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 2009
Archbishop pays tribute to remarkable work of the Mothers' Union
10 November 2009
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams has paid tribute to the work of the Mothers' Union, describing…
September 2009
Anniversary Ceremony for Momoyama Gakuin University and Momoyama Gakuin, Japan
26 September 2009
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams delivered a message at an Anniversary Ceremony for the…
Memorial Worship at Momoyama Gakuin University, Japan
25 September 2009
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, spoke at an open air memorial worship to commemorate…
Archbishop of Canterbury backs efforts for a world free of nuclear arms
24 September 2009
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, currently visiting the Anglican Church in Japan, today…
Act of Remembrance at the epicentre of the atomic bomb blast in Nagasaki
24 September 2009
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, currently visiting the Anglican Church in Japan, today…
150th Anniversary Sermon for the Anglican Church in Japan
23 September 2009
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has today preached at a service attended by over 2000…
Archbishop - 'God has shown us how to live a human life'
22 September 2009
The Archbishop of Canterbury gave a sermon at Koran Girls' School in Tokyo (St Hilda's School) as part…
Archbishop - Education based only on reason is incomplete
21 September 2009
As part of his week-long visit to Japan for the 150th anniversary celebrations of the Anglican Church…
August 2009
Archbishop's letter to Primate of Nigeria
5 August 2009
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has written to the Primate of Nigeria, offering prayers…
July 2009
Communion, Covenant and our Anglican Future
27 July 2009
Reflections on the Episcopal Church's 2009 General Convention from the Archbishop of Canterbury for the…