What is Anglicanism?

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Apostles Houston is an Anglican Church and a member of the Anglican Communion which totals over 80 million people worldwide. With origins in the English Reformation, but roots that can be traced to the early Church, Anglicans are a unique blend of several great traditions of Christianity.

The word Anglican actually means “of England.” As British Christians, compelled by the word of God and the Holy Spirit, took their faith around the world during the colonial period, churches were established on every continent and in many nations. British pastoral leaders urged autonomy and collegiality with these daughter churches and, over time, separate provinces of the Anglican Church were established around the world. Most of these provinces correspond geographically to particular nations.

Apostles Houston is a member of the Anglican Church in North America and the Diocese of the Western Gulf Coast under the shepherding leadership of Bishop Clark WP Lowenfield.

Anglican History

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During the Reformation (16th century), the leaders who founded the Anglican Church were deeply committed to making the Scriptures available to all, ministering to people in languages they could understand, and uniting the church’s form of worship through a common liturgy. While dynastic concerns motivated Henry VIII to seek dissolution of religious and political ties with Rome, English theological scholars and our reformational heritage has bestowed on us a tradition that is centered in the Gospel and immersed in the Scriptures. Anglican theology is summarized in the 39 Articles of Religion (link) while Anglican spirituality can be seen and experienced through the The Book of Common Prayer (link).

In the subsequent centuries, as Great Britain colonized parts of the world, the Church England sent missionaries to share the Gospel with these peoples. Over time, these became ingenious churches with a shared beliefs and worship. Today, versions of the Book of Common Prayer are used here at Apostles and in Anglican worship services around the world. These churches are now referred to as belonging to the Global Anglican Communion.

Anglican Distinctives

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One of the most distinct things about Anglicanism might be our lack of distinctives!

You might say Anglicanism is seeking to be a faithful expression of mere Christianity — believing and practicing what orthodox Christians have held to down through history as received from Jesus through the Apostles. We hold deep, biblical convictions informed by tradition, reason and experience.

Anglican Christians believe that Jesus Christ is Lord and that accepting Him as Savior is the only way to abundant life in the present age and the age to come.

Anglican Christians are evangelical (a word meaning of the good news) Christians. We believe that the Bible is the Word of God and that it has unique authority in our lives. As Biblically-faithful Anglicans, our churches teach the whole Bible and how it applies to our daily lives. We believe that God’s love for the whole world, expressed in Jesus Christ, is Good News that we are called to share with everyone.

Anglican Christians are catholic (a word that means universal, not Roman Catholic) Christians. We are part of a worldwide church of more than 80 million people that grew out of the Church of England. We are united to each other and to the broader Christian tradition by a shared way of worship, church order, and the celebration and sharing of the Biblical sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion.

Anglican Christians are charismatic (a word that means gifted, referring to the gift and gifts of the Holy Spirit) Christians. We believe that the Holy Spirit is active in believers, enabling, teaching, healing, and calling us to love our neighbors and change the world.