To spot the Episcopal Diocese of Alabama, just look for a charming, classic brick building nestled proudly on the street near the Cathedral Church of the Advent-its elegant architecture and warm tones are a quiet, dignified hint that you’re at the heart of Alabama’s Episcopal community.
Alright, you’re standing before Carpenter House-the headquarters of the Episcopal Diocese of Alabama. Take a deep breath; can you feel the blend of old Southern gentility and modern energy? Here, in the heart of Birmingham, the Diocese covers nearly all of Alabama… except for the far southern tip. That little bit, including Mobile, split off in 1970 like a rebellious younger sibling, becoming the Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast. The Diocese of Alabama, though, has continued growing-almost like kudzu after a spring rain-spanning 92 parishes, college ministries, and even a retreat called Camp McDowell up in Nauvoo.
Picture it: back in the day, as World War II ended, Alabama’s cities boomed-Birmingham, Montgomery, Huntsville. Churches filled up. Parents brought their kids, their neighbors, probably even their neighbor’s chicken. Growth here didn’t slow down like in other parts of the country. The diocese’s arrival in the 1970s with a bold policy: every church must be self-supporting-no handouts unless you were just getting started. The bishop then, Furman Stough, was like a spiritual entrepreneur-making sure every parish learned to stand on its own feet.
Most Alabama Episcopalians-at least historically-tended to keep things “low church.” That means services here often felt plainer, closer to their Protestant roots, thanks to the original founders from Virginia and South Carolina who likely enjoyed a little less incense and a lot more preaching. And just imagine the genteel row of pews lined with lawyers, businessfolk, and the who’s who of Birmingham-all mixing with folks who wanted a church a bit more relaxed than the fundamentalist types down the street.
But don’t let the peaceful setting fool you; the Diocese hasn’t been without drama! In the early 2000s, the wider Episcopal Church was shaken when Gene Robinson became the first openly gay bishop. Some regions split or protested, but Alabama mostly just wiped its brow and got on with things. Still, inside the mighty Cathedral Church of the Advent-just next door-there were some classic church disagreements. The cathedral is a bit unusual; it tends toward a traditional, evangelical style, and at times, its relationship with the Diocese leadership got so tense you could probably slice it with a hymnal. In 2019, the strain became one of the diocese’s “big four” challenges. Heads rolled-or, more politely, the dean resigned and joined another Anglican branch.
And now, under Bishop Glenda Curry-the first woman to lead the diocese, who started in 2020-the story turns again. She and her team have worked to patch things up, even sealing new agreements with the cathedral so everyone can get back to what they do best: building community, loving their neighbors, and occasionally debating the finer points of church polity… usually over some very good coffee. That’s church life in Birmingham-a little tradition, a lot of adaptation, and more than a few stories to tell.
