A Users' Guide for Episcopalians

Can a church be both Protestant and Catholic?  Yes, if it's the Episcopal Church! We are Protestant in the sense that, in the tradition of Reformation theologians such as Martin Luther and John Calvin, we are open always to the spirit of reformation and renewal.  At the same time, the Episcopal Church has retained much of the liturgical and sacramental understanding of our common roots with the Roman Catholic Church. Our worship services, for example, are very similar.  Our primary differences from the Roman Catholic Church include: in the Episcopal Church, bishops and priests can be married; there is no centralized authority figure like the Pope; married couples are permitted to use responsible means of birth control; and lay people play a greater role in decision making.