WHAT IS ANGLICANISM?

Anglicans are Christians. We are a part of the historical continuity of God's one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church given to us by the teaching and traditions modeled by the first Apostles and their successors in the faith. The spiritual beauty of Anglicanism is how our lives in Jesus are formed - and transformed - by the Holy Spirit through Scripture and prayer as we serve as His witnesses throughout the world.

While the roots of the Anglican, or English, Church go back as far as the 2nd century, its current structure and status can be traced back to English Reformations in the 1600's. Today, the Anglican Church has a global presence with nearly 85 million participants and continues to uphold its devotion to prayer and the sacred authority of Scripture, the grace and blessings of sacraments, and leading by the Holy Spirit.

While Anglicanism serves as a middle way between Roman Catholicism and Protestantism (having kept features and practices from the historic traditions such as vestments, the rhythm of a church calendar, and robust liturgical worship), it accommodates a diverse expression of faith and worship among its members. This means that even though we share a common liturgy, Scripture lectionary, and prayers of the Church, an Anglican worship service in South America will look and sound differently than one in Canada or Africa.

Anglicanism is Biblical, generous, and beautiful in its order of retelling and participation in the story of Jesus and His love, arranged in the liturgical seasons of Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, Pentecost, and Trinity. Because the Book of Common Prayer is in worldwide use, our engagement with Scripture and collective prayers are part of a global family of people praising God on which the sun never sets.