Saint Stephen's Episcopal Church
AI summary — doctrinal positions on this page are inferred by AI from this church's own public statements and may be inaccurate.
Inherited from denomination
What The Episcopal Church teaches
Positions bound by the denomination's confessional standards. This is what the tradition teaches; whether this specific congregation publicly holds each is a separate question — see Statements below.
Confessional standard: Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion
Affirms
- Apostolic SuccessionstandardHistoric episcopate — tactile line of consecration from the apostles.
- Homosexual practice and biblical sexual ethicsweakSame-sex marriage authorization implies moral affirmation.
- Infant BaptismstandardWestminster XXVIII; Book of Concord SC IV; Council of Trent Session VII; Wesleyan Articles Art. XVII
- Permissibility of divorce and remarriageweakMatthew 19:9 (adultery ground); 1 Corinthians 7:15 (abandonment ground). Practice varies.
- Women in pastoral / ordained officeweakVarious denominational actions (TEC 1976, ELCA 1970s, PC(USA) 1956, AG 1935, CofE 1994 priests / 2014 bishops, etc.)
Denies
- Assumption of MaryweakUniversal Protestant rejection — not attested in Scripture; not received as dogma.
- Immaculate ConceptionstandardUniversal Protestant + Orthodox rejection. Orthodox reject on the grounds that they hold prepurification at the Annunciation, not conception.
- Marriage as one man and one womanweakPC(USA) 2015; ELCA 2009; TEC 2015; UMC 2024. Same-sex marriage authorized in polity.
- TransubstantiationstandardOrthodox reject the Aristotelian metaphysics; Lutherans use 'sacramental union'; 39 Articles Art. XXVIII rejects explicitly; Reformed/Baptist reject substance-change.
Wrestles with
- Believer's BaptismweakPaedobaptist bodies practice adult baptism on credible profession where infant baptism was omitted, but do not consider it normative.
- Pacifism vs. just-warweakDefault just-war framework — usually unwritten. Inheriting at weak confidence.
- Perpetual Virginity of MaryweakHistorically held by Luther, Calvin, Zwingli; retained as pious opinion (not binding) by confessional Lutherans and traditional Anglicans.
- Real PresenceweakCalvin's spiritual presence (genuinely present but not physically) is neither strong affirm nor deny; Anglican/Methodist typically hold a receptionist view.
- TheotokosweakConfessionally valid title (Ephesus is a received council) but not used devotionally; retained in liturgy where liturgy is retained.
In their own words
Statements
statement_of_faith
<!DOCTYPE html> What We Believe – St. Stephen's Episcopal Church Skip to content Search for: St. Stephen's Episcopal Church Menu Home About About SSEC What We Believe Our history Patron saint Parish Staff Our Vestry St. Stephen’s Committees Service Times Calendar Upcoming Events Contact Us Give What We Believe As Episcopalians, we are followers of Jesus Christ, our Lord, and we believe in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Episcopal Church has members in the United States and the territory of Puerto Rico; and also in Colombia, the DominicanSource ↗
about_us
<!DOCTYPE html> About SSEC – St. Stephen's Episcopal Church Skip to content Search for: St. Stephen's Episcopal Church Menu Home About About SSEC What We Believe Our history Patron saint Parish Staff Our Vestry St. Stephen’s Committees Service Times Calendar Upcoming Events Contact Us Give About SSEC St. Stephen’s is known for its warm family spirit, its inviting nature, and its beautiful, moving worship. You will find several ways to get to know us, our church, and our Lord—and to help us get to know you. We hope that you will feel welcomeSource ↗
mission
What We Believe – St. Stephen's Episcopal Church Skip to content Search for: St. Stephen's Episcopal Church Menu Home About About SSEC What We Believe Our history Patron saint Parish Staff Our Vestry St. Stephen’s Committees Service Times Calendar Upcoming Events Contact Us Give What We Believe As Episcopalians, we are followers of Jesus Christ, our Lord, and we believe in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Episcopal Church has members in the United States and the territory of Puerto Rico; and also in Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Venezuela, Curacao, Austria, BeSource ↗
about
About SSEC – St. Stephen's Episcopal Church Skip to content Search for: St. Stephen's Episcopal Church Menu Home About About SSEC What We Believe Our history Patron saint Parish Staff Our Vestry St. Stephen’s Committees Service Times Calendar Upcoming Events Contact Us Give About SSEC St. Stephen’s is known for its warm family spirit, its inviting nature, and its beautiful, moving worship. You will find several ways to get to know us, our church, and our Lord—and to help us get to know you. We hope that you will feel welcome and moved to join our church family. With all oSource ↗
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