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:
October 2011
Archbishop meets President Bingu wa Mutharika of Malawi
7 October 2011
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, met with President Bingu wa Mutharika and spoke about…
Archbishop visits Trinity Secondary School in Blantyre, Malawi
7 October 2011
Archbishop Rowan Williams visited Trinity Secondary School, run by the Diocese of Southern Malawi, during…
Archbishop Rowan arrives in Malawi
6 October 2011
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, arrived on Thursday afternoon in Blantyre, Malawi at…
Archbishop to pay a pastoral visit to the Church of the Province of Central Africa
5 October 2011
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams is today embarking on a week-long pastoral visit to the…
July 2011
Into the Heart of Africa - Church Times article
1 July 2011
Earlier this week, the Archbishop of Canterbury made a pastoral visit to the Church in north-east Congo,…
June 2011
Archbishop returns from the Congo
27 June 2011
The Archbishop of Canterbury today returned from a pastoral visit to the Anglican Church in the Democratic…
Archbishop of Canterbury concludes his visit to Kenya
24 June 2011
The Archbishop of Canterbury has been visiting the Anglican Church in Kenya to celebrate the mission,…
Archbishop’s visit to Kibera, Nairobi
23 June 2011
On the final day of his visit to Kenya, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, spent the morning…
Archbishop meets President Mwai Kibaki of Kenya
23 June 2011
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, had a constructive meeting with President Mwai Kibaki…
Archbishop – sustainable development for a ‘new creation’
21 June 2011
As part of his visit to the Diocese of Machakos, the Archbishop of Canterbury went to the Christian Community…