Anglican Diocese of Ottawa

The best introduction to The Anglican Church of Canada and The Anglican Communion (world-wide) is the small booklet:

Meet the Family:
Welcome to the Anglican Church of Canada
by Patricia Bays, 1996

This booklet is available locally from Canterbury House Bookstore.

An excerpt from Patricia Bays book is available on the Anglican Church of Canada website. For an insight into the how the Anglican Church works at our diocesan level see our pages:

Another description of the Anglican Church, this one also a Canadian view, can be found at "What is the Anglican Church?" on the Diocese of New Westminster's website.

There are nearly 70 million members of the Anglican family in 36 self-governing Member Churches or Provinces in more than 160 countries. The Anglican Communion has developed in two stages. Following the first stage, which began in the 17th century in Britain, Anglicanism was later established by colonization in places such as Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Southern Africa, and the USA. The second stage began in the late 18th century. During that era Anglican churches were planted all over the world as a result of the missionary work of the Churches in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales, which were joined in this task by the Churches formed in the previous two centuries. Anglican Churches uphold and proclaim the Catholic and Apostolic faith, based on the scriptures, interpreted in the light of tradition, scholarship and reason. Following the teachings of Jesus Christ, the Churches are committed to the proclamation of the Good News of the Gospel to the whole creation. Faith, order and practice have found expression in the Book of Common Prayer, Ordinals of the 16th and 17th centuries, and most succinctly in the 'Chicago-Lambeth Quadrilateral' which was first approved by the Lambeth Conference of 1888. This document affirms as the essential elements of faith and order in the quest for Christian unity:

Central to worship for Anglicans is the celebration of the Holy Eucharist (also called the Holy Communion, the Lord's Supper, the Mass). In this offering of prayer and praise are recalled the life, death and resurrection of Christ, through the proclamation of the word and celebration of the Sacrament. Worship is at the heart of Anglicanism. Its styles vary from simple to elaborate, from Evangelical to Catholic, as well as from Charismatic to Traditional. The Book of Common Prayer, in its various revisions throughout the Communion, gives expression to the comprehensiveness found within the Church whose principles reflect, since the time of Elizabeth I, a via media in relation to other Christian traditions. Baptism, with water in the name of the Trinity, unites one with Christ and the Church. Other rites include Confirmation, Holy Orders, Reconciliation, Marriage, and Anointing of the Sick.

The Churches of the Anglican Communion are linked by affection and common loyalty. They are in full communion with the See of Canterbury and thus the Archbishop of Canterbury, in his person, is a unique focus of Anglican unity. He calls the once-a-decade Lambeth Conference, chairs the meeting of Primates, and is President of the Anglican Communion Council [formerly called the Anglican Consultative Council]. The 104th Archbishop, in the succession of St Augustine, is the Most Reverend and Right Honourable Rowan Williams, enthroned in February 2003.

The ACC was formed following a resolution of the 1968 Lambeth Conference which discerned the need for more frequent and more representative contact among the Churches than was possible through a once-a-decade conference of bishops. The constitution of the Council was accepted by the general synods or conventions of all the Member Churches of the Anglican Communion. The Council came into being in October 1969.

The ACC meets every two or three years and its present policy is to meet in different parts of the world. Since it began there have been nine meetings of the Council: Limuru, Kenya 1971; Dublin, Republic of Ireland 1973; Trinidad 1976; London, Ontario, Canada 1979; Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England 1981; Badagry, Nigeria 1984; Singapore 1987; Wales 1990; Cape Town, South Africa 1993; Panama 1996 and Scotland 1999.

The following activities and projects were inaugurated, implemented, and supported, in some way, by the Lambeth Conference, the Primates Meeting and the Anglican Communion Council:

The emblem of the Anglican Communion, the Compass Rose was originally designed by the late Canon Edward West of New York. The modern design is that of Giles Bloomfield. The symbol, set in the nave of Canterbury Cathedral, was dedicated by the Archbishop of Canterbury at the final Eucharist of the Lambeth conference 1988. The Archbishop dedicated a similar symbol in Washington Cathedral in 1990, and one in the original design in New York's cathedral in 1992, demonstrating that its use is becoming increasingly world-wide. The centre holds the Cross of St George, reminding Anglicans of their origins. The Greek inscription 'The Truth Shall Make You Free' (John 8:32) surrounds the cross, and the compass recalls the spread of Anglican Christianity throughout the world. The mitre at the top emphasises the role of the episcopacy and apostolic order that is at the core of the Churches of the Communion. The Compass Rose is used widely by the family of Anglican/Episcopal Churches and is the logo of the Inter-Anglican Secretariat, and is used as the Communion's identifying symbol.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the love of God
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit,
be with us all evermore.

Produced by the Communications Department—January 1997
Content: Copyright © 1997
Canon James Rosenthal
Director of Communications, The Anglican Communion
London, England
Editor, ANGLICAN WORLD

For more information visit the official Anglican Communion site on the Web.

We also have on our website:



The Anglican Diocese of Ottawa 71 Bronson Avenue, Ottawa, ON, K1R 6G6 Telephone: 613-232-7124 Fax: 613-232-7088	Home \| Sitemap \| Search \| Contact Us Printer Friendly Instructions \| Privacy Policy \| Web Manager