The Church of England is the state church of England and the mother church of the Anglican Communion. Combining Catholic and Protestant traditions, the Church of England rejects the authority of the Pope, but is led by the Archbishops of Caterbury and York.
As there is history of an organized church in England by the 4rd century, Christianity probably found its way to England in the 2nd century, and perhaps earlier. At that point, of course, it was part of the one, larger Christian church. The English church separated from the larger body in the 16th century.
Henry Tudor ascended to the throne at the age of seventeen, upon the death of his father, Henry VII, becoming King Henry VIII. Through his arranged marriage to Catherine of Aragon, Henry sired one boy, named Henry, but he died seven weeks later. Catherine had two other sons, but they were stillborn. In 1516, she gave birth to Mary, who lived. Henry wanted a male heir.
Henry sought a divorce from Catherine, a request that Pope Clement VII was unwilling to grant. He persuaded Parliament to enact a statute denying the pope jurisdiction over the Church of England. He was not the first to do this, as other English kings had exercised supreme authority over other ecclesiastical matters.
Thus, the Church of England became independent of the Roman Catholic Church. The king then forced the appointment of Thomas Cranmer as the archbishop of Canterbury, the most powerful church office in England. Cranmer then granted an annulment of the marriage between Henry and Catherine.
In subsequent years, Henry VIII went through a series of marriages in the hope of fathering a male child. Anne Boleyn gave birth to a daughter, Elizabeth; then Jane Seymour gave birth to a son, Edward. She died two weeks later, but Henry had a male heir.
Edward VII became king at the age of eight. Due to his age, his uncle, Edward Seymour, guided his decisions, moving the Church of England in a Protestant direction. Thomas Cranmer's, The Book of Common Prayer was made mandatory.
Edward died before reaching the age of majority, and his older sister, Mary, took the throne. In her fanatical efforts to return the Church to its Catholic roots, she became known as Bloody Mary. Among her victims was Thomas Cranmer, who was burned at the stake.
Following her death in five years, Elizabeth I ascended to the throne. She took the Church to a middle way, between Catholicism and Protestantism, which satified the majority.
Today, the Church of England and the larger Anglican Church is often known as the Middle Way. The Church of England teaches that Scripture reveals what people need to know about salvation, but that Scripture must be interpreted according to tradition and through human reason. The basis of its liturgy is The Book of Common Prayer.
It is catholic because it views itself as part of the universal Church in unbroken continuity with the Apostolic church. The Apostles' Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Athanasian Creed are affirmed by the Church of England. However, members of the Church of England are free to accept or reject the Mariology of Roman Catholicism, and the principles of the Protestant Reformation are affirmed in its teaching that Scripture is the final arbiter in all matters of doctrine.
While embracing some of the themes of the Protestant Reformation, the Church of England maintains Catholic traditions that are not considered to be contrary to Scripture.
The Church of England is episcopal, meaning that its government is ruled by bishops. Like Catholicism, its organizational structure consists of bishops, priests, and deacons.
The Church of Scotland separated from the Church of England in 1869, and the Church in Wales separated in 1920, and are autonomous bodies within the Anglican Communion. Today, the national church of Scotland is Presbyterian, but the Scottish Episcopal Church is in the Anglican Communion. Besides England, the Church of England has jurisdication over the Isle of Man, the Channel Islands, and a few parishes in Wales that voted to remain with the Church of England. Expatriate European congregations have become the Diocese of Gibraltar in Europe. The Church of England does not have jurisdiction over the Episcopal Church, but both are in the Anglican Communion.
Although the Church of England is the national church of England, it does not receive financial support from the government.
Topics related to the Church of England are appropriate for this category. However, sites representing local congregations or parishes should be listed in the appropriate Local & Global category.
Recommended Resources
The database offers access to local congregations of the Church in England. Persons seeking a particular type of service, event, or facility at a local church can enter the appropriate keyword into the site's search field. Alternatively, a post code or the name of a village, town, or city may be entered, in order to locate a local church. The vicar of each local church may approve up to five people to edit the church profile.
https://www.achurchnearyou.com/
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. A biography of the current archbishop is given, including his role in public life, and in the Church's relationships with other faiths. His priorities in prayer and religious life, reconciliation, evangelization, and faith are included. Speech schedules and sermons are included.
https://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/
The Archbishop of York is a senior bishop in the Church of England, just under the Archbishop of Canterbury, and is also the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of York and the metropolitan bishop of the Province of York. A biographical profile of the man is offered, including an overview of his priorities and concerns, which include young people, discipleship, evangelism, education, and the environment. Schedules, news, and contacts are included.
https://www.archbishopofyork.org/
The English national church traces its history back to the arrival of Christianity in Britain in the 2nd century. It is the original church of the Anglican Communion. Administered by its National Offices, the site features an overview of the church's faith, worship, life events, and general information. Local member churches may be located through a search on post code or place, and podcasts, daily prayers, and other resources are available.
https://www.churchofengland.org/
Church of England (Continuing)
Founded in England in 1994, the Continuing Anglican Movement was a reaction to the use of the Alternative Service Book and to the ordination of women by the Church of England. Its stance is that the CoE has strayed from the scriptural path, and that it represents the Church continuing straight ahead. Its positions and constitution are stated here, along with a guide to its congregations, publications, audio sermons, and other resources.
http://cofec.org/
Church of England Appointments
The Church of England is organized into two provinces, each led by an archbishop, each province is made up of dioceses, and each diocese is divided into parishes. This site is intended for executive recruitment for positions within the Church of England. General information about the Church is posted, including its values and key facts, its pensions board, and a list of available positions.
https://www.cofeappointments.com/
Church of England Christenings
During a Christening in the Church of England, the child will be baptized with water. The process is described here, step by step, with information about the age at which a child should be christened, choosing godparents, and other answers, such as the importance of lighting a candle and offering a prayer for the child about to be christened. A blog offers stories of other christenings.
https://churchofenglandchristenings.org/
Church of England Evangelical Council
CEEC is a network of networks, bringing evangelicals into the Church of England together for fellowship, and to promote orthodox evangelical theology within the Church, and is made up of representatives from the College of Bishops, colleges of theology, mission societies, the General Synod, and local associations. Its purpose, memberships, schedules, and resources are outlined.
http://www.ceec.info/
The process of scheduling a funeral within the Church of England is outlined here, including an overview about who might be eligible for a funeral within the church, the process of arranging a funeral, and what to expect while attending a funeral in a Church of England congregation. Also included is a funeral planner, a walk-through of a typical funeral within the Church, special services, and the role of the Church after the funeral is over.
https://churchofenglandfunerals.org/
The weekly Anglican newspaper is published on Fridays in the United Kingdom. Independent of the Church of England hierarchy, the publication generally adopted an evangelical stance in its stories. Topics include political and religious intelligence, local, international, and parliamentary news, several topics related to Anglican life, and regular columns and features. Subscriptions may be made online.
http://www.churchnewspaper.com/
Church of England Record Society
Founded in 1991, the organization promoted interest in the Church of England, and offers information about the Church, from the 16th century onwards, publishing volumes covering all periods of church history. Its organizational structure and officers are posted, and its publications and historical documents are cited, along with membership information, a calendar of events, contacts, and links to other resources.
http://www.coers.org/
Church of England Youth Council
Made up of young Christians from dioceses throughout the Church of England, the Council seeks to have two representatives, ages 16 to 25, from each of the dioceses in the Church of England, as well as a core group of members who are viewed as representing the national council rather than the home dioceses. Membership information Is posted, and a private member area is included, along with a calendar of events, vacancies, and a blog.
http://www.ceyc.org/
