Changes

The '''Anglican Communion''' is a confederation of national regional churches, each considered independent, yet sharing [[Full Communionfull communion]] or, in some cases, impaired communion, with one another and the [[Archbishop of Canterbury]], who is the spiritual (although not administrative) head of the Communion. The Anglican Communion maintains the traditional three-fold hierarchy of clergy: Bishops, Priests and Deacons. In some member churches, women have been admitted to one or more of these orders, whereas some member churches have maintained an all-male clergy. Beyond the three-fold order, though the administration and leadership of each national regional church is decided by that particular church. In the Church of England, for example, the Queen appoints Bishops. In the Episcopal Church (USA), on the other hand, bishops are elected by diocese and then confirmed by the House triennial General Convention, or standing committees of Bishopsadvice in the majority of the diocese (depending on when a bishop-elect is chosen by a diocese).

Of particular interest to Orthodox inquirers is the current [[Archbishop of Canterbury]] the Most Reverend and Right Honorable Honourable Rowan Williams, formerly Archbishop of Wales. Dr. Williams, an academic, has written two books on the spirituality of [[iconography]] ("''The Dwelling of the Light: Praying With Icons of Christ" '' and "''Ponder These Things: Praying With Icons of the Virgin"'') and did his doctoral thesis on the theology of Orthodox theologian [[Vladimir Lossky]].

Other major thinkers to come out of the Anglican Communion have been reformers and founders of the Methodist Church John and Charles Wesley, convert to [[Roman Catholic Church|Roman Catholicism]] Cardinal John Henry Newman, social activist Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and authors Dorothy Sayers and [[C. S. Lewis]].

==Member ChurchesRelationship with Orthodox Christians=====Anglican/Orthodox Organizations===Largely through the initiative and work of Oxford Movement figure Father John Mason Neale, in 1863 there was formed the '''Anglican and Eastern Churches Association'''. This organization publishes a journal (''Eastern Churches News Letter'')and encourages interaction of Anglican and Orthodox Christians, particularly through encouraging pilgrimages. In 1928 an organization with similar goals, the '''[[Fellowship of St. Alban and St. Sergius]]''' was formed and also publishes a journal (''Sobornost''). In the 1960s an international commission of Orthodox and Anglican clergy and theologians entitled the Anglican-Orthodox Joint Doctrinal Commission was formed and has issued two historic statements which will be addressed below.

The national churches below are all self-governing members of ===Agreed statements===In the Anglican Communion. There are Anglicans in other countries, however. In these cases1960s, largely through the parishes are under the jurisdiction ecumenical work of one Archbishop of Canterbury Michael Ramsey and Patriarch [[Athenagoras I (Spyrou) of Constantinople]], both the national churchesAnglican Communion and the Orthodox Churches established commissions to consider Anglican-Orthodox relations. The Between 1973 and 1976 an "PrimatesAnglican-Orthodox Joint Doctrinal Commission" (head bishops) of each national church meet periodically met which led to discuss matters the '''Moscow Agreed Statement''' which dealt with "the Knowledge of faith God, the Inspiration and discipline. In additionAuthority of Holy Scripture, every 10 years (1988Scripture and Tradition, 1998the Authority of the Councils, etc.) the Anglican bishops from around ''Filioque'' Clause, the world are gathered to Lambeth Palace (home of Church as the Archbishop of Canterbury) for Eucharistic Community, and the "Lambeth Conference." The decisions Invocation of the Lambeth Conference are seen as advisory, not binding, on [[Holy Spirit]] in the member churchesEucharist."

In 1984 the Commission again produced a joint doctrinal work entitled ''(This list is not exhaustive)'Dublin Agreed Statement'''. This one dealt with the Mystery of the Church, the Holy Trinity and worship and tradition.

*The Anglican Church Another report was released by the Commission in Aotearoa2006, New Zealand and Polynesia *The Anglican Church of Australia *A Igreja Episcopal do Brasil *The Church including all of the Province of Burundi *The Anglican Church of Canada *The Episcopal Church of Cuba *The Church of England *Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui *The Church of North India*The Church of South India*The Church of Ireland*Nippon Sei Ko Kai (Holy Catholic Church in Japan)*The Anglican Church of Kenya *The Anglican Church of Korea *La Iglesia Anglicana de México *The Church of the Province of Myanmar *interim agreements since 1989. It is entitled '''The Church of the Province of Nigeria *Triune God: The Church of Pakistan*The Anglican Church of Papua New Guinea *The Philippine Episcopal Church *The Lusitanian Church of Portugal *The Province of the Episcopal Church of Rwanda *The Scottish Episcopal Church *The Spanish Reformed Episcopal Church *The Church of Sri Lanka *The Episcopal Church of the Sudan *The Church of the Province of Tanzania *The Church of the Province of Uganda *The Episcopal Church in the United States of America *The Church in Wales Cyprus Agreed Statement'''.

==At the time of the first agreed statement, the hope of the Commission had been for the eventual reunion of the Anglican Schisms==and Orthodox Churches. However, in between the two, a major development in Anglicanism changed the direction of the Commission. In 1978 both the [[Episcopal Church U.S.A.]] and the Lambeth Conference put forth positions accepting the ordination of women. This drastically changed the understanding of the Commission. Following the Lambeth Conference in 1978, it had now come to be seen, in the words of co-chairman Archbishop Athanagoras, "simply as an academic and informative exercise, and no longer as an ecclesial endeavour aiming at the union of the two churches."

Several times throughout the history As there is much theological variation within Anglicanism, Bishop [[Kallistos (Ware) of AnglicanismDiokleia]] has explained rightly when he writes, there have been movements which led to schism. "The various resulting bodies have maintained their Anglican heritage to differing degrees. Among these groups are the various Methodist churchesOrthodox Church, the Reformed Episcopal Churchhowever deep its longing for reunion, cannot enter into closer relations with the Anglican Catholic Church and the Anglican Church in Americacommunion until Anglicans themselves are clearer about their own beliefs" (Ware, p. 321).

==Movements Within AnglicanismAnglican-Orthodox Resources== ==Relationship with The following resources may be of interest to the Orthodox Christians==Christian who wants to know more about Anglicanism, or the Anglican who wants to know more about Orthodoxy.

==External LinksSources==*''Anglican-Orthodox Dialogue: The Dublin Agreed Statement 1984''. Crestwood, NY: St. Vladimir's Seminary Press, 1985.*Bede. ''Ecclesiastical History of the English People.'' New York: Penguin, 1990.*Bernadin, J.B. ''An Introduction to the Episcopal Church'' (Rev. Ed.). Harrisburg, PA: Morehouse, 1983. *''The Book of Common Prayer''. New York: Church Hymnal Corporation, 1979.*''Lesser Feasts and Fasts 2003''. New York: Church Hymnal Corporation, 1993.*Ware, Timothy. ''The Orthodox Church'' (New Edition). New York: Penguin, 1997.

==External links==* [http://www.anglicancommunion.org <br>/ The Anglican Communion Secretariat]* [http://www.ecusa.anglican.org <br>/ The Episcopal Church USA]* [http://www.anglicansonline.org <br>/ Anglicans Online]* [http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/ Official Website of the Archbishop of Canterbury]* [http://www.sobornost.org/ The Fellowship of St. Alban and St. Sergius]* [http://justus.anglican.org/resources/pc/orthodoxy/index.html Project Canterbury: Writings on Anglicanism & Orthodoxy]* [http://justus.anglican.org/resources/pc/nonjurors/langford1.html The Non-Jurors and the Eastern Orthodoxy] by the Rev. H. W. Langford* [http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/inquirers/inq_anglican.aspx The Orthodox Christian Information Center: Page for Anglican Inquirers into Orthodoxy]* [http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/ecumenism/hawaweeny.aspx Pastoral Direction and Instruction on Orthodox/Episcopal Relations and Ministrations in America (1912)] by St. [[Raphael of Brooklyn]]* [http://www.episcopalchurch.org/6947_9598_ENG_HTM.htm Statement on the Anglican-Orthodox Dialogue from the Episcopal Church Office of Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations]