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:
June 2007
Time Magazine Interview
18 June 2007
The Archbishop of Canterbury is on the front cover of the European and African editions of Time Magazine.…
May 2007
First Invitations Sent for 'Reflective and Learning-Based Lambeth Conference
22 May 2007
The first invitations for the 2008 Lambeth Conference, to be held in Canterbury next summer, were sent…
Christianity: Public Religion and the Common Good
12 May 2007
The following lecture was given by the Archbishop at St Andrew's Cathedral in Singapore.
Christians Should Stand for Hope in Conflict
8 May 2007
Christian communities in the middle of conflict need to stand for hope, forgiveness, and reconciliation,…
Project is True Ray of Hope in Malaysia
6 May 2007
A church project in Malaysia has been described as 'the work of the Gospel' by the Archbishop of Canterbury,…
Bishops Need Stillness
5 May 2007
The Archbishop of Canterbury has said that Bishops need to make time for stillness and silence if they…
Archbishop to Visit Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore
3 May 2007
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams is to spend four days in Sri Lanka next week as part…
April 2007
Politics, Morality and Leadership: Newsnight With Gavin Esler
25 April 2007
A transcript of the interview conducted by Gavin Esler and transmitted on BBC2's Newsnight programme…
Archbishop to Visit U.S. Church
16 April 2007
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has announced that he intends to visit the United States…
Archbishop in Canada - Church Needs to Listen Properly to the Bible
16 April 2007
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has told an audience of theological students that both…