Are Anglicans Catholics?

Some people have told me that Anglicans, Eastern Orthodox, and Roman Catholics are all Catholics. Do you agree?

Originally Posted by Andrew B.

Some people have told me that Anglicans, Eastern Orthodox, and Roman Catholics are all Catholics. Do you agree?

Well, only Roman Catholics are Roman Catholics. But some Anglicans (the Anglican church is quite diverse) are Catholic or almost Catholic. And Orthodoxy, both Eastern and Oriental, is Catholic though not Roman Catholic. And then there are Old Catholics...

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It depends on what one means by Catholics. The Orthodox are probably the most similar to Roman Catholics with Anglicans being the next closest major denomination.

If you're defining "Catholic" as "in communion with the Pope," then most Anglican churches are not Catholic. There are some Anglican parishes who have come into communion with the Pope and there is a movement within Anglicanism to return to Rome called the Traditional Anglican Communion.

If you're defining "Catholic" as "ancient, liturgical church" then all of the groups you described are Catholic.

If you're defining "Catholic" as merely "universal" then all Christians are Catholic. Huzzah terminology!

In the common usage of the word "Catholic" people tend to refer to those who are in communion with the Bishop of Rome. When you get deeper into the theological language though the meaning of the word can change.

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Hi Dark_Lite. After reading the ways this can be interpreted, I think I need to stop using the word "Catholic" for what I mean. And now I'm not even sure what I mean. Except that I see Roman, Orthodox, Anglican, etc. having a lot in common in the way they worship.

Are Anglicans Catholics? NO!

That's because they all derive from the same ancient Church. Thus, their beliefs and practices will be very similar.

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Perhaps referring to them as Apostolic Churches would be best? Now, granted, some Pentecostal churches claim the term "Apostolic" as well but only the Catholic, Anglican, Orthodox, Old Catholic, and related churches can claim apostolic succession.

Indeed. All such churches claim apostolic succession.

Interestingly I was visiting an Anglo-Catholic church just yesterday. They hold to seven sacraments, the real presence and they venerate Mary. Stepping into the church was like stepping into a pre-Vat II Catholic church - very ornate and very beatiful. They also make a credible claim to Apostolic succession.

Catholic is an adjective derived from the Greek adjective καθολικός (katholikos), meaning "universal". In the context of Christian ecclesiology, it has a rich history and several usages. For some, the term "Catholic Church" refers to the Church in full communion with the Bishop of Rome, including both the Western particular Church and the Eastern Catholic Churches. Protestants sometimes use the term "catholic church" to refer to the entire body of believers in Jesus Christ across the world, and across the ages. Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, Lutheran, and some Methodist Christians hold that their churches are catholic in the sense that they are in continuity with the original catholic (universal) church founded by the apostles. In "Catholic Christendom" (including the Anglican Communion), bishops are considered the highest order of ministers within the Christian Church, as shepherds of unity in communion with the whole church and one another. Catholicity is considered one of the Four Marks of the Church, the others being unity, sanctity, and apostolicity. According to the Nicene Creed of 381: "I believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church."