This volume is a documentary history of the Episcopal Church from 1782 to 1985. The documents selected illustrate what the Episcopal Church believes and what it has done. They also show how the Episcopal Church has developed in the context of American culture. The documents are arranged chronologically in thematic chapters. Care has been taken to see that the documents are widely representative of various positions in the church.

The editors hope that the reader can hear the history and drama of the Episcopal Church through the many voices assembled here. The goal has been to let these witnesses speak for themselves, with few editorial interruptions. These documents have much to say about the Episcopal Church: what it has been, what it is, and what it needs to be.