Anglicanism

Anglicanism is a major branch of Western Christianity.

It grew from the practices and identity of the Church of England. This happened during the English Reformation in Europe. Today, it is one of the largest Christian branches. The Anglican Communion includes about 110 million members worldwide. As of 2025, more than 400,000 people identify as Anglican outside this Communion. In some countries, these followers are called Episcopalians. Most members belong to national or regional ecclesiastical provinces. These provinces are part of a massive international body.

The Anglican Communion is the world's third-largest Christian communion. Most provinces stay in full communion with the See of Canterbury. They recognize the archbishop of Canterbury as "first among equals." This leader holds several important roles. The archbishop calls the decennial Lambeth Conference. He also chairs the meeting of primates. Additionally, he serves as the president of the Anglican Consultative Council. Some groups call themselves Anglican but stay outside the official Communion. This includes the Continuing Anglican movement and Anglican realignment.

Anglican identity is often described as a "middle way," or *via media*.

In the 17th century, thinkers saw this as a distinct tradition. Originally, it sat between Lutheranism and Calvinism. Later, it was seen as a middle ground between Protestantism and Catholicism. This is often expressed by the phrase "catholic and reformed." Because of this, people often debate the balance of Protestant and Catholic tendencies. This debate happens within individual churches and the whole Communion. The tradition relies on several core foundations for its faith.

Followers base their faith on the Bible and the Gospels. They also value the traditions of the apostolic church. This includes the historic episcopate, or apostolic succession. They look to the writings of the Church Fathers for guidance. Specifically, they value those active in the first five centuries of Christianity. This is known as the quinquasaecentenary principle. Other important guides include the Thirty-nine Articles and the Books of Homilies.

Some Anglicans use reason and experience to interpret scripture. Richard Hooker formulated these ideas in detail. However, there is no total agreement on how reason and tradition interact.

A central part of Anglican worship is the Eucharist.

People also call this Holy Communion, the Lord's Supper, or the Mass. During this sacrament, the community offers prayer and praise. They proclaim the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This involves reading the Bible and singing. The service includes the breaking of bread and the blessing of the cup. Anglicans believe the consecrated bread and wine are the true body and blood of Christ. This happens in a spiritual manner. It serves as a visible sign of inward spiritual grace.

The Book of Common Prayer is unique to this tradition.

It is a collection of services used for many centuries. Thomas Cranmer compiled the first version in 1549. It was called "common prayer" because it was meant for all churches. This helped create a shared way of praying. Even as different countries developed their own books, it remains a primary bond. This liturgical tradition helps hold the global Communion together. It provides a common structure for worship across different cultures.

Anglicanism has a long history in the British Isles. Legend says Joseph of Arimathea helped found Christianity in Britain. Saint Alban was the first recorded British Christian martyr in AD 209.

After the Roman Empire withdrew, distinct traditions emerged. Celtic Christianity developed around the Irish Sea. These churches often operated independently from the Pope. Later, the Church of England declared independence from the Holy See. This happened through the Act of Supremacy in 1534. The Elizabethan Religious Settlement later consolidated this separation.

As the British Empire expanded, the Anglican model spread globally.

After the American Revolution, new autonomous churches formed. These included the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States. Similar structures appeared in Canada. This model was also adopted in Africa, Australasia, and the Asia-Pacific. By the 21st century, the center of the faith shifted to the Global South. In 2020, Africa had 63,556,000 members. Europe had 24,400,000. Oceania had 4,565,000. Northern America had 2,689,000. Asia had 1,230,000, and Latin America had 959,000.