Why Are You Episcopalian?

At our February EpiscoPints, we’re grateful to Rev. Laurence Wainwright-Maks for leading the conversation and asking us a simple question: Why are you Episcopalian?

It sounds easy until you actually try to answer it. So I wanted to take a minute to put some words around why this Church, this tradition, continues to shape and ground my faith.

One of the biggest reasons is the balance of Scripture, Tradition, and Reason. The Episcopal Church trusts that faith and thinking go together. We take the Bible seriously. We care about the history of the Church. And we believe God gave us minds for a reason. Questions are not threats here; they’re part of growing. Faith doesn’t have to be rigid to be real.

That leads into something else I love: there is genuine space for questions. You don’t have to have everything figured out. You don’t have to pretend certainty. You can wrestle with theology, doubt, and life and still show up at the altar rail. Belonging isn’t based on having perfect answers.

I also appreciate that the Episcopal Church doesn’t usually force you to choose between two things that seem opposite. Instead of saying “either this or that,” we often say, “actually… both.” We can value ancient liturgy and engage modern questions. We can cherish tradition and remain open to growth. We can care deeply about beautiful, meaningful worship and about justice in the world. It’s not about avoiding clarity. It’s about recognizing that faith is often bigger than one narrow lane.

At the center of it all is grace. Every week we confess. Every week we hear words of forgiveness. Every week we’re invited to the table, not because we earned it but because God is gracious. That rhythm shapes you over time. It’s steady. It reminds us that our worth isn’t based on performance.

I also love that being Episcopalian connects us to something bigger than our own parish.
We’re part of a diocese, connected through a bishop, and tied into the wider Anglican Communion. There’s comfort in knowing that our common prayer links us with people far beyond our walls. The Church is bigger than any one community, and we’re part of something that stretches across cities, states, and even continents.

During the conversation, someone described the Episcopal Church as being like Planet Fitness, a “judgment-free zone.” And honestly, that image sticks. People show up with different stories, different questions, and different perspectives, and there is space. We don’t all think the same, but we kneel at the same rail. And yes… we do love purple.

So why am I Episcopalian? Because here I’ve found depth without harshness, tradition without fear, space to question, and grace at the center of it all. And that’s something I am grateful for.

But that’s just my answer. I would love to hear yours. Why are you Episcopalian? What’s kept you here? What’s shaped you? It’s a question worth asking — and worth sharing. If you’d like to continue the conversation, join us at our next EpiscoPints on March 25.

By Katelyn Nicoloff