"Aesthetic
Episcopalians" is a derogatory label for those who immerse themselves
superficially in the sometimes very elaborate pageantry of Episcopal worship -
with little or no grasp of the meanings of the ceremonial and the overall
beliefs of the Episcopal Church. Some are also referred to unkindly as
"sacristy rats" - those who love to hang around sacristies and do church
housekeeping and/or assist in Services, but with little or no comprehension of,
or interest in, the genuine meanings of their activities. A preoccupation with
externals with little attention to internals (e.g., a genuine commitment to God
through Christ) characterizes the behavior of these folks.
With tongue in cheek, a former member (gay) of the
Episcopal Church of Bethesda-By-The-Sea, Palm Beach, Florida, has coined the
phrase "zip code queens." These are the gay men (certainly not all gay men) who
attend society churches, because of the prestigious zip codes in which the
churches are located. Most have very modest financial resources (in comparison
with the truly wealthy members of noble society). Hardly any have recognizable,
significant pedigrees. Nonetheless, as wanna-bes, they are addicted to the
church's status laden zip codes and yearn for a sense of belonging and
recognition. Like Aesthetic Episcopalians, many zip code queens are preoccupied
with externals and look for their own sense of identity, not in their baptism,
but in unwarranted social status.