The Bishop of Rome, which is how we Anglicans refer to the pope, stated that Jesus gave us one church. Well, this is true. However in the beginning of Christendom, there were seven distinct churches headed by individual apostles. Peter, of course, was in Rome. James was in Jerusalem, John was in Asia minor. They had different theologies, different rituals and liturgies. And, each fought for supremacy. There was not one church, but several. It wasn't until 325 in Nicea that even a framework of belief was set out in the creed.

My beloved friends, there is only one true unified church, and that is Jesus Christ himself. Again from Colossians, "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers -- all things have been created through him and for him." Our Scriptures proclaim "Jesus is Lord". We call ourselves Christians, because we believe that Jesus is the Son of God incarnate, fully human and fully divine. Granted we can question, be skeptical sometimes discount the Savior, but our Baptismal vows made by us or for us say we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. Unequivocally. He's not a friend, he's not a pal, he's not a prophet, he's not a philosopher or a great teacher as other faiths proclaim. He is the Savior of the World, the head of the Church that bears his name. Again from our Epistle, "He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell.

In Revelations we read of the New Jerusalem, heaven, where the true church abides with Jesus on the Throne of Mercy. "I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light and the Lamb is its lamp."

A contentious reading from Revelations is found in chapter 12, verse 1. "A great and wondrous sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth." The Anglican and Protestant churches read this to refer to Jesus and his Church, the Bride of Christ. The Romans say this is Scriptural proof of the Assumption of Mary into heaven where she reigns as queen. This was proclaimed as dogma of their church in 1953. A dogma that is not to be denied by faithful Roman Catholics, that and the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception which refers to the birth of Mary that she herself was conceived and born without original sin and not the doctrine of the Virgin Birth which refers to the birth of Jesus.

The Anglican way, the via media, allows us who claim this faith to be fluid in our interpretations of Scripture and personal belief. Our denomination recognizes the holy in everyday and in individuals. And while we don't have dogma, a forced belief issued by the magisterium, we do have core doctrine, which is represented by the creeds. And yet, this too is flexible for we are not a creedal church, nor a confessing church, nor a church run by a magisterium. For us Episcopalians in America, we acknowledge the insights of the laity, ordinary people of faith, the ordained priests and deacon and our Bishops. We do not have an Archbishop who can issue pronouncements, but we have a Presiding Bishop who speaks not of her own conviction, but of the thinking of the House of Bishops and the people. The Archbishop of Canterbury is a titular head, and his power is limited to the Church of England. He has no power over other provinces, including us. Neither does any archbishop or group of archbishops and bishops outside the United States have any authority over us.

Every ordained minister in the Episcopal Church must sign an Oath of Conformity vowing to adhere to the worship, doctrine and discipline of the Episcopal Church. We also vow that we believe the Old and New Testament to hold all that is necessary for salvation (as well as a whole bunch that is not necessary for salvation). As an aside, it is interesting to note that the real theology of salvation is not who gets into heaven, but how we live our daily lives now. So I was dismayed when a parishioner said that I have gone beyond the bounds of Episcopal theology in my preaching and worship. Last week Pastor Darrel Goodwin asked you how big is your God? And today I ask, how small is your thinking? The Episcopal and Anglican way is broad and encompassing and allows great flexibility in practice and thinking. In fact, we do have fundamentalist Episcopalians who are within the realm of Episcopal theology. I'm not one of them. Yet I do believe in the Core Doctrine of the Episcopal Church to be true and I believe that Jesus Christ is the true Son of God. I have no problem with miracles and expect them. To limit Episcopal theology is what the dissenting bishops are trying to do within the Anglican Communion. You either think and believe the way they do or you're out. That, my beloved friends, is not Episcopal theology. In fact, there is no definition of Episcopal theology. Episcopal theology consists of the best of catholic and protestant theologians, brought together in an agreeable tension, holding taut; without one the other would fall. So to say that something is not Episcopal theology because you disagree with it is small thinking and just as small faith, precisely as Pope Benedict XVI states that his church is the only church. My job has been to challenge and stretch you beyond your comfort level and horizon of vision. It is not to be a caretaker or for your comfort. Lex Lindsey said to me, "Fr. Dan teaches us to love God with our minds, you teach us to love Jesus with our hearts. It's all complementary and very Episcopalian."

Now I'm going to ask you a personal question, but I don't expect you to answer me, but answer in your heart. Why do you come here on Sunday? Is it to attend church or as the Romans now refer to us as an "ecclesiastical community"? Do you come out of duty, out of fear or for socializing or because your family has been here for generations and you're afraid of losing your pew? Yes there is the community, the music, the familiar rituals and prayers and great comfort. One of our Eucharistic prayers says: "Open our eyes to see your hand at work in the world around us. Deliver us from the presumption of coming to this Table for solace only, and not for strength; for pardon only, and not for renewal. Let the grace of this Holy Communion make us one body, one spirit in Christ, that we may worthily serve the world in his name." Here you come to worship, worship and glorify Almighty God, to adore and humble yourself before his Son, The Savior, and invite the Holy Spirit into your lives. That is the first and primary reason you should be here. And through your worship you need to express not your doubts but your heartfelt gratitude just for being created from the Heart of God. "It is he whom we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone in all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ."

So whether the authorities of the Roman Church say we are valid or not is truly immaterial to us. They are, in fact, a different denomination. We proclaim Jesus Christ as God, crucified and resurrected, exalted into glory. Indeed this is the one true Church for Christians and it is big enough, large enough, loving enough to invite all.