Anglican Communion
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop of the worldwide Anglican Communion - a first among equals (“primus inter pares”) amongst fellow bishops.
The Anglican Communion is the third largest international denomination, after the Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church. It has over 80 million members, spread across 38 Provinces in 164 countries. Each of these Provinces is autonomous, with its own system of governance and senior archbishop or bishop ("Primate"). The Communion is not held together by a formal constitution or international church law, but rather by a shared heritage and what are termed "bonds of affection", by formal "Instruments of Communion" and through the Archbishop of Canterbury acting as a unique focus of unity. This sense of common identity has been nourished over many years by direct encounter and companion relationships at many levels. The Archbishop of Canterbury plays a leading role in nurturing the interdependent life of the Communion by visiting Provinces, convening meetings, facilitating initiatives, contributing to theological reflection and exercising a pivotal role within the Instruments of Communion.
See also: The Archbishop in the Anglican Communion: An Historical Note
Recent items relating to Anglican Communion are shown below:
November 2008
Cross of St Augustine awarded to members of the 2008 Lambeth Conference Design Group
5 November 2008
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has awarded the Cross of St Augustine to members of…
October 2008
Archbishop awards Cross of St Augustine
17 October 2008
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has today awarded the Cross of St Augustine to thirteen…
August 2008
Archbishop's Pastoral Letter to Bishops of the Anglican Communion
26 August 2008
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has today sent a letter to the bishops of the Anglican…
Press reports on the Archbishop's correspondence
8 August 2008
In response to the recent coverage of the correspondence dated back to 2000, The Archbishop Canterbury…
The Archbishop's Concluding Sermon of the Lambeth Conference
3 August 2008
Sermon given at the Concluding Eucharist of the Fourteenth Lambeth Conference, Christ Church Cathedral,…
Concluding Presidential Address to the Lambeth Conference
3 August 2008
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, delivers his Presidential Address at the end of the…
Final press conference at the Lambeth Conference
3 August 2008
A press conference with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, held on Sunday August 3rd 2008…
July 2008
Archbishop to award Cross of St Augustine
30 July 2008
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams has announced the award of the Cross of St Augustine…
The Archbishop's address at a Dinner given by the Nikæan Club
29 July 2008
The dinner was attended by all the ecumenical participants present at the Conference on 29 July. The…
Archbishop's Second Presidential Address at Lambeth Conference
29 July 2008
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, at the Lambeth Conference 2008.