Expert: Fr. Chris Larimer - 5/15/2011

Question
hello,
can you please tell me what the difference between Anglican and other Christian religions are? Ive always wondered this but have never gotten a complete answer.

Thank you
Crystal

Answer
This is a very difficult question to answer - and will actually vary from person to person. I was a convert to Anglicanism (having grown up pentecostal and been a Presbyterian while going to seminary).

What attracts me to Anglicanism is that it seeks simply to be the catholic faith without the deep sectarian divides that mark other protestants. We continue to the same historic order, apostolic faith, and much of the devotional practice that was shared throughout the world until the 16th century. Since that time, we've been hesitant to adopt any devotional practice or doctrinal milieu until it has proven its catholicity. So, for instance, we make room for people who consider themselves Calvinist and those who consider themselves Arminian (so long as it doesn't devolve into Pelagianism). We make room for people whose devotional life is nearly the same as a 19th century Roman Catholic and another whose sense of piety isn't much different from a charismatic-leaning mega church.

What we find our unity in four points:
The Holy Scriptures, as containing all things necessary to salvation;
The Creeds (specifically, the Apostles' and Nicene Creeds), as the sufficient statement of Christian faith;
The Sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion;
The historic episcopate, locally adapted.

Beyond that, it is difficult to say anything that would be universally binding on Anglicanism.

It's also important to notice that, outside of the American, Canadian, South African, New Zealand, and British Churches, heresy is not tolerated. The church remains vigorously orthodox (a good thing, in my view). But the orthodoxy that is demanded is simple catholic Christianity - not any sectarian statement of faith (or even the more defined 39 Articles of Religion).