Awake My Soul: My First Year as an Episcopalian, Part 5 November 17, 2011
Posted by Matt in Awake My Soul.Tags: church of christ, dictionary, Episcopal Church, unfamiliar language
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One of the most immediate obstacles to overcome in our new church home didn’t involve theology or philosophy or any of the other fences built between churches and religions around the world. It was something that often left us confounded, with heads cocked and quizzical faces, wondering what planet we may have been transported to. This source of confusion was not theological or philosophical, aesthetic or epistemic, it was an issue far more urgent and unsettling.
Vocabulary.
Soon we were being inundated with foreign terms. Absolution and acolytes, albs and antiphons, catechisms and collects. What’s the difference between a litany and a homily? A nave and a narthex? Episcopal is an adjective, Episcopalian is a noun and never the twain shall meet. It was as though we had just disembarked a plane in some faraway land where nobody spoke our language.
Fortunately, our priest and fellow parishioners were patient with us, as the ignorant newcomers and over the past year we’ve gradually absorbed the unfamiliar words and ideas, though we still sometimes find ourselves inadvertently calling the nave, “the auditorium.”
Today I like the peculiar words used. They are just one part of our identity, something that sets us (and other similar churches) apart from denominations like the one in which we were raised, the Church of Christ.
But I still keep my iPhone’s dictionary app close at hand.
I still think I may get that book I saw yesterday, “The Episcopal Dictionary.” I NEED it…
Thought-provoking articles. In all this, I wonder about what you think about Jesus as your friend asked you, “What do you think about God?” Don’t take this as a challenge. What do you think about Jesus’ words presented in the Gospels and the diligence of observing all that Jesus commanded? How has thoroughly studying Jesus in the Gospels led you to the Episcopal church?
Thorough study and reflection led me away from the Church of Christ and really all of Evangelical Christianity. And it was after that when we found the Episcopal Church, which has truly been a blessing for our family.
Welcome! And thanks for reminding me of the language barrier. I came to the Episcopal Church from the Roman Catholic Church so i was familiar with much of the liturgical language. But in my role in my parish, I need to remember that many who cross my path are not familiar with these terms. Hope you have a wonderful Advent!
Thanks Dianne! It has been an unbelievable experience for us so far and I’m looking forward to what the future holds.