What is the difference between the Anglican/CofE and Catholic religions?

Answer 1

Not as much as you would think.
The Anglican C of E doesn't give money to Rome, of course.

And the Anglicans tolerate poovery; The catholic church DOESN'T.

Answer 2

Ah, this one is quite tricky in some respects because theologically there are some parts of the C of E that are almost indistingishuishable from The Roman Catholic Church and that believe almost exactly the same things. Indeed some parts of the C of E will actually use Roman Catholic Worship - even though they are not really supposed too! You can even find some C of E churches that are more "catholic" than The Roman Catholic church is - holding to the old forms of Roman Catholic practice. In practice both churches while having a particular official theological "take" are fairly "broad" churches - containing those who believe in a wide variance of theological traditions and ways of doing things including evanglicalism, charismatics and liberals. I have even met Roman Catholic and Anglican Priests who don't believe in the the basic points of their faith - though the official line is quite different!

However, essentially during The Reformation, The Church of England was excommunicated from The Roman Catholic Church. Roman Catholics to this day are instructed that Anglican (C of E) "orders" (authoristation to minister) are invalid and therefore their people should not take Holy Communion from Anglicans - though in practice some do because Anglicans are generally happy to give Communion to most practicing. Christians. In England, most Roman Catholics and Anglicans get on well together and are prepared to work with each other, though in some parts of the world there isn't quite the same degree of tolerance.

The services are very similar on paper - though officially The Roman Catholic view of Holy Communion is still that of Transubstantiation - where the bread and wine turn to The body and blood of Christ and The Anglican view officially was far more protestant - denying this (it certainly was at The Reformation) but probably less strongly so in this day and age.

In England, The Church of England (which gave "birth" to the other Anglican churches is The "Establsihed" Church still - it is the official religion of the state. The head of the church is The Queen of England and not The Pope - to whom Roman Catholics answer on a world wide basis. Practically the head Bishop in The Anglican Communion is The Archbishop of Canterbury.

Generally the authority structure in the C of E is not as strong as that of The Roman Catholic Church. This comes from The Roman Catholic interpretation of Peter being appointed the first "Pope" (Chief Bishop) by Jesus Christ and that he was invested with an authority that Anglicans don't believe Christ intended to give Peter at all. The outworking of this is that Anglican clergy have more freedom and individual rights and therefore more variance in belief and practice. Roman Catholic Priests are "deployed" by their Bishops and can be sent anywhere in a diocese with very little notice.

This relates also to the whole business of how the churches get where they do in terms of how their theology is formed. The main source of authority in Roman Catholicism is the church who take into account tradition and scripture. Much more emphasis in the Anglican tradition is placed on Scripture followed by tradition and reason. This whole business of "authority" has culminated in the Roman Catholic doctrine of Papal Infallibility which Anglicans generally reject.

The Anglican Church would describe itself as catholic but reformed. The Roman Catholic Church would describe The Anglican Church officially as schismatic (splitters) and heretical.

Other differences would include far more hard line stances officially by The Roman Catholic Church on many moral and ethical issues - anti contraception (except for the most natual of methods - though in practice most Roman Cathlics in the West ignore this) anti - abortion and a firm line against homosexuality. In practice some Anglicans would identify with the Roman Catholic position and some Roman Catholics would (on the quiet) reject them.

You could also add that two other striking differences - Anglicans allow female Priests, Roman Catholics do not. (Though once there was the embaressing issue of a female Pope - but we won't go there) Someone who enters The Roman Catholic Church as a new Priest must accept a vow of celibacy (officially at least) while Anglican clergy can be married.

I hope this is helpful, but what I am trying to say is that while officially you could identify many differences - the reality is not quite so clear cut.

Answer 3

Many. The Anglicans are a splinter off the Catholic faith. got here approximately whilst a king had to sleep with diverse women and function the Pope ok it. Pope pronounced no -this is sin- so the bright king outlawed Catholicism and started his own church.

Answer 4

To clarify the main differences you would have to look to history for the religious reformation.

C 0f E/Anglican or Protestant are all off shoots from the original Roman Catholic church, as were a few other religions considered to be holy orders for single sex communities...but because these faiths do not hold dear the holy papal rights of the pope or the papal palace and its hangers on. They have been excommunicated from the Roman Catholic faith. The popes papal rights govern a kingdom in its religious sense in terms of spreading the word and adding to one of the richest banks in the Vatican city. This was done by trade agreements and the contracts drawn by foreign religious emissaries who were also the early educators of the British aristocracy. The nobles and dukes etc who all received land with the royal seal paid duties that when collected went to the royal treasury and the counting house of the emissaries purse and the judicial courts both secular and sacred. There is also no regard given to the assumed rights and portrayal of the infallibility of the word of the pope as a holy man exempt from sin.

These other faiths do not believe in idolotry either so the raising of the Virgin MAry to cult status would recieve no worship from these off shoots of protestanism or calvinism. Instead what some of these faiths hold dear is the worship Jesus christ who they believe was the son of God. Other holy orders non papal and non C of E also believed in the sanctity of human life and the inner life of the community they lived in.Religion was thus second to the glories of work the principal that man must labour in the hours of daylight to benefit from the fruits of the earth. I, e White monks of Blanchland. A Franciscan monestary.

There used to be a difference in the mass between the two major christian faiths. One gave those who had been confirmed the bread as an unleavened piece of paper broken into segments thought to be the body of christ. Whilst the priest and his hierarchal officials sipped the wine. Which was not offered to the parishoners.The service was also conducted in latin and was known as the latin mass.Believing Roman catholics will be familiar with this one. The protestant mass is known as the breaking of the bread, and in this case is not necessarily unleavened bread or flour paper but may be real bread the confirmed also get to drink the wine.( Ribena.) A movement within the high church of England the Oxford set also conducts services in latin.

During the times of the reformation all services took hours and village life centred around the church and religious ceremony. Failure to attend services could be regarded as a sin and severely punished. Both religions historically held ceremonies to welcome women back into the church after childbirth, this was called churching. The churching of women. This is because childbirth was regarded as dirty and unholy even if the child was born within the binds and bonds of marriage. The Jewish faith still practices this act. Today Catholic countries celebrate more holidays than protestant countries. The latter being followers of the protestant or calvinsit work ethic.

On other topics of controversary in our more modern times there are issues around women priests, one finds them acceptable the other not. Sometimes there is even a divided within. Although there have been religions again with no allegiance to either Catholic or protestant faiths which have had females as a leader of an Abbey or kind of Convent. I am thinking here of the singer musician song writer and composer HILDE GARDE VON BINGHAM who in the 11th Century was the Chief Abbess of an order.

Oddly enough the founder of the Church of England Good king Henry the Eighth, who did so because the Catholic Emisary carried the word that the pope did not approve of all these marriages and there were six, and would not hold any but the first as legitimate. I bet you all thought wrongly that he was HENRY VIII due to having eight wives. Not so he had six and two were beheaded. Had himself buried and given a Roman Catholic funeral service arranged prior to his death. Lapsing back towards Catholicism.

In those days Divorce did not exist, if a marriage failed to work it was always the womans fault and if a man sought to end his marriage he sought a "SEPERATION FROM BED AND BOARD" via parliament and the Royal court. Woman in this process could still live in the same house but they were servants of there past husband, who was free to marry again. Also they lost everything to there past husband via the rulings on property and dowries. A woman was not free to marry again unless her husband died. The only other way out of a marriage was to have it declared null and void through parliament and the papal emissary carrying the seal of approval from the Royal Papal seat of Rome.

Hoping this gives you some insight into a few of the differences between the two religions and tickles your inquisitive nature to researching more.

Answer 5

They all bow down to Rome who concocted the Bible that demoted the Living Truth to a blip in the history of ignorance.

Answer 6

Rome is probably the only difference,and by the way taffysmum hasn't got a clue ,he must belong to the money side of the new world order.

Answer 7

Not much besides, the first recognises gays,(sorry Christians but that's a Biblical No-No) don't have confession,
(please forgive me father I beat the wife last night or was that last weeks confession too) don't worship Jesus' mother (sorry Catholics but standing in front of a statue and praying is worshipping Idols whoever the statue is of and that too is a Biblical No-No)

Answer 8

All religions are alike out for them selves.

Answer 9

King Henry VIII eight wives.

Answer 10

beats the cr@p out of me.

2me u r either Christian or not

simple.