Theo Hobson's article in the Guardian newspaper (Friday 28 January 2011 12.44 GMT) describes his postive experiences in the Episcopal Church after his frustration with the Church of England (C of E).
Here's my response:
I too have been very impressed by the Episcopal Church's bold, brave and liberal stance on so many important issues, but you do the C of E a disservice. The point about an established church is that it includes a wide variety of voices - some liberal, many less so - and what could be more liberal than that?
There are few denominations which are spread as evenly across race, class, age and gender divides (not that the C of E doesn't have a long way to go on some of these). The Episcopal Church is a far more middle class institution than plenty of innercity C of E churches.
Joining in willingly with a bunch of people who have a load of different beliefs about many things but share a core trust in God is one of the most positive expressions of faith I can think of. Shopping around to find the church that agrees with everything you already think seems lazy and arrogant - challenge and diversity are essential in life as in faith.
Sure you don't get what you want in every way, but you do get to exercise skills of tolerance, argument and community. I'm not suggesting you should feel obliged to go to a mega evangelical homophobic stadium church if that is the antithesis of your belief, but then very, very few C of E churches are like that.
Holding onto liberal beliefs while actively engaging and changing the illiberal beliefs of others is a commission not a chore.
Lastly - one thought, why didn't you try the Quakers? Its not a ritualistic form of faith but there are meetings with clear purpose and format, its disestablished, and exceeds even the Episcopal Church in liberalism. An organised religion where members are called Friends and every book is treated as being as Holy as any other.
There are few denominations which are spread as evenly across race, class, age and gender divides (not that the C of E doesn't have a long way to go on some of these). The Episcopal Church is a far more middle class institution than plenty of innercity C of E churches.
Joining in willingly with a bunch of people who have a load of different beliefs about many things but share a core trust in God is one of the most positive expressions of faith I can think of. Shopping around to find the church that agrees with everything you already think seems lazy and arrogant - challenge and diversity are essential in life as in faith.
Sure you don't get what you want in every way, but you do get to exercise skills of tolerance, argument and community. I'm not suggesting you should feel obliged to go to a mega evangelical homophobic stadium church if that is the antithesis of your belief, but then very, very few C of E churches are like that.
Holding onto liberal beliefs while actively engaging and changing the illiberal beliefs of others is a commission not a chore.
Lastly - one thought, why didn't you try the Quakers? Its not a ritualistic form of faith but there are meetings with clear purpose and format, its disestablished, and exceeds even the Episcopal Church in liberalism. An organised religion where members are called Friends and every book is treated as being as Holy as any other.