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The Anglican Communion
is a loose affiliation of self-governing provinces. As such it
much more closely follows the pattern of ancient Christian practice
and the Orthodox churches than the later development (and then
corruption) of centralism which is the hallmark of the Roman Catholics.
Any such affiliation needs some cement to hold it together. Today
the Communion is often described in terms of four
instruments of unity. However these are merely organizational
bonds, what has held the Communion together has been a shared
history and belief (particularly expressed in liturgy).
However the Communion has come under increasing strain as parts
of it made doctrinal changes without reference to others. This
was the case as Provinces began to ordain Women
as Priests contrary to the teaching of the Bible (though the
Bible uses different terms for ministry) and to the practice of
the Christian Church for over 1900 years. More latterly the Communion
has been torn assunder by revisionists who insist that homosexual
practice should be accepted. Of course these issues are merely
the presenting issues. Underneath the far more serious matter
is that parts of the Communion, mostly the 'western' provinces
have set themselves over the authority
of Scripture
Some articles and other statements on the divisions in the Anglican
Communion
Other Pages
How big is the Anglican
Communion?
Division in the Communion
Articles
- Lambeth
1998 - The Death of Anglicanism? Churchman Article by Mark
Burkill
Official
Texts
Press
releases
- February 2005 - Response to the Primate's Statement
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