Being Anglican

Christianity

The Anglican Church of Canada is part of the worldwide Christian Church. There are more than two billion Christians worldwide.

Christians believe that Jesus of Nazareth, a first-century Jewish preacher in Palestine, was in fact God incarnate. We believe Jesus Christ’s life, death and resurrection saved the world, and we follow his teachings.

Four major branches of Christianity are:

the Orthodox Church, Eastern and Oriental
the Roman Catholic Church
the Anglican Church
the Protestant churches

Anglicans are influenced by both the Protestant and Catholic traditions.

If you’re completely new to Christianity, try visiting the Church of England online to learn more about Jesus Christ and the Christian faith.

The Anglican Church

The Anglican expression of Christian faith has been shaped over many centuries and is rooted in a rich heritage that reaches back to the early Church.

Anglicans:

embrace the Holy Scriptures as a primary source of authority
accept the Apostles’ and Nicene creeds as a sufficient statement of the Christian faith
practise the two sacraments ordained by Christ: baptism and the Eucharist
continue the tradition of the Historic Episcopate (having bishops whose ministry has been handed down from the first Apostles)

Anglicans around the world have common beliefs, practices and ways of worship, which are expressed locally in many languages and customs.

The whole Anglican family worldwide is known as the Anglican Communion. It has more than 80 million members in 165 countries. The parishes, dioceses and provinces of the Anglican Communion support each other in prayer and by sharing resources.

Each national or regional church within the Communion is autonomous. The Archbishop of Canterbury is its spiritual head and the chief sign of its unity.

Anglican history

The Anglican Church of Canada has its roots in the Church of England. Christianity has existed in England since the third century. The Church of England became independent from the Roman Catholic Church during the Reformation in the 16th century. Read more about details the history of the Church of England on the Church of England website.

Anglicanism developed and spread outside England in two stages:

Starting in the 17th century, it was established alongside colonies in the United States, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, India, the West Indies and Guyana
Starting in the 18th century, missionaries worked to establish Anglican churches in Asia, Africa and Latin America

For more information about the history of the Anglican Church in Canada, read A Brief History on the Anglican Church of Canada website.

Have more questions about Anglicanism or Christianity? Your local parish priest will be happy to tell you more. Find a parish near you in Find a Church/Cleric.