How Does the Holy Spirit Work in the Episcopal Church?

The Holy Spirit teaches most freely in democratic practice. As democratic polity leads the Episcopal Church toward the inclusion of all, the exclusion of none, the Holy Spirit is at work inspiring behavior that Jesus taught us to practice. We are Christians, followers of Jesus Christ and the teachings of Jesus in his lifetime.

Now the Anglican Communion, largely dominated by men, is trying to reform in a way that will create a hierarchal power structure. This is antithetical to its historic beginnings as the Church of England, formed in Elizabethan Great Britain. We are talking Elizabeth I, btw. Think of the times of Shakespeare for reference.

Queen Elizabeth watched Roman Catholics and Anglican Catholics killing each other off in droves over religious beliefs. Her Majesty had the wisdom to pull all factions together with agreement on basic principles and a Book of Common Prayer, then pointed out that having room for many shades of belief within that common structure allowed the Holy Spirit to help the church and Merrie Olde England to grow and prosper. (My words, my very abreviated version of history.)

And so it has happened. The Church of England evangelized as it colonialized and the Anglican Communion is now a world wide denomination with 38 provinces, each subscribing to the Apostles' and Nicene Creeds and sharing Books of Common Prayer. Colonization subsided, but the teachings of the Anglican Communion have survived and thrived. Each province has grown in grace by the teachings of the Holy Spirit and each has structured its manner of internal governance, its polity, in ways that fit local customs and traditions. So it is that the Queen of England today, HRH Elizabeth II, appoints bishops, and that American bishops are elected by the clergy and laity of their diocese. There is more to it than that on both sides of the pond, but the key difference in polity is democratic action vs. appointment.
Other provinces govern themselves in ways that fit their cultures and some of them select by democratic process, too.

Tradition 2 in 12-step programs states: "For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority--a loving God as He may express Himself through our group conscience. Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern." The group, meeting together with differing ideas, prays for guidance and votes on leaders and issues. The outcome is believed to be the best outcome God could give and is accepted by most participants.

Doesn't this sound like 'servant leadership'? And doesn't it compare with our elected bishops chosen through the Holy Spirit-led group conscience of the diocesan members? Not all will agree, but we accept that God is working in the election process to give us the best possible candidate. Likewise, the Episcopal Church resolves issues through a Spirit-led democratic process. This can happen on vestries, in diocesan deliberations, or at the triennial General Convention.

So, back to the original point: The Holy Spirit has led the Episcopal Church progressively forward at a different pace than other parts of the Anglican Communion through freedom to explore those shades of belief. The group conscious of TEC has gradually devined that slavery in today's world is counter to Jesus' teachings; that prayer need not be in archaic language to be valid, but may be in contemporary language more meaningful to the pray-er; that women can be deacons, priests, bishops and yes, Presiding Bishops, serving God and their communities with grace and dignity; that we are called by Jesus and led by the Holy Spirit to reach out to all marginalized people in our society and to see in them the reflection of God's love. These people are the hungry, the homeless, the immigrant, the orphan, the sick, the disabled, the prisoner, and the despised. We are called to make society whole through the love of God and the salvation of our Redeemer. That the American church continues to seek and embrace new people is a product of God's grace through our democratic polity.

By having faith in the Holy Spirit's guidance and by getting on with the business of welcoming all of God's children into communion, the Episcopal Church can grow in grace and prosper as Elizabeth I's Church of England did. As long as we quarrel and deny our God-given mission, our church will remain stagnant.