A friend and fellow priest contacted me today about a half-remembered elevator speech on the Anglican Church that he seemed to remember that I might once had sent him possible last year — or maybe not. It sounds like something that I might have written, but I can find no record of it. So, this afternoon, I took a shot at writing what I might have written but probably didn’t. In describing the Anglican Church, distinctions must be made, particularly concerning the Roman Catholic Church. I mean no offense. I pray that the polemics of the 15th-16th centuries have no place in my heart, and that each side in the disputes has repented of excesses and has forgiven the other. Also, distinctions must be made between various jurisdictions in the Anglican landscape of the United States, especially regarding The Episcopal Church (TEC). Again, no offense is intended. While I think that TEC has lost its way, I suspect there are many faithful parishes left, and I know beyond doubt that there are many faithful, orthodox Episcopalians. May God bless you, and, in the words of my rector, may your tribe increase! Now, to the elevator speech.

“What is the Anglican Church? I’ve never heard of it.” That is a question and a complaint that all Anglicans — certainly all Anglican priests — have heard from strangers, friends, and family. If you were to ask me, I would first give you three options and ask you to select any two: good, fast, and thorough. If you want a good and fast answer, it won’t be thorough. If you want a good and thorough answer, it won’t be fast. If you want a fast and thorough answer, well, that’s just no good; it isn’t possible. So, I will assume you want to start with good and fast; if you also want thorough, spend some time with an Anglican priest; he will be delighted to answer your questions.

The Anglican Church is one of three ancient/historic branches of the one, holy, catholic (universal, not Roman) and apostolic Church of our Lord Jesus Christ; the other two are the Orthodox (Eastern) Church and the Roman Catholic (Western) Church. The Anglican Church shares much in common with these two: a commitment to Scripture as the authoritative word of God written; the use of the Nicene Creed as a common rule of right faith; an acceptance of church tradition as contained in the Ecumenical Councils of the Church and in the witness of countless saints and martyrs; the embrace of the Sacraments of the Church (primarily Baptism and Holy Communion, but also confirmation, confession, anointing for healing, marriage, and ordination); the use of ancient liturgy in worship; the acceptance of church order and polity governed by bishops assisted by priests, deacons, and lay persons.

Though the Anglican Church is as ancient as the universal Church itself, it is also distinguished by its more modern English heritage; in fact, “Anglican” simply means “related to England.” During the Reformation of the 15th-16th centuries, the Roman Catholic Church in England rejected the authority of the Bishop of Rome (the Pope) over the affairs of English government and the English Church. Under the leadership of Thomas Cranmer, the first Archbishop of Canterbury of the English/Anglican Church, the doctrine of the church was purified of certain errors and accretions introduced by the medieval Roman Catholic Church. In this sense, the Anglican Church is both catholic (part of the universal church) and Protestant/Reformed. So, if you want a very short answer to the question, “What is the Anglican Church?” you might say it is the Reformed, English Catholic Church: (pretty) good and (very) fast, but not exactly thorough. Thomas Cranmer began compiling and writing an authoritative manual for Anglican faith and worship still used today: the Book of Common Prayer.

The Anglican Church is present globally. In the United States, there are several different church bodies that are part of the Anglican Church. The largest of these is The Episcopal Church (TEC), though, tragically, TEC has strayed very significantly from the traditional faith and practice of the ancient Church over the past fifty years. By God’s grace, faithful Anglican bodies have emerged. The largest of these is the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA). Others notable groups include the Reformed Episcopal Church (REC) and the Anglican Province of America (APA). These groups agree on the fundamentals of the faith, but differ on some secondary issues, primarily on the inclusion of women in holy orders (women’s ordination).

So there you have it: a fast (certainly) and good (hopefully) introduction to the Anglican Church.