use it. I expect them to disagree with me at times. … The church expects people to make their own moral and ethical decisions.” Parishioners are asked to explore issues thoughtfully and prayerfully and to come to their own decisions. The approach is more like, “I respect your opinion, and I will think deeply about that, but that may not be, in the end, what I decide is right for me.” Parishioners make decisions based on thorough study, reason, prayer and examining one’s own conscience rather than having them prescribed to them.
You can read the entire tip-sheet (which might be of use to you the next time you run into someone who says, “Episcopali-huh?”) here.