Anglicanism

==Communion==
{{Main|Anglican Communion}}
{{AnglicanCommunion}}

===Principles of governance===
Contrary to popular misconception, the British monarch is not the constitutional "head" of the Church of England but is, in law, the church's "[[supreme governor]]", nor does the monarch have any role in provinces outside England. The role of the crown in the Church of England is practically limited to the appointment of bishops, including the Archbishop of Canterbury, and even this role is limited, as the church presents the government with a short list of candidates from which to choose. This process is accomplished through collaboration with and consent of ecclesial representatives ''(see [[Ecclesiastical Commissioners]])''. Although the monarch has no constitutional role in Anglican churches in other parts of the world, the prayer books of several countries where the monarch is head of state contain prayers for him or her as sovereign.

A characteristic of Anglicanism is that it has no international juridical authority. All forty-two provinces of the Anglican Communion are autonomous, each with their own [[primate (bishop)|primate]] and governing structure. 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 South Asia), or geographical regions (such as Vanuatu and Solomon Islands) etc. Within these provinces there may exist subdivisions, called [[ecclesiastical province]]s, under the jurisdiction of a metropolitan archbishop.

All provinces of the Anglican Communion consist of [[diocese]]s, each under the jurisdiction of a bishop. In the Anglican tradition, bishops must be consecrated according to the strictures of [[apostolic succession]], which Anglicans consider one of the marks of [[catholicity]]. Apart from bishops, there are two other orders of ordained ministry: [[deacon]] and priest.

No requirement is made for [[clerical celibacy]], though many Anglo-Catholic priests have traditionally been bachelors. Because of innovations that occurred at various points after the latter half of the 20th century, women may be ordained as deacons in almost all provinces, as priests in most and as bishops in many. [[Anglican religious order]]s and communities, suppressed in England during the Reformation, have re-emerged, especially since the mid-19th century, and now have an international presence and influence.

Government in the Anglican Communion is [[synod]]ical, consisting of three houses of [[laity]] (usually elected parish representatives), clergy and bishops. National, provincial and diocesan synods maintain different scopes of authority, depending on their [[canon law|canons and constitutions]]. Anglicanism is not [[Congregationalist polity|congregational]] in its polity: it is the diocese, not the parish church, which is the smallest unit of authority in the church. ''(See [[Episcopal polity]])''.

===Archbishop of Canterbury===
[[File:Archbishcantarms.PNG|thumb|The [[coat of arms]] of the [[episcopal see]] of Canterbury]]
The [[Archbishop of Canterbury]] has a precedence of honour over the other primates of the Anglican Communion, and for a province to be considered a part of the communion means specifically to be in full communion with the [[episcopal see|see]] of [[Province of Canterbury|Canterbury]] – though this principle is currently subject to considerable debate, especially among those in the so-called Global South, including American Anglicans.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Achim |first1=Maseko |title=Church Schism & Corruption |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gC93bLKtMqMC&q=The+Archbishop+of+Canterbury+has+a+precedence+of+honour+over+the+other+primates+of+the+Anglican+Communion&pg=PA199 |publisher=Lulu |isbn=978-1-4092-2186-9 |access-date=22 January 2020 |archive-date=21 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240221122726/https://books.google.com/books?id=gC93bLKtMqMC&q=The+Archbishop+of+Canterbury+has+a+precedence+of+honour+over+the+other+primates+of+the+Anglican+Communion&pg=PA199#v=snippet&q=The%20Archbishop%20of%20Canterbury%20has%20a%20precedence%20of%20honour%20over%20the%20other%20primates%20of%20the%20Anglican%20Communion&f=false |url-status=live }}</ref> The archbishop is, therefore, recognised as {{lang|la|[[primus inter pares]]}} ("first amongst equals"), even though he does not exercise any direct authority in any [[province (Anglican)|province]] outside England, of which he is chief primate.<ref>{{cite web |title=Archbishop of Canterbury |url=https://www.anglicancommunion.org/structures/instruments-of-communion/archbishop-of-canterbury.aspx |website=Anglican Communion |access-date=31 July 2021 |archive-date=28 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230228161920/https://www.anglicancommunion.org/structures/instruments-of-communion/archbishop-of-canterbury.aspx |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Tominey |first1=Camilla |title=Archbishop of Canterbury has been secretly volunteering in lockdown – as chaplain at St Thomas's Hospital |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/05/12/archbishop-canterbury-has-secretly-volunteering-lockdown-as/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/05/12/archbishop-canterbury-has-secretly-volunteering-lockdown-as/ |archive-date=10 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |access-date=31 July 2021 |work=The Telegraph |date=12 May 2020 |quote=the primate of all England and the head primus inter pares of the worldwide Anglican Communion}}{{cbignore}}</ref> [[Rowan Williams]], the Archbishop of Canterbury from 2002 to 2012, was the first archbishop appointed from outside the Church of England since the Reformation: he was formerly the [[Archbishop of Wales]].

As "spiritual head" of the communion, the Archbishop of Canterbury maintains a certain [[moral authority]] and has the right to determine which churches will be in communion with his [[Episcopal see|see]]. He hosts and chairs the [[Lambeth Conference]]s of Anglican Communion bishops and decides who will be invited to them. He also hosts and chairs the [[Anglican Communion Primates' Meeting]] and is responsible for the invitations to it. He acts as president of the secretariat of the Anglican Communion Office and its deliberative body, the [[Anglican Consultative Council]].

===Conferences===
The Anglican Communion has no international juridical organisation. All international bodies are consultative and collaborative, and their resolutions are not legally binding on the autonomous provinces of the communion. There are three international bodies of note.

* The [[Lambeth Conference]] is the oldest international consultation. It was first convened by Archbishop [[Charles Longley]] in 1867 as a vehicle for bishops of the communion to "discuss matters of practical interest, and pronounce what we deem expedient in resolutions which may serve as safe guides to future action". Since then, it has been held roughly every ten years. Invitation is by the Archbishop of Canterbury.
* The [[Anglican Consultative Council]] was created by a 1968 Lambeth Conference resolution and meets [[wikt:biennial|biennially]]. The council consists of representative bishops, clergy and laity chosen by the forty-two provinces. The body has a permanent secretariat, the Anglican Communion Office, of which the Archbishop of Canterbury is president.
* The [[Anglican Communion Primates' Meeting]] is the most recent manifestation of international consultation and deliberation, having been first convened by Archbishop [[Donald Coggan]] in 1978 as a forum for "leisurely thought, prayer and deep consultation".{{sfn|Nunley|2005|p=133}}

===Ordained ministry===
{{further|topic=the Anglican priesthood|Anglican ministry}}
[[File:Chasublepurple.jpg|thumb|An Anglican priest in Eucharistic [[vestment]]]]
Like the Roman Catholic Church and the [[Eastern Orthodox Church|Orthodox]] churches, the Anglican Communion maintains the threefold ministry of [[deacon]]s, [[presbyter]]s (usually called "priests"), and bishops.

====Episcopate====
{{Main|Bishop}}
Bishops, who possess the fullness of Christian priesthood, are the successors of the [[Apostles in the New Testament|apostles]]. [[Primate (bishop)|Primates]], archbishops, and [[metropolitan bishop|metropolitans]] are all bishops and members of the [[historical episcopate]] who derive their authority through [[apostolic succession]] – an unbroken line of bishops that can be traced back to the 12 apostles of Jesus.

====Priesthood====
Bishops are assisted by [[Episcopal priest|priests]] and [[deacon]]s. Most ordained ministers in the Anglican Communion are priests, who usually work in parishes within a [[diocese]]. Priests are in charge of the spiritual life of parishes and are usually called the [[Rector (ecclesiastical)|rector]] or [[vicar]]. A [[curate]] (or, more correctly, an "assistant curate") is a priest or deacon who assists the parish priest. Non-parochial priests may earn their living by any vocation, although employment by educational institutions or charitable organisations is most common. Priests also serve as chaplains of hospitals, schools, prisons, and in the armed forces.

An [[archdeacon]] is a priest or deacon responsible for administration of an [[archdeaconry]], which is often the name given to the principal subdivisions of a [[diocese]]. An archdeacon represents the diocesan bishop in his or her archdeaconry. In the [[Church of England]], the position of archdeacon can only be held by someone in priestly orders who has been ordained for at least six years. In some other parts of the Anglican Communion, the position can also be held by deacons. In parts of the Anglican Communion where women cannot be ordained as priests or bishops but can be ordained as deacons, the position of archdeacon is effectively the most senior office to which an ordained woman can be appointed.

A [[Dean (Christianity)|dean]] is a priest who is the principal cleric of a cathedral or other collegiate church and the head of the chapter of canons. If the cathedral or collegiate church has its own parish, the dean is usually also rector of the parish. However, in the Church of Ireland, the roles are often separated, and most cathedrals in the Church of England do not have associated parishes. In the Church in Wales, however, most cathedrals are parish churches and their deans are now also vicars of their parishes.

The Anglican Communion recognises [[Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]] and [[Eastern Orthodox Church|Eastern Orthodox]] ordinations as valid. Outside the Anglican Communion, Anglican ordinations (at least of male priests) are recognised by the [[Old Catholic Church]], Porvoo Communion Lutherans, and various [[Independent Catholic]] churches.

====Diaconate====
{{Main|Deacon}}
[[File:Stoledeacon.jpg|thumb|The vestments of a [[deacon]], including a [[Stole (vestment)|stole]] over the left shoulder]]
In Anglican churches, deacons often work directly in ministry to the marginalised inside and outside the church: the poor, the sick, the hungry, the imprisoned. Unlike Orthodox and most Roman Catholic deacons who may be married only before ordination, deacons are permitted to marry freely both before and after ordination, as are priests. Most deacons are preparing for priesthood and usually only remain as deacons for about a year before being ordained priests. However, there are some deacons who remain so.

Many provinces of the Anglican Communion ordain both men and women as deacons. Many of those provinces that ordain women to the priesthood previously allowed them to be ordained only to the diaconate. The effect of this was the creation of a large and overwhelmingly female diaconate for a time, as most men proceeded to be ordained priest after a short time as a deacon.

Deacons, in some dioceses, can be granted licences to [[wedding|solemnise matrimony]], usually under the instruction of their parish priest and bishop. They sometimes officiate at [[Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament]] in churches which have this service. Deacons are not permitted to preside at the [[Eucharist]] (but can lead worship with the distribution of already consecrated communion where this is permitted),<ref>{{cite web |last1=Zolner |first1=Rev. Eric |title=What is a deacon? |url=http://www.allsaintsspringfield.org/the-rambling-rector/what-is-a-deacon |website=All Saints Anglican Church |access-date=25 February 2019 |archive-date=25 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190225103040/http://www.allsaintsspringfield.org/the-rambling-rector/what-is-a-deacon |url-status=live }}</ref> [[absolution (religious)|absolve sins]], or [[blessing|pronounce a blessing]].{{sfn|Moss|1943|p=393}} It is the prohibition against deacons pronouncing blessings that leads some to believe that deacons cannot solemnise matrimony.

===Laity===
All baptised members of the church are called Christian [[Faithful (baptized Catholic)|faithful]], truly equal in dignity and in the work to build the church. Some non-ordained people also have a formal public ministry, often on a full-time and long-term basis – such as [[lay reader]]s (also known as readers), [[churchwarden]]s, [[verger]]s, and [[sexton (office)|sextons]]. Other lay positions include acolytes (male or female, often children), lay [[eucharistic minister]]s (also known as chalice bearers), and lay eucharistic visitors (who deliver consecrated bread and wine to "shut-ins" or members of the parish who are unable to leave home or hospital to attend the Eucharist). Lay people also serve on the parish altar guild (preparing the altar and caring for its candles, linens, flowers, etc.), in the choir and as cantors, as ushers and greeters, and on the church council (called the "vestry" in some countries), which is the governing body of a parish.

===Religious orders===
{{See also|Anglican religious order|Anglican devotions}}
A small yet influential aspect of Anglicanism is its [[Anglican religious order|religious orders]] and communities. Shortly after the beginning of the [[Catholic Revival]] in the Church of England, there was a renewal of interest in re-establishing religious and monastic orders and communities. One of Henry VIII's earliest acts was their [[Dissolution of the Monasteries|dissolution]] and seizure of their assets. In 1841, Marian Rebecca Hughes became the first woman to take the vows of religion in communion with the [[Province of Canterbury]] since the Reformation.

In 1848, [[Priscilla Lydia Sellon]] became the superior of the Society of the Most Holy Trinity at [[Devonport, Plymouth]], the first organised religious order. Sellon is called "the restorer, after three centuries, of the religious life in the Church of England".<ref>{{Cite book|first=Thomas J.|last=Williams|title=Priscilla Lydia Sellon|location=London|publisher=SPCK|year=1950}}</ref> For the next one hundred years, religious orders for both men and women proliferated throughout the world, becoming a numerically small but disproportionately influential feature of global Anglicanism.

Anglican religious life at one time boasted hundreds of orders and communities, and thousands of [[religious order|religious]]. An important aspect of Anglican religious life is that most communities of both men and women lived their lives consecrated to God under the [[vow]]s of [[poverty, chastity, and obedience]], or, in [[Benedictine]] communities, Stability, Conversion of Life, and Obedience, by practising a mixed life of reciting the full eight services of the [[Breviary]] in choir, along with a daily [[Eucharist]], plus service to the poor. The mixed life, combining aspects of the contemplative orders and the active orders, remains to this day a hallmark of Anglican religious life. Another distinctive feature of Anglican religious life is the existence of some mixed-gender communities.

Since the 1960s, there has been a sharp decline in the number of professed religious in most parts of the Anglican Communion, especially in North America, Europe, and Australia. Many once large and international communities have been reduced to a single [[convent]] or [[monastery]] with memberships of elderly men or women. In the last few decades of the 20th century, novices have for most communities been few and far between. Some orders and communities have already become extinct. There are, however, still thousands of Anglican religious working today in approximately 200 communities around the world, and religious life in many parts of the Communion – especially in developing nations – flourishes.

The most significant growth has been in the [[Melanesia]]n countries of the [[Solomon Islands]], [[Vanuatu]], and [[Papua New Guinea]]. The [[Melanesian Brotherhood]], founded at [[Tabalia]], [[Guadalcanal (Pacific Ocean island)|Guadalcanal]], in 1925 by Ini Kopuria, is now the largest Anglican Community in the world, with over 450 [[monk|brothers]] in the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, the [[Philippines]], and the United Kingdom. The [[Sisters of the Church]], started by Mother [[Emily Ayckbowm]] in England in 1870, has more [[nun|sisters]] in the Solomons than all their other communities. The [[Community of the Sisters of Melanesia]], started in 1980 by Sister Nesta Tiboe, is a growing community of women in the Solomon Islands.

The [[Society of Saint Francis]], founded as a union of various [[Franciscan]] orders in the 1920s, has experienced great growth in the Solomon Islands. Other communities of religious have been started by Anglicans in Papua New Guinea and in Vanuatu. Most Melanesian Anglican religious are in their early to mid-20s. Vows may be temporary, and it is generally assumed that brothers, at least, will leave and marry in due course, making the average age 40 to 50 years younger than their brothers and sisters in other countries. Growth of religious orders, especially for women, is marked in certain parts of Africa.

===Worldwide distribution===
[[File:Anglican C., Porvoo C., Utrecht Union.svg|thumb|upright=2.5|A world map showing the provinces of the '''Anglican Communion''' (blue). Shown are the Churches in full communion with the Anglican Church: The Nordic Lutheran churches of the [[Porvoo Communion]] (green), and the [[Old Catholic Church]]es in the [[Utrecht Union]] (red).]]
[[File:Jamestown Virginia ruin.JPG|thumb|An 1854 image of the ruins of [[Jamestown Church]] in [[Jamestown, Virginia]], the first Anglican church in North America]]
Anglicanism represents the third largest Christian communion in the world, after the [[Roman Catholic Church]] and the [[Eastern Orthodox Church]].{{sfn|Worsley|2015}} The number of Anglicans in the world is over 85&nbsp;million {{As of|2011|lc=y}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.adherents.com/adh_branches.html#Christianity|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19990819112057/http://adherents.com/adh_branches.html#Christianity|url-status=usurped|archive-date=19 August 1999|title=Major Branches of Religions|website=www.adherents.com}}</ref> The 11 provinces in Africa saw growth in the last two decades. They now include 36.7&nbsp;million members, more Anglicans than there are in England. England remains the largest single Anglican province, with 26&nbsp;million members. In most industrialised countries, church attendance has decreased since the 19th century. Anglicanism's presence in the rest of the world is due to large-scale emigration, the establishment of expatriate communities, or the work of missionaries.

The [[Church of England]] has been a church of [[missionary|missionaries]] since the 17th century, when the Church first left English shores with colonists who founded what would become the United States, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and South Africa, and established Anglican churches. For example, an Anglican chaplain, [[Robert Wolfall]], with [[Martin Frobisher]]'s [[Arctic]] expedition, celebrated the Eucharist in 1578 in [[Frobisher Bay]].

The first Anglican church in the Americas was built at [[Jamestown, Virginia]], in 1607. By the 18th century, missionaries worked to establish Anglican churches in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. The great Church of England missionary societies were founded; for example, the [[Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge]] (SPCK) in 1698, the [[Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts]] (SPG) in 1701, and the [[Church Mission Society]] (CMS) in 1799.

In the 19th century, social-oriented evangelism with societies were founded and developed, including the [[Church Pastoral Aid Society]] (CPAS) in 1836, [[Mission to Seafarers]] in 1856, [[Girls' Friendly Society]] (GFS) in 1875, [[Mothers' Union]] in 1876, and [[Church Army]] in 1882, all carrying out a personal form of evangelism.

In the 20th century, the Church of England developed new forms of evangelism, including the [[Alpha course]] in 1990, which was developed and propagated from [[Holy Trinity Brompton Church]] in London.

In the 21st century, there has been renewed effort to reach children and youth. [[Fresh expressions]] is a Church of England missionary initiative to youth begun in 2005, and has ministries at a [[skate park]]<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070728180306/http://www.legacyweb.org/YouthCong.htm Legacy XS Youth Centre & Skatepark, St. George's, Benfleet]</ref> through the efforts of St George's Church, [[Benfleet Urban District|Benfleet]], Essex, the [[Diocese of Chelmsford]], or youth groups with evocative names, like the C.L.A.W (Christ Little Angels – Whatever!) youth group at [[Coventry Cathedral]]. For those who prefer not to actually visit a [[brick and mortar]] church, there are Internet ministries, such as the [[Diocese of Oxford]]'s online Anglican i-Church, which was founded on the web in 2005.

===Ecumenism===
{{further|topic=the ongoing dialogue between Anglicanism and the wider Church|Anglican communion and ecumenism}}
Anglican interest in [[ecumenism|ecumenical]] dialogue can be traced back to the time of the Reformation and dialogues with both Orthodox and Lutheran churches in the 16th century. In the 19th century, with the rise of the Oxford Movement, there arose greater concern for reunion of the churches of "Catholic confession". This desire to work towards full [[Communion (Christian)|communion]] with other denominations led to the development of the [[Chicago-Lambeth Quadrilateral]], approved by the third [[Lambeth Conference]] of 1888. The four points (the sufficiency of scripture, the historic creeds, the two dominical sacraments, and the historic episcopate) were proposed as a basis for discussion, although they have frequently been taken as a non-negotiable bottom-line for any form of reunion.

===Theological diversity===
[[File:High Altar, Church of the Good Shepherd (Rosemont, Pennsylvania).jpg|thumb|The high [[altar]] at the Anglo-Catholic [[Church of the Good Shepherd (Rosemont, Pennsylvania)|Church of the Good Shepherd]] in [[Rosemont, Pennsylvania]]]]
Anglicanism in general has always sought a balance between the emphases of [[Catholicism]] and [[Protestantism]], while tolerating a range of expressions of [[evangelicalism]] and ceremony. Clergy and laity from all Anglican [[churchmanship]] traditions have been active in the formation of the Continuing movement.

While there are [[high church]], [[broad church|broad-church]] and [[low church|low-church]] Continuing Anglicans, many Continuing churches are [[Anglo-Catholic]] with highly ceremonial liturgical practices. Others belong to a more evangelical or [[low church|low-church]] tradition and tend to support the [[Thirty-nine Articles]] and simpler worship services. [[Morning Prayer (Anglican)|Morning Prayer]], for instance, is often used instead of the [[Holy Eucharist]] for Sunday worship services, although this is not necessarily true of all low-church parishes.

Most Continuing churches in the United States reject the 1979 revision of the ''[[Book of Common Prayer]]'' by the Episcopal Church and use the 1928 version for their services instead. In addition, Anglo-Catholic bodies may use the [[Anglican Missal]], [[Anglican Service Book]] or [[English Missal]] when celebrating Mass.

====Internal conflict====
A changing focus on social issues after the [[World War II]] led to Lambeth Conference resolutions countenancing [[contraception]] and the [[remarriage]] of divorced persons. Eventually, most provinces approved the [[ordination of women]]. In more recent years, some jurisdictions have permitted the ordination of people in same-sex relationships and authorised rites for the blessing of same-sex unions (see [[Homosexuality and Anglicanism]]). "The more liberal provinces that are open to changing Church doctrine on marriage in order to allow for same-sex unions include Brazil, Canada, New Zealand, Scotland, South India, South Africa, the US and Wales",<ref>{{Cite web |date=11 January 2016 |title=Church Split over Homosexuality Would be a Failure – Welby |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-35278124 |work=BBC News |access-date=13 July 2016 |archive-date=21 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220221143053/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-35278124 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{harvnb| Heaney|Sachs|2019|pp=223-229}}</ref> while the more conservative provinces are primarily located in the Global South.

The lack of social consensus among and within provinces of diverse cultural traditions has resulted in considerable conflict and even schism concerning some or all of these developments, as was the case in the [[Anglican realignment]]. More conservative elements within and outside of Anglicanism (primarily African churches and factions within North American Anglicanism) have opposed these changes,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://religionnews.com/2019/05/29/citing-inclusion-of-lgbt-clerics-anglican-bishops-in-africa-to-shun-lambeth-conference/ |access-date=1 June 2019 |work=Religion News Service |title=Citing inclusion of LGBT clerics, Anglican bishops in Africa to shun Lambeth Conference |first1=Fredrick |last1=Nzwili |date=29 May 2019 |archive-date=1 June 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190601182137/https://religionnews.com/2019/05/29/citing-inclusion-of-lgbt-clerics-anglican-bishops-in-africa-to-shun-lambeth-conference/ |url-status=live }}</ref> while some liberal and moderate Anglicans see this opposition as representing a new [[fundamentalism]] within Anglicanism and "believe a split is inevitable and preferable to continued infighting and paralysis."<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jan/12/anglican-church-england-global-schism-homosexuality-gay-rights |access-date=1 June 2019 |location=London |work=The Guardian |title=Anglican church risks global schism over homosexuality |first1=Harriet |last1=Sherwood |date=12 January 2016 |archive-date=1 June 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190601182136/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jan/12/anglican-church-england-global-schism-homosexuality-gay-rights |url-status=live }}</ref> Some Anglicans opposed to various liberalising changes, in particular the ordination of women, have become Roman Catholics or Orthodox. Others have, at various times, joined the [[Continuing Anglican movement]] or departed for non-Anglican evangelical churches.