Anglicanism is the tradition of the Church of England and its branches. It emerged from the English Reformation in the 16th century. King Henry VIII broke with Rome. The Church of England became independent. It kept many Catholic traditions. It adopted Protestant theology. It is a via media, a middle way. It is both catholic and reformed.

Anglicanism spread through the British Empire. It is now a global communion. The Anglican Communion includes churches in over 165 countries. The Archbishop of Canterbury is the spiritual leader. He is not a pope. He does not have jurisdiction. He is a focus of unity. The communion is diverse. It includes high church and low church. It includes evangelical and Anglo-Catholic. The diversity is a strength. It is also a source of tension.

Anglican distinctives

• Book of Common Prayer: shared liturgy.
• Episcopal polity: bishops govern.
• Via media: middle way between Rome and Geneva.
• Scripture, tradition, and reason: the three-legged stool.
• Comprehensiveness: wide range of beliefs.

Anglicanism is a global family. It is not a single church. It is a communion of churches. They share history, liturgy, and heritage. They disagree on many things. Women's ordination. Homosexuality. The authority of scripture. These debates are ongoing. The communion holds together. It bends. It does not break. That is the Anglican way. It is not tidy. It is not uniform. It is a big tent. It includes many voices. It seeks to worship God in the beauty of holiness. It seeks to serve the world in Christ's name. It is a tradition of prayer and mission. It is a tradition of faith and reason. It is Anglicanism.