Saint Paul's Episcopal Church in Fayetteville was organized on May 23, 1848, making it one of the oldest surviving church in the city. In this episode, Reverend Evan D. Garner, the church's rector, traces a tradition rooted in the Church of England's belief that a parish exists to serve everyone within its boundaries, not just its members. From the founding documents that carry the names of slave owners to a warming shelter that grew from six people to forty-seven in a single winter, Reverend Garner describes what it means for a 178-year-old institution to hold its history honestly while showing up for the most vulnerable people in a rapidly changing region.

The conversation explores the Episcopal tradition's parish model, the difference between opening doors and genuinely belonging to a community, and how institutions that have historically held power can do the work of justice without becoming political actors. Reverend Garner articulates a theology where love is not abstract, it should lead to human flourishing, and where wholeness means all of the people, not most of them. Monica Kumar joins for the talk-back, where the two process what it means to hear a pastor say there is no limit to how far his church will go to care for those who are vulnerable.

https://www.theunderview.com/the-episcopal-church-with-rev-evan-d-garner

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