Epilogue

Abstract

Denominationalism, voluntarism and patriotism, which coalesced into the new religious paradigm of the post-revolutionary era, influenced all religious groups, including Episcopalians. Denominationalism repudiated the idea that all Christians must be comprehended into a single national church; dependence on the voluntary support of the laity encouraged a democratically governed church; and patriotism united a reverence fornational institutions with Christian piety.¹ While this triumvirate offered a general model for all religious traditions in the new republic, individual groups differed in their incorporation of each element. For the American Episcopal Church, these religious principles necessitated not only a rejection of establishmentarianism, but also the adoption of a less hierarchical church structure and a severing of formal ties with the Church of England. The omission of references to the English monarch in the American Book of Common Prayer proved less controversial than the reorganization of the church’s structure. Differing interpretations concerning the relative importance of episcopal, clerical, and lay functions seriously inhibited the creation of an Episcopalian church of national scope.