Did the Royal Wedding sermon surprise you? It shouldn’t have

This Saturday, as the world was tuning into the spectacle of a British Royal wedding, many were caught off guard. Viewers expecting a healthy dose of entertainment, romance, and celebrity spotting received something else: a stirring, inspiring religious experience during the wedding’s sermon. The Most Reverend Michael Curry — Presiding Bishop of the US Episcopal church — gave a powerful sermon. The sermon inspired reactions ranging from Vox thinkpieces to Saturday Night Live sketches. The overall reaction was one of surprise, that an Episcopal priest would deliver a powerful sermon combining progressive values and Biblical principles. But that is what the Episcopal Church is.

The Episcopal Church is the American branch of the Anglican Communion (the denomination centered in the Church of England). It has many elements similar to Catholicism, but does not acknowledge the authority of the Roman Catholic church. As a result, some Episcopalians consider their church as a “via media” between Roman Catholic and Protestant traditions. But most consider the Episcopal church one of the mainline Protestant denominations. It is also very progressive, and is best known in recent years for its acceptance of same-sex marriages. This development led to a split within the Episcopal church, with some congregations leaving and rebranding themselves as “Anglican” in protest. Like most Christian denominations (especially mainline Protestants) it is experiencing reduced attendance (1.2% of the US population, according to the Pew Research Center). But it maintains a robust presence around the country.

First, let’s be clear: Bishop Curry is remarkable. His rhetorical style and the substance of his words give his sermons immense power. There is a reason he is the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, basically the head of the denomination. But while Bishop Curry is extraordinary, he’s not unique.

I joined the Episcopal Church after college. I was raised in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, but discovered the Episcopal Church while researching US Christian denominations’ foreign policy views for a professor’s project (that became an excellent book by Vassar College Professor Stephen R. Rock). I was intrigued, and began attending an Episcopal Church when I moved to Washington, DC. I attended several other Episcopal churches as I moved around the DC area and up to Vermont.

As with any religious community, there are some problematic churches. I’ve been to churches that proudly downplay their Christian nature, and present themselves as an ecumenical spiritual gathering place. And breakaway US Anglican churches have caused confusion. Some adopt nasty stances: I visited one whose sermon included an attack on anyone not using the King James Bible… Others are confused theologically, combining a simplified Calvinism with an evangelical worship style and calling it Anglican.

But most of the Episcopal churches I’ve attended are similar in nature to Curry’s sermon. They are unabashedly progressive, as reflected in both their worship services and outreach efforts. But they are still Christian churches. Sermons draw on Biblical language to explain and justify progressive stances. The liturgy draws on the Bible, and ensures the point of each Sunday’s service is not entertainment or politics, but worship. And while worship styles differ, most Episcopal churches draw on a poignant, centuries’-old tradition. Bishop Curry’s sermon encapsulated the Episcopal church itself, a powerful synthesis of liturgical tradition, Biblical literacy, and progressive values.

So why was there such shock about the Royal Wedding? I think it is due to two things.

First, the media mostly ignores mainline Protestants in America, focusing almost exclusively on evangelical Christians. Every pronouncement by evangelical leaders makes headlines. Part of this is due to their real influence and concerning ties to the Trump Administration; I certainly don’t ignore them.

But there is little corresponding attention to mainline Protestant leaders. Did you know the Presiding Bishop of the ELCA condemned the Trump Administration’s policy of separating immigrant families? Or that the Poor People’s Campaign — spearheaded by the Reverend William Barber — organized massive rallies around the country last week? Probably not, because they received little media attention. This imbalance in coverage makes it seem like the only active Christians are conservative ones. As a result, many people disregard mainline Protestants, while these congregations can feel their work has no impact.

Second, evangelical Christians often dismiss the Episcopal Church — and other progressive denominations — as overly secularized. Evangelical congregations are told mainline Protestants have abandoned true Christianity and the Bible. Evangelical pastors and thinkers argue mainline Protestants and progressive Christianity (groups that overlap but are not identical) reject Scriptural teachings in favor of vaguely-defined “secular humanism.” As a result, even many evangelicals who tired of their overly-conservative politicized faith don’t view mainline Protestants as a viable alternative. Because evangelicals refuse to even engage with progressive Christian arguments, it often seems like the latter do not exist. And mainline Protestants don’t do enough to push back on this situation.

Hopefully, thanks to the Most Reverend Michael Curry, the world now sees that the Episcopal Church is still active, and can still matter. It’s obviously not for everyone, and I’d never try and make such an argument. But at least people may now understand it.