The Anglican Church

[cowgirl89]

What are the differences between the Anglican Church and the Catholic Church? Did the Anglican Church support or fight the Reformation? Sorry if these seem like silly questions, I’ve just never heard much about the Anglican Church…

 

[VARC]

The Anglican church was the catholic church in England that seperated from Roman jurisdiction during the Reformation. They hold some teachings in common with Rome such effectual sacraments (presence of Christ in the Eucahrist and Baptismal regeneration), threefold holy orders (bishop, preist, and deacon) and liturgical worship. They hold some doctrines in common with the Reformed Churches such as the suffiency of Holy Scripture and justification by faith alone.

 

[Chancellare]

What are the differences between the Anglican Church and the Catholic Church? Did the Anglican Church support or fight the Reformation? Sorry if these seem like silly questions, I’ve just never heard much about the Anglican Church…

Some call it ‘media via’ - latin for ‘middle way’ because it adopted some reformation aspects on top of Catholic doctrines.

 

[cowgirl89]

Thanks! What about their view of the Pope? and who is the head of their church?

 

[VARC]

Thanks! What about their view of the Pope? and who is the head of their church?

Anglicans view the pope as the bishop of Rome and the most prestigeous bishop in the catholic church. However, they do not believe he is infallible or that he wields universal jurisdiction.

The Anglican Communion is a group of independant regional churches that are in communion with each other. Each church is governed by its own primate and college of bishops. The most prestigeous primate in the Anglican Communion is Dr. Rowan Williams, the archbishop of Canterbury and primate of the Church of England.

 

[Dempsey1919]

The Anglican Church, or more accurately, the Anglican Communion does not have a unified set of beliefs or doctrines. It can be said that Anglicans are free to decide their beliefs for themselves. The Catholic Church, on the other hand, has a unified set of beliefs that all Catholics must accept. We have a Catechism which spells out all of the beliefs of our Church.

The Anglican Church does not have a recognised leader who has authority over the entire Communion. The most respected churchman in the Communion is the Archbishop of Canterbury, who is said to be the first among equals. He is the most senior Archbishop but does not have any authority over the others. All Archbishops are equal. The Catholic Church is different because we are guided by the Supreme Pontiff. The Catholic Church has a united, strong, and clearly defined chain of command.

The Anglican Communion has relaxed it’s teachings over the course of many years. They lifted the ban on artificial contraception, allowed women to be ordained as priests and consecrated as bishops. Many within the Communion support homosexuality, and Anglican vicars have been known to “marry” homosexuals. The Anglican Church used to be very similar to the Catholic Church, but these changes have caused us to drift further apart.

The Anglican Communion does not have Apostolic Succession because they changed the Sacrament of Holy Orders. The ordination of women as priests and bishops also helped to remove any Apostolic Succession that remained. The Anglican Communion also lacks a valid Eucharist, and they do not have the Real Presence like the Orthodox and Catholic Churches.

 

[Gottle_of_Geer]

What are the differences between the Anglican Church and the Catholic Church? Did the Anglican Church support or fight the Reformation? Sorry if these seem like silly questions, I’ve just never heard much about the Anglican Church…

It’s a Protestant, non-Papal version of the pre-Reformation Church. Sort of Its both Catholic & Protestant, without quite being either. BTW, the Anglican Church is established in England, but not in Scotland, & no longer in Wales or Northern Ireland - England =//= the island of Britain.​

 

[Contarini]

What are the differences between the Anglican Church and the Catholic Church? Did the Anglican Church support or fight the Reformation? Sorry if these seem like silly questions, I’ve just never heard much about the Anglican Church…

The term “Anglican Church,” or in Latin “Ecclesia Anglicana,” originally referred to the Catholic Church in England. In the sixteenth century, for complicated reasons that had to do with royal politics as well as with the ideas of the Protestant Reformation, this “Ecclesia Anglicana” became separated from the See of Rome and adopted theological and liturgical reforms that aligned it with the broadly “Reformed” wing of Protestantism. However, there were English Protestants who wanted to go much further in a Reformed direction, and in the ensuing conflict (which lasted for about a hundred years) the “Church of England” came to define itself over against Reformed Protestantism as a “via media,” a moderately reformed continuation of the historic Catholic Church.

In the 19th century there was a further move in a Catholic direction, so that many Anglicans today will define themselves as Catholic rather than Protestant (while others, such as myself, would say that Catholic and Protestant are not necessarily antithetical, if “Protestant” is understood in a historical sense and “Catholic” is understood as a claim of continuity with the historic Church).

Also, as English-speaking people and English-speaking missionaries spread throughout the world, Anglicanism came to be a worldwide fellowship of churches rather than just the “Church of England.” The American member of the Anglican Communion is the Episcopal Church, although right now there is a huge conflict going on within Anglicanism (primarily over homosexuality, but there are broader issues at stake), which appears to be resulting in a separation between the Episcopal Church and much of worldwide Anglicanism. In the meanwhile, there are a number of Anglican churches in the U.S. which are not part of the Episcopal Church. Some of them are linked to other provinces within the Anglican Communion, while others are not. So when an American calls himself or herself an Anglican, this doesn’t automatically tell you (any more) exactly what ecclesiastical body the person belongs to.

It should be emphasized, though, that this is a fairly recent phenomenon. Compared to other versions of Protestantism, Anglicanism has maintained a high level of unity (many groups have split away, but they have clearly developed into something other than Anglicanism and usually do not claim to be Anglican).

Edwin

 

[GKC]

The term “Anglican Church,” or in Latin “Ecclesia Anglicana,” originally referred to the Catholic Church in England. In the sixteenth century, for complicated reasons that had to do with royal politics as well as with the ideas of the Protestant Reformation, this “Ecclesia Anglicana” became separated from the See of Rome and adopted theological and liturgical reforms that aligned it with the broadly “Reformed” wing of Protestantism. However, there were English Protestants who wanted to go much further in a Reformed direction, and in the ensuing conflict (which lasted for about a hundred years) the “Church of England” came to define itself over against Reformed Protestantism as a “via media,” a moderately reformed continuation of the historic Catholic Church.

In the 19th century there was a further move in a Catholic direction, so that many Anglicans today will define themselves as Catholic rather than Protestant (while others, such as myself, would say that Catholic and Protestant are not necessarily antithetical, if “Protestant” is understood in a historical sense and “Catholic” is understood as a claim of continuity with the historic Church).

Also, as English-speaking people and English-speaking missionaries spread throughout the world, Anglicanism came to be a worldwide fellowship of churches rather than just the “Church of England.” The American member of the Anglican Communion is the Episcopal Church, although right now there is a huge conflict going on within Anglicanism (primarily over homosexuality, but there are broader issues at stake), which appears to be resulting in a separation between the Episcopal Church and much of worldwide Anglicanism. In the meanwhile, there are a number of Anglican churches in the U.S. which are not part of the Episcopal Church. Some of them are linked to other provinces within the Anglican Communion, while others are not. So when an American calls himself or herself an Anglican, this doesn’t automatically tell you (any more) exactly what ecclesiastical body the person belongs to.

It should be emphasized, though, that this is a fairly recent phenomenon. Compared to other versions of Protestantism, Anglicanism has maintained a high level of unity (many groups have split away, but they have clearly developed into something other than Anglicanism and usually do not claim to be Anglican).

Edwin

And while, as noted above, the RCC holds that Anglican orders are invalid (as proclaimed in Apostolicae Curae), Anglicans say otherwise. Hence, Anglican priests, where validly ordained, confect valid sacraments.

OTOH, Anglicans readily admit that Roman orders are valid.

GKC

Anglicanus Catholicus

 

[SIA]

It’s a Protestant, non-Papal version of the pre-Reformation Church. Sort of Its both Catholic & Protestant, without quite being either. BTW, the Anglican Church is established in England, but not in Scotland, & no longer in Wales or Northern Ireland - England =//= the island of Britain.​

I disagree with you here on priciple. If you are making the case that Christianity as a whole is losing steam in the Western world, you are correct. But, in the global south and in Africa especially, there are millions upon millions of Anglicans worshipping every Sunday. There are thousands weekly being confirmed and are living for God. The number of Anglicans there is growing by leaps.

 

[GKC]

I disagree with you here on priciple. If you are making the case that Christianity as a whole is losing steam in the Western world, you are correct. But, in the global south and in Africa especially, there are millions upon millions of Anglicans worshipping every Sunday. There are thousands weekly being confirmed and are living for God. The number of Anglicans there is growing by leaps.

I think you are misunderstanding GoG’s use of “established”. He means as an Erastian, state church, as the CoE is established, in England, and has been disestablished in the other parts of Great Britain.

 

[SIA]

The Anglican Church, or more accurately, the Anglican Communion does not have a unified set of beliefs or doctrines. It can be said that Anglicans are free to decide their beliefs for themselves. The Catholic Church, on the other hand, has a unified set of beliefs that all Catholics must accept. We have a Catechism which spells out all of the beliefs of our Church.

The Anglican Church does not have a recognised leader who has authority over the entire Communion. The most respected churchman in the Communion is the Archbishop of Canterbury, who is said to be the first among equals. He is the most senior Archbishop but does not have any authority over the others. All Archbishops are equal. The Catholic Church is different because we are guided by the Supreme Pontiff. The Catholic Church has a united, strong, and clearly defined chain of command.

The Anglican Communion has relaxed it’s teachings over the course of many years. They lifted the ban on artificial contraception, allowed women to be ordained as priests and consecrated as bishops. Many within the Communion support homosexuality, and Anglican vicars have been known to “marry” homosexuals. The Anglican Church used to be very similar to the Catholic Church, but these changes have caused us to drift further apart.

The Anglican Communion does not have Apostolic Succession because they changed the Sacrament of Holy Orders. The ordination of women as priests and bishops also helped to remove any Apostolic Succession that remained. The Anglican Communion also lacks a valid Eucharist, and they do not have the Real Presence like the Orthodox and Catholic Churches.

Sorry, but you are wrong on most of what you said. Episcopalians which are one primate of the Communion believe in ordaining homosexuals and the such but the vast majority of the other primates vehimately oppose it. Anglicans do have valid Apostolic Succession and do posess the valid Eucharist and do believe in the Real Presence. And not all Anglican primates practice women’s ordination. The Southern Cone which is a huge primate of Anglicanism does not support women’s ordination. You need to get your facts ahead of your prejudice and hatred.

 

[Chancellare]

Sorry, but you are wrong on most of what you said. Episcopalians which are one primate of the Communion believe in ordaining homosexuals and the such but the vast majority of the other primates vehimately oppose it. Anglicans do have valid Apostolic Succession and do posess the valid Eucharist and do believe in the Real Presence. And not all Anglican primates practice women’s ordination. The Southern Cone which is a huge primate of Anglicanism does not support women’s ordination. You need to get your facts ahead of your prejudice and hatred.

I for one did not see any prejudice or hatred in Dempsey’s summary. The only possibility is when one has Freudian slip.

 

[Peter_J]

It’s a Protestant, non-Papal version of the pre-Reformation Church. Sort of Its both Catholic & Protestant, without quite being either. BTW, the Anglican Church is established in England, but not in Scotland, & no longer in Wales or Northern Ireland - England =//= the island of Britain.​

But at present, Anglicanism is more “protestant” than it is “catholic”.

A lot of the “catholic” element in Anglicanism seems to have either disappeared or “swum the Tiber”. (I say “a lot” because I don’t wish to deny that there’s still some catholic element in Anglicanism. But it seems to be much smaller than it used to be.)

 

[SIA]

I for one did not see any prejudice or hatred in Dempsey’s summary. The only possibility is when one has Freudian slip.

??? I guess we have a difference of opinion when a poster gives wrong information and a distorted testimony in an abrupt and repetitive fashion. I saw it as ignorance at best and possibly hatred in a darker light. I have a real problem with folks who look at the Episcopal church and see the entire Anglican Communion. Nothing could be further from the truth.