The '''Episcopal Church in the USA''', abbreviated ECUSA, and also known as the '''Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America,''' is the American arm of the Worldwide [[Anglican Communion]]. The Church has about 2.5 million members, down from its peak of 3.6 million in 1966. It is undergoing a theological split as traditionalists break off, over the issue of a homosexual bishop.
==WorhsipWorship==Worship in the Episcopal Church is according to the [[Book of Common Prayer]], a book of worship services for use in the church. The current edition was published in 1979. The previous edition was published in 1928. Worship styles within the Episcopal Church can range from "high church" (emphasizing ritual, sung liturgy, candles and incense, genuflecting, etc. with services resembling a [[Roman Catholic]] servicebefore 1960) to "low church" (emphasizing preaching and personal conversion and eschewing ritual, with services resembling other low church [[Protestantism|evangelical Protestant]] denominations). Many Episcopal churches have a "broad church" stance, meaning they take a middle ground and try to incorporate elements of both high and low church styles. The Episcopalians are in communion with the [[Anglican Church]] based in the [[United Kingdom]]. In 1948 it was a founding mmeber of the [[World Council of Churches]].
==Theology==
Episcopal theology is summarized by the [[Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion]], principally written by [[Thomas Cramner]] and adopted by the Anglican Church in 1563. The influence of the Articles have decreased dramatically over the last few centuries, as the Anglican Communion has gradually moved further away from [[Protestantism]] and closer to [[Catholicism]].