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The '''Anglican Communion''' is a confederation of national churches, each considered independent, yet sharing [[Full Communion]] with one another and the [[Archbishop of Canterbury]], who is the spiritual (although not administrative) head of the Communion. The Anglican Communion maintains the traditional three-fold hierarchy of clergy: Bishops, Priests and Deacons. In some member churches, women have been admitted to one or more of these orders, whereas some member churches have maintained an all-male clergy. Beyond the three-fold order, though the administration and leadership of each national church is decided by that particular church. In the Church of England, for example, the Queen appoints Bishops. In the Episcopal Church (USA), on the other hand, bishops are elected by diocese and then confirmed by the House of Bishops.
Of particular interest to Orthodox inquirers is the current [[Archbishop of Canterbury]] the Most Reverend and Right Honorable Rowan Williams, formerly Archbishop of Wales. Dr. Williams, an academic, has written two books on the spirituality of [[iconography]] ("''The Dwelling of the Light: Praying With Icons of Christ" '' and "''Ponder These Things: Praying With Icons of the Virgin"'') and did his doctoral thesis on the theology of Orthodox theologian [[Vladimir Lossky]].
Other major thinkers to come out of the Anglican Communion have been reformers John and Charles Wesley, convert to [[Roman Catholic Church|Roman Catholicism]] Cardinal John Henry Newman, social activist Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and authors Dorothy Sayers and [[C. S. Lewis]].
Among the more "orthodox" or conservative Anglican voices have been author and apologist [[C. S. Lewis]] and Archbishop of Canterbury Michael Ramsey. On the other hand, Anglicanism has been the home of such extreme liberal theologians as Bishop John Spong, author of ''Why Christianity Must Change or Die''.
All this being noted, however, there are a few things that can be said ''in a general way'' about Anglican beliefs.
First, Anglican doctrine in summed up in "the three historic creeds": The Nicene, The Apostles' ("The Roman Symbol") and the ''Quicunque Vult'' (or "Creed of St. Athanasius"). On advice from the Anglican-Orthodox Joint Doctrinal Commission, some national Churches have dropped the [[Filioque]] from the Nicene Creed in their liturgies, while others have not. The Church of England, for instance, maintains it in general, but it can be removed on occasions of ecumenical significance (such was the case at the entrhonement of Rowan Williams as Archbishop of Canterbury).
Second, the major doctrinal statement of Anglicanism has historically been the '''39 Articles'''. A product of the English Reformation, the Articles are no longer binding on Anglicans, though many traditionalists hold very firmly to them. These, among other things, affirm a belief in the Holy Trinity, the Incarnation and the Resurrection of Christ. Protestan influence on the articles led to the inclusion of Article VI: "Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation: so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man..." This same article, however, contains certain Old Testament books that were rejected by most Protestants at the Reformation, namely the deuterocanonical or "apocryphal" books. Calvinist influences can also be read in the Articles.
Unlike other Protestant bodies, Anglicanism has also maintained belief in the historic seven Sacraments as understood by the Western Church: Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation, Penance, Holy Orders, Matrimony and Unction. However, the 39 Articles make the distinction between "two Sacraments ordained of Christ our Lord in the Gospel" (Baptism and Eucharist) and the other five, which it does not consider necessary.
A traditional means of explaining the way that Anglicans do theology has been called the "Three-Legged Stool". In this approach, Scripture, tradition and reason are the three ways in which Anglicans come to an understanding of the Truth. Classically, Anglicans would explain that Scripture is the prime authority, best interpreted in light of Christian tradition, in a reasonable way. However, the Anglican-Orthodox Joint Doctrinal Commission has stated, "We agree likewise in our view of the fundamental relationship between Scripture and tradition: they are not two sources, but correlative." (article 91)
==History==
Several times throughout the history of Anglicanism, there have been movements which led to schism. The various resulting bodies have maintained their Anglican heritage to differing degrees. Among these groups are the various Methodist churches, the Reformed Episcopal Church, the Anglican Catholic Church and the Anglican Church in America.
==Movements Within AnglicanismRelationship with Orthodox Christians==
===The Methodist MovementAnglican/Orthodox Organizations===Largely through the initiative and work of Oxford Movement figure Father John Mason Neale, in 1863 there was formed the '''Anglican and Eastern Churches Association'''. This organization publishes a journal (''Eastern Churches News Letter'')and encourages interaction of Anglican and Orthodox Christians, particularly through encouraging pilgrimages. In 1928 an organization with similar goals, the '''Fellowship of St. Alban and St. Sergius''' was formed and also publishes a journal (''Sobornost''). In the 1960s an international commission of Orthodox and Anglican clergy and theologians entitled the Anglican-Orthodox Joint Doctrinal Commission was formed and has issued two historic statements which will be addressed below.
===Agreed Statements===
At the time of the first agreed statement, the hope of the Commission had been for the eventual reunion of the Anglican and Orthodox Churches. However, in between the two, a major development in Anglicanism changed the direction of the Commission. In 1978 both the [[Episcopal Church U.S.A.]] and the Lambeth Conference put forth positions accepting the ordination of women. This drastically changed the understanding of the Commission. Following the Lambeth Conference in 1978, it had now come to be seen, in the words of co-chairman Archbishop Athanagoras, "simply as an academic and informative exercise, and no longer as an ecclesial endeavour aiming at the union of the two churches."
As there is much theological variation within Anglicanism, Bishop Kallistos Ware has explained rightly when he writes, "The Orthodox Church, however deep its longing for reunion, cannot enter into closer relations with the Anglican communion until Anglicans themeselves are clearer about their own beliefs." (Ware, p. 321)
==Current Issues Within Anglicanism==
==Sources==
*''Anglican-Orthodox Dialogue: The Dublin Agreed Statement 1984''. Crestwood, NY: St. Vladimir's Seminary Press, 1985.
*Bede. ''Ecclesiastical History of the English People.'' New York: Penguin, 1990.
*Bernadin, J.B. ''An Introduction to the Episcopal Church'' (Rev. Ed.). Harrisburg, PA: Morehouse, 1983.
*''The Book of Common Prayer''. New York: Church Hymnal Corporation, 1979.
*''Lesser Feasts and Fasts 2003''. New York: Church Hymnal Corporation, 1993.
*Ware, Timothy. ''The Orthodox Church'' (New Edition). New York: Penguin, 1997.
==External Links==
