Why I Chose the Episcopal Church

The challenge: in 150 words or less, describe why you chose the Episcopal Church. This was the challenge that The Forward Movement gave to seminarians in anticipation of publishing a new booklet. Below is what I wrote and submitted.

Heralds and Prophets

Submitted by Chad M. Krouse

“No other church heralds the Kingdom of God quite like the Episcopal Church. Our Church lives on the margins, where our Lord’s ministry heralds us and where the Kingdom stirs. I am an Episcopalian to stand among other prophets calling for the freedom of the Kingdom today, living an open Gospel witnessing Christ’s love to every one, everywhere. We struggle openly with the dangers of prophecy in our contemporary world, yet always honoring our history of truth and justice. I cannot sit idly by and ignore the pain and brokenness walking about; I am an Episcopalian to live as both herald and prophet of this Kingdom, working to bring about equality, healing, and peace.”

Windows Into Heaven

These are photographs that I took at Manchester Cathedral this summer. The windows were absolutely amazing and strikingly modern.

The "Fond du lac Circus"

At the consecration of R.H. Weller,

Bishop Coadjutor of Fond du Lac, 1900

I was in need of some light Anglo-Catholic humour. Interestingly enough, St. Tikhon of Russian later adapted the 1928 Book of Common Prayer to "Orthodox standards" and ushered in the Western Rite for the Orthodox Church.

From the Diocese of Fond du lac's Website:

"In 1900, Bishop Grafton found himself at the center of controversy when he presided at the consecration of R.H. Weller as Bishop Coadjutor of Fond du Lac. A number of bishops from neighboring dioceses took part in the service. Also in attendance, at Grafton’s invitation, was Tikhon, the Russian Orthodox Bishop of Alaska and the Aleutian Islands. After the service, the bishops went outside to pose for a picture. For the first time ever, bishops of the Episcopal Church were photographed wearing copes and mitres. The picture, which became known as "the Fond du Lac Circus," and was widely published in church publications and became a heated controversy.

"There were a number of controversies associated with this photo. First, the Episcopal Church had always had high, low, and broad factions that emphasized different aspects of the faith. The low church faction typically identified itself as Protestant. Contrast this with the high church faction which has identified itself with other "catholic" churches, such as the Roman, Old Catholic and Orthodox Churches. This photo was the first public photo, showing Episcopal bishops dressed in catholic vestments (as opposed to the more Protestant rochet, chimere, and tippet) and was an outrage to low church members of the Episcopal Church.

"Bishop Grafton had invited St. Tikhon and his Orthodox entourage and Bishop Kozlowski of the Polish National Catholic Church to come to the service, not merely to observe, but to participate. Ultimately, they did not, but they did vest and sit with the other bishops present. Even this was scandalous to the low church members of the Episcopal Church who held that Episcopalians had more in common with the other Protestant denominations than with the Old Catholics or "Greek Catholics" (i.e., Orthodox)."

Font of Blessing

"O font, font, font..."

++Michael Ramsey upon seeing his baptismal font.

Here at Saint Peter's Episcopal Church, located in the west end of Huntington, West Virginia, I was buried with Christ in the Spring of 1980. It was here at this old wooden font, complete with eight sides, that I rose up out of the waters of baptism to become a member of the Body of Christ.

St. Peter's is a very special church for me and my family. My brother and I were baptized there, my mother was baptized there, my parents and grandparents were married there, my grandmother was buried there, and I was married there. St. Peter's holds much of my family history--it's sort of like an ancestral church for us. It was there that I learned what church was and to appreciate the mystery and beauty of the sacraments. Since becoming a seminarian, I have preached there a number of times and have even read the Gospel at the Christmas eve Mass. Desmond Tutu allegedly preached from the pulpit here during an American tour many, many years ago.

I am a product of this parish. My whole life has been formed by the people there--past and present. As I move forward in the process towards priestly ordination, I cannot help but reflect on the foundation that was created there at St. Peter's.

St. Peter's has the first free-standing altar in the Diocese of West Virginia. I cannot tell you how many years of my life were fed from that altar. My heart will always be there.

Below is the Children's Chapel located in the Nursery. It was here that I learned to say the Lord's Prayer. I remember sitting in these miniature pews. I can still smell the wax candles burning. . .