Editing Anglican Communion (section)

{{short description|International Christian communion}}
{{About|churches in full communion with the archbishop of Canterbury|the Christian tradition originating in the Church of England|Anglicanism}}
{{Redirect|Anglican Churches||Anglican Church (disambiguation)}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2024}}
{{Infobox Christian denomination
| name               = Anglican Communion
| icon               = Cantercross.svg
| icon_width         = 25px
| image              = Canterbury-cathedral-wyrdlight.jpg
| alt                = 
| caption            = [[Canterbury Cathedral]]
| main_classification = [[Protestant]]{{NoteTag|With various theological and doctrinal identities, including Anglo-Catholic, Liberal, Evangelical}}
| orientation        = [[Anglican]]
| polity             = [[Episcopal polity|Episcopal]]
| type               = [[Communion (Christian)|Communion]]
| theology           = [[Anglican doctrine]]
| founder            = [[Charles Longley]]
| founded_date       = 1867
| founded_place      = [[Lambeth Conference]], London, England
| leader_title1      = [[Archbishop of Canterbury|Primate]]
| leader_name1       = [[Stephen Cottrell]] (''acting'')
| leader_title2      = [[Anglican Consultative Council|Secretary General]]
| leader_name2       = [[Anthony Poggo]]
| leader_title3      = Deputy Secretary&nbsp;General, ACC
| headquarters       = London, England
| separated_from     = [[Roman Catholic Church]]
| scripture          = [[Protestant Bible]]
| branched_from      = [[Church of England]]
| merger             = 
| separations        = [[Continuing Anglican movement]] (1977)<br/>Some participants in the [[Anglican realignment]] (since 2002; partial)
| area               = Worldwide
| congregations      = 
| members            = 85 - 110 million (2024)
| website            = [https://anglicancommunion.org/ anglicancommunion.org]
| logo               = [[File:Anglican Communion logo.png|70px]]
| footnotes          = 
}}

{{AnglicanCommunion}}

The '''Anglican Communion''' is a Christian [[Full communion|communion]] consisting of the [[Church of England]] and other [[autocephalous]] national and regional churches in full communion.<ref>{{cite web |date=20 July 2012 |title=St Francis of Assisi Episcopal Church History |url=http://www.stfrancisooltewah.org/id4.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120815131203/http://www.stfrancisooltewah.org/id4.html |archive-date=15 August 2012 |access-date=11 August 2011}}</ref> The [[archbishop of Canterbury]] in England acts as a focus of unity, recognised as ''{{Lang|la|[[primus inter pares]]}}'' ("first among equals"), but does not exercise authority in Anglican provinces outside of the Church of England. Most, but not all, member churches of the communion are the historic national or regional [[Anglican]] churches.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Anglican Communion |url=https://www.churchofengland.org/about/building-relationships/anglican-communion |access-date=2024-08-05 |website=The Church of England |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-05-12 |title=The Anglican Communion |url=https://www.anglicancentreinrome.org/the-anglican-communion |access-date=2024-08-05 |website=The Anglican Centre in Rome |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Chapman |first=Mark D. |date=2015 |title=Anglicanism, Japan, and the Perception of a Higher Civilization in the Early Twentieth Century |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/43685136 |journal=Anglican and Episcopal History |volume=84 |issue=3 |pages=298–320 |issn=0896-8039 |jstor=43685136}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Member Churches |url=https://www.anglicancommunion.org/structures/member-churches.aspx |website=Anglican Communion}}</ref> With approximately 85 -110 million members,<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=March 25, 2021 |title=Pubblicati l'Annuario Pontificio 2021 e l'Annuarium Statisticum Ecclesiae 2019 |url=https://www.osservatoreromano.va/it/news/2021-03/quo-068/pubblicati-br-l-annuario-pontificio-2021-br-e-l-annuarium-statis.html |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20210330004256/https://www.osservatoreromano.va/it/news/2021-03/quo-068/pubblicati-br-l-annuario-pontificio-2021-br-e-l-annuarium-statis.html |archivedate=March 30, 2021 |accessdate=March 29, 2021 |publisher=[[L'Osservatore Romano]] |language=it}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Office |first=Anglican Communion |title=What do Anglicans Believe? New study guide published by the Anglican Communion |url=https://www.anglicancommunion.org/communications/press-and-media/press-releases/what-do-anglicans-believe-new-study-guide-published-by-the-anglican-communion.aspx |access-date=2025-04-07 |website=Anglican Communion Website |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Elgot |first=Jessica |date=2015-09-16 |title=What is the Anglican communion and why is it under threat? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/sep/16/what-is-anglican-communion-why-is-it-under-threat |access-date=2025-04-07 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2016-01-14 |title=Anglican communion to restrict US Church over gay marriage |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-35318392 |access-date=2025-04-07 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Morgan |first=Timothy C. |date=2022-08-09 |title=Anglican Division over Scripture and Sexuality Heads South |url=https://www.christianitytoday.com/2022/08/lambeth-conference-anglican-church-global-south-bishops/ |access-date=2025-04-07 |website=Christianity Today |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=The Anglican Communion official website – "Provincial Registry" |url=http://www.anglicancommunion.org/tour/index.cfm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150307165129/http://www.anglicancommunion.org/tour/index.cfm |archive-date=7 March 2015 |access-date=9 January 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Goodhew |first=David |date=2022-02-22 |title=Is Anglicanism Growing or Dying? New Data |url=https://livingchurch.org/covenant/is-anglicanism-growing-or-dying-new-data/ |access-date=2025-04-07 |website=The Living Church |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=What is the Anglican Communion? |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/av/uk-35319022 |access-date=2025-05-13 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Zurlo |first=Gina A. |title=Global Christianity: a guide to the world's largest religion from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe |date=2022 |publisher=Zondervan Academic |isbn=978-0-310-11361-4 |location=Grand Rapids, Michigan}}</ref> it is the third-largest Christian communion after the [[Roman Catholic]] and [[Eastern Orthodox Church|Eastern Orthodox]] churches globally.<ref name=":0" /><ref name="Statísticaglobal2020">{{cite book |author=Gina A. Zurlo |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hdFTEAAAQBAJ&dq=Global+Christianity%3A+A+Guide+to+the+World%E2%80%99s+Largest+Religion&pg=PR1 |title=Global Christianity: A Guide to the World's Largest Religion from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe |date=2022 |isbn=9780310113614 |location=Grand Rapids, Michigan |page=5 |accessdate=January 2, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-11-13 |title=What Is the Church of England, and Who Are the Anglicans? |url=https://www.ncregister.com/cna/what-is-the-church-of-england-and-who-are-the-anglicans |access-date=2025-05-13 |website=NCR |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Elgot |first=Jessica |date=2015-09-16 |title=What is the Anglican communion and why is it under threat? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/sep/16/what-is-anglican-communion-why-is-it-under-threat |access-date=2025-05-13 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Elgot |first=Jessica |date=2015-09-16 |title=What is the Anglican communion and why is it under threat? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/sep/16/what-is-anglican-communion-why-is-it-under-threat |access-date=2025-05-13 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=August 9, 2007 |title=Key Facts on the Anglican Communion |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/world/key-facts-on-the-anglican-communion-idUSL1554844/ |access-date=May 13, 2025 |website=Reuters}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-12-13 |title=Westminster seminar explores ‘conflict and reconciliation’ in the Anglican Communion |url=https://episcopalnewsservice.org/2019/12/13/westminster-seminar-explores-conflict-and-reconciliation-in-the-anglican-communion/ |access-date=2025-05-13 |website=Episcopal News Service |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=published |first=Grayson Quay |date=2022-08-09 |title=Have Anglicans reached a compromise on same-sex marriage? |url=https://theweek.com/christianity/1015750/have-anglicans-reached-a-compromise-on-same-sex-marriage |access-date=2025-05-13 |website=The Week |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Office |first=Anglican Communion |title=At the UN |url=https://www.anglicancommunion.org/mission/at-the-un.aspx |access-date=2025-05-13 |website=Anglican Communion Website |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Goodstein |first=Laurie |date=2008-06-20 |title=Rival Conferences for Anglican Church |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/20/world/20anglicancnd.html |access-date=2025-05-13 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2015-09-16 |title=Archbishop calls talks over divisions in Anglican communion |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-34272303 |access-date=2025-05-13 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}}</ref>  

The Anglican Communion was officially and formally organised and recognised as such at the [[Lambeth Conference]] in 1867 in [[London]] under the leadership of [[Charles Longley]], Archbishop of Canterbury. The churches of the Anglican Communion consider themselves to be part of the [[Four Marks of the Church|one, holy, catholic and apostolic church]], with worship being based on the ''[[Book of Common Prayer]]''.<ref name="Samuel2020" /> The traditional origins of [[Anglican doctrine]] are summarized in the [[Thirty-nine Articles]] (1571) and ''[[The Books of Homilies]]''.<ref name="Samuel2020">{{cite book |last1=Samuel |first1=Chimela Meehoma |title=Treasures of the Anglican Witness: A Collection of Essays |date=28 April 2020 |publisher=Partridge Publishing |isbn=978-1-5437-5784-2 |language=en |quote=In addition to his emphasis on Bible reading and the introduction to the ''Book of Common Prayer'', other media through which Cranmer sought to catechize the English people were the introduction of the First Book of Homilies and the 39 Articles of Religion. Together with the ''Book of Common Prayer'' and the Forty-Two Articles (which were later reduced to thirty-nine), the Book of Homilies stands as one of the essential texts of the Edwardian Reformation, and they all helped to define the shape of Anglicanism then, and in the subsequent centuries. More so, the Articles of Religion, whose primary shape and content were given by Archbishop Cranmer and Bishop Ridley in 1553 (and whose final official form was ratified by Convocation, the Queen, and Parliament in 1571), provided a more precise interpretation of Christian doctrine to the English people. According to John H. Rodgers, they "constitute the formal statements of the accepted, common teaching put forth by the Church of England as a result of the Reformation."}}</ref>

As in the Church of England itself, the Anglican Communion includes the [[Broad church|broad spectrum of beliefs and liturgical practises]] found in the [[Evangelical Anglicanism|Evangelical]], [[Central churchmanship|Central]] and [[Anglo-Catholic]] traditions of Anglicanism; both the larger [[Reformed Anglican]] and the smaller [[Anglican Arminianism|Arminian Anglican]] theological perspectives have been represented.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Hampton |first1=Stephen |title=Anti-Arminians: The Anglican Reformed Tradition from Charles II to George I |url=https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/themelios/review/anti-arminians-the-anglican-reformed-tradition-from-charles-ii-to-george-i/ |publisher=[[The Gospel Coalition]] |access-date=27 November 2024}}</ref> Each national or regional church is fully independent, retaining its own legislative process and [[episcopal polity]] under the leadership of local [[Primate (bishop)|primates]]. For many adherents, Anglicanism represents a distinct form of Reformed [[Protestantism]] that emerged under the influence of the Reformer [[Thomas Cranmer]],<ref name="Samuel2020"/> or for yet others, a ''[[via media]]'' between two branches of Protestantism—[[Lutheranism]] and [[Calvinism]]—and for others, a denomination that is both [[Catholic (term)|Catholic]] and [[Reformed Christianity|Reformed]].<ref>{{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>{{sfn|Avis|1998|pp=417–419}}

Most of its members live in the [[Anglosphere]] of former British territories. Full participation in the [[sacrament]]al life of each church is available to all communicant members. Because of their historical link to England (''ecclesia anglicana'' means "English church"), some of the member churches are known as "Anglican", such as the [[Anglican Church of Canada]]. Others, for example the [[Church of Ireland]] and the [[Scottish Episcopal Church|Scottish]] and [[Episcopal Church (United States)|American Episcopal]] churches, have official names that do not include "Anglican". Conversely, some churches that do use the name "Anglican" are not part of the communion. These have generally disaffiliated over disagreement with the direction of the communion.