101 Reasons to be an Episcopalian

"The Episcopal Church is a secret too well kept," says compiler Louie Crew. "Many are starved for what we experience daily and too easily take for granted." With these words, Crew invited thousands of people online to participate in creating a list of reasons to be Episcopalian. Portions of that list, and many additional contributions, fill this charming, pocket-sized celebration of the Episcopal Church. These 101 thoughtful, poignant, and sometimes humorous responses not only entertain but also teach about the Church's gifts.

From the beauty of its prayer and liturgy to its inclusiveness and its reliance on Scripture, tradition, and reason in balance with one another, there is much to celebrate in the Anglican/Episcopal tradition. 101 Reasons to be Episcopalian makes the perfect gift for confirmands, newcomers, and anyone interested in dialogue about why we are Episcopalians. Louie Crew is a member of the Executive Council of the Episcopal Church, an Episcopal Communicator, and the manager of several large e-mail lists for the Church. He is also a professor emeritus at Rutgers University, and he lives in East Orange, New Jersey.

"Number 79 is lovely. 'We eat, drink, and are merry, for we live in the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ.' No. 22 begins: "I love Anglicansim for its basic humanity, its sense of decency and order, its freedom of thought and its insistence on the corpus of faith." No. 100 is my favorite: " There's no such thing as a politically incorrect Episcopalian." No. 2 sums up: "From smells and bells to speaking in tongues -- we have it all." Read the other 95 profound, humorous, long and short comments from your friends and neighbors in pulpit and pew, compiled from Mr. Crew's "impromtu contest," which began when he asked online, "What do you like about the Episcopal Church?"--Patricia Nakamura, The Living Church, June 1, 2003