Church of the Resurrection describes itself as an Anglican parish worshiping in the Catholic tradition. What does this mean? There are lots of concepts wrapped up in those few words with lots of different ways of interpreting them. Hopefully, this guide will help you unpack those concepts and understand our place in God’s One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.
An Anglican Parish
Anglicanism is a religious tradition born in England during the Reformation. Specifically, the Church of England, the body from which all Anglican churches were originally formed, was separated from the Roman Catholic Church by King Henry VIII in 1534. Under Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Cranmer, the Church of England abandoned the varied local uses of the Latin Roman Rite in favor of a uniform liturgical text written in English which became known as the Book of Common Prayer. This book provided a consistent tool for liturgical worship and formation throughout England that, over time and after the death of Henry and the accession of his son, Edward VI, became much more Protestant in nature than the former king would have tolerated.
Over time, the Church of England took on more and more of the theology of the Continental Reformation, including elements of Calvinism. During the reign of Elizabeth I, the Church took on the character that would define it for centuries: The Via Media, the middle way between the extremes of Reformed and Catholic theologies. Because of this, Anglicanism has traditionally referred to itself as a Reformed Catholicism, believing itself to have reclaimed the manners of the early, undivided Church without the accretion of “artificial” Roman dogma and ritual.
Anglicanism spread throughout the world as England (later Great Britain) began its colonial efforts. It came to the 13 American colonies and, after the War for Independence, took on a uniquely American character.
During the 19th century, however, a body of Anglican clergy in England began to rediscover the value of their ancient Catholic heritage. We will explore their influence shortly.