What are the differences between Anglicanism and Protestantism?

Answer 1

The answer depends on which denomination of Christianity you have in mind. If you are thinking of Christian doctrine, in general, Anglican theology is very similar to that of the other American Christian churches. Anglicans believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God, and established the Christian Church, the belief in heaven as the afterlife reward for "Christian behavior", the "Golden Rule", and that everyone has a duty to assist other people in need. The King James Bible is the basis for sermons at the Sunday services.

Answer 2

• Contrary to the post below, the Anglican Church consists of a large number of separate 'provinces' that are all part of the Anglican communion worldwide. The Church of England contains just two of these provinces, the province of Canterbury under the leadership of the Archbishop of Canterbury (who is also spiritual leader of the whole of the Anglican Church worldwide), and the Archbishop of York. Other provinces include the Church in Wales, the Episcopalian Church of Scotland, and many African, South American, American, Australasian and far Eastern Anglican churches. All of the provinces are led by archbishops.Often people confuse the 'Church of England' with the 'Anglican Church' and, although they are often interchangeable names, there is a subtle difference. Again, contrary to the post below, the Anglican Church has, as its head, Jesus Christ. The reigning king or queen of England (Scotland, Wales, N.Ireland and the commonwealth) is known as the Supreme Governor with responsibility to God (in the same sense as a governor would be in charge of a colony, but under the king), and the spiritual leader is the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Also, the other posts are totally incorrect in assuming that the names are interchangeable. If one is a member of the Church of England one is indeed an Anglican - in this case all members of the Church of England are Anglicans. However, if you are a member of one of the other provinces (eg the Church in Wales) you are a not a member of the Church of England but are a member of the Church in Wales. But since the Church in Wales is an Anglican Church you are also an Anglican. Therefore all members of the Church of England are Anglicans, but not all members of the Anglican church are also members of the Church of England, because they may be members of other churches within the Anglican Communion.

• There is no difference between the Anglican Church and the Church of England. When Henry VIII demanded an anullment for his marriage to Catherine of Aragon and the Pope denied his request, Henry split from Rome and created the Anglican Church. By right of the Royal Supremacy Act, the monarch of England is the head of the Anglican Church/Church of England.
• Incase you're confused, there is no significant difference between the two Churches. You will find that those who belong to the Church of England, for example, will often call themselves Anglicans, and vice-versa.

Answer 3

Many people would say there are no differences. It depends on how you define "traditional Christian ideals." In many senses, the Anglican church is the most true to tradition, since it did not completely reject anything related to the Roman Catholic church, like the protestants did, nor did it react to the Reformation by declaring everything Protestant to be evil, as the Roman Catholic church did.

The most fundamental Christian ideals are set out in the Nicene, Apostles and Athanasian creeds, which all Anglicans, Catholics, Eastern Orthodox and Protestant Christian churches profess.

Answer 4

The term 'Protestant' applies most correctly to those churches that came in existence separate from the Roman Catholic Church from the Reformation in the 16th century.

The Anglican Church does not generally understand itself to be 'Protestant' as it believes itself to be a continuation of the English Church before this period. Anglicans often describe themselves as Catholic (but not Roman Catholic) and Reformed (but not Protestant), However, views on this vary and there are Anglicans/(Protestant) Episcopalians who consider themselves to be Protestants.

Answer 5

It -- like the Orthodox Church -- considers itself, along with the Catholic Church as one of the 3 direct shoots from the early Church. The great expositor of this view and opposer of it later, was John Henry Newman. Do read him. I just saw yesterday that he is to be beatified. And I think (along with 3 popes) that he will be made a Doctor of the Church. One relevant work of his is "Certain Difficulties Felt by Anglicans in Catholic Teaching"

Answer 6

Roman Catholic AnswerThe main difference is that the Catholic Church was founded by Jesus Christ who sent the Holy Spirit on the Apostles at Pentecost to form the Church in 33 A.D. The Anglican Church was founded, as many Protestant churches were, in the 16 century by a monarch who wanted a church to approve of things that he did, not the other way around. The Anglican church has similar churches and ceremonies due to the fact that one of the few things that were changed was the language. The Anglican church translated the Mass into English, deleting only those things they found objectionable. As they also kept all the Catholic churches, Anglicanism, up until a few years ago looked very much like pre-Vatican II Catholicism, only in English. The doctrinal differences are, however, vast. The Anglicans specifically deny many of the beliefs of the Catholic church and are now suffering the fate of the rest of Protestantism by breaking up into hundreds of denominations.

Answer 7

There isn't any difference. An Anglican is a Christian, it's just a denomination within Christianity, just like there are Baptists and Charistmatics as well