Anglicanism

==Terminology==
[[File:Rochester cathedral stained glass 2.jpg|thumb|Jesus supporting an English flag and staff in the crook of his right arm depicted in a stained glass window in [[Rochester Cathedral]] in [[Rochester, Kent]], England]]
The word ''Anglican'' originates in {{lang|la|Anglicana ecclesia libera sit}}, a phrase from [[Magna Carta]] dated 15 June 1215, meaning 'the English Church shall be free'.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pS9DAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA508-IA29 |title=Reports from Committees of the House of Commons: Repr. by Order of the House |date=16 January 2019 |publisher=House of Commons |via=Google Books |access-date=15 October 2020 |archive-date=21 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240221122743/https://books.google.com/books?id=pS9DAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA508-IA29#v=onepage&q&f=false |url-status=live }}</ref> Adherents of Anglicanism are called ''Anglicans''. As an adjective, ''Anglican'' is used to describe the people, institutions, and churches, as well as the liturgical traditions and theological concepts developed by the Church of England.<ref name="ODCC" />

As a noun, an Anglican is a member of a church in the Anglican Communion. The word is also used by followers of separated groups that have left the communion or have been founded separately from it, although this is considered a misuse by the Anglican Communion.{{citation needed|date=January 2024}} The word originally referred only to the teachings and rites of Christians throughout the world in communion with the [[Episcopal see|see]] of [[Diocese of Canterbury|Canterbury]] but has come to sometimes be extended to any church following those traditions rather than actual membership in the Anglican Communion.<ref name="ODCC" />

Although the term ''Anglican'' is found referring to the Church of England as far back as the 16th century, its use did not become general until the latter half of the 19th century. In British parliamentary legislation referring to the English [[Established Church]], there is no need for a description; it is simply the Church of England, though the word ''Protestant'' is used in many legal acts specifying the succession to the Crown and qualifications for office. When the [[Acts of Union 1800|Union with Ireland Act]] created the United Church of England and Ireland, it is specified that it shall be one "Protestant Episcopal Church", thereby distinguishing its form of church government from the Presbyterian polity that prevails in the [[Church of Scotland]].<ref>[[Union with Ireland Act 1800]], s. 1, art. 5.</ref>

The word ''Episcopal'' is preferred in the title of the [[Episcopal Church (United States)|Episcopal Church]] (the province of the Anglican Communion covering the United States) and the [[Scottish Episcopal Church]], though the full name of the former is ''The Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America''. Elsewhere, however, the term ''Anglican Church'' came to be preferred as it distinguished these churches from others that maintain an [[episcopal polity]].

===Definition===
In its structures, theology, and forms of worship, Anglicanism emerged as a distinct Christian tradition representing a middle ground between [[Lutheran]] and [[Calvinism|Reformed]] varieties of [[Protestantism]];<ref name="Anglican and Episcopal History">{{cite book|title=Anglican and Episcopal History|year=2003|publisher=Historical Society of the Episcopal Church|language=en|page=15|quote=Others had made similar observations, Patrick McGrath commenting that the Church of England was not a middle way between Roman Catholic and Protestant, but "between different forms of Protestantism", and William Monter describing the Church of England as "a unique style of Protestantism, a via media between the Reformed and Lutheran traditions". MacCulloch has described Cranmer as seeking a middle way between Zurich and Wittenberg but elsewhere remarks that the Church of England was "nearer Zurich and Geneva than Wittenberg.}}</ref> after the [[Oxford Movement]], Anglicanism has often been characterized as representing a ''[[via media]]'' ('middle way') between Protestantism as a whole, and Catholicism.{{sfn|MacCulloch|1996|p=179}}

The faith of Anglicans is founded in the [[Bible|Scriptures]] and the [[Gospel]]s, the traditions of the [[Apostolic Age|Apostolic]] Church, the [[historical episcopate]], the [[ecumenical council|first four ecumenical councils]],<ref name="Kasper2009">{{cite book|last=Kasper|first=Walter|title=Harvesting the Fruits: Basic Aspects of Christian Faith in Ecumenical Dialogue|date=15 October 2009|publisher=A&C Black|language=en |isbn=978-1-4411-2130-1|page=98|quote="Anglicans historically have only recognized the binding authority of the first four ecumenical councils. While they affirm some of the content of successive councils, they believe that only those decisions which can be demonstrated from Scripture are binding on the faithful (IARCCUM ''GTUM'', 69).}}</ref> and the early [[Church Fathers]], especially those active during the five initial centuries of Christianity, according to the ''quinquasaecularist'' principle proposed by the English bishop [[Lancelot Andrewes]] and the Lutheran dissident [[Georg Calixtus]].

Anglicans understand the [[Old Testament|Old]] and [[New Testament]]s as "containing all things necessary for salvation" and as being the rule and ultimate standard of faith.{{sfn|Kaye|1996|pp=46–47}} Reason and tradition are seen as valuable means to interpret scripture (a position first formulated in detail by [[Richard Hooker]]), but there is no full mutual agreement among Anglicans about ''exactly how'' scripture, reason, and tradition interact (or ought to interact) with each other.{{sfn|Baker|1996|pp=113–115}} Anglicans understand the [[Apostles' Creed]] as the baptismal symbol and the [[Nicene Creed]] as the sufficient [[creed|statement of the Christian faith]].

Anglicans believe the catholic and apostolic faith is revealed in [[Holy Scripture]] and the ecumenical creeds (Apostles', Nicene and Athanasian) and interpret these in light of the Christian tradition of the historic church, scholarship, reason, and experience.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.anglicancommunion.org/identity/doctrine.aspx|title=Anglican Communion: Doctrine|last=Office|first=Anglican Communion|website=Anglican Communion Website|language=en|access-date=17 January 2018|archive-date=21 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180121104118/http://www.anglicancommunion.org/identity/doctrine.aspx|url-status=live}}</ref>

Anglicans celebrate the traditional sacraments, with special emphasis being given to the [[Eucharist]], also called Holy Communion, the Lord's Supper, or the [[Mass (liturgy)|Mass]]. The Eucharist is central to worship for most Anglicans as a communal offering of prayer and praise in which the life, death, and resurrection of [[Jesus Christ]] are proclaimed through prayer, reading of the Bible, singing, giving God thanks over the bread and wine for the innumerable benefits obtained through the passion of Christ; the breaking of the bread, the blessing of the cup, and the partaking of the body and blood of Christ as instituted at the [[Last Supper]]. The consecrated bread and wine, which are considered by Anglican formularies to be the true body and blood of Christ in a spiritual manner and as outward symbols of an inner grace given by Christ which to the repentant convey forgiveness and cleansing from sin. While many Anglicans celebrate the Eucharist in similar ways to the predominant [[Latin Catholic]] tradition, a considerable degree of liturgical freedom is permitted, and worship styles range from simple to elaborate.{{citation needed|date=August 2023}}

Unique to Anglicanism is the ''[[Book of Common Prayer]]'' (BCP), the collection of services which worshippers in most Anglican churches have used for centuries. It was called ''common prayer'' originally because it was intended for use in all Church of England churches, which had previously followed differing local liturgies. The term was kept when the church became international because all Anglicans used to share in its use around the world.

In 1549, the first ''Book of Common Prayer'' was compiled by [[Thomas Cranmer]], the then [[Archbishop of Canterbury]]. While it has since undergone many revisions and Anglican churches in different countries have developed other service books, the Prayer Book is still acknowledged as one of the ties that bind Anglicans together.