Part of a series on Anglicanism
Organisation
Anglican Communion its 'instruments of unity': Archbishop of Canterbury Lambeth Conferences Primates' Meeting Anglican Consultative Council
Background
Scripture Christianity Catholicism Apostolic Succession English Reformation
People
Martyrs Henry VIII Thomas Cranmer Thomas Cromwell Elizabeth I Richard Hooker Charles I William Laud Saints in Anglicanism
Liturgy and Worship
Book of Common Prayer High Church · Low Church Broad Church Oxford Movement 39 Articles · Homilies Doctrine · Ministry Sacraments This box: view • talk • edit

Main article: Anglicanism

The Anglican Communion is a world-wide affiliation of Anglican Churches. Anglicanism is a tradition of Christian faith Churches in this tradition either have historical connections to the Church of England or have similar beliefs The Archbishop of Canterbury is the chief bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the The Lambeth Conferences are decennial assemblies of Bishops of the Anglican Communion convened by the Archbishop of Canterbury. The Anglican Communion Primates' Meetings are regular meetings of the Anglican Primates, i The Anglican Consultative Council or ACC is one of the four "Instruments of Communion" of the Anglican Communion. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings As a Christian Ecclesiastical term Catholic —from the Greek adjective, meaning "general" or "universal"—is described The English Reformation was the series of events in 16th century England by which the Church of England first broke away from the authority of the Pope The Book of Martyrs, by John Foxe, is an Apocalyptically oriented English Protestant account of the Persecutions of Henry VIII (28 June 1491 &ndash 28 January 1547 was King of England and Lord of Ireland, later King of Ireland and claimant to the Kingdom of Thomas Cromwell 1st Earl of Essex (c 1485 &ndash 28 July 1540) was an English statesman who served as King Henry VIII 's chief minister Richard Hooker (March 1554 – 3 November 1600) was an Anglican priest and an influential theologian. Charles I, (19 November 1600 &ndash 30 January 1649 was King of England, Scotland and Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution. Archbishop William Laud (7 October 1573 - 10 January 1645 was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1633 to 1645 In a Catholic sense the term "saint" refers to any person in Heaven&mdashhowever since the 10th century the title "Saint" is only given to persons who have been officially The Book of Common Prayer is the common title of a number of prayer books of the Church of England and used throughout the Anglican Communion. " High Church " relates to Ecclesiology and Liturgy in Anglican theology and practice Low church is a term of distinction in the Church of England or other Anglican churches initially designed to be pejorative Broad Church is a term referring to Latitudinarian Churchmanship in the Church of England, in particular and Anglicanism, in general The Oxford Movement or Tractarianism was an affiliation of High Church Anglicans, most of whom were members of the University of Oxford, who sought The Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion were established in 1563 and are the historic defining statements of Anglican doctrine in relation to the controversies of the The Anglican Homilies (1547 1562 and 1571 are two books of thirty-three sermons developing the Reformed doctrines of the Anglican Communion in greater depth and detail than Anglican doctrine (also called Episcopalian doctrine in some countries is the body of Christian teachings used to guide the religious and moral practices of Anglicans See also Holy Orders The Anglican ministry is both the leadership and agency of Christian service in the Anglican Communion. In keeping with its prevailing self-identity as a Via media or "middle path" of Western Christianity, Anglican sacramental theology expresses Anglicanism is a tradition of Christian faith Churches in this tradition either have historical connections to the Church of England or have similar beliefs Anglicanism is a tradition of Christian faith Churches in this tradition either have historical connections to the Church of England or have similar beliefs There is no single "Anglican Church" with universal juridical authority, since each national or regional church has full autonomy. As the name suggests, the Anglican Communion is an association of these churches in full communion with the Church of England (which may be regarded as the "mother church" of the worldwide communion), and specifically with its primate, the Archbishop of Canterbury. Full communion is a term used in Christian Ecclesiology to describe the relationship of communion, with mutually recognized sharing of the same essential The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England, the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Primate (from the Latin Primus, "first" is a title or rank bestowed on some Bishops in certain Christian churches The Archbishop of Canterbury is the chief bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the ^[1] With over seventy-seven million members, the Anglican Communion is the third largest communion in the world, after the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Churches. The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world ^[2]

The status of full communion means that all rites conducted in one church are recognised by the other. A rite is an established ceremonious usually Religious act or Process art. Some of these churches are known as Anglican, explicitly recognising the link to England (Ecclesia Anglicana means "Church of England"); others, such as the American and Scottish Episcopal churches, or the Church of Ireland, prefer a separate name. The Episcopal Church is the official name of the Province of the Anglican Communion in the United States. The Scottish Episcopal Church (Eaglais Easbaigeach na h-Alba is a Christian denomination in Scotland and a member of the Anglican Communion, although it The Church of Ireland (Eaglais na hÉireann is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion, operating across the island of Ireland. Each church has its own doctrine and liturgy, based in most cases on that of the Church of England; and each church has its own legislative process and overall episcopal polity, under the leadership of a local primate. Anglican doctrine (also called Episcopalian doctrine in some countries is the body of Christian teachings used to guide the religious and moral practices of Anglicans A liturgy is the customary public worship done by a specific religious group according to their particular traditions Episcopal polity is a form of church governance which is hierarchical in structure with the chief authority over a local Christian church resting in a Bishop (Greek

The Archbishop of Canterbury, religious head of the Church of England, has no formal authority outside that jurisdiction, but is recognised as symbolic head of the worldwide communion. The Archbishop of Canterbury is the chief bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the Among the other primates, he is primus inter pares, or "first among equals". Primus inter pares ( Latin) or First among equals is a phrase which indicates that a person is the most senior of a group of people

The Anglican Communion considers itself to be part of the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church and as being both Catholic and Reformed. The Four Marks of the Church, sometimes referred to as the Marks of the Church or the Marks of the True Church, are a group of four characteristics describing the For some adherents it represents a non-papal Catholicism, for others a form of Protestantism though without a dominant guiding figure such as Luther, Knox, Calvin, Zwingli or Wesley. Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. Martin Luther (November 10 1483 February 18 1546 was a German Monk, theologian, university professor Father of Protestantism, and church reformer John Knox (c 1510 – 24 November 1572 was a Scottish clergyman and leader of the Protestant Reformation who is considered the founder of the Presbyterian John Calvin (or Jean Calvin) (10 July 1509 – 27 May 1564 was a French Protestant theologian during the Protestant Reformation and Huldrych (or Ulrich) Zwingli (1 January 1484 &ndash 11 October 1531 was a leader of the Reformation in Switzerland. John Wesley (ˈwɛslɪ ( – March 2, 1791) was an Anglican cleric and Christian theologian who was the founder of the (Evangelical ^[3] For others, their self-identity represents some combination of the two. The communion encompasses a wide spectrum of belief and practice including evangelical, liberal, and catholic. Evangelicalism is a theological movement tradition and system of beliefs most closely associated with Protestant Christianity, which identifies with the Gospel For liberal political views within Christianity see Christian left. The terms Anglo-Catholic and Anglo-Catholicism (or sometimes possibly incorrectly High Church &mdashsee below describe people

The Anglican Communion is one of the largest Christian denominations in the world with approximately 77 million members. List of Christian denominations (or Denominations self-identified as Christian) ordered by historical and doctrinal relationships ^[4]

Ecclesiology, polity, ethos

Main article: Anglican doctrine

The Anglican Communion has no official legal existence nor any governing structure which might exercise authority over the member churches. Anglican doctrine (also called Episcopalian doctrine in some countries is the body of Christian teachings used to guide the religious and moral practices of Anglicans There is an Anglican Communion Office in London, under the aegis of the Archbishop of Canterbury, but it only serves a supporting and organisational role. The Communion is held together by a shared history, expressed in its ecclesiology, polity and ethos and also by participation in international consultative bodies. Ecclesiology (from Greek grc ἐκκλησίᾱ ekklēsiā, "congregation church" and grc -λογία -logia) is the study of the Polity ( Greek: Πολιτεία or Πολίτευμα transliterated as Politeía or Políteuma) was originally a term used in Ancient Greece Ethos (ˈiːθɒs (grc ἦθος ἔθος plurals ethe (ἤθη ethea (ἤθεα is a Greek word originally meaning "accustomed

Three elements have been important in holding the Communion together: First, the shared ecclesial structure of the component churches, manifested in an episcopal polity maintained through the apostolic succession of bishops and synodical government; second, the principle of belief expressed in worship, investing importance in approved prayer books and their rubrics; and third, the historical documents and standard divines that have influenced the ethos of the Communion. Episcopal polity is a form of church governance which is hierarchical in structure with the chief authority over a local Christian church resting in a Bishop (Greek A synod (also known as a council) is a council of a church, usually a Christian church convened to decide an issue of doctrine administration or application Divinity is the study of Christian and other Theology and Religious ministry at a School, Divinity school, University

Originally, the Church of England was self-contained and relied for its unity and identity on its own history, its traditional legal and episcopal structure and its status as an established church of the state. An established church is a church officially sanctioned and supported by the government of a country e As such Anglicanism was, from the outset, a movement with an explicitly episcopal polity, a characteristic which has been vital in maintaining the unity of the Communion by conveying the episcopate's role in manifesting visible catholicity and ecumenism. Episcopal polity is a form of church governance which is hierarchical in structure with the chief authority over a local Christian church resting in a Bishop (Greek

Early in its development, Anglicanism developed a vernacular prayer book, called the Book of Common Prayer. The Book of Common Prayer is the common title of a number of prayer books of the Church of England and used throughout the Anglican Communion. Unlike other traditions, Anglicanism has never been governed by a magisterium nor by appeal to a founding theologian, nor by an extra-credal summary of doctrine (such as the Westminster Confession of the Presbyterian Church). Magisterium is a "teaching authority especially of the Roman Catholic Church" Theology is the study of a god or the gods from a religious perspective The Westminster Confession of Faith is a Reformed Confession of faith, in the Calvinist theological tradition Presbyterianism is a family of Christian denominations within the Reformed branch of Protestant Western Christianity Instead, Anglicans have typically appealed to the Book of Common Prayer and its offshoots as a guide to Anglican theology and practice. This had the effect of inculcating the principle of lex orandi, lex credendi ("the law of prayer is the law of belief") as the foundation of Anglican identity and confession. Lex orandi lex credendi ( Latin loosely translatable as the law of prayer is the law of belief refers to the relationship between worship and belief and is an ancient

Protracted conflict through the seventeenth century with more radical Protestants on the one hand and Roman Catholics who still recognised the primacy of the Pope on the other, resulted in an association of churches that were both deliberately vague about doctrinal principles, yet bold in developing parameters of acceptable deviation. Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. History See also History of the Papacy Catholics recognize the Pope as a successor to Saint Peter, who Jesus named as the "shepherd" and These parameters were most clearly articulated in the various rubrics of the successive prayer books, as well as the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion. A rubric is a word or section of text which is written or printed in Red Ink to highlight it The Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion were established in 1563 and are the historic defining statements of Anglican doctrine in relation to the controversies of the These Articles, while never binding, have had an influence on the ethos of the Communion, an ethos reinforced by their interpretation and expansion by such influential early theologians as Richard Hooker, Lancelot Andrewes, John Cosin, and others. Richard Hooker (March 1554 – 3 November 1600) was an Anglican priest and an influential theologian. Lancelot Andrewes (1555 – 25 September 1626) was an English clergyman and scholar who held high positions in the Church of England during the reigns John Cosin ( November 30, 1594 &ndash January 15, 1672) was an English churchman

With the expansion of the British Empire, and hence the growth of Anglicanism outside Great Britain and Ireland, the Communion sought to establish new vehicles of unity. The British Empire was the largest empire in history and for over a century was the foremost global power. See also Kingdom of Great Britain Great Britain (Breatainn Mhòr Prydain Fawr Breten Veur Graet Breetain is the larger of the two main islands Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world The first major expression of this were the Lambeth Conferences of the communion's bishops, first convened by Archbishop of Canterbury Charles Longley in 1867. The Lambeth Conferences are decennial assemblies of Bishops of the Anglican Communion convened by the Archbishop of Canterbury. Charles Thomas Longley ( July 28 1794 &ndash October 27 1868) was a priest in the Church of England. From the outset, these were not intended to displace the autonomy of the emerging provinces of the Communion, but to "discuss matters of practical interest, and pronounce what we deem expedient in resolutions which may serve as safe guides to future action. "

The Chicago Lambeth Quadrilateral

One of the enduringly influential early resolutions of the conference was the so-called Chicago-Lambeth Quadrilateral of 1888. The Chicago-Lambeth Quadrilateral, frequently referred to as the Lambeth Quadrilateral or the Lambeth-Chicago Quadrilateral, is a four-point articulation of Anglican Its intent was to provide the basis for discussions of reunion with the Roman Catholic and Orthodox Churches, but it had the ancillary effect of establishing parameters of Anglican identity. Its four principles are:

1. "The Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, as 'containing all things necessary to salvation', and as being the rule and ultimate standard of faith. Etymology According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the word bible is from Latin biblia, traced from the same word through Medieval Latin and Late Latin In Western Christianity, the Old Testament refers to the books that form the first of the two-part Christian Biblical canon. "
2. "The Apostles' Creed, as the Baptismal Symbol; and the Nicene Creed, as the sufficient statement of the Christian faith. The Nicene Creed (ˈnaɪsiːn is an ecumenical Christian statement of faith accepted in the Eastern Orthodox Church, Assyrian Church of "
3. "The two Sacraments ordained by Christ Himself - Baptism and the Supper of the Lord - ministered with unfailing use of Christ's words of Institution, and of the elements ordained by Him. A sacrament, as defined in Hexam's Concise Dictionary of Religion is "a Rite in which God is uniquely active Christ is the English term for the Greek ( Khristós) meaning "the anointed " In Christianity, baptism ( Greek, "immersing" "performing Ablutions " is the ritual act with the use of water by which one is admitted The Eucharist, also called Holy Communion or Lord's Supper and other names is a Christian Sacrament by which in a common interpretation those "
4. "The Historic Episcopate, locally adapted in the methods of its administration to the varying needs of the nations and peoples called of God into the Unity of His Church. A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight "

Instruments of Communion

The Anglican Communion uses the compass rose as its symbol, signifying its worldwide reach and decentralized nature. For Compass Airlines an Airline in the US using the Callsign "Compass Rose" See Compass Airlines A compass rose is a figure displaying the orientation It is surmounted, like ecclesiastical coats of arms, by a bishop's mitre; in the centre is a cross of St. George recalling the communion's origins in the Church of England. The mitre (sometimes also spelled miter from the Greek μίτρα, 'headband' or 'turban' is a type of headgear now known as the traditional ceremonial head-dress of The St George's Cross (or the Cross of St George is a centred red cross on a white background The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England, the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican The Greek motto, Ἡ ἀλήθεια ἐλευθερώσει ὑμᾶς ("The truth will set you free") is a quotation from John 8:32. Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly The Gospel of John (literally According to John; Greek, Κατὰ Ἰωάννην Kata Iōannēn) is the fourth Gospel in the canon It was designed by Edward Nason West, Canon of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City. A canon (from the Latin canonicus, itself derived from the Greek κανωνικος 'relating to a rule' is a priest who is a member of certain bodies of the The Cathedral of St John the Divine, officially the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine in the City and Diocese of New York, is the Cathedral of the Episcopal Diocese The City of New York

As mentioned above, the Anglican Communion has no international juridical organisation. The Archbishop of Canterbury's role is strictly symbolic and unifying; and the Communion's three international bodies are consultative and collaborative, their resolutions having no legal effect on the independent provinces of the Communion. Taken together, however, the four do function as "instruments of communion", since all churches of the communion participate in them. In order of antiquity, they are:

1. The Archbishop of Canterbury (ab origine) functions as the spiritual head of the Communion. The Archbishop of Canterbury is the chief bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the He is the focus of unity, since no church claims membership in the Communion without being in communion with him. The present incumbent is Dr Rowan Williams. Rowan Douglas Williams, PC, DD, DCL, FBA, (born 14 June 1950 in Swansea, Wales) is an Anglican
2. The Lambeth Conference (first held in 1867) is the oldest international consultation. The Lambeth Conferences are decennial assemblies of Bishops of the Anglican Communion convened by the Archbishop of Canterbury. It is a forum for bishops of the Communion to reinforce unity and collegiality through manifesting the episcopate, to discuss matters of mutual concern, and to pass resolutions intended to act as guideposts. The episcopate is the collective body of all Bishops of a church It is held roughly every ten years and invitation is by the Archbishop of Canterbury.
3. The Anglican Consultative Council (first met in 1971) was created by a 1968 Lambeth Conference resolution, and meets usually at three year intervals. The Anglican Consultative Council or ACC is one of the four "Instruments of Communion" of the Anglican Communion. The council consists of representative bishops, clergy, and laity chosen by the thirty-eight provinces. The body has a permanent secretariat, the Anglican Communion Office, of which the Archbishop of Canterbury is president.
4. The Primates' Meeting (first met in 1979) is the most recent manifestation of international consultation and deliberation, having been first convened by Archbishop Donald Coggan as a forum for "leisurely thought, prayer and deep consultation. The Anglican Communion Primates' Meetings are regular meetings of the Anglican Primates, i Frederick Donald Coggan Baron Coggan PC ( 29 December, 1909 – 17 May, 2000) was the 101st Archbishop of Canterbury "

Since there is no binding authority in the Communion, these international bodies are a vehicle for consultation and persuasion. In recent years, persuasion has tipped over into debates over conformity in certain areas of doctrine, discipline, worship, and ethics. The most notable example has been the objection of many provinces of the Communion (particularly in Africa and Asia) to the changing role of homosexuals in the North American churches (e. g. , by blessing same-sex unions and ordaining and consecrating gays and lesbians in same-sex relationships), and to the process by which changes were undertaken. Those who objected condemned these actions as unscriptural, unilateral, and without the agreement of the Communion prior to these steps being taken. In response, the American Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada answered that the actions had been undertaken after lengthy scriptural and theological reflection, legally in accordance with their own canons and constitutions and after extensive consultation with the provinces of the Communion. The Episcopal Church is the official name of the Province of the Anglican Communion in the United States. The Anglican Church of Canada is the sole Canadian representative of the Anglican Communion. Canon law is internal ecclesiastical law governing the Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox churches and the Anglican Communion of churches

The Primates' Meeting voted to request the two churches to withdraw their delegates from the 2005 meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council, and Canada and the United States decided to attend the meeting but without exercising their right to vote. They have not been expelled or suspended, since there is no mechanism in this voluntary association to suspend or expel an independent province of the Communion. Since membership is based on a province's communion with Canterbury, expulsion would require the Archbishop of Canterbury's refusal to be in communion with the affected jurisdiction(s). In line with the suggestion of the Windsor Report, Dr Williams has recently established a working group to examine the feasibility of an Anglican covenant which would articulate the conditions for communion in some fashion. The Windsor Report was the document containing the finding of the Eames Commission A covenant, in its most general sense is a solemn promise to engage in or refrain from a specified action ^[5]

Provinces of the Anglican Communion

All thirty-eight provinces of the Anglican Communion are independent, each with its own primate and governing structure. Primate (from the Latin Primus, "first" is a title or rank bestowed on some Bishops in certain Christian churches These provinces may take the form of national churches (such as in Canada, Uganda, or Japan) or a collection of nations (such as the West Indies, Central Africa, or Southeast Asia). Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page The Republic of Uganda is a Landlocked country in East Africa. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. The Caribbean (ˌkærəˡbiən kæ'rəbiən Cariben|Caraïben or Caraïben; Caraïbe or more commonly Antilles; Caribe is a Region consisting Central Africa is a core Region of the African Continent often considered to include Burundi, the Central African Republic, Chad They are, in alphabetical order:

A world map showing the Provinces of the Anglican Communion (Blue). The Anglican Church of Australia, a member church of the Anglican Communion, was previously officially known as the Church of England in Australia and Tasmania (renamed The Church of Bangladesh is a church of the Anglican Communion in Bangladesh. The Anglican Church of Burundi is a member Church in the Anglican Communion, located in East Africa between Tanzania, Rwanda, Kenya The Anglican Church of Canada is the sole Canadian representative of the Anglican Communion. The Church of the Province of Central Africa is part of the Anglican Communion, and includes 15 Dioceses in Botswana, Malawi, Zambia The Iglesia Anglicana de la Region Central America is a province of the Anglican Communion, covering 5 sees in Central America. The Province de L'Eglise Anglicane Du Congo is a province of the Anglican Communion. The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England, the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui ( Abbr: SKH) also known as Hong Kong Anglican Church (Episcopal, is the Anglican Church in Hong Kong and Macau The Church of the Province of the Indian Ocean is a province of the Anglican Communion. The Church of Ireland (Eaglais na hÉireann is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion, operating across the island of Ireland. The Nippon Sei Ko Kai ( Japanese: 日本聖公会 Nippon Seikōkai, "Japanese Holy Catholic Church" abbreviated as NSKK, or the Anglican The Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East is a province of the Anglican Communion stretching from Iran in the east to Algeria in The Anglican Church of Kenya is part of the Anglican Communion, and includes 29 Dioceses. The Anglican Church of Korea is the province of the Anglican Communion in North and South Korea. The Church of the Province of Melanesia is part of the Anglican Communion, and includes 8 dioceses The Anglican Church of Mexico (La Iglesia Anglicana de México is the Anglican province in Mexico, and includes 5 Dioceses. The Church of the Province of Myanmar in Asia is a member church of the Anglican Communion. The Church of Nigeria is the Anglican Church in Nigeria. It is the second-largest Province in the Anglican Communion, as measured The Church of North India (CNI the dominant Protestant denomination in northern India is a United church established on 29 November 1970 by The Church of Pakistan is a united church in Pakistan, which is part of the Anglican Communion and a member church of the World Methodist Council The Anglican Church of Papua New Guinea came into existence as a discrete province of the Anglican Communion when the Anglican Province of Papua New Guinea The Episcopal Church in the Philippines is a province of the Anglican Communion and an offshoot of the Episcopal Church. The Church of the Province of Rwanda is a province of the Anglican Communion, covering 9 sees in East Africa. The Scottish Episcopal Church (Eaglais Easbaigeach na h-Alba is a Christian denomination in Scotland and a member of the Anglican Communion, although it The Church of the Province of South East Asia, a member church of the Anglican Communion, was created in 1996 comprising the four Dioceses of Kuching Sabah The Church of South India ( Abbreviation: CSI) is a union of many Protestant Denominations spread throughout South India. The Anglican Church of Southern Africa is the Anglican province in the southern part of Africa, including 23 Dioceses in Angola, The Anglican Province of the Southern Cone of America (Provincia Anglicana del Cono Sur de América is the Ecclesiastical province of the Anglican Communion that The Episcopal Church of the Sudan is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion in Sudan. The Anglican Church of Tanzania (ACT is a member of the Anglican Communion based in Dodoma. The Church of the Province of Uganda (or Church of Uganda) is a member church of the Anglican Communion. The Episcopal Church is the official name of the Province of the Anglican Communion in the United States. The Church in Wales (Yr Eglwys yng Nghymru is a member Church of the Anglican Communion, consisting of six Dioceses in Wales. The Church of the Province of West Africa is a province of the Anglican Communion, covering 15 sees in West Africa, specifically in Gambia The Church in the Province of the West Indies is a member province in the worldwide Anglican Communion. Also shown are the Churches in full communion with the Anglican Church: The Nordic Lutheran churches of the Porvoo Communion (Green), and the Old Catholic Churches in the Utrecht Union (Red). The Porvoo Communion is the community formed through an agreement between twelve European churches none of which are in communion with the Roman Catholic Church or The Old Catholic Church is a Christian denomination originating with churches (many of them German -speaking that split from the Roman Catholic Church in The Union of Utrecht is a federation of Old Catholic Churches not in communion with Rome that seceded from the Roman Catholic Church over the issue of Papal infallibility

In addition, there are six extra-provincial churches, five of which are under the metropolitical authority of the Archbishop of Canterbury. In Hierarchical Christian churches the rank of metropolitan bishop, or simply metropolitan, pertains to the Diocesan bishop or

• The Anglican Church of Bermuda (extra-provincial to the Archbishop of Canterbury)
• Iglesia Episcopal de Cuba (Episcopal Church of Cuba) (under a metropolitan council)
• The Parish of the Falkland Islands (extra-provincial to the Archbishop of Canterbury)
• The Lusitanian Catholic Apostolic Evangelical Church of Portugal (extra-provincial to the Archbishop of Canterbury)
• The Spanish Reformed Episcopal Church (extra-provincial to the Archbishop of Canterbury)
• The Church of Ceylon (Sri Lanka) (extra-provincial to the Archbishop of Canterbury)

History

Main article: see History of the Anglican Communion

The Anglican Communion is a relatively recent concept. The Iglesia Episcopal de Cuba (Spanish for Episcopal Church of Cuba) consists of forty-six Parishes and about ten thousand members The Parish of the Falkland Islands - formerly a Diocese of the Church of England Diocese of the Falkland Islands - is an extra-provincial church The Lusitanian Catholic Apostolic Evangelical Church ( Igreja Lusitana Católica Apostólica Evangélica) is the Anglican church in Portugal. Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic (República Portuguesa is a country on the Iberian Peninsula. The Spanish Reformed Episcopal Church (La Iglesia Española Reformada Episcopal The Spanish Reformed Episcopal Church (IERE considers itself to be part of the One Holy Catholic and Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka ( Sinhalese:, இலங்கை known as Ceylon before 1972 is an Island The History of the Anglican Communion may be attributed mainly to the worldwide spread of British culture associated with the British Empire. The Church of England (which until the 20th century included the Church in Wales) initially split with the Roman Churches in 1538, rejoined in 1555 and was split again in 1570 during the reign of Elizabeth I (the Roman Catholic Church excommunicated Elizabeth I in 1570 in response to the 1558 Act of Settlement). The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England, the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican The Church in Wales (Yr Eglwys yng Nghymru is a member Church of the Anglican Communion, consisting of six Dioceses in Wales. The Church of England has always thought of itself not as a new foundation but rather as a reformed continuation of the ancient "English church" (Ecclesia Anglicana) and a reassertion of that church's rights. The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England, the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican As such it was a distinctly local phenomenon.

Thus the only members of the present Anglican Communion existing by the mid-18th century were the Church of England, its closely-linked sister church, the Church of Ireland (which was also established under Henry VIII), and the Scottish Episcopal Church, which for parts of the 17th and 18th centuries was partially underground (it was suspected of Jacobite sympathies). The Church of Ireland (Eaglais na hÉireann is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion, operating across the island of Ireland. The Scottish Episcopal Church (Eaglais Easbaigeach na h-Alba is a Christian denomination in Scotland and a member of the Anglican Communion, although it Jacobitism was (and to a limited extent remains the political movement dedicated to the restoration of the Stuart kings to the thrones of England, Scotland

However, the enormous expansion in the 18th and 19th centuries of the British Empire brought the church along with it. The British Empire was the largest empire in history and for over a century was the foremost global power. At first all these colonial churches were under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of London. The Bishop of London is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of London in the Province of Canterbury. After the American Revolution, the parishes in the newly independent country found it necessary to break formally from a church whose Supreme Governor was (and remains) the British monarch. In this article the inhabitants of the thirteen colonies that supported the American Revolution are primarily referred to as "Americans" with occasional references to "Patriots" The Supreme Governor of the Church of England is a title held by the British Monarchs which signifies their titular leadership over the Church of England. TalkCommonewalth realm.--> The monarchy Thus they formed their own dioceses and national church, the Episcopal Church in the United States of America, in a mostly amicable separation. The Episcopal Church is the official name of the Province of the Anglican Communion in the United States.

At about the same time, in the colonies which remained linked to the crown, the Church of England began to appoint colonial bishops. In 1787 a bishop of Nova Scotia was appointed with a jurisdiction over all of British North America; in time several more colleagues were appointed to other cities in present-day Canada. Nova Scotia (ˌnəʊvəˈskəʊʃə ( Latin for New Scotland; Alba Nuadh Nouvelle-Écosse is a Canadian province located on Canada 's Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page In 1814 a bishop of Calcutta was made; in 1824 the first bishop was sent to the West Indies and in 1836 to Australia. The Caribbean (ˌkærəˡbiən kæ'rəbiən Cariben|Caraïben or Caraïben; Caraïbe or more commonly Antilles; Caribe is a Region consisting For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. By 1840 there were still only ten colonial bishops for the Church of England; but even this small beginning greatly facilitated the growth of Anglicanism around the world. In 1841 a "Colonial Bishoprics Council" was set up and soon many more dioceses were created.

In time, it became natural to group these into provinces, and a metropolitan appointed for each province. In Hierarchical Christian churches the rank of metropolitan bishop, or simply metropolitan, pertains to the Diocesan bishop or Although it had at first been somewhat established in many colonies, in 1861 it was ruled that, except where specifically established, the Church of England had just the same legal position as any other church. Thus a colonial bishop and colonial diocese was by nature quite a different thing from their counterparts back home. In time bishops came to be appointed locally rather than from England, and eventually national synods began to pass ecclesiastical legislation independent of England.

A crucial step in the development of the modern communion was the idea of the Lambeth Conferences, as discussed above. The Lambeth Conferences are decennial assemblies of Bishops of the Anglican Communion convened by the Archbishop of Canterbury. These conferences demonstrated that the bishops of disparate churches could manifest the unity of the church in their episcopal collegiality, despite the absence of universal legal ties. Some bishops were initially reluctant to attend, fearing that the meeting would declare itself a council with power to legislate for the church; but it agreed to pass only advisory resolutions. These Lambeth Conferences have been held roughly decennially since 1878 (the second such conference), and remain the most visible coming-together of the whole Communion.

Ecumenical relations

For more details on the on-going dialogue between Anglicanism and the wider Church, see Anglican communion and ecumenism. Anglican interest in ecumenical dialogue can be traced back to the time of the Reformation and dialogues with both Orthodox and Lutheran churches in the sixteenth century

Apostolic Succession

The Anglican Communion hold that Apostolic Succession is a core element of the validity of clerical ordinations. The Roman Catholic Church does not recognize Anglican orders (see Apostolicae Curae). The Eastern Orthodox Churches and Oriental Orthodox churches have traditionally accepted the validity of Anglican orders. The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world Oriental Orthodoxy is the communion of Eastern Christian Churches that recognize only three Ecumenical councils — the First Council of Nicaea, the ^[6]

Controversies

One effect of the Communion's dispersed authority has been that conflict and controversy regularly arise over the effect divergent practices and doctrines in one part of the Communion have on others. Disputes that had been confined to the Church of England could be dealt with legislatively in that realm, but as the Communion spread out into new nations and disparate cultures, such controversies multiplied and intensified. These controversies have generally been of two types: liturgical and social.

The first such controversy of note concerned that of the growing influence of the Catholic Revival manifested in the so-called ritualism controversies of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The Oxford Movement or Tractarianism was an affiliation of High Church Anglicans, most of whom were members of the University of Oxford, who sought this article is on the Anglican church in particular See Orthopraxis for ritualism in general Later, rapid social change and the dissipation of British cultural hegemony over its former colonies contributed to disputes over the role of women, the parameters of marriage and divorce, and the practice of contraception and abortion. Birth control, sometimes synonymous with contraception, is a regimen of one or more actions devices or Medications followed in order to deliberately prevent An More recently, disagreements over homosexuality have strained the unity of the Communion as well as its relationships with other Christian denominations (see Anglican views of homosexuality and Anglican realignment). Issues concerning Homosexuality are controversial in the Anglican Communion. Anglican realignment is a term used to describe a movement of dissenters within some Anglican dioceses and parishes particularly within the American Episcopal Simultaneous with debates about social theology and ethics, the Communion has debated prayer book revision and the acceptable grounds for achieving full communion with non-Anglican churches.

References

See also

• Continuing Anglican movement
• Affirming Catholicism
• Anglican Communion Network
• Anglican sacraments
• Anglicans online
• Anglo-Catholicism
• Anglican ministry
• Historical development of Church of England dioceses

External links

• Official website
• Decentralised nature of worldwide Anglicanism
• Anglicans Online