Knowra Anglican Communion Anglican Communion The Anglican Communion is a worldwide association of autonomous churches historically connected to the Church of England. Its provinces share traditions and relationships but have no central authority governing them all.
Anglicanism : A Christian tradition that developed from the Church of England and combines Protestant theology with inherited catholic forms. The Communion is the global family of churches belonging to this tradition.
Anglican Consultative Council : A representative Anglican body of bishops, clergy, and laity that supports cooperation among Communion churches. It gives laypeople and clergy, as well as bishops, a place in Communion-wide consultation.
Church of England : The established Christian church in England, formed during the English Reformation and part of the Anglican tradition. It is the Communion’s historical mother church, though it does not govern other provinces.
Ordination of women in the Anglican Communion : The authorization of women as deacons, priests, or bishops by Anglican provinces at different times. Different provincial decisions have tested how far churches can diverge while remaining in communion.
Roman Catholic Church : The worldwide Catholic church in communion with the pope, who holds universal primacy in its governance. Unlike the Anglican Communion, it has a central office with formal jurisdiction across local churches.
Anglican Communion provinces : Self-governing regional churches that make up the Anglican Communion. Provincial autonomy is the Communion’s basic organizing principle.
Primates' Meeting : A meeting of the senior bishops, or primates, of Anglican provinces. Provincial leaders use it to discuss common concerns and strained relationships.
English Reformation : The sixteenth-century transformation that separated the Church of England from papal authority and reshaped its doctrine and worship. It formed the Church of England tradition that later spread around the world.
Anglican realignment : The reorganization of Anglican relationships and institutions amid disputes over sexuality, authority, and doctrine. It exposes the practical limits of Communion-wide unity without central jurisdiction.
Eastern Orthodox Church : A communion of self-governing churches sharing Orthodox faith and sacramental life, without a universal bishop. Its conciliar structure offers a comparison with Anglicanism’s decentralized but differently organized communion.
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