 The T.P.E.C. is the continuation of the Protestant Episcopal Church founded in America in 1789. Members of the T.P.E.C. are sometimes called "Continuing" or "Evangelical" Episcopalians (Anglicans). 2. How is the T.P.E.C. different from the Episcopal Church - U.S.A.? The T.P.E.C. maintains the historic doctrine, discipline and worship of the former Protestant Episcopal Church; however, the T.P.E.C. is not in communion with the Episcopal Church U.S.A. or with the See of Canterbury. 3. What does the word "Evangelical" mean? The word "evangelical" simply means "of, relating to, or in agreement with the Christian Gospel". Webster's Dictionary further clarifies an Evangelical Protestant as one who emphasizes salvation by faith in the atoning death of Jesus Christ through personal conversion, believes in the authority of Holy Scripture and the importance of preaching, as contrasted with ritual. 4. Is the T.P.E.C. a new Church? No. The T.P.E.C. is a newly organized denomination, but it is not a new Church. The whole Church throughout the world is the mystical Body of Our Lord Jesus Christ, of which He is the Head, and all true believers are members. The T.P.E.C. is one of the many branches of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church which emerged in England following the Protestant Reformation and resulted in historic Anglicanism. 5. What are the distinctive teachings of the T.P.E.C.? The doctrine and teaching of the T.P.E.C. are those of the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion of the Church of England, as adopted by the Protestant Episcopal Church in the U.S.A. in 1901. The Articles may be found in every edition of the Book of Common Prayer and are the confessional constitution of historic Anglican belief since the time of the Protestant Reformation. Assent to the Articles of Religion has been required of Anglican clergy since the year 1604. 6. Do all Episcopalians (Anglicans) accept the Thirty-Nine Articles? No. While the Articles remain the principal doctrinal statement of the Anglican and Episcopal Churches worldwide, there has been a general falling away from the teachings of the Articles and the historic faith. This has lead to great divisions within the Anglican communion, and to confusion on the part of many clergy and laymen. The T.P.E.C. remains steadfast in the historic theology and policy of the Church in its witness to the doctrines of grace contained in the Articles. 7. Does the T.P.E.C. believe in "Apostolic Successions"? That depends on the meaning of "apostolic succession" as understood in historic Anglican theology. The T.P.E.C. recognizes the Biblical authority for the ministry of bishops, priests (prebysters) and deacons in the church catholic; such orders of ministers as found in the New Testament. The historic episcopate has always been maintained by the churches of the Anglican communion and continues to be so in the T.P.E.C. However, we reject any notion that the true nature of the Church is dependent upon the rule or personages of bishops; that an episcopal succession exists in any church or domination that can trace a heritage in an unbroken line to the Apostolic Era, such as is claimed by the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches. 8. Is the T.P.E.C. "High" or "Low" Church? Neither. The divisions of the Episcopal Church into "High" and "Low" parties resulted from the errors of the Oxford Movement and the introduction of Roman rituals into the Anglican Communion. The proper use of the Book of Common Prayer remedies the erroneous practices of both those who would mimic the Roman ritual and those who would do away with the decency and order of traditional Episcopal worship. 9. Is the T.P.E.C. a charismatic church? No. The T.P.E.C. rejects as unbiblical the theology of the present-day "charismatic" and "pentecostal" churches. Furthermore, we find that charismatic religion is foreign to the theology of the Articles of Religion and the traditional teachings of Anglicanism and the Protestant Reformers. 10. Does the T.E.P.C. participate in Ecumenism? The T.P.E.C. recognizes the oneness of all believers in the Body of Christ, His true Church, as well as the priesthood of all believers. We likewise acknowledge the desire of Our Lord as expressed in John 17:11 "...that they all may be one". At the same time we realize that in order to be one in Christ, the Church must be one in doctrine (Acts 2:42); like-minded (Romans 15:5); and one in the Spirit (Romans 8:16). Nevertheless, the T.P.E.C. does not participate in any ecumenical movement or practice that would compromise our biblical faith (1 Cor. 6:17); lead to contentiousness (Romans 16:17); or promote strange doctrines contrary to the Scriptures (Eph. 4:14). 11. What about the Book of Common Prayer? The T.P.E.C. retains the historic Book of Common Prayer of the Protestant Episcopal Church in its 1928 revision as the sole service book permitted for use in this Church without amendment or addition. Other Prayer Books authorized for use in other Anglican Churches may be permitted for special services and occasions by authority of the local bishop. The T.P.E.C. rejects the innovations of the Anglican Missal and the newer revisions of the Book of Common Prayer as heretical and without authority for use in this Church. 12. How is the T.P.E.C. governed? The T.P.E.C. maintains the Constitution and Canons of the former Protestant Episcopal Church according to the last major revision, circa 1958. As the T.P.E.C. is at present a small jurisdiction, the organization of the Church functions primarily on the diocesan level. The Diocese of the Advent of the T.P.E.C. has its own Canons (a copy of which is available on request). The Canons of the Diocese are fashioned according to those of a Diocese within the former Protestant Episcopal Church. 13. What does the T.P.E.C. teach about the Bible? The T.P.E.C. holds and teaches without hesitation that the Holy Scriptures are the Word of God written, inerrant and infallible, containing all things necessary to salvation. The T.P.E.C. maintains the traditional view of the Protestant Reformers with regard to the direct plenary inspiration of the human authors of the canonical books of the Bible. The T.P.E.C. likewise holds the Authorized (King James) version of the Old and New Testaments to be the most accurate translation of the original manuscripts of the Bible and the most suitable for use in public worship in this Church. 14. What about the ordination of women and homosexuals? The T.P.E.C. maintains the biblical standards of ordination as revealed in the New Testament, as practiced by the Protestant Reformers until the present day. Therefore, we are restricted by the Bible itself as to who may be the proper subject for ordination in this Church. Gender or sexual behavior are not themselves criteria for debate as to who may or may not be ordained. The T.P.E.C. does not ordain women to the diaconate, presbyterate or episcopate, nor do we recognize the office of "deaconess" as do some churches of the Anglican and Lutheran Communions; nor do we recognize the validity of the ministry of women ordained to these offices in other churches (1 Cor. 14:34). Neither will the T.P.E.C. countenance the ordination or ministry of any practicing homosexual (Romans 1:32). 15. Is the T.P.E.C. a "Fundamentalist" Church? The T.P.E.C. was organized to maintain the theology and beliefs of Protestant Anglicanism as expressed in the Bible, the Creeds and the Articles of Religion. In this sense we are true to the 'fundamentals' of the "faith once delivered to the saints". However, we reject totally the dispensationalism and Arminianism of those independent Protestant sects which call themselves "fundamentalist", but do not adhere to the doctrines of grace of the Protestant Reformation. 16. What are these "Doctrines of Grace" and where to be found? The Doctrines of Grace are simple truths taken from the Holy Scriptures that are binding upon all believers as fundamental to a true understanding of the nature of God and the true state of man. They are: a) the sovereignty of God and the depravity of man; b) the election of some to eternal life and the everlasting punishment of those who reject Our Lord Jesus Christ; c) the atoning death of Our Lord for the sins of those whom He would save; d) the effectual calling of those whom God hath chosen; and e) the security in Christ of those whom He has called into eternity. These are the basic tenets of classical Protestant and Reformed theology and may be found and explained in the Articles of Religion of this Church. |