Howdy - this sounds like it will be a good place to hang out now and then....
I've not participated in religious discussions/groups at DU very often, since it is something I have few answers about (and consider myself on a life long journey to get to grips with it).....(I guess I am part of the "things to never discuss in public - religion....etc). And so I will read here with interest and put in my two cents when I feel it adds some value.
By the way - my dad was raised Catholic but converted for my mom to UCC....where I grew up (Sunday School, sang in the choir, ran the youth fellowship for a few years). Married someone who was Catholic but very unhappy/non practicing - so she and I became Episcopalians. through the years, we've drifted far from any organized religion (we attend Duke chapel on occasion due to the magnificence of the structure, and the music) - but the new ministers there since Will Willimon left are borrrrrring.....
So I guess we are non-practicing, spiritual folks who marvel at nature, feel there is something more than we can understand, and don't necessarily need to know what that something is.....it's been quite a journey..and hopefully only half done!
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Religion really has a critical place in the discussion of US and international politics. I look forward to having a safe place to discuss it, where we specifically avoid the circular firing squads discussions and focus on coalition building and increased understanding.
While I eschew labels, I have found some resonance with the term apatheist. I don't know if there is a god or not, nor do I really care. It would do little to change my life. I am also a religionist in the same way a man can be a feminist and I support non-believers, particularly in their goals of decreasing prejudice/marginalization and 1st amendment issues.
Glad to see you here, my friend, and hope you will come around often.
I'm interested. There's an Episcopal church in my neighborhood. They are a "Welcoming" church for GLBTers, as are the others in my county as far as I know. A few gay friends attend this one - some regularly, some intermittently. So, while it's not my sole criteria it's a big plus. I'm checking it out.
Since my wife was coming from pretty rigid (catholic) and me from quite flexible/liberal (UCC - which in New England is very informal), we thought Episcopal was a good blend of ritual (the prayer book, but no pope, celibacy, and far more diverse and accepting - more liberal) and great music. Music is really important to us - Vaughan Williams wrote the Episcopal hymnal! - so it kind of fit in all sorts of ways.
The only reason we are not practicing Episcopal here in Raleigh is that it seems to have a far more bible belt, evangelical feel to it down here in the south, relative to the north - and we are not comfortable with that.
Hope that helps!
I was raised Episcopalian, so when I decided to go back to church after 40 years away, that's where I went.
Not only is the church doing good things for LGBT rights, but it's also standing up to the international church and even some less...ahem...enlightened dioceses in the US. It makes me very proud. It would be easy to cave in in the name of getting along.
Plus, there's a woman in charge. 
The ritual and liturgy are beautiful, as is the music. My hour+ on Sunday morning is my time of beauty and contemplation. I've even written words for a hymn, which my church performed a few weeks back. Definitely a high point of my life.
If you pressed me about my beliefs, I'd probably confess to being an agnostic, but because I'm Episcopalian, I call myself a Christian. (BTW, non-believers are welcome in my church as long as they respect the faith of the people around them.)
