Hi,
I'm wondering what the differences are between Lutherans and Episcopalians? 
THey both seem the same to me-also do you thing the TEC and the Lutheran CHurch (I'n referring to the ELCA) will ever merge?

THANKS

PS i've posted this in the Anglican/episcopal forum!

THANKS again

Lutherans affirm the Concordia Confessions, Episcopalians do not have such a confessional basis.  Episcopalian Bishops have a lot of latitude in church polity.  The Anglican church is basically a heirarchial church.  Lutheran congregations are the center of power.  We join together in Synods to due mutual ministries.  Lutheran Synods are congregational.

Will Episcopalians and Lutherans join together in one body?  They are already part of the One Body of Christ.  You might think of them as different members of the same body.  There is no need to become the same denomination.

So a Roman priest , and Episcopalian priest and a Lutheran pastor are all sitting in hell.  The Lutheran looks at the Roman priest and asks why he's here.  He said, "Well, I'm prone to drink and one night I was so drunk I burnt down my church." The Roman then asked the Lutheran why he was here.  Lutheran replied that he had an affair with his church secretary.  Then they turned to the Episcopalian and asked why he was here. He replied, "It was a grave transgression!  I used the wrong fork at a garden party."

Sometimes I just can't help myself.

I have nothing against Episcopalians, my best friend is an Episcopalian.  I have always thought of Episcopalians as sort of Roman lite. One of the obvious differences in my book is our historical formations.  Luther looked at a church that had, in his view, corrupted the message of the Gospel and was basically taking advantage of an ignorant public to exploit them for the Roman Church's temporal goals.  The Church of England was founded on the back of a horny king who wanted it his way.  I find it interesting that we are now in communion with a church whose founder was given the title of "Defender of the Faith" by the Bishop of Rome after writing against Martin the Heretic. But hey 500 hundred years a little forgiveness is in order.

Will we ever merge into one denomination and then back into one Mother church.  Who knows? Would I like to see it happen?  Sure, I think schism is/was a bad thing. Will Lutherans ever give in on Apostolic Succesion and the Historic Episcopate?  We'll see.