Why don't they just merge??

Question

If the Roman Catholic Church and the Anglican Church are near identical in liturgies and so similar in doctrine, why are there no efforts to merge as ONE Universal Church?

Answer 1

That would make sense to do; therefore, they won't do it.

Answer 2

Because the Anglican Church (The Church of England) Was created partly by Henry the VIII to divorce his many wives, and partly so England could escape the rule of the RCC and it's taxes. Also Henry wanted no outside influence over his power, which was an Absolute Monarchy

That is why many Dictatorships like Nazi Germany, North Korea, and Soviet Russia, Frowned upon religion, because Religions says there is no Absolute leader except God, and the Dictators felt this would take away from their Absolute Power on Earth.

Also the reason the Doctorines are so similar is because the Anglican Church was created different than the Roman Catholic Church only in name. The only fudemental Difference between the two is that the Anglican Church rejects the authority of the Pope.

Answer 3

I'm Anglican and feel that the Roman Catholic Church has a lot of distracting "baggage", not mentioned in the Bible, that isn't helpful for Christians. Merging the two denominations would work against the best interests of the Anglican denomination.

The Saints and Mary are held as intermediaries between Christian and Jesus, when Jesus himself claimed to be the only way to God, it also verges on idolatry from my point of view.

Anglicans do not believe that the Pope is the leader of the universal church, nor that authority of the office of Pope has descended from the Apostle Peter who was granted Jesus's authority on earth. Corrupt popes (Callixtus III and Alexander VI) in the past, have undermined the claim that the Pope is the divinely appointed leader he is held as.

Roman Catholics believe that faith and good works are required for salvation, most Protestant believe only faith is required, but good works attest to that faith.

One of the biggest divides is the Holy Communion, RC's believe that the bread and wine become the substance and essence of Jesus's body and blood. Protestants generally believe taking the bread and wine is symbolic of accepting Jesus as the source of spiritual life.

Answer 4

It would be wonderful if there were no denominational divisions in the first place, but since that probably won't happen, I keep praying that people will realize that if Christ isn't glorified, our denomination won't mean a thing anyway. But to answer your question, given that it's been more than 400 years since King Henry VIII (I think) established the Anglican Church because the pope wouldn't grant him an annulment for his marriage, and given some of the struggles in the Anglican Church with regard to ordination of gays and women, there are far too many major issues that Anglicans and Catholics are dealing with among themselves to even begin to think of some kind of formalized "merger." But I'd much rather see the day when denominations are no longer and issue and that we all just worship and glorify Christ with no divisions among us.

Answer 5

The anglican church split apart from he roman catholic church. Since the True church can never change its mind on a teaching of faith or morals, it will take the other branches "converting" back into the church.

The differances however are so small that mostpeople can hardly recognize them. The roman Catholic church still recognizes the Eastern rites sacraments as valid.

Answer 6

I can think of a few ‘options’ that the C of E rejected - e.g. Celibate priests, the confession, the Pope - whilst the stagnant Catholic church finds it hard to agree with the modern ideas of women clergy & contraception.

PS I’m not a Christian or a believer…

Answer 7

I think that religion is not so important than personal relationship with God. I think it is a good thing that we have a choice. I attend regularly a non-denominational Christian church, I have a Lutheran background. If you do not like your church, move to another one...or start your own. The main thing is the relationship with God, because God saves, not any church.

Answer 8

because the Anglican Communion has struggled too hard to find its identity apart from Rome. It will not turn on all that struggle and make it all for naught.

Answer 9

It is coming....all false religions will combine into a universal church during the reign of the anti-Christ

Answer 10

I thought the last attempt for them to move closer foundered on the question of women priests.

Answer 11

It is irrelevant. All Christians desire to be more like Christ, so the deeper into Christ they go, the more the unity they have with other believers, whatever the denomination.