Explaining Anglicans
< Henry VIII
With recent tension mounting among Anglican churches, the Vatican is attempting to pounce on the religion’s current dissention and make it easier for Anglicans to convert to Catholicism. You can read the whole story and the Vatican’s plan in the link below, but many of you may not be aware of what constitutes an Anglican or how they differ from Catholics in the first place.
In short, the masses between the two religions are very similar and many of the beliefs are constant. In fact, the religions were one in the same until Henry VIII broke from the Catholic Church to start the Anglican Church. Today, the major differences involves hierarchy and transubstantiation.
Each Anglican church is expected to follow a basic set of beliefs but is also free to adjust policies as seen fit. That has led to freedoms enjoyed by each church without any red tape, but it has also led to the current rift among the churches, since the policies are different among each group. Like all religious and political problems, the conflict exists between the liberal and conservative Anglicans. The Catholic Church, however, has a very strict ranking system of its religious leaders, and everything related to the Catholic mass and its set of beliefs comes from the Vatican.
Transubstantiation is the change of bread and wine to the body and blood of Jesus Christ. Catholics believe this occurs at every mass, while Anglicans practice the act as well but view the event as a symbol of the miracle.
It should also be noted that Anglican priests can marry. Nothing like a little religious debate to stir up a Tuesday evening!
Read on:
Yahoo! News – New Vatican plan lets Anglicans convert easier
DifferenceBetween.net – Difference Between Anglican and Catholic
justus.anglican.org – Anglican timeline
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