Anglican Organisation
Anglican Churches and their Relationship to the Church of England
The Parish
The Diocese
The National Church or Province
The Anglican Communion
Relations with other churches
Membership of the Anglican Communion
The 38 Provinces of the Anglican Communion
Since the 18th century the Church of England has started churches in many other countries. Many of them began after British colonies were established. Some of these colonies resulted from the migration of British people in pursuit of trade, and others from conquest. Many of the churches established by the British were designed to minister to the English speaking community. However the period of colonial expansion was also the period of great missionary expansion. The Church of England was part of a missionary movement which tried to start churches among the indigenous people where the British had settled. In Indonesia and Singapore Anglican ministry began early in the 19th century.
1. Anglican Churches and their Relationship to the Church of England
The Anglican Churches which were planted in other countries became independent national churches, such as the Anglican Church of Nigeria. In some cases the churches in neighbouring countries grouped together to become a Province, such as the Province of South East Asia. In some countries the national church has more than one province, for example in Nigeria, England and Australia.
Anglican parish churches are organised into Dioceses and Provinces.
Each National Anglican Church or Province is independent and has its own constitution. It is not under the authority of the Church of England or the Archbishop of Canterbury. The national churches and the Church of England are related because of history and because they share the same liturgy and theology. They are also part of the Anglican Communion (see below Part 5).
2. The Parish
A parish is a congregation within a Diocese which is able to pay an ordained minister according to the diocesan scale as well as pay all the diocesan contributions. A congregation can become a parish if these conditions are fulfilled and the Bishop and the Synod agree.
2.1 The Vicar/Rector
The minister in charge of a parish is usually called a Vicar or Rector. Different Dioceses use different terms.
2.2 The Priest-in-Charge
This is the term for the minister in charge of a congregation which is not yet a parish. It is also used for a person who is in charge of a parish but has not been appointed as the Vicar. In some dioceses the Vicar/Rector has more rights than the Priest in Charge.
2.3 The Church Wardens
The Church Wardens are the senior lay leaders of a Parish. One is appointed by the Vicar (and is known as the Vicar’s Warden) and the other elected by the parishioners (and is called the Peoples’ Warden). They are part of the Church Council.
2.4 The Parochial Church Council
The Church Council is elected each year at the Annual Meeting of parishioners. The Church Council is responsible for the affairs of the parish under the leadership of the Vicar. It includes a treasurer who reports to the Council about the finances of the parish. The Church Council is responsible for the finances of the Parish.
2.5 The Lay Synod Representatives
Lay representatives are elected by the Annual Meeting of parishioners. In this Diocese they must be at least 21 years old. They are elected for three years which is the length of time a synod meets. The number of representatives a parish has depends on the number of people on its electoral roll. In some Dioceses each parish has the same number of representatives.
2.6 Other Church Workers
Lay Readers are lay people who are authorised to preach or to lead services. Usually they have undertaken extra study.
Parish workers may be paid or honorary. They may have had some training or they may be undergoing training. Parish workers may include youth and children’s workers, evangelists, and pastoral workers. They are usually appointed by the Church Council and Vicar and are responsible to the Vicar and are paid by the Council. Usually they are licensed by the Bishop.
The Administrative Staff. Some parishes employ other staff to help administer the parish. For example a Parish may employ a secretary, a property manager, or a verger (a person who looks after the building and prepares it for services).
3. The Diocese
The Diocese is made up of the parishes in a particular area. The term Diocese describes both the geographical area as well as the churches which are under the oversight of the Bishop in that area.
3.1 The Diocesan Bishop
The Bishop is the leader of a diocese. The constitution of the Diocese of Singapore says, “The Diocesan Bishop shall have general oversight over all the clergy as well as over all other members of the church in the Diocese. His Primary duties are to guard the purity of the teaching and life of the Church and to lead the Diocese in its Mission.” Our present Bishop is John Chew.
3.2 The Diocesan Synod
The Diocesan synod consists of the Bishop, all the clergy and deaconesses who hold the bishop’s licence, and elected lay representatives from each of the parishes of the Diocese. The synod looks after the affairs of the Diocese and is responsible for organising its affairs so that the church is strengthened and becomes more and more a living body. It is able to make rules and regulations for the life of the Diocese and the churches and organisations in the Diocese. A synod usually meets over a period of three years, each annual meeting being called a Session of Synod.
3.3 The Cathedral
The Cathedral is considered as the mother church of the Diocese. It is led by a Dean. The Cathedral Chapter is the group with responsibility for the life of the Cathedral. The Chapter is made up of Canons, who are clergy appointed by the Bishop, as well as some other people. Some Cathedrals, such as Singapore, also have a Parish Church Council which is responsible for the day to day operation of the Cathedral.
3.4 The Archdeaconry
An archdeaconry is part of a Diocese. It is usually both a geographical area and a group of parishes and other ministries. The Archdeacon is a clergy person who may also be in charge of a parish. He helps the bishop by looking after some of the affairs of the church in his area.
3.5 The Deanery
In the Anglican church a Deanery is usually a part of an Archdeaconry, and consists of a number of parishes. A Dean (sometimes called a Rural or Area Dean) helps the archdeacon by looking after some of the affairs of church in his area. In the Diocese of Singapore this term is also used to describe the mission areas outside the island of Singapore.
4. The National Church or Province
A Province is made up of a number of Dioceses. The Province of the Anglican Church in South East Asia was formed in 1996. It comprises the Dioceses of Kuching, Sabah, Singapore and West Malaysia.
4.1 The Archbishop
The Archbishop is the Bishop of a Diocese who also acts as the leader of the Province. The present Archbishop of the Province of South East Asia is Yong Ping Chung, the Bishop of Sabah.
The Archbishop who is the leader of a National Church or independent Province is also called a Primate. The Primate represents the National Church in meetings with other Primates (see 5.4)
4.2 The Provincial Synod
The Provincial Synod is made up of the bishops of the Dioceses in the province as well as representative clergy and lay people from each of the Dioceses. The Synod of the Province acts like a church parliament to make rules and regulations for the whole Province.
5. The Anglican Communion
The Anglican Communion is a fellowship of all the National Anglican Churches and Provinces in the world. There are 38 Provinces and 38 Primates.
“The Anglican Communion is a communion of churches… It has a common pattern of liturgical life rooted in the tradition of the Book of Common Prayer; shaped by the continual reading, both corporate and private, of the Holy Scriptures; rooted in its history through the See of Canterbury; and connected through a web of relationships – of bishops, consultative bodies companion dioceses, projects of common mission, engagement with ecumenical partners…” (The Windsor Report 2004).
We could add to this definition and say that the Anglican Communion also has a shared theology which is based on the scriptures, formed by the early Christian Creeds, and stated again in the theology of the Reformation. The Anglican Communion has a theological heritage that is Apostolic, Catholic (meaning universal and orthodox), and Reformed.
The Anglican Communion is not a hierarchical or centralized organization like the Roman Catholic Church.
There are four “Instruments of Unity” which try to help this communion of churches to remain united.
5.1 The Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury, both the person and the office, has become the main focus of unity of the Anglican Church. He is not like the Pope because he does not have any authority over the churches outside his own Province. But he is respected as the leader among the bishops of the Anglican Communion.
5.2 The Lambeth Conference
The first Lambeth Conference was held in 1867, and was called by the Archbishop of Canterbury. It was not a synod and it was not a General Council (for example like the Council of Nicea – see Article 21). It is a conference of the bishops of the Anglican church which is held every ten years. It does not make laws which Anglicans must follow but its resolutions are given great respect because they are made by the leaders of the church.
5.3 The Anglican Consultative Council
In 1897 the Lambeth Conference established a consultative body so that a wider group of people could have a say in the life of the Communion. In 1968 the Anglican Consultative Council was formed. It includes lay people and clergy. It is not a formal synod but is meant to represent the world wide Anglican Communion.
5.4 The Primates Meeting
In 1978 the Lambeth Conference asked the Archbishop of Canterbury to begin regular meetings with the Primates of the Anglican Communion. The purpose of the regular meetings of the Primates is to consult and advise about important questions in the life of the Anglican church. In recent years they have been given more “responsibility in offering guidance on doctrinal, moral and pastoral matters”.
6. Relations with other churches
The Chicago-Lambeth Quadrilateral
In 1886 the American House of Bishops and later in 1888 the Lambeth Conference adopted the following statement as a summary of the basis of unity between Anglican and other churches. The Statement was meant to describe those things which the Anglican Church regards as essential to the nature of the Church.
…As inherent parts of this sacred deposit, and therefore as essential to the restoration of unity among the divided branches of Christendom, we account the following, to wit:
(a) The Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as the revealed Word of God.
(b) The Nicene Creed as the sufficient statement of the Christian Faith.
(c) The two Sacraments, Baptism and the Supper of the Lord, ministered with unfailing use of Christ's words of institution and of the elements ordained by Him.
(d) The Historic Episcopate, locally adapted in the methods of its administration to the varying needs of the nations and peoples called of God into the unity of His Church.
