Anglicanism, one of the currents within Christianity, which is sometimes considered a trend of Protestantism, and sometimes considered as an independent direction of the Christian religion. Some religious scholars define Anglicanism as a set of churches that are in Eucharistic communion with the Archdiocese of Canterbury (that is, in fact with the Church of England), which is not entirely accurate, since some non-Anglican churches are also in intercommunion with the Church of England (Old Catholics, the Philippine Independent Church, the Syrian Malabar Church Mar Thoma, a number of united Protestant churches: Church of South India, Church of North India, Church of Pakistan, Church of Bangladesh).
The beginning of Anglicanism, expressed at first in the separation of the Church of England from the Roman Catholic Church, was laid by the Act of Supremacy (1534), in which the English King Henry VIII (reigned in 1509-1547) was proclaimed in England the head of the church instead of the Pope (at the same time the English themselves trace the history of their church from 100). However, organizational isolation from Roman Catholicism did not yet mean a rejection of its dogma and rituals; this departure was carried out very carefully and gradually. The "10 Articles" adopted in 1536 rejected Catholic provisions on the supremacy of popes, purgatory, holy relics, and the veneration of icons. This was followed by the "Book of Bishops" (1537), "6 Articles" (1539), "The Book of the King" (1543), where the provisions of Anglicanism were developed. Edward VI (1547-1553) continued to reform the church in a Calvinist direction. In 1549, the "Book of Public Worship" was published, prescribed by the Law of Uniformity as an official missal. This book, in which elements of dogma were introduced, was revised in 1552, 1559, 1662 and 1872 and still remains the main guide to ritual in the Anglican Church. In 1552, "42 articles" were published, which set out the foundations of the Anglican doctrine. However, they actually did not find application, since after the accession of Mary Tudor (1553-1558) in England there was a restoration of Catholicism. Queen Elizabeth I (1558-1603) returned to the principles of Anglicanism. In 1562, the "39 Articles" (slightly modified from the "42 Articles") were adopted, which still remain the dogmatic basis of the Anglican doctrine. Minor changes were made to them until 1571, when the articles were approved by convocation - the cathedral of the Anglican clergy.
On the whole, the "39 Articles" can be characterized as a kind of compromise between pro-Calvinist and pro-Catholic forces in England. In fact, Anglicanism does not make any rigid prescriptions, only a flexible framework is defined for the religious ideas of the believer. They also contain elements of Lutheranism. The articles briefly outline the main dogmatic provisions of Anglicanism, and the brevity and sometimes vagueness of the wording make it possible to interpret them broadly. In the 39 Articles, many of the provisions are given in such a streamlined form that they could not arouse any sharp attacks from the opposing parties. Some scholars of religion believe that this was done deliberately in order to make the Anglican creed acceptable to English religious leaders who held very different, sometimes conflicting views.
The articles also reflect some common Christian doctrinal provisions and, above all, the dogma of the trinity of God.
The main authority for Anglicans is the Holy Scriptures. It is believed that the Old and New Testaments contain everything necessary for salvation, are the rule and the final standard of faith. The three Christian creeds (Apostolic, Nicene, and Athanasian) are recognized because their entire content can be proven from Holy Scripture. The Apostles' Creed is taken as a baptismal creed, the Nicene Creed as a firm statement of the Christian faith. Such an element of Sacred Tradition as the decrees of councils is not completely rejected. Thus, the Anglicans recognize the doctrinal provisions adopted by the first four ecumenical councils: Nicaea (325), Constantinople (381), Ephesus (431) and Chalcedon (451). In an effort to rely only on the dogmas of the early period of the Christian Church, the Anglicans nevertheless left in their doctrine the Catholic filioque: the position of the descent of the Holy Spirit not only from the Father, but also from the Son - an innovation of Western Christianity that appeared in the 7th century.
The Anglican Church, like the Orthodox Church, rejects the Catholic doctrine of the overdue merits of saints, considering it impious. Any legitimacy of the power of the popes is also categorically denied.
Not accepting the Catholic doctrine of transubstantiation, that is, the miraculous transformation of bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ during communion, the Anglicans nevertheless rejected the Zwinglian and Calvinist ideas about the elements of communion as only symbols of the body and blood of Christ, adhering to the compromise doctrine of the real presence in communion with the body and blood of Christ. It is believed that although bread and wine remain unchanged after consecration, the communicants receive with them the body and blood of Christ.
The 39 Articles also reject monasticism, the veneration of holy relics and icons.
Regarding the seven sacraments accepted by Orthodoxy and Catholicism, the "39 Articles" are not very categorical, leaving, however, among the main ones established by Christ himself, only two sacraments: baptism and the Lord's Supper (communion).
In Anglicanism, as in other Protestant denominations, there is a provision for the salvation of a person by personal faith. However, Anglicans do not completely reject the Orthodox and Catholic doctrine of the saving power of the Church. Predestination in Anglican doctrine is rather vague.
Ritualism in the Anglican Church is significantly simplified compared to the Catholic, but still not to the same extent as in other Protestant churches. Divine services held by the Anglicans in the national language are in some ways reminiscent of the Catholic Mass and are distinguished by solemnity. However, the flexibility of wording, characteristic of the Book of Public Worship, also applies to rituals, which allows different currents within Anglicanism to celebrate worship in different ways.
In terms of organizational structure, Anglicanism is close to Catholicism. Anglican churches are episcopal. The hierarchy in them resembles the Catholic one. There are three degrees of priesthood: deacons, priests, bishops. Unlike the Catholic Church, they are not required to be celibate. The Anglican clergy claim the apostolic succession of their priesthood (the Anglican churches attach great importance to this issue).
There are over 450 Anglican dioceses in the world in more than 160 countries.
According to the interpretation of some provisions relating to dogmatics and cult practice, five trends noticeably differ: Anglo-Catholics, high church, broad (central) church, low church, evangelicals (the currents are listed in descending order in their doctrinal and liturgical representations of Catholic and increasing Protestant features ).
Anglo-Catholics differ little from the Roman Catholic Church in doctrine and ritual. They attach much more importance than the majority of Anglicans to Holy Tradition, they believe in the possibility of the clergy to provide some assistance in salvation. There is also an idea of some kind of purgatory (an intermediate link between hell and paradise). Believers must repent of their sins at confession to priests. The latter are required to observe celibacy (celibacy). Great importance is attached to the ritual: during worship, incense and holy water are used, the clergy are dressed in rich sacred robes.
The High Church is also close to Catholicism in many ways. Among its supporters, there is an idea that the Anglican Church is one of the three branches of Catholicism (the other two are Roman Catholicism and Orthodoxy). From the Anglo-Catholics, who are actually an offshoot of the high church, the latter differs in some simplification of rituals. Besides, if the Anglo-Catholics do not recognize the royal power of the Divine, then the high church does.
The low church is much closer in its doctrinal attitudes and views on ritual practice to classical Protestantism. Its followers do not attach any significant role to Holy Tradition, they believe that only personal faith is needed for salvation, they completely reject purgatory. Ritualism is simplified even more than in the high church.
The broad church tried to reconcile the extreme tendencies in Anglicanism. There is also a desire to unite all Christian directions. However, in the future, the liberalism of this church led her towards criticism of the Bible: the inspiration of the Holy Scriptures is questioned and its historical interpretation is offered.
The evangelical current (coming out of the bowels of the low church) demanded the maximum simplification of rituals. Its supporters, in particular, oppose the establishment of crosses and candles on the altar, as well as kneeling during worship.
In different Anglican churches, the proportion of followers of these five currents is very different.
The total number of Anglicans around the world is 69 million people. Over a third of this number (25 million) is accounted for by
More ecumenical.
Anglicanism combines the Catholic doctrine of the saving power of the church with the Protestant doctrine of salvation by personal faith.
A characteristic feature of the Anglican Church is its episcopal structure, reminiscent of the Catholic and claiming apostolic succession.
In the field of dogma and ritual, the division into two currents is remarkable - "high", gravitating towards Catholicism, and "low", Protestant. This feature allows the Anglican Church to enter into ecumenical contacts with both the Catholic Church and Protestant movements.
Anglicanism is adhered to by a number of churches that allow mutual communion of members and are in weak organizational unity with the Diocese of Canterbury. The Anglican Communion consists of 25 autonomous churches and 6 church organizations. The senior hierarchs of these virtually independent churches meet at periodic Lambert conferences.
The English Anglican Church is one of the state churches of Great Britain along with the Presbyterian Church of Scotland. Its head is the monarch. The archbishops of Canterbury and York, as well as bishops, are appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of a government commission. Some bishops take seats in the House of Lords of Parliament.
The total number of adherents of the Anglican Church at the end of the 20th century (including Episcopal churches) is about 70 million people, mainly in Great Britain and its former colonies and protectorates.
Different creeds are mixed in Anglicanism: something inherited from the Catholics, something from the ancient undivided Church, something has a distinct Protestant character. Unlike all other Protestants, the Anglicans, although they did not recognize the priesthood as a sacrament, nevertheless, until recently, preserved the episcopal system and the apostolic succession of the hierarchy. It collapsed only in the XX century when they introduced the female priesthood. The Anglicans rejected indulgences and the doctrine of purgatory. They recognize the Holy Scripture as the only source of faith, but at the same time they accept three ancient symbols: Niceo-Tsaregrad and two more that are known to us, but are not used liturgically, the so-called Athanasian symbol (Athanasius of Alexandria) and the so-called Apostolic symbol.
What remains of Catholicism in Anglicanism is the recognition of the procession of the Holy Spirit from the Father and the Son, but they do not have such pathos as the Catholics. According to tradition, they use filioque, but at the same time they do not insist on this teaching, considering it a private theological opinion. In addition, the very structure of the service was inherited from Catholicism. The worship of the Anglicans to a large extent goes back to the Catholic. The Eucharistic service, of course, resembles a mass, although it is celebrated in English.
In the books published by the Anglicans, there are many such narratives, which we would call "lives of the saints." They do not pray to the saints as intercessors before God, but the veneration of their memory, the appeal to their lives, to their feat is very common. Not worshiping icons in the sense of honoring the prototype through the image, they make extensive use of religious painting. During Anglican worship, instrumental music is used: an organ or even an orchestra.
The head of the Anglican Church in England used to be the king and now Parliament. Until now, all changes in dogma and divine services must be approved by Parliament. This is paradoxical, because the modern English parliament includes not only Anglicans, but also people of other faiths and simply non-believers. But this apparent anachronism exists only in England itself. The Anglicans, dispersed in other countries of the world, can change their system as they like, without consulting secular authorities. There are now about 90 million Anglicans in the world. Outside the UK they refer to themselves as the Episcopal Church. The main regions of the spread of Anglicanism are primarily North America, Australia, New Zealand, Africa (those countries that were colonies of England). The supreme body for all Anglicans is the so-called Lambeth Conferences. At these conferences, once every five years, Anglican bishops from everywhere come to Lambeth Palace (the palace of the Bishop of London). They may decide on the doctrinal system or on other matters of the whole Anglican Communion.
Name: Anglicanism ("English Church")
Time of occurrence: 16th century
Anglicanism as a religious movement occupies an intermediate position between Protestantism and Catholicism, combining the features of both. The reason for this lies in the historical conditions for the emergence of Anglicanism - this religion, like other Protestant movements, was the result of a struggle with the Roman Catholic Church, but unlike Lutheranism, Calvinism and other European movements, it did not arise "from below", but was planted "from above" by the will of the monarchy. Anglicanism owes its origin to one of the most famous English kings - Henry VIII. Creating his own church in England, he set a goal to gain independence from the Roman Curia. The formal reason was the refusal of Pope Clement VII to recognize Henry's marriage to Catherine of Aragon as illegal and, accordingly, annul it so that he could marry Anne Boleyn. As a result of the confrontation, in 1534 the English Parliament declared the independence of the English Church. In the future, Anglicanism became the mainstay of absolutism. The clergy, headed by the king, actually became part of the state apparatus. Parliament is currently the head of the Anglican Church in England.
Under Queen Elizabeth I, an Anglican creed called the 39 Articles was formed. It included provisions characteristic of both Protestantism and Catholicism. For example, along with other currents of Protestantism, Anglicanism recognized the dogma of justification by faith and the dogma of the Bible as the only source of faith, and also rejected Catholic teachings about indulgences, the veneration of icons and relics, about purgatory, the institution of monasticism, the vow of celibacy of priests, etc. Common to Anglicanism and Catholicism became the dogma of the single-saving power of the church, as well as many elements of the cult, characterized by special splendor. The external decoration of Anglican churches does not differ much from the Catholic ones; they also pay great attention to decor - stained glass windows, images of saints, etc.
Unlike other churches, Anglicanism, while recognizing all the traditional sacraments, places particular emphasis on the Holy Eucharist (Holy Communion).
It is interesting that in the 19th century the Russian Church and Anglicanism had a fairly close relationship. Until now, Anglicanism is perceived more favorably than Catholicism and Protestantism.
The organizational structure of Anglicanism is identical to the Catholic one - the churches have an episcopal structure. The priesthood includes a number of degrees - deacons, priests and bishops. Much attention is paid to the issue of apostolic succession of the priesthood.
Currently, about 70 million adherents of Anglicanism live in the world. Since its inception, Anglicanism has been inseparable from British statehood and subsequently developed as part of the colonial expansion of the British Empire. Now Anglicanism plays a big role in maintaining a single cultural and religious space for the English-speaking countries and former colonies of the British crown.
· Puritans · Pentecostals · Great Awakening Charismatic MovementEarly Anglican dogma correlated with contemporary Reformation Protestant dogma, but by the end of the 16th century, the retention of many traditional liturgical forms and episcopacy in Anglicanism began to be considered absolutely unacceptable from the point of view of those who stood on more radical Protestant positions. Already in the first half of the 17th century, the Church of England and the Episcopal Churches associated with it in Ireland and the North American Colonies began to be considered by some Anglican theologians and theologians as a special, independent direction of Christianity, of a compromise nature - the "middle path" (lat. via media), between Protestantism and Catholicism. This view has gained particular influence on all subsequent theories of Anglican identity. After the American Revolution, Anglican congregations in the United States and Canada were transformed into independent churches with their own bishops and church structures, which became the prototype for many newly created, in the course of the expansion of the British Empire and the strengthening of missionary activity, churches in Africa, Australia and the Pacific region. In the 19th century, the term "Anglicanism" was coined to describe the common religious traditions of all these churches, as well as the Scottish Episcopal Church, which, although derived from the Church of Scotland, came to be seen as a church sharing the same identity.
The extent of the difference between the Protestant and Roman Catholic tendencies in Anglicanism remains a matter of debate, both within individual Anglican churches and within the Anglican Communion as a whole. The hallmark of Anglicanism is the Book of Public Worship. The Book of Common Prayer), which is a collection of prayers that have been the basis of worship for centuries (common prayer - liturgy). Although the Book of Public Worship has been revised many times, and some Anglican churches have created different liturgical books, it is one of the cores that hold the Anglican Communion together. There is no single "Church of England" that would have absolute jurisdiction over all the Anglican churches, since each of them is autocephalous, that is, enjoys full autonomy.
The word "Anglicanism" is a neologism that appeared in the 19th century. It is based on the older word "Anglican" (Anglican). This word describes the Christian Churches throughout the world, in canonical unity with the see of Canterbury, their teachings and rites. Subsequently, this term began to be applied to those Churches that proclaimed the uniqueness of their religious and theological tradition, its difference, both from Eastern Orthodoxy and from Catholicism or other directions of Protestantism, regardless of their subordination to the British Crown.
The word "Anglican" (Anglican) goes back to the Latin term "ecclesia anglicana", referring to 1246 and meaning in literal translation from medieval Latin "English Church". Used as an adjective, the word "Anglican" is used to describe people, institutions and churches, as well as liturgical traditions and theological concepts developed by the Church of England. As a noun, "Anglican" is a member of a Church that is part of the Anglican Communion. The term is also used by schismatics who left the Community or originated outside it, although the Anglican Communion itself considers such a use to be incorrect. However, most breakaways retain Anglican doctrine in a more conservative form than some members of the Community.
And although the first mention of the term "Anglican" in relation to the Church of England dates back to the 16th century, it became widely used only in the second half of the 19th century. British Parliamentary legislation relating to the English Established Church describes it as the Protestant Episcopal Church, distinct from the Protestant Presbyterian Church, which has statutory status in Scotland. . The "high church" followers who opposed the use of the term "Protestant" supported the use of the term "Reformed Episcopal Church". Therefore, the word "Episcopal" is more commonly used in the name of the Episcopal Church of the United States (a province of the Anglican Communion) and the Scottish Episcopal Church. Outside the British Isles, however, the term "Church of England" is preferred, as it makes it possible to clearly distinguish these Churches from all other Churches that consider themselves episcopal, that is, whose form of government is an episcopal structure. At the same time, the Church of Ireland and the Church of Wales continue to use the term, but with restrictions.
Image of Jesus on a stained glass window in Rochester Cathedral, Kent.
Anglicanism, its structures, theology and forms of worship are usually referred to as Protestantism, but officially the church calls itself Catholic. Some believe that Anglicanism refers to a separate direction in Christianity, representing the via media ("middle way") between Catholicism and Protestantism. Anglican doctrine is based on the Scriptures, the traditions of the Apostolic Church, the historical episcopate, the first four Ecumenical Councils, and the teachings of the early Church Fathers. Anglicans believe that the Old and New Testaments "contain all that is necessary for salvation" and also that they represent the law and the highest standard of faith. Anglicans regard the Apostles' Creed as a baptismal creed and the Nicene Creed as a sufficient expression of the Christian Faith.
Anglicans believe that the Catholic and Apostolic Faith is revealed in Holy Scripture and the Catholic Creeds and interprets it in the light of the Christian tradition of the historical Church, science, reason and experience.
Anglicanism recognizes the traditional sacraments, with particular emphasis, however, on the Holy Eucharist, also called Holy Communion, the Lord's Supper, or Mass. Communion is central to Anglican worship, being a common offering of prayer and praise in which the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ is proclaimed through prayer, Bible reading, singing, and the taking of Bread and Wine, as established at the Last Supper. While many Anglicans attach as much importance to the Eucharist as Western Catholic tradition, there is considerable freedom in liturgical practice, and the style of worship varies from the simplest to the most elaborate.
Unique to Anglicanism is the Book of Public Worship, which is a collection of worship services and has been used by the faithful in most Anglican Churches for centuries. It got its name - the Book of Public Worship - because it was originally conceived as a common liturgical book for all the churches of the Church of England, which previously used local, and therefore different, liturgical forms. With the spread of the influence of the Church of England to other countries, the term meanwhile survived, as most Anglicans continued to use the Book of Public Worship throughout the world. In 1549 the Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Cranmer completed the first edition of the Book of Public Worship. Although the Book of Public Worship has been revised many times, and some Anglican Churches have created other liturgical books, it is one of the cores that hold the Anglican Communion together.
The Reformation in England, unlike other countries, was carried out "from above", at the behest of the monarch Henry VIII, who thus tried to break with the pope and the Vatican, and also to strengthen his absolute power. The turning point was the declaration by Parliament in 1534 of the independence of the English Church from the Roman Curia. Under Elizabeth I, the final version of the Anglican creed (the so-called "39 Articles") was compiled. The "39 Articles" also recognized the Protestant dogmas about justification by faith, about Holy Scripture as the only source of faith, and the Catholic dogma about the single-saving power of the Church (with some reservations). The church became national and became an important pillar of absolutism, it was headed by the king, and the clergy were subordinate to him as part of the state apparatus of the absolutist monarchy. The service was performed in English. The teaching of the Catholic Church about indulgences, about the veneration of icons and relics was rejected, the number of holidays was reduced. At the same time, the sacraments of baptism and communion were recognized, the church hierarchy was preserved, as well as the liturgy and magnificent cult characteristic of the Catholic Church. As before, tithes were collected, which began to flow in favor of the king and the new owners of the monastery lands.
For "High Church" Anglicans, the creed was not established from the teaching role of the church, not derived from the theology of the founder (like Lutheranism or Calvinism), not generalized into a confession of faith (other than the Creeds). For them, the earliest Anglican theological documents are prayer books, which are seen as the results of deep theological reflection, compromise and synthesis. They emphasize the Book of Common Prayer as the main expression of Anglican doctrine. The principle that prayer books are regarded as a guide to the foundations of faith and religious practice is called the Latin expression "lex orandi, lex credendi" ("the law of prayer is the law of faith"). The prayer books contain the foundations of Anglican doctrine: the Apostolic, Nicene and Athanasian Creeds, Holy Scriptures, Sacraments, daily prayers, catechism and apostolic succession in the context of a three-stage hierarchy
Evangelical Anglicans place more emphasis on the 39 Articles of the Anglican Confession, insisting on justification by faith alone and their negative attitude towards the Roman Catholic Church. According to the Canons adopted in 1604, all clergy of the Church of England must accept the 39 articles as the basis of the doctrine.
The role that the Book of Public Worship and the 39 Articles of the Anglican Confession play as doctrinal sources for the Church of England is established in Canon A5 and Canon C15. Canon A5 - "Of the Doctrine of the Church of England" ("On the doctrine of the Church of England") decides:
“The doctrine of the Church of England is based on The Holy Scriptures and on the teaching of the early Church Fathers and the Councils of the Church, which is consistent with the Holy Scriptures.
This doctrine is found in the 39 articles of the Anglican Religion (The Thiry-Nine Articles of Religion), the Book of Public Worship, and the Ordinal."
Canon C15 ("Of the Declaration of Assent") contains the declaration that clerics and certain blessed lay officers of the Church of England utter when they begin their ministry or accept a new appointment.
This Canon begins with the following Preface:
“The Church of England is part of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church serving the one true God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It professes a faith uniquely revealed in the Holy Scriptures and established in the catholic creeds. This faith the Church is called to proclaim new in each generation (to proclaim afresh in each generation). Guided by the Holy Spirit, she bears witness to Christian truth through her historical documents, the Thirty-nine Articles of Religion, The Book of Common Prayer, and the Ordering of Bishops, Priests and Deacons. By this declaration that You are about to make, do You affirm Your commitment to this inheritance of faith as Your inspiration and guidance under God to bring the grace and truth of Christ to this generation and to make Him known to those who are entrusted? You?"
In response to this Preface, the man who delivers the Declaration replies:
“I, A.B., do so affirm, and accordingly declare my belief in the faith which is revealed in the Holy Scriptures and set forth in the catholic creeds and to which the historic formularies of the Church of England bear witness; and in public prayer and administration of the sacraments, I will use only the forms of service which are authorized or allowed by Canon.”
Anglican theologians also hold an authoritative position on doctrine. Historically, the most influential of these - apart from Cranmer - was the cleric and theologian Richard Hooker (March 1554 - November 3, 1600), who after 1660 was portrayed as the founding father of Anglicanism.
And, finally, the spread of Anglicanism among peoples of non-English culture, the growing diversity of prayer books and interest in ecumenical dialogue led to further reflection on the characteristic features of Anglican identity. Many Anglicans view the Chicago-Lambeth Quadrilateral of 1888 as the "sine qua non" of the Anglican Communion identity. Briefly, the main points of the Quadrilateral are:
state church in England. It arose during the Reformation in the 16th century. In terms of cult and organizational principles, it is closer to the Catholic than other Protestant churches. A hierarchy reminiscent of the Catholic one is preserved. The head of the A.C. is the king, who appoints the bishops. Primate (honorary title of the chief bishop) A. Ts. - Archbishop of Canterbury. A significant proportion of bishops are members of the House of Lords. There are 3 churches: the high one, which is closest to Catholicism, the low one, which is close to Puritanism, and the broad one, which is the dominant trend in A.C., striving to unite all Christians. There are also formally separated A. C. in Scotland, Wales, Ireland, USA, Canada, Australia - in total in 16 countries. Actively participates in the ecumenical movement, uniting supporters of the unification of Christian denominations. One of the trends in A.C. is Anglo-Catholicism.
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Church of England
(Church of England) - the dominant Church of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and North. Ireland; established in 1662 during the reign of King Charles II.
Formation of A.C. connected with the penetration of the ideas of the Reformation into England (in this regard, Anglicanism is often considered in line with Protestantism), but at the same time, the Anglicans themselves consider A.Ts. as the successor of Ecclesia Anglicana, ancient English Church founded by Augustine of Canterbury. Basic dogmas. theses by A.Ts. first appeared in the Book of Common Prayer (Book of Common Prayer), published in 1549 (revised and supplemented in 1552, 1559, 1662, 1872, 1928).
During the reign of Elizabeth I (1558–1603), the theological a compromise between Catholic and Protestant oriented currents in the AC: in 1571 Parliament adopted 39 articles, which were a kind of fusion of the ideas of Lutheranism and Calvinism with Catholicism. dogma, at the same time the destruction of icons and sculptures in churches stopped.
Main currents inside the A.C. decided in con. 17th century They were named: "High Church" (High Church), "Low Church" (Low Church) and "Broad Church". The "High Church" was formed by representatives of the Anglican Church. hierarchies who defended such features of A.Ts. as state. character, absolute supremacy of the crown, episcopal structure, direct succession from the Middle Ages. Churches. In contrast to the "High Church", in the beginning. 18th century the term "Low Church" arose to denote a movement ideologically close to radical Protestantism; this name was associated with the "insignificant" role assigned to the Catholics. heritage in A.Ts.
The “Broad Church” goes back to the current in A.Ts. end of the 17th century called latitudinarianism (from lat. latitudo - latitude). English latitudinarians recognized the unity of Christ. Churches, considering interfaith differences insignificant. They were indifferent to disputes over doctrinal matters, the organization of the Church, and liturgists. practice, taking a neutral position in the field of theology. In Anglicanism, they wanted reconciliation Protest., Catholic. and Anglican elements proper, advocating dialogue with nonconformists.
In the 1830s, in contrast to the liberal trend, A.Ts. the pro-Catholic Oxford movement (Anglo-Catholicism) was formed, which advocated rapprochement with the Catholic Church. The result of the liturgical reforms in A.Ts. in the 20th century was the creation of a new Service Book (Alternative Service Book), published in 1979 and approved by Parliament in 1980.
Main theses of the teachings of A.Ts. have not undergone significant changes. They are still based on the principles of the 39 articles: recognition of the doctrine of the Trinity, the Incarnation, suffering, death, the descent into hell and the resurrection of Jesus Christ, His ascension and Second Coming, the inspiration of the books of the OT and NT, the divine establishment of the sacrament of baptism; denial of purgatory and indulgences; communion of the laity under two forms; the abolition of celibacy, the denial of papal authority; recognition of the doctrine of the descent of the Holy Spirit and from God the Son (Filioque), of the sufficiency of Holy Scripture for salvation, of original sin, of justification by faith in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ, of the significance of good deeds as “fruits of faith”, but not means of salvation , about the non-infallibility of the Ecumenical Councils (except for the first four); the denial of the veneration of icons and relics, the prayerful invocation of saints, the Eucharist. transubstantiation, the sacrificial meaning of the Eucharist. Decoration of altars and vestments of priests in A.Ts. reminiscent of Catholics. View of A.Ts. the priesthood is closer to the Catholic than to the Protestant.
Structurally A.Ts. consists of two provinces, headed by 2 archbishops: ep. Canterbury, Primate of England - for South. provinces and ep. York - for the North. The two provinces include 44 dioceses: 43 are located in England, a small part of Wales and the islands and consist of 13,250 parishes, one diocese on the continent includes 260 communities located in various countries of the world. Head of A.Ts. is the king (or queen) of Great Britain, who has preserved the Middle Ages. the title of "Defender of the Faith" (Defensor Fidei), he also has the right to appoint (on the recommendation of the Prime Minister) archbishops, bishops and deans of departments. cathedrals. Bishops hold a high position in English ob-ve: archbishop. Canterbury is the first Lord of the United Kingdom, 24 senior bishops sit in the House of Lords English Parliament. Among the lower clergy, the Middle Ages are preserved. job titles: rector, dean, vicar, etc. Since 1867, once every 10 years, archbishop. Canterbury convenes an all-Anglican conference at Lambeth Palace. The Lambeth Conferences are an advisory body whose decisions are not binding until Rev. Synod of A.Ts. will not legislate them. A.Ts. - one of the state Churches of the United Kingdom, along with the Presbyterian Church of Scotland. A.Ts. belong to large land holdings, real estate, capital, which are disposed of by a government commission.
A.Ts. - a member of the Anglican Communion, which unites 37 Churches and 8 churches. communities from 161 countries: the Church of England, the Church in Wales, the Episcopal Church of Scotland, the Church of Ireland, the Episcopal Church in the USA, the Lusitanian Church in Portugal, the Reformed Episcopal Church of Spain, as well as the Syrian Church of the Apostle Thomas, the Philippine Independent Church, etc. Unity of Churches, members of the Anglican Communion, is based on the recognition of the Holy Scriptures of the OT and the NT as the revealed word, the Nicene Creed as a sufficient confession of Christ. faith, two sacraments - baptism and the Eucharist, the episcopal structure of the Church, as well as 4 points of the so-called. Chicago-Lambeth Quadrilateral (Chicago-Lambeth Quadrilateral Agreement).
A.Ts. takes an active part in the ecumen. movement, she made a significant contribution to the organization and activities of the World Council of Churches and other ecumens. organizations. Up to the end. 19th century relations A.Ts. with the Catholic Church remained quite tense. Since 1889, the President of the English Church Union, Viscount Halifax, together with the Catholic. priest F. Portal and L. Duchenne began private consultations on the issue of recognizing the validity of the Anglican priesthood. In 1895, Pope Leo XIII appointed a special commission to consider this problem, which issued a negative decision. On September 13, 1896, Pope Leo XIII published the bull Apostolicae curae, in which he recognized all the episcopal orders of A.Ts. illegal and unenforceable. This caused a counter controversy in the Anglican environment and led to a new aggravation of relations. In 1921 Viscount Halifax, with the support of Card. Mercier and Rev. F. Portal renewed his attempts to establish a dialogue with the Catholic Church. Anglican-Catholic meetings that did not have official status and called the "Malin conversations", were terminated with the death of the card. Mercier (1926). In 1932, an agreement was concluded on Eucharistic communion between the Old Catholics and A.C., which was important for Anglicans due to the controversy about the apostle. succession English episcopate.
Dialogue A.Ts. with Rome resumed from the meeting of the archbishop. Canterbury G. Fischer and Pope John XXIII in Rome in 1960 and with the subsequent arrival of observers from A.Ts. to Vatican II. In March 1966, Archbishop Canterbury M. Ramsey met with Pope Paul VI; this event is considered the beginning of the official. contacts. In 1968 the first Anglican-Catholic document was made public. dialogue - Malta report; in 1970, the Advisory Committee of the Anglican Communion and the Pontifical Secretariat for the Promotion of Christian Unity created a joint organization - the Anglican-Roman-Catholic International Commission (ARCIC I), which adopted a number of documents. After the meeting, Archbishop Canterbury R. Rancy with Pope John Paul II in Canterbury (1982) the second commission (ARCIC II) began its work, developing a dialogue under the general title Growth in Communication. During the Roman meeting 1992 archbishop. Canterbury G.L. Carey signed a joint Declaration of Unity with Pope John Paul II; however, the decision of the General Synod of A.Ts. about the possibility of the female priesthood and the subsequent ordination to the priesthood. The 32 women at Bristol Cathedral in 1994 created new obstacles to bilateral dialogue.
In 1997, the Anglican Communion included approx. 400 bishops, of which 110 - on the territory. United Kingdom, 11 thousand clergy (in the UK), approx. 70 million believers (about 26 million in the UK).
Literature: Anglicanism. L., 1935; The Oxford Dictionary of Christian Church. Ox., l977, p. 57–58, 290–293; Aveling J.C.H. et al. Rome and the Anglicans: Historical and Doctrinal Aspects of Anglican-Roman-Catholic Relations. B.–NY., 1982; The Study of Anglicanism. L.–Minneapolis, 1988; The Anglican Tradition. L., 1991; Church of England Year Book, 1999. L., 1999.
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