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113-748: In the English-speaking world they are best known in their amalgamated form as the hymn " O Come, O Come, Emmanuel ". Each text, in the original Latin, begins with the vocative particle "O". Each antiphon is a title of Christ, one of his attributes mentioned in Scripture. They are: In the Roman rite , the O Antiphons are sung or recited for the Magnificat at Vespers from 17 December to 23 December. The antiphon texts are believed to have originated in Italy in or before

226-514: A contemporary worship form of service, with minimal liturgical or ritual elements, and incorporating contemporary worship music . Just as the Church of England has a large conservative or "traditionalist" wing, it also has many liberal members and clergy. Approximately one third of clergy "doubt or disbelieve in the physical resurrection". Others, such as Giles Fraser , a contributor to The Guardian , have argued for an allegorical interpretation of

339-469: A real spiritual presence (pneumatic presence), since Article 28 of the Thirty-nine Articles taught that the body of Christ was eaten "only after an heavenly and spiritual manner". Nevertheless, there was enough ambiguity to allow later theologians to articulate various versions of Anglican eucharistic theology . The Church of England was the established church (constitutionally established by

452-423: A bishop, at which time they reaffirm the baptismal promises made by their parents or sponsors. The eucharist, consecrated by a thanksgiving prayer including Christ's Words of Institution , is believed to be "a memorial of Christ's once-for-all redemptive acts in which Christ is objectively present and effectually received in faith". The use of hymns and music in the Church of England has changed dramatically over

565-452: A breadth of opinion from liberal to conservative clergy and members. This tolerance has allowed Anglicans who emphasise the catholic tradition and others who emphasise the reformed tradition to coexist. The three schools of thought (or parties) in the Church of England are sometimes called high church (or Anglo-Catholic ), low church (or evangelical Anglican ) and broad church (or liberal ). The high church party places importance on

678-476: A cathedral and an additional "1.3 million people visited Westminster Abbey, where 99% of visitors paid / donated for entry". In 2022, the church reported than an estimated 5.7 million people visited a cathedral and 6.8 million visited Westminster Abbey. Nevertheless, the archbishops of Canterbury and York warned in January 2015 that the Church of England would no longer be able to carry on in its current form unless

791-502: A cause of despair for churches, because people may still encounter God without attending a service in a church; for example hearing the Christian message through social media sites or in a café run as a community project. Additionally, 9.7 million people visit at least one of its churches every year and 1 million students are educated at Church of England schools (which number 4,700). In 2019, an estimated 10 million people visited

904-476: A feminist and will ordain both men and women to the priesthood. She is also considered by some to be a theological liberal. On women's reproductive rights , Mullally describes herself as pro-choice while also being personally pro-life . On marriage, she supports the current stance of the Church of England that marriage is between a man and a woman, but also said that: "It is a time for us to reflect on our tradition and scripture, and together say how we can offer

1017-516: A hierarchy of deaneries , archdeaconries , dioceses led by bishops, and ultimately the pope who presided over the Catholic Church from Rome. Catholicism taught that the contrite person could cooperate with God towards their salvation by performing good works (see synergism ). God's grace was given through the seven sacraments . In the Mass , a priest consecrated bread and wine to become

1130-629: A pair of ordained ministers to share between them until the 19th century. From 1825 to 1839, Bermuda's parishes were attached to the See of Nova Scotia . Bermuda was then grouped into the new Diocese of Newfoundland and Bermuda from 1839. In 1879, the Synod of the Church of England in Bermuda was formed. At the same time, a Diocese of Bermuda became separate from the Diocese of Newfoundland , but both continued to be grouped under

1243-568: A papal annulment of his marriage to Catherine of Aragon . The English Reformation accelerated under the regents of his successor, King Edward VI , before a brief restoration of papal authority under Queen Mary I and King Philip . The guiding theologian that shaped Anglican doctrine was the Reformer Thomas Cranmer , who developed the Church of England's liturgical text, the Book of Common Prayer . The Act of Supremacy 1558 renewed

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1356-439: A penalty still remained. It was believed that most people would end their lives with these penalties unsatisfied and would have to spend time in purgatory. Time in purgatory could be lessened through indulgences and prayers for the dead , which were made possible by the communion of saints . In 1527, Henry VIII was desperate for a male heir and asked Pope Clement VII to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon . When

1469-475: A place, including for some Christian LGBTI couples who see them as a way of gaining legal recognition of their relationship." Civil partnerships for clergy have been allowed since 2005, so long as they remain sexually abstinent, and the church extends pensions to clergy in same-sex civil partnerships. In a missive to clergy, the church communicated that "there was a need for committed same-sex couples to be given recognition and 'compassionate attention' from

1582-595: A ratio of three to one. Besides the major varieties of English — American , British , Canadian , Australian , Irish , New Zealand English —and their sub-varieties, countries such as South Africa , India , Nigeria , the Philippines , Singapore , Jamaica , and Trinidad and Tobago also have millions of native speakers of dialect continua ranging from English-based creole languages to Standard English . Other countries and territories, such as Ghana , also use English as their primary official language even though it

1695-544: A response that is about it being inclusive love." The Church of England has been discussing same-sex marriages and LGBT clergy. The church holds that marriage is a union of one man with one woman. The church does not allow clergy to perform same-sex marriages, but in February 2023 approved of blessings for same-sex couples following a civil marriage or civil partnership. The church teaches "Same-sex relationships often embody genuine mutuality and fidelity." In January 2023,

1808-580: Is also the primary native language and English is the primary language of government and education, such as Ireland , Gibraltar , and the Commonwealth Caribbean . While English is also spoken by a majority of people as a second language in a handful of countries such as Denmark , the Netherlands , Norway and Sweden , these countries are not considered part of the English-speaking world as

1921-464: Is needed for the proper ordering of the church. In sum these express the 'Via Media' viewpoint that the first five centuries of doctrinal development and church order as approved are acceptable as a yardstick by which to gauge authentic catholicity, as minimum and sufficient; Anglicanism did not emerge as the result of charismatic leaders with particular doctrines. It is light on details compared to Roman Catholic, Reformed and Lutheran teachings. The Bible,

2034-712: Is not the native language of most of the people. English holds official status in numerous countries within the Commonwealth of Nations . English is the primary natively spoken language in several countries and territories. Five of the largest of these are sometimes described as the " core Anglosphere "; they are the United Kingdom , the United States , Australia , Canada , and New Zealand . The term "Anglosphere" can sometimes be extended to include other countries and territories where English or an English Creole language

2147-540: Is not universally accepted. A number of other antiphons were found in various medieval breviaries . Each antiphon has the following structure: Below is the traditional Latin text of each antiphon, as well as the English text from the Church of England's Common Worship liturgy. Each antiphon is a cento of passages from the Bible. In the text of each antiphon below, the passages from the Bible are indicated by underlining, and

2260-518: Is so widely spoken, it has often been called a " world language ", the lingua franca of the modern era, and while it is not an official language in most countries, it is currently the language most often taught as a foreign language . It is, by international treaty, the official language for aeronautical and maritime communications. English is one of the official languages of the United Nations and many other international organizations, including

2373-1074: Is studied most often in the European Union , and the perception of the usefulness of foreign languages among Europeans is 67% in favour of English, ahead of 17% for German and 16% for French (as of 2012 ). In some of the non–English-speaking EU countries, the following percentages of adults claimed to be able to converse in English in 2012: 90% in the Netherlands; 89% in Malta; 86% in Sweden and Denmark; 73% in Cyprus, Croatia, and Austria; 70% in Finland; and over 50% in Greece, Belgium, Luxembourg, Slovenia, and Germany. In 2012, excluding native speakers, 38% of Europeans consider that they can speak English. Books, magazines, and newspapers written in English are available in many countries around

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2486-789: Is that most of them were not addressed to the Messiah. And they were independent of each other, unlike the seven O antiphons described above that formed a self-contained group (as can be seen from the acrostic Ero cras ). An English medieval practice was to add an eighth antiphon – O Virgo virginum – on December 23, and move the others back one day, thus beginning the series on 16 December. The acrostic then became Vero cras ("Truly, tomorrow"). Latin : O Virgo virginum, quomodo fiet istud? Quia nec primam similem visa es nec habere sequentem. Filiae Jerusalem, quid me admiramini? Divinum est mysterium hoc quod cernitis. English (Anglican) : O Virgin of virgins, how shall this be? For neither before thee

2599-603: Is the most senior cleric . The governing structure of the church is based on dioceses , each presided over by a bishop. Within each diocese are local parishes. The General Synod of the Church of England is the legislative body for the church and comprises bishops, other clergy and laity . Its measures must be approved by the Parliament of the United Kingdom . There is evidence for Christianity in Roman Britain as early as

2712-635: Is the oldest Anglican church outside of the British Isles, and the oldest Protestant church in the New World. The Church of India, Burma and Ceylon was established in Colonial India , with its first diocese being erected in 1813, the Diocese of Calcutta . Indian bishops were present at the first Lambeth Conference . The first Anglican missionaries arrived in Nigeria in 1842 and the first Anglican Nigerian

2825-473: The Agnus Dei before communion.) The Order One rite follows the pattern of more modern liturgical scholarship. The liturgies are organised according to the traditional liturgical year and the calendar of saints . The sacraments of baptism and the eucharist are generally thought necessary to salvation. Infant baptism is practised. At a later age, individuals baptised as infants receive confirmation by

2938-686: The Bishop of Newfoundland and Bermuda until 1919, when Newfoundland and Bermuda each received its own bishop. The Church of England in Bermuda was renamed in 1978 as the Anglican Church of Bermuda , which is an extra-provincial diocese , with both metropolitan and primatial authority coming directly from the Archbishop of Canterbury. Among its parish churches is St Peter's Church in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of St George's Town , which

3051-523: The Book of Common Prayer was outlawed and replace by the Directory of Public Worship . Despite this, about one quarter of English clergy refused to conform to this form of state presbyterianism . It was also opposed by religious Independents who rejected the very idea of state-mandated religion, and included Congregationalists like Oliver Cromwell , as well as Baptists , who were especially well represented in

3164-705: The Crown Dependencies . It is the origin of the Anglican tradition , with foundational doctrines being contained in the Thirty-nine Articles and The Books of Homilies . Its adherents are called Anglicans . English Christianity traces its history to the Christian hierarchy recorded as existing in the Roman province of Britain by the 3rd century and to the 6th-century Gregorian mission to Kent led by Augustine of Canterbury . It renounced papal authority in 1534, when King Henry VIII failed to secure

3277-587: The Diocese of Hong Kong and Macao became an extra-provincial diocese, and in 1998 it became a province of the Anglican Communion, under the name Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui . From 1796 to 1818 the Church began operating in Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon ), following the 1796 start of British colonisation, when the first services were held for the British civil and military personnel. In 1799, the first Colonial Chaplain

3390-841: The International Olympic Committee . It is also one of two co-official languages for astronauts (besides the Russian language) serving on board the International Space Station . The English language has a particular significance in the Commonwealth of Nations, which developed from the British Empire. English is the medium of inter-Commonwealth relations. The English language as used in the Commonwealth has sometimes been referred to as Commonwealth English , most often interchangeably with British English . English

3503-625: The Middle Ages surrounding their performance, and Amalarius wrote a detailed commentary on them in the ninth century. The first letters of the titles, from last to first, appear to form a Latin acrostic , Ero cras , meaning 'Tomorrow, I will be [there]', mirroring the theme of the antiphons. This is formed from the first letter of each title – E mmanuel, R ex, O riens, C lavis, R adix, A donai, S apientia. Such acrostics were popular among early medieval writers, and some scholars have taken this as further evidence for their antiquity, but this view

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3616-727: The New Model Army . After the Stuart Restoration in 1660, Parliament restored the Church of England to a form not far removed from the Elizabethan version. Until James II of England was ousted by the Glorious Revolution in November 1688, many Nonconformists still sought to negotiate terms that would allow them to re-enter the church. In order to secure his political position, William III of England ended these discussions and

3729-674: The Penal Laws punish Roman Catholics and nonconforming Protestants . In the 17th century, the Puritan and Presbyterian factions continued to challenge the leadership of the church, which under the Stuarts veered towards a more Catholic interpretation of the Elizabethan Settlement, especially under Archbishop Laud . After the victory of the Parliamentarians , the Book of Common Prayer

3842-459: The Thirty-nine Articles received parliamentary approval as a doctrinal statement for the Church. The settlement ensured the Church of England was Protestant, but it was unclear what kind of Protestantism was being adopted. Anglicanism was said to be a via media between two forms of Protestantism, Lutheranism and Reformed Christianity though more aligned with the latter than the former. The prayer book's Reformed eucharistic theology posited

3955-416: The body and blood of Christ through transubstantiation . The church taught that, in the name of the congregation, the priest offered to God the same sacrifice of Christ on the cross that provided atonement for the sins of humanity. The Mass was also an offering of prayer by which the living could help souls in purgatory . While penance removed the guilt attached to sin, Catholicism taught that

4068-571: The date of Easter , baptismal customs, and the style of tonsure worn by monks. King Oswiu of Northumbria summoned the Synod of Whitby in 664. The king decided Northumbria would follow the Roman tradition because Saint Peter and his successors, the bishops of Rome, hold the keys of the kingdom of heaven. By the late Middle Ages , Catholicism was an essential part of English life and culture. The 9,000 parishes covering all of England were overseen by

4181-515: The nine parishes of Bermuda , subsequently transferred to the Diocese of Newfoundland . As they developed, beginning with the United States of America, or became sovereign or independent states, many of their churches became separate organisationally, but remained linked to the Church of England through the Anglican Communion . In the provinces that made up Canada, the church operated as

4294-510: The virgin birth of Jesus . The Independent reported in 2014 that, according to a YouGov survey of Church of England clergy, "as many as 16 per cent are unclear about God and two per cent think it is no more than a human construct." Moreover, many congregations are seeker-friendly environments. For example, one report from the Church Mission Society suggested that the church open up "a pagan church where Christianity [is] very much in

4407-684: The "Church of England in Canada" until 1955 when it became the Anglican Church of Canada . In Bermuda, the oldest remaining British overseas possession, the first Church of England services were performed by the Reverend Richard Buck, one of the survivors of the 1609 wreck of the Sea Venture which initiated Bermuda's permanent settlement. The nine parishes of the Church of England in Bermuda , each with its own church and glebe land , rarely had more than

4520-529: The 19th century. Roman Catholics, perhaps 5% of the English population (down from 20% in 1600) were grudgingly tolerated, having had little or no official representation after the Pope's excommunication of Queen Elizabeth in 1570, though the Stuarts were sympathetic to them. By the end of 18th century they had dwindled to 1% of the population, mostly amongst upper middle-class gentry, their tenants, and extended families. By

4633-481: The 22nd and 23rd, and places O Oriens on the morning of the 24th, but the traditional ordering from the 17th through the 23rd is also permitted. The Catholic personal ordinariates follow the practice for days from the 17th to the 23rd (Magnificat antiphon at Evensong and Alleluia Verse at Mass, either in the traditional order as indicated in Divine Worship: The Missal or in the order indicated in

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4746-768: The 3rd century. After the fall of the Roman Empire , England was conquered by the Anglo-Saxons , who were pagans , and the Celtic church was confined to Cornwall and Wales. In 597, Pope Gregory I sent missionaries to England to Christianise the Anglo-Saxons . This mission was led by Augustine , who became the first archbishop of Canterbury . The Church of England considers 597 the start of its formal history. In Northumbria , Celtic missionaries competed with their Roman counterparts. The Celtic and Roman churches disagreed over

4859-455: The BCP. Like its predecessor, the 1980 Alternative Service Book , it differs from the Book of Common Prayer in providing a range of alternative services, mostly in modern language, although it does include some BCP-based forms as well, for example Order Two for Holy Communion. (This is a revision of the BCP service, altering some words and allowing the insertion of some other liturgical texts such as

4972-600: The Bible known as the King James Version , which was published in 1611 and authorised for use in parishes, although it was not an "official" version per se. The Church of England's official book of liturgy as established in English Law is the 1662 version of the Book of Common Prayer (BCP). In the year 2000, the General Synod approved a modern liturgical book , Common Worship , which can be used as an alternative to

5085-588: The Bishops approved "prayers of thanksgiving, dedication and for God's blessing for same-sex couples." The commended prayers of blessing for same-sex couples, known as "Prayers of Love and Faith," may be used during ordinary church services, and in November 2023 General Synod voted to authorise "standalone" blessings for same-sex couples on a trial basis, while permanent authorisation will require additional steps. The church also officially supports celibate civil partnerships; "We believe that Civil Partnerships still have

5198-468: The Catholicism that had created it; and would result in the rejection of predestinarian theology in favor of sacraments, especially the eucharist, ceremonial, and anti-Calvinist doctrine". The existence of cathedrals "without substantial alteration" and "where the "old devotional world cast its longest shadow for the future of the ethos that would become Anglicanism," This is "One of the great mysteries of

5311-626: The Church Fathers, unless these are considered contrary to scripture. It accepts the decisions of the first four ecumenical councils concerning the Trinity and the Incarnation . The Church of England also preserves catholic order by adhering to episcopal polity , with ordained orders of bishops, priests and deacons. There are differences of opinion within the Church of England over the necessity of episcopacy. Some consider it essential, while others feel it

5424-484: The Church of England . Henry's religious beliefs remained aligned to traditional Catholicism throughout his reign, albeit with reformist aspects in the tradition of Erasmus and firm commitment to royal supremacy. In order to secure royal supremacy over the church, however, Henry allied himself with Protestants, who until that time had been treated as heretics . The main doctrine of the Protestant Reformation

5537-452: The Church of England admitted that it was embarrassed to be paying staff under the living wage. The Church of England had previously campaigned for all employers to pay this minimum amount. The archbishop of Canterbury acknowledged it was not the only area where the church "fell short of its standards". The COVID-19 pandemic had a sizeable effect on church attendance, with attendance in 2020 and 2021 dropping well below that of 2019. By 2022,

5650-474: The Church of England appears to have taken an official step away from English medieval practice towards the more widely spread custom, as Common Worship makes provision for the sevenfold version of the antiphons, and not the eightfold version. The chant repertory knows also other antiphons built using the musical model of O antiphons, but not related to the Advent season - O doctor optime ( Common of Doctors of

5763-604: The Church of England as by law established." The Coronation Oath Act 1688 (reiterated in the Act of Settlement 1701) requires the rising Sovereign to take an oath to maintain "the true Profession of the Gospel and the Protestant Reformed Religion Established by Law" in the United Kingdom. Struggle for control of the church persisted throughout the reigns of James I and his son Charles I , culminating in

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5876-430: The Church of England's continuity with the pre-Reformation Catholic Church, adherence to ancient liturgical usages and the sacerdotal nature of the priesthood. As their name suggests, Anglo-Catholics maintain many traditional catholic practices and liturgical forms. The Catholic tradition, strengthened and reshaped from the 1830s by the Oxford movement, has stressed the importance of the visible Church and its sacraments and

5989-519: The Church of England. The Diocese of Nova Scotia was created on 11 August 1787 by Letters Patent of George III which "erected the Province of Nova Scotia into a bishop's see" and these also named Charles Inglis as first bishop of the see. The diocese was the first Church of England see created outside England and Wales (i.e. the first colonial diocese). At this point, the see covered present-day New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Quebec. From 1825 to 1839, it included

6102-441: The Church, including special prayers." "There is no prohibition on prayers being said in church or there being a 'service'" after a civil union. After same-sex marriage was legalised, the church sought continued availability of civil unions, saying "The Church of England recognises that same-sex relationships often embody fidelity and mutuality. Civil partnerships enable these Christian virtues to be recognised socially and legally in

6215-469: The Creeds, Apostolic Order, and the administration of the Sacraments are sufficient to establish catholicity. The Reformation in England was initially much concerned about doctrine but the Elizabethan Settlement tried to put a stop to doctrinal contentions. The proponents of further changes, nonetheless, tried to get their way by making changes in Church Order (abolition of bishops), governance (Canon Law) and liturgy ('too Catholic'). They did not succeed because

6328-407: The Crown; their ousting from Parliament by the 1640 Clergy Act was a major step on the road to war. Following Royalist defeat in 1646, the episcopacy was formally abolished. In 1649, the Commonwealth of England outlawed a number of former practices and Presbyterian structures replaced the episcopate. The Thirty-nine Articles were replaced by the Westminster Confession . Worship according to

6441-472: The Ecclesiastical Committee of the Parliament before it could be finally implemented at the November 2014 synod. In December 2014, Libby Lane was announced as the first woman to become a bishop in the Church of England. She was consecrated as a bishop in January 2015. In July 2015, Rachel Treweek was the first woman to become a diocesan bishop in the Church of England when she became the Bishop of Gloucester . She and Sarah Mullally , Bishop of Crediton, were

6554-459: The English Reformation," that there was no complete break with the past but a muddle that was per force turned into a virtue. The story of the English Reformation is the tale of retreat from the Protestant advance of 1550 which could not proceed further in the face of the opposition of the institution which was rooted in the medieval past, and the adamant opposition of Queen Elizabeth I. The Church of England has, as one of its distinguishing marks,

6667-424: The English language globally has had a large impact on many other languages, leading to language shift and language death , and to claims of linguistic imperialism . English itself has become more open to language shift as multiple regional varieties feed back into the language as a whole. Church of England The Church of England ( C of E ) is the established Christian church in England and

6780-414: The Fifth Article of the Union with Ireland 1800 , the Church of England and Church of Ireland were united into "one Protestant Episcopal church, to be called, the United Church of England and Ireland". Although "the continuance and preservation of the said united church ... [was] deemed and taken to be an essential and fundamental part of the union", the Irish Church Act 1869 separated the Irish part of

6893-458: The First World War, some women were appointed as lay readers, known as " bishop's messengers ", who also led missions and ran churches in the absence of men. After the war, no women were appointed as lay readers until 1969. Legislation authorising the ordination of women as deacons was passed in 1986 and they were first ordained in 1987. The ordination of women as priests was approved by the General Synod in 1992 and began in 1994 . In 2010, for

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7006-500: The General Synod voted overwhelmingly in support of a plan to allow the ordination of women as bishops, with 378 in favour, 8 against and 25 abstentions. On 14 July 2014, the General Synod approved the ordination of women as bishops. The House of Bishops recorded 37 votes in favour, two against with one abstention. The House of Clergy had 162 in favour, 25 against and four abstentions. The House of Laity voted 152 for, 45 against with five abstentions. This legislation had to be approved by

7119-490: The House of Israel; you open and no one can shut; you shut and no one can open : Come and lead the prisoners from the prison house , those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death . Latin : O Oriens , splendor lucis aeternae , et sol justitiae : veni, et illumina sedentes in tenebris, et umbra mortis . English (Anglican) : O Morning Star , splendour of light eternal and sun of righteousness : Come and enlighten those who dwell in darkness and

7232-491: The Lectionary, but also use  O Virgo virginum  on the morning of 24 December, both as the Benedictus antiphon at morning prayer and as the Alleluia verse at Mass.  Some Anglican churches, such as the Church of England , use the O Antiphons at evensong ; often according to medieval English usage, beginning on 16 December. Use of the O Antiphons also occurs in many Lutheran churches. For example, an English translation of "The Great O Antiphons" appears with

7345-433: The Lord's Supper (cf. Lord's Supper in Reformed theology ). Along with the The Book of Common Prayer , The Thirty-nine Articles and The Books of Homilies , assembled through the efforts of the Reformer Thomas Cranmer , became the basis of Anglican doctrine after the English Reformation. During the reign of Mary I (1553–1558), England was briefly reunited with the Catholic Church. Mary died childless, so it

7458-404: The Ordinal containing the rites for the ordination of deacons , priests , and the consecration of bishops. Unlike other traditions, the Church of England has no single theologian that it can look to as a founder. However, Richard Hooker 's appeal to scripture, church tradition , and reason as sources of authority, as well as the work of Thomas Cranmer , which inspired the doctrinal status of

7571-543: The Tudor ideal of encompassing all the people of England in one religious organisation was abandoned. The religious landscape of England assumed its present form, with the Anglican established church occupying the middle ground and Nonconformists continuing their existence outside. One result of the Restoration was the ousting of 2,000 parish ministers who had not been ordained by bishops in the apostolic succession or who had been ordained by ministers in presbyter's orders. Official suspicion and legal restrictions continued well into

7684-412: The authority of a bishop who is a woman. On 7 July 2008, the synod voted to approve the ordination of women as bishops and rejected moves for alternative episcopal oversight for those who do not accept the ministry of bishops who are women. Actual ordinations of women to the episcopate required further legislation, which was narrowly rejected in a General Synod vote in November 2012. On 20 November 2013,

7797-446: The belief that the ministry of bishops, priests and deacons is a sign and instrument of the Church of England's Catholic and apostolic identity. The low church party is more Protestant in both ceremony and theology. It has emphasized the significance of the Protestant aspects of the Church of England's identity, stressing the importance of the authority of Scripture, preaching, justification by faith and personal conversion. Historically,

7910-457: The breach, and the Elizabethan Settlement (implemented 1559–1563) concluded the English Reformation, charting a course for the English church to describe itself as a via media between two branches of Protestantism— Lutheranism and Calvinism —and later, a denomination that is both Reformed and Catholic . In the earlier phase of the English Reformation there were both Roman Catholic martyrs and Protestant martyrs . The later phases saw

8023-432: The centre" to reach out to spiritual people. The Church of England is launching a project on "gendered language" in Spring 2023 in efforts to "study the ways in which God is referred to and addressed in liturgy and worship". Women were appointed as deaconesses from 1861, but they could not function fully as deacons and were not considered ordained clergy. Women have historically been able to serve as lay readers . During

8136-596: The centuries. Traditional Choral evensong is a staple of most cathedrals. The style of psalm chanting harks back to the Church of England's pre-reformation roots. During the 18th century, clergy such as Charles Wesley introduced their own styles of worship with poetic hymns. In the latter half of the 20th century, the influence of the Charismatic Movement significantly altered the worship traditions of numerous Church of England parishes, primarily affecting those of evangelical persuasion. These churches now adopt

8249-639: The church ), O Rex gloriae ( Ascension ). In the Catholic Church, the seven standard O antiphons continue to serve as Magnificat antiphons at Vespers from 17 to 23 December. Since the liturgical reforms following Vatican II, they are also used as the Alleluia verses  for Mass in the Ordinary Form on the same days. For the Alleluia verses, the Lectionary moves O Emmanuel to the 21st, uses Rex Gentium on both

8362-612: The church again and disestablished it, the Act coming into effect on 1 January 1871. As the English Empire (after the 1707 union of the Kingdom of England with the Kingdom of Scotland to form the Kingdom of Great Britain , the British Empire ) expanded, English (after 1707, British ) colonists and colonial administrators took the established church doctrines and practices together with ordained ministry and formed overseas branches of

8475-474: The church's only official confessional statement. Though not a complete system of doctrine, the articles highlight areas of agreement with Lutheran and Reformed positions, while differentiating Anglicanism from Roman Catholicism and Anabaptism . While embracing some themes of the Protestant Reformation, the Church of England also maintains Catholic traditions of the ancient church and teachings of

8588-453: The church, continue to inform Anglican identity. The Church of England's doctrinal character today is largely the result of the Elizabethan Settlement, which sought to establish a comprehensive middle way between Roman Catholicism and Protestantism. The Church of England affirms the protestant reformation principle that scripture contains all things necessary to salvation and is the final arbiter in doctrinal matters. The Thirty-nine Articles are

8701-408: The downward spiral in membership were somehow to be reversed, as typical Sunday attendance had halved to 800,000 in the previous 40 years: The urgency of the challenge facing us is not in doubt. Attendance at Church of England services has declined at an average of one per cent per annum over recent decades and, in addition, the age profile of our membership has become significantly older than that of

8814-466: The early 2000s, between one and two billion people spoke English, making it the largest language by number of speakers , the third largest language by number of native speakers and the most widespread language geographically. The countries in which English is the native language of most people are sometimes termed the Anglosphere . Speakers of English are called Anglophones . Early Medieval England

8927-558: The ecclesiastical penalty for convicted felons to be defrocked was set aside from the Clergy Discipline Measure 2003 . The clergy union argued that the penalty was unfair to victims of hypothetical miscarriages of criminal justice, because the ecclesiastical penalty is considered irreversible. Although clerics can still be banned for life from ministry, they remain ordained as priests. Bishop Sarah Mullally has insisted that declining numbers at services should not necessarily be

9040-573: The first full year without substantial restrictions related to the pandemic, numbers were still notably down on pre-pandemic participation. According to the 2022 release of "Statistics for Mission" by the church, the median size of each church's "Worshipping Community" (those who attend in person or online at least as regularly as once a month) now stands at 37 people, with average weekly attendance having declined from 34 to 25; while Easter and Christmas services have seen falls from 51 to 38 and 80 to 56 individuals respectively. Examples of wider declines across

9153-472: The first time in the history of the Church of England, more women than men were ordained as priests (290 women and 273 men), but in the next two years, ordinations of men again exceeded those of women. In July 2005, the synod voted to "set in train" the process of allowing the consecration of women as bishops. In February 2006, the synod voted overwhelmingly for the "further exploration" of possible arrangements for parishes that did not want to be directly under

9266-498: The first women to be ordained as bishops at Canterbury Cathedral . Treweek later made headlines by calling for gender-inclusive language, saying that "God is not to be seen as male. God is God." In May 2018, the Diocese of London consecrated Dame Sarah Mullally as the first woman to serve as the Bishop of London . Bishop Sarah Mullally occupies the third most senior position in the Church of England. Mullally has described herself as

9379-496: The hope of the nations and their Saviour : Come and save us, O Lord our God. In addition to the seven antiphons above, a number of other O antiphons have been in use over the centuries in different churches: “O Virgo virginum”, "O Gabriel, nuntius cœlorum", "O Thoma Didyme", “O Rex pacifice”, "O Mundi Domina", “O Hierusalem”, "O sancte sanctorum", “O pastor Israel”. The Parisian Rite had 9 antiphons beginning on December 15, and some other churches had 12 antiphons. A feature of these

9492-531: The hymn O Come, O Come, Emmanuel in the Lutheran Service Book . In the Book of Common Worship published by the Presbyterian Church (USA) , the antiphons can be read as a praise litany at Morning or Evening Prayer. English-speaking world The English-speaking world comprises the 88 countries and territories in which English is an official, administrative, or cultural language. In

9605-466: The importance of social and political action in forwarding God's kingdom. The balance between these strands of churchmanship is not static: in 2013, 40% of Church of England worshippers attended evangelical churches (compared with 26% in 1989), and 83% of very large congregations were evangelical. Such churches were also reported to attract higher numbers of men and young adults than others. In 1604, James I ordered an English language translation of

9718-473: The language is still viewed primarily as a foreign tongue and does not serve an important cultural role in society. English is an official language ( de facto or de jure ) of the following countries and territories. Although not official, English is also an important language in some former colonies and protectorates of the British Empire where it is used as an administrative language , namely Brunei , Malaysia , and Sri Lanka . Because English

9831-493: The latter producing a growing evangelical wing that includes Reformed Anglicanism , with a smaller number of Arminian Anglicans . Tensions between theological conservatives and liberals find expression in debates over the ordination of women and homosexuality . The British monarch (currently Charles III ) is the supreme governor and the archbishop of Canterbury (vacant since 12 November 2024, most recently Justin Welby )

9944-729: The law on Sinai : Come and redeem us with an outstretched arm . Latin : O radix Jesse, qui stas in signum populorum , super quem continebunt reges os suum , quem Gentes deprecabuntur : veni ad liberandum nos, jam noli tardare. English (Anglican) : O Root of Jesse, standing as a sign among the peoples ; before you kings will shut their mouths , to you the nations will make their prayer : Come and deliver us, and delay no longer. Latin : O Clavis David , et sceptrum domus Israel; qui aperis, et nemo claudit; claudis, et nemo aperit : veni, et educ vinctum de domo carceris , sedentem in tenebris et umbra mortis . English (Anglican) : O Key of David and sceptre of

10057-409: The majority (70%) in the first half of the period; only 514 being closed between 1990 and 2010. Some active use was being made of about half of the closed churches. By 2019 the rate of closure had steadied at around 20 to 25 per year (0.2%); some being replaced by new places of worship. Additionally, in 2018 the church announced a £27 million growth programme to create 100 new churches. In 2015

10170-474: The monarchy and the Church resisted and the majority of the population were indifferent. Moreover, "despite all the assumptions of the Reformation founders of that Church, it had retained a catholic character." The Elizabethan Settlement had created a cuckoo in a nest..." a Protestant theology and program within a largely pre-Reformation Catholic structure whose continuing life would arouse a theological interest in

10283-681: The monasteries , which controlled much of the richest land. He disbanded religious houses, appropriated their income, disposed of their assets, and provided pensions for the former residents. The properties were sold to pay for the wars. Historian George W. Bernard argues: The dissolution of the monasteries in the late 1530s was one of the most revolutionary events in English history. There were nearly 900 religious houses in England, around 260 for monks, 300 for regular canons, 142 nunneries and 183 friaries; some 12,000 people in total, 4,000 monks, 3,000 canons, 3,000 friars and 2,000 nuns....one adult man in fifty

10396-496: The most total English speakers, with 306 million and 129 million, respectively. These are followed by Pakistan (104 million), the United Kingdom (68 million), and Nigeria (60 million). As of 2022, there were about 400 million native speakers of English. Including people who speak English as a second language , estimates of the total number of Anglophones vary from 1.5 billion to 2 billion. David Crystal calculated in 2003 that non-native speakers outnumbered native speakers by

10509-518: The other, mightily and sweetly ordering all things : Come and teach us the way of prudence . Latin : O Adonai , et Dux domus Israel , qui Moysi in igne flammae rubi apparuisti , et ei in Sina legem dedisti : veni ad redimendum nos in brachio extento . English (Anglican) : O Adonai , and leader of the House of Israel , who appeared to Moses in the fire of the burning bush , and gave him

10622-481: The outbreak of the First English Civil War in 1642. The two opposing factions consisted of Puritans , who sought to "purify" the church and enact more far-reaching Protestant reforms, and those who wanted to retain traditional beliefs and practices. In a period when many believed "true religion" and "good government" were the same thing, religious disputes often included a political element, one example being

10735-511: The pope refused, Henry used Parliament to assert royal authority over the English church. In 1533, Parliament passed the Act in Restraint of Appeals , barring legal cases from being appealed outside England. This allowed the Archbishop of Canterbury to annul the marriage without reference to Rome. In November 1534, the Act of Supremacy formally abolished papal authority and declared Henry Supreme Head of

10848-441: The population... Renewing and reforming aspects of our institutional life is a necessary but far from sufficient response to the challenges facing the Church of England. ... The age profile of our clergy has also been increasing. Around 40 per cent of parish clergy are due to retire over the next decade or so. Between 1969 and 2010, almost 1,800 church buildings, roughly 11% of the stock, were closed (so-called " redundant churches ");

10961-582: The quotation in the footnote is from the Vulgate (for Latin passages) or (for English passages) the NRSV unless indicated otherwise. Latin : O Sapientia, quae ex ore Altissimi prodiisti , attingens a fine usque ad finem, fortiter suaviterque disponens omnia : veni ad docendum nos viam prudentiae . English (Anglican) : O Wisdom, coming forth from the mouth of the Most High , reaching from one end to

11074-568: The shadow of death . Latin : O Rex Gentium , et desideratus earum , lapisque angularis , qui facis utraque unum : veni, et salva hominem, quem de limo formasti . English (Anglican) : O King of the nations , and their desire , the cornerstone making both one : Come and save the human race, which you fashioned from clay . Latin : O Emmanuel , Rex et legifer noster , exspectatio Gentium , et Salvator earum : veni ad salvandum nos, Domine, Deus noster. English (Anglican) : O Emmanuel , our king and our lawgiver ,

11187-472: The sixth century. Boethius's Consolation of Philosophy includes a passage in which Lady Philosophy appears to cite the series: Est igitur summum, inquit, bonum quod regit cuncta fortiter suauiterque disponit . He is the highest good, she said, that rules all things mightily and delightfully arranges them. The underlying reference is to Wisdom 8:1, but the precise phrasing almost certainly refers to O sapientia . There were many later traditions throughout

11300-517: The state with the head of state as its supreme governor). The exact nature of the relationship between church and state would be developed over the next century. Notably, the Act of Settlement 1701 , which remains in force today, stipulates that the monarch (who serves as the Supreme Governor of the Church of England) be a Protestant, maintain the Protestant succession, and "join in communion with

11413-473: The struggle over bishops. In addition to their religious function, bishops acted as state censors, able to ban sermons and writings considered objectionable, while lay people could be tried by church courts for crimes including blasphemy , heresy , fornication and other 'sins of the flesh', as well as matrimonial or inheritance disputes. They also sat in the House of Lords and often blocked legislation opposed by

11526-425: The term 'broad church' has been used to describe those of middle-of-the-road ceremonial preferences who lean theologically towards liberal protestantism. The liberal broad church tradition has emphasized the importance of the use of reason in theological exploration. It has stressed the need to develop Christian belief and practice in order to respond creatively to wider advances in human knowledge and understanding and

11639-597: The whole church include: The canon law of the Church of England identifies the Christian scriptures as the source of its doctrine. In addition, doctrine is also derived from the teachings of the Church Fathers and ecumenical councils (as well as the ecumenical creeds ) in so far as these agree with scripture. This doctrine is expressed in the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion , the Book of Common Prayer , and

11752-462: The world; English is the most commonly used language in the sciences, with Science Citation Index reporting as early as 1997 that 95% of its articles were written in English, even though only half of them came from authors in English-speaking countries. In publishing, English literature predominates considerably, with 28% of all books published in the world [Leclerc 2011] and 30% of web content in 2011 (down from 50% in 2000). The increasing use of

11865-448: Was justification by faith alone rather than by good works. The logical outcome of this belief is that the Mass, sacraments, charitable acts, prayers to saints , prayers for the dead, pilgrimage, and the veneration of relics do not mediate divine favour. To believe they can would be superstition at best and idolatry at worst. Between 1536 and 1540, Henry engaged in the dissolution of

11978-713: Was abolished and the Presbyterian and Independent factions dominated. The episcopacy was abolished in 1646 but the Restoration restored the Church of England, episcopacy and the Book of Common Prayer . Since the English Reformation, the Church of England has used the English language in the liturgy . As a broad church , the Church of England contains several doctrinal strands: the main traditions are known as Anglo-Catholic , high church , central church , and low church ,

12091-540: Was any like thee, nor shall there be after. Daughters of Jerusalem, why marvel ye at me? The thing which ye behold is a divine mystery. Given the English origins of this alternative, it has traditionally been the version used in the Church of England (including Canterbury Cathedral ) until recent times, and is the version printed in traditional Church of England liturgical sources including The English Hymnal (1906) and The New English Hymnal (1986). From 2000, however,

12204-488: Was appointed, following which CMS and SPG missionaries began their work, in 1818 and 1844 respectively. Subsequently the Church of Ceylon was established: in 1845 the diocese of Colombo was inaugurated, with the appointment of James Chapman as Bishop of Colombo. It served as an extra-provincial jurisdiction of the archbishop of Canterbury , who served as its metropolitan . Under the guidance of Rowan Williams and with significant pressure from clergy union representatives,

12317-556: Was consecrated a bishop in 1864. However, the arrival of a rival group of Anglican missionaries in 1887 led to infighting that slowed the Church's growth. In this large African colony, by 1900 there were only 35,000 Anglicans, about 0.2% of the population. However, by the late 20th century the Church of Nigeria was the fastest growing of all Anglican churches, reaching about 18 percent of the local population by 2000. The church established its presence in Hong Kong and Macau in 1843. In 1951,

12430-528: Was in religious orders. In the reign of Edward VI (1547–1553), the Church of England underwent an extensive theological reformation. Justification by faith was made a central teaching. Government-sanctioned iconoclasm led to the destruction of images and relics. Stained glass, shrines, statues, and roods were defaced or destroyed. Church walls were whitewashed and covered with biblical texts condemning idolatry. The most significant reform in Edward's reign

12543-407: Was left to the new regime of her half-sister Queen Elizabeth I to resolve the direction of the Church. The Elizabethan Religious Settlement returned the Church to where it stood in 1553 before Edward's death. The Act of Supremacy made the monarch the Church's Supreme Governor of the Church of England . The Act of Uniformity restored a slightly altered 1552 Book of Common Prayer . In 1571,

12656-552: Was the adoption of an English liturgy to replace the old Latin rites. Written by the Protestant Reformer Archbishop Thomas Cranmer , the 1549 Book of Common Prayer implicitly taught justification by faith, and rejected the Catholic doctrines of transubstantiation and the sacrifice of the Mass. This was followed by a greatly revised 1552 Book of Common Prayer , which propounded a Reformed view of

12769-534: Was the birthplace of the English language; the modern form of the language has been spread around the world since the 17th century, first by the worldwide influence of England and later the United Kingdom, and then by that of the United States . Through all types of printed and electronic media of these countries, English has become the leading language of international discourse and the lingua franca in many regions and professional fields, such as science , navigation and law . The United States and India have

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