The Anglican is the One True Church?

[Wryetui]

Hello guys, I am here to learn more about you I heard and read that the Anglican Communion claims to be the One True Church and I would like to hear the reasons and the basis for the claim to know more about our english brothers!

May God bless you!

 

[John Shrewsbury]

As far as I am aware the Anglican Church has never claimed to be the One True Church.

 

[JustAnglican]

As far as I am aware the Anglican Church has never claimed to be the One True Church.

My understanding as well

 

[Wryetui]

Well, I have read that the Anglican Communions claims to be or at least part of the One True Church.

 

[grasping the after wind]

cancel

 

[grasping the after wind]

Well, I have read that the Anglican Communions claims to be or at least part of the One True Church.

I'm not an Anglican but I think that claim is valid not only for them but also for all Christian denominations and for all Christians.

 

[PaladinValer]

We claim to be part of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church: we claim to have continued in the truly Catholic faith, are the fullness of the Church born on the original Whitsun, and have a valid Apostolic Succession.

Other churches are also members, and indeed all who are baptized into the faith are members in various levels of communion, but we are the fullest expression, or otherwise, we wouldn't be members.

 

[Albion]

Well, I have read that the Anglican Communions claims to be or at least part of the One True Church.

Well sure, the Anglican Communion churches claim to be part of the whole, of the church of Christ, along with many non-Anglicans.

 

[Wryetui]

So every church that exists within the Anglican Communion have equal rights, there is no superior church or patriarch?

 

[PaladinValer]

So every church that exists within the Anglican Communion have equal rights, there is no superior church or patriarch?

The Church of England is home to the primus inter pares, the Archbishop of Canterbury, whose office and cathedra is one of the Four Instruments of Unity, but the Church of England is not greater or lesser in status to any other province.

All Primates of the Anglican Communion are equal.

 

[FireDragon76]

So every church that exists within the Anglican Communion have equal rights, there is no superior church or patriarch?

All are equal.

Some of the early Anglican theologians asserted that Rome was in error and that the Church of England taught the truth faith. But they did not necessarily see Rome as outside the Church. The real significant doctrinal difference was whether the Pope had jurisdiction in England, that is what caused the split in the first place (basically, for political reasons the Pope did not grant the king a routine annulment of his marriage, despite having good reason to be concerned about the legality of it). Differences over doctrines of justification and the Bible developed later.

At the time the Protestant reformation happened, northern Europe was ignorant of Byzantine culture and Eastern Orthodoxy. Some Protestant theologians believed, for instance, that the Greeks did not have confession. Many expected when they contacted the East, they would find identical beliefs to their own. To their frustration, they didn't, but by that point the Protestant establishment was so entrenched politicially that nothing ever came of that contact.

A really good blog about Anglicanism is The Conciliar Anglican. The Conciliar Anglican | reflections on Anglican teaching and practice Fr. Jonathan is an Episcopalian priest and he believes Anglicanism is the best, most authentic way to be a Christian. If you are interested in his viewpoint, his blog is worth a read.

 

[Wryetui]

What's the difference between Episcopalian and Anglican?

 

[PaladinValer]

What's the difference between Episcopalian and Anglican?

None.

Anglican Communion members in the United States, Scotland, Sudan, Liberia, and a few other places are known as Episcopalians.

 

[Albion]

What's the difference between Episcopalian and Anglican?

Anglican is the general term for this branch of Christianity. In those countries where things "Anglo" (meaning England) had, in the past, an unpopular association (in Scotland and the United States most obviously), the term "Episcopal Church" or "Episcopalian" was used as a synonym.

 

[FireDragon76]

What's the difference between Episcopalian and Anglican?

The Episcopal Church came from the Church of England, but the Episcopal Church and the Church of England are self-ruled (autocephalus) churches that happen to be in communion with each other. They get together every few years and talk at official levels. Beyond that, they are autonomous. Since Anglicans mostly have "open communion" (at least to all baptized Christians), being "in communion" does not have the same kind of meaning as it does in Eastern Orthodoxy - Anglicans routinely commune with Lutherans, Methodists, and other Christians, after all.

My experience with Episcopalians in the US is that they would rarely identify as Anglican, not unless they wanted to distance themselves from the Episcopal Church's general convention (synod). Usually, that means they are reasserters or conservatives.

 

[Wryetui]

So Episcopalian is exactly the same as Anglican? No differences at all?

I didn't know Anglicans give communion to everyone.

 

[Albion]

So Episcopalian is exactly the same as Anglican? No differences at all?

Basically, that's right. However, within the family of Anglican churches, there are differences. Each country's church has its own version of the Prayer Book and so some of the prayers will vary. Also some churches are known for being very ceremonial while others are known for being less so. And individual Anglicans are known to tilt towards the more catholic side of the faith while others lean more towards the reformed side of Anglicanism. So, yes, there are some variations, but as between "Anglican" and "Episcopalian" hardly any. Even among Anglicans who belong to Anglican churches that are not affiliated with the Anglican Communion, some are named "Anglican" and others "Episcopal."

I didn't know Anglicans give communion to everyone.

...everyone who's been baptized, that is. Often the announcement will add "in good standing in their own churches" and/or "adult" communicants of their own churches.

 

[PaladinValer]

So Episcopalian is exactly the same as Anglican? No differences at all?

Yes and yes.

I didn't know Anglicans give communion to everyone.

The requirements to receive Holy Communion under Anglican/Episcopal auspices is the communicant must:

• Be validly baptized
• Be Nicene (ie: a Christian)
• Honestly discern the Body and Blood

In a few provinces, Confirmation is required as well, but Anglicanism is moving away from that, as more and more provinces are adopting a formal Chrismation as part of the Baptismal Rite.

In addition, if a person is not in good standing or excommunicate for reasons other than communicating with us or agreeing more with our theology, then that person should not communicate with us either.

 

[Wryetui]

Could you give me some reasons you chose to be Anglican and what makes you stay in that Church?

 

[PaladinValer]

Could you give me some reasons you chose to be Anglican and what makes you stay in that Church?

Truth, pure and simple. A valid Apostolic Succession, orthodox Catholic doctrine, no Vatican abuses, no valid=licit or splitting of the Sacrament of Holy Orders ideas of the East, and no Protestantism. We've even found official reconciliation with the Oriental Orthodox over the Chalcedonian Definition without changing our beliefs; true ecumenicism.