The problem with the Episcopal system is that it encourages laypeople ignorance. The denomination discourages any sort of Bible literacy, teaching instead you can depend on what your priests and bishops say, and that all you really need to know is the liturgy on Sundays.
This distinguishes Episcopalianism from other denominations such as Presbyterians and Baptists which traditionally put a high value on knowing and studying the Bible. (Although PCUSA and the American Baptists have been “dumbing” people down also over the generations.) Biblically literate people are called “fundamentalists” by TEC.
So a lot of Episcopalians were dumb sheep totally dependent on the shepherds to keep them safe, to use the Biblical analogy. And it turned out the shepherds were wolves and false prophets who are now eating the sheep. To continue the Biblical analogy. They didn’t know they were being led to slaughter until it was too late.
Even if they wanted to, I bet you at least 90% of the people in the pew in an Episcopal church couldn’t find the verses in the Bible that say homosexuality is wrong and an abomination to God, for example. They spout out all sorts of nonsense they have been taught by their wolves about “shellfish” and the Jewish “Holiness Code” that has supposedly been repealed by the New Testament so that sexual immorality is now perfectly ok, when any Christian would point out to you the first Council of Jerusalem in Acts 15, which reasserted that the requirements of the old Testament regarding sexually moral conduct continued for Christians. (As well as the numerous other passages in the New Testament that emphasize the need for Christians to flee sexual immorality and to be sexually pure (i.e., chastity in singleness or monogamous marriage).) Nor could they find the other passages of scripture that contradict what the Episcopal Church teaches about being Universalist, that there is no sin, that we are all acceptable in the eyes of God, and all sorts of other non-Biblical and New Age heresies it has embraced. Other examples would be practices of witchcraft such as worshipping the Labyrinth, which has become very common as well as in other lefty churches, calling the Holy Spirit “she,” and the classic of course is the Presiding Bishopess’ invocation of “Mother Jesus.”
So in the end I blame TEC’s problem on spiritually corrupt priests and bishops. Unfortunately for them, scripture also says they will be condemned when called to account by the Lord as to how they shepherded, protected and taught the flock. None of these priests and bishops acknowledge the Bible expressly says they are going to Hell.
Says you. Sounds to me like you have a personal bias on the matter. The truth is rather different. For example, if one follows the Daily Office and/or the Lectionary (which is a prominent part of the Episcopal liturgy), one will end up reading a very large percentage of the entire Old Testament every two years -- and the New Testament twice per year.
Biblically literate people are called “fundamentalists” by TEC.
Again, that's your bias talking. Speaking from my own experience, I've found that Episcopalians are very often quite Biblically literate, and can argue very effectively using Scripture -- and those folks are generally not considered to be "fundamentalists." The people who are typically derided as "fundamentalists" are those who spend a lot of time quoting Scripture, but typically refuse to descend to the merely practical level of actually doing something. For example, a "fundamentalist" might correctly argue from Scripture that homosexuality is a sin, and simply stop there; and thereby fail to address the practical issue of how to minister to homosexuals -- which, again, is the difference between Jesus and the Pharisees. Jesus did not ignore the messy practicalities of what He taught. We orthodox often do, though ... and I think the so-called "fundamentalists" tend to be among the worst offenders.
So in the end I blame TEC’s problem on spiritually corrupt priests and bishops.
Well... no. While it's true that there are plenty of spiritually corrupt priests and bishops, the fault does not lie with those people, but rather with those who place them in positions of authority; i.e., vestries and congregations.