Blessing
A pronouncement of God’s love and favor, addressed to one or more persons by a priest or bishop.
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Glossary
An Episcopal Dictionary of the Church
Glossary definitions adapted from An Episcopal Dictionary of the Church, A User Friendly Reference for Episcopalians, edited by Don S. Armentrout and Robert Boak Slocum, provided courtesy of Church Publishing Incorporated, New York, NY.
Bloomer, Amelia
A 19th-century American social reformer, newspaper editor, and advocate for women’s rights and temperance. Feast day: July 20 along with Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Sojourner Truth.
Blue Book
A colloquial term referring to the compendium of triennial reports to the General Convention from commissions, committees, task forces, agencies, and boards.
Blue Box
Also called mite boxes, these small, blue, cardboard boxes are used to collect funds for the United Thank Offering, originally a ministry of The Episcopal Church Women.
Bonhoeffer, Dietrich
A 20th-century German Lutheran pastor, theologian, and author who was hanged in 1945 because of his opposition to Hitler. Feast day: April 9.
Boniface
An eighth-century English missionary, archbishop, and martyr, known as the Apostle of Germany. Feast day: June 5.
Book of Common Prayer (BCP)
The Episcopal Church’s liturgical and devotional containing some, but not all, of the texts authorized by General Convention. See Episcopal Common Prayer, the church’s official liturgical website.
Book of Occasional Services
A collection of authorized optional services and texts for various occasions that do not appear in the BCP. “,Breck
Broad Church
An ecclesial philosophy blending elements of high church and low church emphases. The three terms originated in debates about ritual, authority, and Roman Catholic influence; all three are equally Episcopal.
Brother
A form of address for a male member of a religious order or community.
“,Butler