Expert: Charlie B - 3/14/2009

Question
QUESTION: As a Catholic, does the church allow me to take communion in an Anglican church? I don't drive and live in the country so I have a choice of taking Anglican communion or no communion. There is also another Prodestant church locally but I would rather use the Anglican one as our beliefs are very similar.

ANSWER: Joe,
Thanks for your question.  While I cannot give you an official Church answer, my own opinion (and likely those of other Priests) would be 'yes' -- you can take communion in an Anglican Church, ONLY as in your situation, a Catholic Church is not nearby.

There's lot of opinions on this, though - see http://www.beliefnet.com/Faiths/Christianity/Catholic/2000/10/A-Seating-Chart-Fo

What's interesting about your question is that Episcopalians and Anglicans believe much in the same traditions and Truth as Catholics.  Wiki says this:
Both Angican and Catholic Christians subscribe to the Church's Creeds - statements of belief that were established by the early church to avoid heresies. These creeds include the following beliefs: -

God made heaven and earth at creation. Jesus Christ is the Son of God, begotten of the Father being of one substance with the Father who was also at Creation.

Jesus was incarnate of a Virgin, he suffered, died for our salvation, and on the Third Day rose again, ascending into heaven. He will return one day as judge.

The Holy Spirit is the third member of the Trinity and with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified.

God spoke and still speaks through prophets.

Baptism is one of the sacraments ordained by Christ for the remission of sins

At the end of times, we believe in the resurrection of the dead, and everlasting life.

The Anglican Church, like the Catholic Church, has, as its central liturgy the Holy Communion Service (called the 'mass' in the Catholic Church). It is organised similarly to the Catholic Church, having Bishops and Archbishops, priests and deacons, and, like the Catholic Church, can trace its line of succession through the history of the Anglican Church through its formation from the Catholic Church, to the original 12 apostles.

The differences include the following:-

Anglicans do not recognise the Pope as the Head of the Church. Most do not accept the transubstantiation of the bread and wine at the mass (Holy Communion) into the actual body and blood of Christ, but regard them as symbolic instead. Anglicans on the whole do not pray to saints, do not regard the Virgin Mary with the same veneration as Catholics, do not require their priests to be celibate, do not believe in the non-scriptural ideas of purgatory or limbo. In the Anglican Church, any visitor who would normally receive Holy Communion in a different church (whether or not it is Anglican, Catholic, Methodist, Baptist, URC or whatever) are welcome to receive the bread and wine in an Anglican church. In a Catholic Church, one must be a Catholic if one is to be invited to receive. In an Anglican church all receive the bread and wine; in a Catholic Church only the bread is normally received by the members of the congregation.

Despite the many differences, most of which are non-scriptural and peripheral anyway, the main beliefs of the Christian Church through the Creeds are accepted in both Anglican as well as Catholic Churches, and, therefore, both churches are Orthodox in their beliefs.   
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Given your choice between an Anglican and Protestant Church, I'd go to the Anglican church personally.  So, yes -- you're correct, our beliefs are very similar.  Make it a good day!
Charlie



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks for your answer, the only thing that concerns me slightly is the fact that Anglicans do accept the transubstantiation of the bread and wine. Is this a personal thing that, if I belive that it becomes the body and blood of Christ does that make it ok? Or because in an Anglican church and to the parishioners there, it is only seen as symbolic it does not truly occur? Personally I have no problems with other doctrines as to me they seem cosmetic on the whole and not central to our faith. The same can be said with other churches on the whole and even other religions where, the differences seem cultural more than anything. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Answer
Joe,
If you'll go to the first url address link that I provided above, you'll see an answer to your question.  

No, it's not a personal thing that if you believe it (although that is obviously very important; that's FAith) to be true body and blood of Christ, that that makes it so when not in a Catholic Church.  

The important thing is that you're attending church, and not staying home on Sunday morning watching the stupid-TV idiot box.  :-)

I'm pleased that you see the commonalities of both churches' beliefs more important that their differences.
God bless,
Charlie