Being Anglican
“So what’s Anglican mean?
”You’re at a barbeque and conversation with some new friends takes an interesting turn. You mention you went to church that morning, an Anglican one in fact. The next question? “So what’s Anglican mean?”
And you’d say…?
The new St Francis College Short Course: Being Anglican is designed to enable you to answer that question. Five episodes (mostly under 10 minutes each except for the big finish!) come with discussion questions, transcripts so you can ponder more deeply and extra reading in case you want to ponder even more deeply still.
The content for the short course comes from a session Archbishop Phillip led in which he explored the word `Anglican’ in an interesting and unique way. You’ll have to watch to find out what that means! Enjoy! https://www.stfran.qld.edu.au/being-anglican
What does it mean to be Anglican?
Universal
“Anglicans seek to work with the Holy Spirit to overcome divisions between churches, so that all Christians may be one.”
Anglicans are Christians, members of the universal church, valuing what is distinctive about the worldwide Anglican Communion. Anglicans seek to work with the Holy Spirit to overcome divisions between churches, so that all Christians may be one.
Worshipping God
Worship of God is central to Anglicans.
There is variety in Anglican worship: contemporary and informal, or traditional and formal. A special place is given to the Eucharist, in which we share the sacrament (the visible sign with spiritual meaning) of the body and blood of Christ.
Reading and meditating on the Bible plays a major part in Anglican life and belief.
History
- Anglicans bring together traditions from the early centuries of Christianity, ancient Celtic Christianity, medieval Catholicism and the European Reformation of the sixteenth century.
- The name Anglican indicates roots in the Church of England and still involves being in communion with the Archbishop of Canterbury.
A Contemporary Picture
- Today, Anglicans embrace a variety of languages and cultures from many different parts of the world, giving distinctive features to our worship, church life and theology.
- Anglicans today are actively exploring how our own land and multicultural heritage enrich Australian Anglicanism.
- Anglicans world-wide are seeking to reflect something of the unity-in-diversity of God, who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit: three persons in one God.
Information supplied by Canon Dr Don Edwards, BD, PhD, Grad Cert ED (retired) Rector of St Peter the Fisherman, Bramble Bay (retired) Anglican Church Southern Queensland.