Church of England facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of England |
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| Abbreviation | C of E |
| Classification | Protestant |
| Orientation | Anglican |
| Theology | Anglican doctrine |
| Polity | Episcopal |
| Supreme governor | Charles III |
| Primate | Justin Welby |
| Associations | Anglican Communion Porvoo Communion World Council of Churches |
| Region | England, Wales (cross-border parishes) Isle of Man Channel Islands Continental Europe Morocco |
| Headquarters | Church House, Westminster, England |
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| Separated from | Roman Catholic Church (1534) |
| Separations | English Dissenters (1534 onwards) Puritans (17th century) Methodists (18th century) Plymouth Brethren (1820s) Free Church of England (1844) Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham (2011) |
| Members | 26 million (baptised) |
| Other name(s) | Anglican Church |
The Church of England (C of E) is the leading Christian church in England. Its adherents are called Anglicans.
Since the English Reformation, the Church of England has used the English language in the liturgy. The British monarch (currently Charles III) is the supreme governor and the Archbishop of Canterbury (currently Justin Welby) is the most senior cleric. The governing structure of the church is based on dioceses, each presided over by a bishop. Within each diocese are local parishes. The General Synod of the Church of England is the legislative body for the church and comprises bishops, other clergy and laity. Its measures must be approved by the Parliament of the United Kingdom.
Contents
History
The Church of England was created by King Henry VIII in 1534. Henry VIII was married to Catherine of Aragon, but asked the Pope to annul the marriage (say that there was a mistake and that Henry and Catherine were never really married). He had wanted to annul the marriage because he wanted a male heir to his throne and Catherine could not produce one.
When the annulment was refused, Henry VIII used his position as King to break away from the Roman Catholic Church, and establish the Church of England, sometimes called the Anglican (English) Church. Methodism broke away from the church in the 18th century. The Oxford Movement brought Catholic beliefs back into the church in the 19th century.
Under his son, King Edward VI, more Protestant forms of worship were adopted. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer started more changes. A new pattern of worship was set out in the Book of Common Prayer (1549 and 1552). These were based on the older liturgy but influenced by Protestant principles.
Related pages
Images for kids
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Hereford Cathedral is one of the church's 43 cathedrals; many have histories stretching back centuries
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Thomas Cranmer was the first Protestant Archbishop of Canterbury and principal compiler of the Book of Common Prayer
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Major repairs were done to Canterbury Cathedral after the Restoration in 1660.
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Captain John Smith's 1624 map of Bermuda, showing St Peter's at centre, left
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Richard Hooker (1554–1600), one of the most influential figures in shaping Anglican theology and self-identity
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Canterbury Cathedral houses the cathedra or episcopal chair of the Archbishop of Canterbury and is the cathedral of the Diocese of Canterbury and the mother church of the Church of England as well as a focus for the Anglican Communion
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Stained glass window in Rochester Cathedral, Kent
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The parish church of St Lawrence in Toot Baldon is typical of many small English village churches
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Map showing the Diocese of Gibraltar in Europe with the archdeaconries colour-coded
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See also
In Spanish: Iglesia de Inglaterra para niños
