Hi! Can you help me understand the Anglican Church?

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Ever since I first became interested in apologetics and theology, I have always been curious about the Anglican Church. That is, I better understand the worldviews of other non-Catholic Christian groups: Lutherans thought they were recovering the original Catholic Church, etc…

But the Anglican Church started when a king decided to throw off the authority of the Pope. Anglicanism as a tradition doesn’t make sense to me. It’s as if it started simply because a whiny king couldn’t get his way.

And now, on the surface, it seems much of Anglicanism looks (Roman) Catholic. Why would someone choose to be Anglican over Catholic?
 
Like, I watched a video about that Anglican bishop who preached at the royal wedding. Anyway, he referred to Pope Francis as the “Holy Father.”

I understand that some Anglicans think they are Catholics. But I just don’t really get it. Anglicanism used to be un-Catholic a little after it’s origin in the 16h century, then it became more Catholic (in appearance).

Is it simply English Christianity? Would it make sense for people outside the UK to be Anglican?

That is, I know there are Episcopalians in the USA (which are the American version of Anglicans). But how does that make sense, if it was originally the “Church of England.”

And again, why would anyone want to be Anglican, considering its origin in Henry VIII?
 
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Oh golly, Anglicanism is so broad! Yes, some of it superficially looks Catholic, but plenty really, really doesn’t.
In terms of character, certainly in the UK, there’s very much a ‘civic’ religion strain running through it - I know many Anglicans who are very proud, in an understated English way, to be part of a national church that isn’t one of ‘those extremist churches’ and very happy about the consistent fudge to try and keep all the factions loosely tied together.
 
@JoyToTheWhirled

But that doesn’t make sense to me. Why would you want to be part of a “national church”?? Especially considering how Anglicanism was formed.

And the fact that it isn’t one consistent thread of a tradition also confuses me.

So what does it mean to be “Anglican”? Why would someone like N.T. Wright, who is essentially orthodox, want to be Anglican, for example?

No disrespect.
 
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I think it’s like a lot of the Protestant denominations: you’re born into it, you don’t see any reason to change, so you don’t. Those who really research the Catholic faith might, but let’s be honest, those people are few and far between.

I do find Anglicanism interesting though. AFAIK they don’t consider themselves to Protestant but rather something like “English-Catholic” but I could be wrong.
 
Well, it really varies widely. Yes, some stay Anglican because they were brought up in the tradition, like any church. Some, like Peter Hitchens the journalist, are really quite fond of the specifics like the Book of Common Prayer.

My husband is very keen on the parish system, whereby everyone in the geographical locality is pretty much considered part of the church, rather than people gathered together round a specific theology like a congregationalist church. He loves that the local CofE church, in a very real sense, belongs to everyone in that small area.

ETA: the ‘national church’ thing is the English version of mildly embarrassed patriotism. It’s like Americans pledging allegiance and so forth.
 
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catholic1seeks said:
Why would someone choose to be Anglican over Catholic?
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I suppose most Anglicans are Anglicans for the same reason that most Catholics are Catholics .

They are born into an Anglican family and see no reason to change . What they have been brought up with suits them fine .
 
But objectively, what is the reason?

From the Catholic perspective, the Anglican Church has largely lost apostolic succession.

So in a way, Anglicanism can be dangerous, because some Anglicans profess a real priesthood and Eucharist while actually not having it.
 
My husband is very keen on the parish system, whereby everyone in the geographical locality is pretty much considered part of the church, rather than people gathered together round a specific theology like a congregationalist church.
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Then I think your husband could consider Catholicism as such, too. Catholicism has generally preferred heresy over schism.

That is, let’s all stay together, even if we don’t all agree.
 
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I don’t know any Anglicans who really think in those terms myself.
 
Do you know why they call their ministers “priest”?

Priest is an English version of the original biblical presbyter, but most Protestants have shied away from “priest” because of its connotations of sacrifice and Catholic Eucharist.
 
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Well, from your lips to God’s ears.

I don’t honestly think heresy is that far up the priority list for him, TBF.
 
They don’t all call the minister ‘priest’. Much more likely to be ‘the vicar’
 
Wikipedia refers to Anglican priesthood.


So in other words, they consider their ministers priests – even if they don’t always call them that.
 
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Reasons why someone might be Anglican
  1. born into it
  2. want the tradition and beauty without the guilt especially if you are OK with divorce and remarriage, are gay, etc
  3. no Vatican 2 swinging back and forth between tradition and stark modernism
  4. like the culture. strong public service emphasis that Catholics just don’t widely have
  5. better liturgy, music and art than many catholic churches (in the US)
  6. historically, it was a good church for connections and social climbing
  7. tis English
 
Yes, but they generally don’t put an awful lot of analysis into why a priest is a priest. It’s just another job title, like being a doctor.
 
I guess it’s the theological reason in general that gets me.

Like, Anglicanism is separate from Catholicism. I think I’m asking why would an Anglican not prefer to be Catholic?

Then I’ve learned that Anglicanism is widely varied, not just about personal preferences, but also not having set theology.

So it seems more that Anglicanism could be summarized as “England Christianity.” Of course that’s not correct, since there are other Protestant groups. But if Anglicanism is so varied, it seems to just refer to a national preference in general.
 
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