The Episcopal Church (TEC) traces its origins back to the Church of England, which was created by King Henry VIII of England in the midst of violent religious disagreements of the 16th century. This was the time of the Reformation, and after several disagreements with the pope, King Henry VIII cut ties with the Roman Catholic Church and declared himself the head of the newly independent Church of England – also known as the Anglican Church.
The Church of England spread through colonization. However, after the American Revolution, the Anglican congregations in the newly independent United States wanted their church to be free of the King of England as well as their country. Thus they reorganized themselves and created a new church. The word “Episcopal” was chosen to emphasize the historic ministry of bishops, priests and deacons.
Today, TEC is a member of the worldwide Anglican Communion, which is the third largest body of Christians in the world, after the Roman Catholic and Eastern orthodox communions.
History of the Episcopal Church in MN
Here is a brief video of the history of the Episcopal Church in Minnesota.
