Despite being an English colony, Anglicans in Connecticut were few and far between until many years after the colony was established in the 1630's. It was not until 1707 that the first Anglican parish was formed here, and even then, it was only with the support of a priest from New York City. For much of its early history, parishes in Connecticut relied upon strong lay leadership to function. Gradually the number of parishes grew, beginning in the southwest and gradually tending toward the northeast. By the time of the American Revolution, roughly eight percent of the colony's population was Anglican, forty-five parishes supporting twenty priests.
With independence in 1776 came a dilemma for Connecticut Anglicans. Many Anglicans remained in the state and hoped to be able to continue to maintain the worship liturgy and communion to which they had become attached. The lack of clergy and bishop remained a significant obstacle to growth.
It was in this atmosphere that several Anglican clergy met in Woodbury in 1783 and chose Samuel Seabury to travel to England to seek ordination as a bishop. While the war was over, the Church of England refused to ordain Seabury. He then turned to the Scottish Episcopal Church, where he was duly ordained in Aberdeen, a historical connection that continues to be shared in a companion diocese relationship to this day. Upon returning to Connecticut, Seabury convened the first diocesan convention in 1785.
In the nineteenth century, the number of Episcopal churches in Connecticut grew, particularly along the industrial corridors of the Naugatuck, Thames, and Connecticut River Valleys. Outreach to immigrant groups became an important factor in this growth, and the legacy of this outreach can be seen in the diocese’s current commitment to the growing Hispanic and Creole communities in Connecticut. A number of schools, including Berkeley Divinity School, were also established in this time.
At the outset of the twentieth century, the diocese still lacked a cathedral. At that point, Bishop Chauncey Brewster was a leader in the Social Gospel Movement with its focus on confronting the problems industrialization had brought to society. Brewster insisted that any cathedral be a center for ministry to the poor, homeless and other "outsiders" of society. Christ Church in Hartford had long had a focus on such ministries, and this, along with its central location in the diocese and in the state capital, made it the choice of the Diocesan Convention in 1917. The size of the diocese had also grown to the point that the diocese began to consistently call for a suffragan bishop to aid in its ministries. With the exception of a period during the Great Depression, the diocese has successfully supported two bishops, and at times as many as three, as is the case today.
Within the past fifty years, Connecticut Episcopalians embraced the Liturgical Movement in the 1960's and began to experiment more with styles of worship and returned to a focus on communion as the central act of worship. Connecticut bishops have also played leading roles in the Civil Rights movement. In our recent history, we have elected as bishop individuals from previously marginalized communities, such as the West Indian and Hispanic communities. In addition, we elected a woman bishop for the first time in 2007, who currently serves as one of our Bishops Suffragan. With the leadership of Bishop Andrew Smith, we have increasingly turned our gaze to the international Church, developing relationships with other dioceses such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Diocese of Colombia, S.A., and the Diocese of Lebombo, Mozambique, and growing in our awareness of the ministry in other countries. Bishop Smith has helped us strengthen ecumenical relationships in Connecticut through his leadership in the Christian Conference of Connecticut and through formal relationships with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Norwich and the Evangelical Lutheran Synod in America. This Diocese has taken the lead in Safe Church practices, and in the understanding of good clergy wellness practices.
Connecticut offers a wide-ranging diversity of activities and events. There is plenty of recreation in our outdoor surroundings, through the 147 state parks, forests, numerous trails and monuments, and over 130 public boat launching sites offered in the state. New York City, Boston, and Providence are all within a two-hour drive from the center of Connecticut. Numerous educational institutions and urban settings help support classical and contemporary dance groups, theatrical organizations, operatic, symphonic, band, choral and chamber music groups, as well as a "Connecticut Art Trail" comprised of 14 museums and historical sites. For more information, visit www.ctvisit.com.
Through initiatives designed to reduce racial and economic isolation, "Charter Schools" and "Magnet Schools" increased in enrollment between 2000 and 2004. Since 2001, High School enrollment in college credit courses has increased by 41%. Over one half of 2006 graduates have gone on to attend a four–year college; 24% attend a two-year college, and three-quarters of the others are employed in civilian or military occupations. 31.4% of those who are 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or higher – an increase of 10% from 1998. There are 383 nonpublic schools in the State, including ten with an affiliation with the National Association of Episcopal Schools.
At the higher education level, the state boasts 41 two- and four-year colleges and universities and 11 vocational/technical schools. There are 33 different graduate programs offered, including three that focus on theological education – Yale/Berkeley Divinity School, Hartford Seminary, and Holy Apostles Seminary. Schools range from local community colleges to nationally-ranked institutions like the University of Connecticut, Yale University, Trinity College, Connecticut College and Wesleyan University.
For more information, visit Connecticut State Department of Education
Long an industrial center, Connecticut is adjusting to the demands of the new economy. Insurance, defense contractors, education and health care are the largest employers, with growing sectors in computer technology and the film industry. There is a wide disparity of wealth in the state. Connecticut includes the county with highest per capita income in the nation (Fairfield), but it is also home to four of the poorest cities in the nation as measured by poverty rates. Of the total students enrolled in public schools, one-quarter come from families poor enough to qualify for free or reduced-price meals.
| U.S. | CT. | |
| Unclaimed | 50% | 42% |
| Roman Catholic | 22% | 40.3% |
| Evangelical Protestant | 14.2% | 2.4% |
| Mainline Protestant | 9.3% | 10% |
| Other | 4.3% | 4.5% |
| Orthodox | .35% | .6% |
Tourism is a $4 billion-a-year business, much of it based on the attraction of the state's 250-mile Long Island Sound shoreline, the Litchfield hills, and the Connecticut River Valley. With its wealth of open land, Connecticut's scenery is some of New England's most beautiful. Its scores of colonial villages are filled with historic homes and landmarks. In recent years, tourists have been attracted to Foxwoods Casino and Mohegan Sun, both in the Eastern part of the state and run by two of the six Native American Tribes found within Connecticut.
To learn more, visit Connecticut Department of Economic & Community Development
The overall population of the state has remained relatively steady over the past several years. Out of 3.5 million residents, about 60,000 are Episcopalians.
Public school enrollment has increased by 24.5% between 1987 and 2006. Two-thirds of the enrollment gain between 1997 and 2006 was due to the growth of the Latino population, which increased by 40%. There are 129 different languages represented by students in the state school system. The overwhelming majority of those students report Spanish as their primary language.
In terms of the religious outlook of Connecticut’s citizens, The Association of Religion Data Archives provides statistics on membership and adherence nationally and locally. Using their data from 2000, we can provide the above snapshot of Connecticut as it compares with the nation as a whole.
Recent immigration has brought other non-Christian religions to the state, but the numbers of adherents of other religions are still low. Those professing Judaism or Islam as their affiliation are at 1% each.
For more information, visit www.thearda.com
The number of Episcopalians in Connecticut has declined steadily over the past several years. However, the amount pledged has increased steadily over the same period.
For more information, visit Studying your Congregation
