Samuel Seabury was the first bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United States. During the colonial period and after the end of the Revolutionary War, the church in the United States had no bishops. Candidates for the priesthood had to travel to England to be ordained before the war, an arduous journey. After the war, the situation was the same, and the requirement that all candidates for ordination swear an oath of loyalty to the British crown became an impediment to sending American candidates to England for ordination. The church in the United States needed a bishop.
Samuel Seabury was chosen to be the first bishop, but, again, because of the oath of loyalty, he went to Scotland, rather than to England, to be consecrated bishop by two bishops of the Episcopal Church of Scotland, which was no longer the established church, and therefore did not include the loyalty oath to the British crown in the ceremony.
James Kiefer at the Lectionary has more information on Seabury.
READINGS:
Psalm 133 or 33:1-5,20-21
Acts 20:28-32
Matthew 9:35-38
PRAYER
We give you thanks, O Lord our God, for your goodness in bestowing upon this Church the gift of the episcopate, which we celebrate in this remembrance of the consecration of Samuel Seabury; and we pray that, joined together in unity with our bishops, and nourished by your holy Sacraments, we may proclaim the Gospel of redemption with apostolic zeal; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Note: Reposted from last year on the feast day.
Tahnk you Mimi. As fairly new to the Anglican church, I appreciate this bit of history. I had heard that the apostolic succession was through Scotland, and now I have learned more! :)
ReplyDeleteAFeather, thanks be to God for the Scots! I'll always be grateful to them.
ReplyDeleteAnd it was interesting this summer that +Gene Robinson found a warm welcome in Scotland as opposed to the cold shoulder at Canterbury. Let's eat some haggis, and raise a glass to Aberdeen! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteSCG, I'll raise a glass gladly, but I don't know about the haggis. I had it once.
ReplyDeleteProud to say that I was Curate of his parish in New London, prayed offices and eucharists in his presence. Thanks for the reminder about why I have been stuck in his neck of the woods for the entire duration of ordained ministry. We do what we have to do (what is laid before us) for the reign of Christ; and we're written in the book of life - that's all for which we can ever, in thanksgiving, work, pray and give.
ReplyDeleteYou've just given me a remarkable insight, grandmere. Thank you and tbtg.
Scott, you are blessed. I'm always happy to provide insights, love. Now that you have your insight, I want mine for being stuck in my neck of the woods.
ReplyDeleteI'm quite grateful to the Scottish bishops for giving us our first bishop.
My son sent me this tidbit of relicry re Seabury...
ReplyDelete"The Diocese of Connecticut, I am told, has a chasuble with a lock of his hair sewn into it. How's that for weird?"
Susan, pretty weird.
ReplyDelete