Anglicans trace their Christian
roots back to the early Church, and their Anglican identity to the
post-Reformation expansion of the Church of England and other Episcopal or
Anglican Churches.
Historically there were two
main stages of development and spread of communion.
Beginning with the seventeenth century, Anglicanism was established
alongside of colonization in the United States, Australia, Canada, New Zealand
and South Africa. The second stage
began in the eighteenth century with missionaries established Anglican Churches
in Asia, Africa and Latin America.
As a worldwide family of
churches, the Anglican Communion has more than 70 million members in 38
provinces across 161 countries. The
Anglicans are in every continent speaking many languages and come from different
races and cultures.
Anglicans uphold the Catholic
and Apostolic Faith. By
baptism a person is made one with Christ and received into the fellowship of the
Church. Baptism, a sacrament, is
available to children and adults.
Central to worship for
Anglicans is the celebration of the Holy Eucharist.
Other important rites or sacraments include Confirmation, Holy orders,
reconciliation, marriage and anointing of the sick.
Worship is at the heart of
Anglicanism. Its styles vary from simple to elaborate or a combination.
The Book of Common Prayer along with additional liturgies is used in the
worship services. Anglican Church
services are congregational. As a
general rule the congregation stand for hymns, canticles or chants, for
affirmation of faith, the Creed and for the reading of the Gospel in the Holy
Eucharist. Psalms are sung or said
sitting or standing. The
congregation is seated during reading from the Old Testament or New Testament
letters, the sermon and the choir anthems.
The congregation stands or kneels for prayers. The Anglicans also have
Morning an Evening Prayer Services
The Clergy wear vestments
during the services. At the Holy
Eucharist bishops and ordained priests wear stole around their neck, over both
shoulders and deacons wear the stole over one shoulder.
The stole color changes with the seasons and holy days of the Church
year. The most frequently used
colors are white, red, violet and green
The Anglican Church observes
the traditional Christian calendar.
A distinguishing feature of the
corporate nature of the Anglicanism is that it is an interdependent Church where
parishes, dioceses and provinces help each other. To be an Anglican is to be on
a journey of faith to God supported by a fellowship of co-believers who are
dedicated to finding Him by prayer and service.
How did we get the Episcopal church?
This page last updated: 04/05/2002