Similarities between Anglicanism and Orthodoxy?

[Decanus]

I've heard plenty about the similarities between Roman Catholic beliefs, traditions and style of worship, but not much about the Orthodox and Anglican Church's. Can anybody answer these questions:

1. What are the Similarities in Orthodox and Anglican style of worship and the differences?
2. What beliefs do both groups agree on and what ones do they disagree on?

Also, i've heard that the Anglican Church is more like the Orthodox Church than the Catholic Church. Can anyone tell me more about this and what their opinions are on the matter?

Thank you

 

[ArmyMatt]

welcome to TAW!

for starters, our worship is the similar in that there is a lead up with readings and prayers before the sermon, and that the focus of the service is Holy Communion. the Eastern Rite is, however, very different looking and feeling in my opinion. the Western Rite is basically an Anglican service, that was "corrected" to look Orthodox by St Tikhon of Moscow. I have been to both, and personally I prefer the Eastern Rite, there is nothing unOrthodox about the Western Rite. the beliefs are the same.

for your second question that woudl depend on the Anglican you are talking too. a high church Anglican would be much similiar to what we would believe (because they are also similar to Rome), whereas a low church Anglican could potentially be very different. we do, to my knowledge, agree on the roles of our bishops as equals except in honor of their particular see.

hope this helps and I hope you stick around

 

[Mary of Bethany]

I was in the Anglican Catholic Church for ten years. I would say the similarities are in our understanding of bishops without a papacy, our understanding of the Eucharist without relying on transubstantiation, our belief in Saints and their intercessions for us, the understanding of Mary as Theotokos, to name a few.

Depending on the individual Anglican, they may also believe in theosis, in the Dormition, in our understanding of original sin and salvation - or not.

The biggest difference would be in the understanding of the Church. Most Anglicans believe in the "branch theory" which is not compatible with Orthodoxy.

Mary

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

Being one of the few souls in here to have been Catholic, Anglican, and Orthodox, I can tell you that Anglican worship is much, much, much more like Catholic worship than Orthodox. Very few things I see in common between Anglican worship and the East. However, as another poster noted, not having a papacy or a catechism and the lex orandi, lex credendi approach is similar. Apart from that, I'd say a Rite I or Rite II Anglican worship service is more similar to a Catholic Mass in English translated properly than an Eastern one.

 

[Ann_of_Love]

I would say that Orthodox and Anglicans are similar insofar as their worship is centered on the Holy Eucharist. Both worship services have a fairly definite form, and you know pretty much what to expect Sunday to Sunday, allowing the liturgy or mass to shape your faith, prayer life and soul.

The Orthodox church directly addresses saints, which may or may not bother an Anglican, depending on his or her churchmanship. I imagine that most Anglicans would feel fairly at ease attending an Orthodox liturgy, as I have.

As to similarities in theology, I'm certainly not one to speak, as I'm not a theologian of either tradition. I would say that theologically, Anglicans are going to be closer to Orthodox than, say, Evangelicals or Baptists. In a country where those are the dominating denominations in popular thought (versus actual attendance,) one may be surprised at how similar Anglicans and Orthodox can be.

For example, neither Orthodox nor Anglicans are going to point to "the sinner's prayer" as a method of salvation. Both Orthodox and Anglicans take baptism seriously (though Orthodox will point to more sacraments than will an Anglican.) Neither are going to buy into the "once saved always saved" thing, and you probably aren't going to hear any speaking on tongues at either liturgy or mass.

If you have a high church Anglican and an Orthodox in the same room, I'm certain they'd get on very well...assuming they root for the same sports teams.

 

[Dorothea]

Being one of the few souls in here to have been Catholic, Anglican, and Orthodox, I can tell you that Anglican worship is much, much, much more like Catholic worship than Orthodox. Very few things I see in common between Anglican worship and the East. However, as another poster noted, not having a papacy or a catechism and the lex orandi, lex credendi approach is similar. Apart from that, I'd say a Rite I or Rite II Anglican worship service is more similar to a Catholic Mass in English translated properly than an Eastern one.

But Orthodoxy does have a catechism. At least I've seen one:

An Online Orthodox Catechism » Catechism » OrthodoxEurope.org

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

Hi Dot,
Yes. I'm aware of these catechisms, but there is no ONE universal catechism that is anything like the Catholic Church's catechism, meant to be universally adhered to as a sort of owner's manual for theological living. Orthodox catechisms are more local or ethnic I think from the ones I've seen.

But Orthodoxy does have a catechism. At least I've seen one:

An Online Orthodox Catechism » Catechism » OrthodoxEurope.org

 

[Dorothea]

Hi Dot,
Yes. I'm aware of these catechisms, but there is no ONE universal catechism that is anything like the Catholic Church's catechism, meant to be universally adhered to as a sort of owner's manual for theological living. Orthodox catechisms are more local or ethnic I think from the ones I've seen.

I'll take your word for it. I haven't really looked into the Orthodox catechisms deeply other than the one I posted and one from a Greek parish in Florida that I glanced over.

the RCC has just about everything etched in stone in writing. I really feel like the RCC is like a government institution and when trying to read some of their catechism in the past, it was like reading law papers. Ugh.

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

I always found the Catechism of the Catholic Church helpful, edifying, and coherent. It was nice to know where the Church stood on things. There were a zillion Church fathers with a zillion opinions and insights, many of which went in diverse directions. The Catechism, created by the pope with the magisterial support and commissions, helped create some coherent order to know where the Church stood on things. In Orthodoxy, not having a catechism, I've struggled with that lack of theological structure. I actually thought it was a strength in many ways. But economia isn't really part of Catholicism, which I felt could sometimes be a weakness really. But I digress...

I'll take your word for it. I haven't really looked into the Orthodox catechisms deeply other than the one I posted and one from a Greek parish in Florida that I glanced over.

the RCC has just about everything etched in stone in writing. I really feel like the RCC is like a government institution and when trying to read some of their catechism in the past, it was like reading law papers. Ugh.

 

[Dorothea]

I always found the Catechism of the Catholic Church helpful, edifying, and coherent. It was nice to know where the Church stood on things. There were a zillion Church fathers with a zillion opinions and insights, many of which went in diverse directions. The Catechism, created by the pope with the magisterial support and commissions, helped create some coherent order to know where the Church stood on things. In Orthodoxy, not having a catechism, I've struggled with that lack of theological structure. I actually thought it was a strength in many ways. But economia isn't really part of Catholicism, which I felt could sometimes be a weakness really. But I digress...

I think it's what you've been used to. My friend who is a devout Catholic has a hard time seeing how the Orthodox Church and all its Patriarchs and such keep everything together and going. She is perplexed by the fact that it can function without a bunch of rules. I think it's a testament to the Holy Spirit's guidance of the Church. I think there are plenty of dogmas and doctrines in the Orthodox Church to know where it stands on all issues. We are given the borders to stay within the life of the Church on these dogmas and such.

I just believe it's normal that you would feel that about the Catholic catechism and how you still talk about the RCC much and the things you like about it. You were one a lot of your life, so with Orthodoxy being newer, it'll take over a decade, imo, to get used to all that is Orthodoxy.

 

[Joseph Hazen]

Being one of the few souls in here to have been Catholic, Anglican, and Orthodox, I can tell you that Anglican worship is much, much, much more like Catholic worship than Orthodox. Very few things I see in common between Anglican worship and the East. However, as another poster noted, not having a papacy or a catechism and the lex orandi, lex credendi approach is similar. Apart from that, I'd say a Rite I or Rite II Anglican worship service is more similar to a Catholic Mass in English translated properly than an Eastern one.

Gurney is right as to the great, huge majority of Orthodox worship, but this morning I attended the Western Orthodox liturgy again, and it's very, very, very similar to an Anglican service. Let us not forget the existence of the Western Orthodox lol.

But to the OP, yeah, the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chyrsostom, our typical Sunday service, and the Anglican Mass is very very different.

The mindsets are similar often, if the Anglican is traditional, however. I think it might be simpler for a traddy Anglican to convert than a Roman Catholic even, but I can only say that with the warning that I have never been Anglican.

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

Well I don't think Catholics see it as a bunch of "rules," Dot, to be fair to them. They see it as a statement of the Catholic faith. If you open the Catechism, it doesn't speak of rules and regulations, that is canon law actually. The catechism speaks really of "this is what we believe...."

If I were to open an Orthodox catechism and it said, "we believe in a Triune God--Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and in Jesus Christ being Truly God, Truly Man." and "we believe in the holiness and intercessory power of the Holy Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary," etc. you wouldn't see that as "rules" but rather statements of faith.

The Catechism speaks of things with definitive, objective morality like birth control. In the Orthodox Church you have bishops who are ok with it, most are not, some say very little about it. There is economia and no hard and fast declaration of the objective morality behind contraception. With Catholics, there is. It's not so much a rule, but a statement of faith on thie issue, theological definition. Or divorce, there is a firm position on it and an explanation as to why. In Orthodoxy, this area is much more lenient and an "ask your priest" kind of thing like contraception. So things differ there.

But overall you'd be surprised how much commonalities there are in the catechism with Orthodoxy. Abortion, homosexuality, inappropriate contentography, cohabitation, in vitro fertilization, masturbation, all the sins basically we see in Orthodoxy are explained there. And those are the "negatives," but the catechism always first mentions what Catholics AFFIRM before it announces what they reject.

It's not a total 100% guidebook explanation of everything Catholic. Take atonement---it never explains the different types of atonement and takes a position. We are left to do that. And you'd be surprised how many times the catechism refers not only to St. John Chrysostom and St. Basil the Great, the Cappadocians, etc. but it also mentions the Eatern Catholic rites a lot respecting infant chrismation and communion to children, etc. I was always surprised how much it mentioned the East.

It has footnotes to the Fathers throughout and Scriptural footnotes as well.

I think it does a lot to guide the faithful and keep Catholics looking to a shared Eucharistic faith rather than just throwing down rules. Now if you're talking canon law, wow, yeah, Catholicism is chuck full of 'em!

I think it's what you've been used to. My friend who is a devout Catholic has a hard time seeing how the Orthodox Church and all its Patriarchs and such keep everything together and going. She is perplexed by the fact that it can function without a bunch of rules. I think it's a testament to the Holy Spirit's guidance of the Church. I think there are plenty of dogmas and doctrines in the Orthodox Church to know where it stands on all issues. We are given the borders to stay within the life of the Church on these dogmas and such.

I just believe it's normal that you would feel that about the Catholic catechism and how you still talk about the RCC much and the things you like about it. You were one a lot of your life, so with Orthodoxy being newer, it'll take over a decade, imo, to get used to all that is Orthodoxy.

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

You've never been Anglican and I've never been to a Western Rite Orthodox liturgy!

Gurney is right as to the great, huge majority of Orthodox worship, but this morning I attended the Western Orthodox liturgy again, and it's very, very, very similar to an Anglican service. Let us not forget the existence of the Western Orthodox lol.

But to the OP, yeah, the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chyrsostom, our typical Sunday service, and the Anglican Mass is very very different.

The mindsets are similar often, if the Anglican is traditional, however. I think it might be simpler for a traddy Anglican to convert than a Roman Catholic even, but I can only say that with the warning that I have never been Anglican.

 

[Adam Warlock]

You've never been Anglican and I've never been to a Western Rite Orthodox liturgy!

Are those pretty rare?

 

[27B6]

...

 

[choirfiend]

Are those pretty rare?

Yes.

 

[Lukaris]

C.S. Lewis.

 

[Adam Warlock]

Here is more information including lists of parishes that offer a western liturgy.

Western Rite Orthodoxy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Western Rite | Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese
Western Rite - OrthodoxWiki

Thanks!!!

 

[isshinwhat]

During the Greek Festival, the gentleman giving the tour stated that they are told to attend an Episcopalian service if there is no Orthodox Liturgy nearby, as it is the most similar church to theirs in theology and practice. I know this differs by parish, as I have talked with other Orthodox priests who have told their parishioners to either pray at home or attend a Mass in that case, but I am curious, have any of you received similar advice? ArmyMatt, what were you told to do during deployments?

 

[ArmyMatt]

I actually have been given the blessing to lead Reader's services (there are two other Orthodox here and some curious Protestants). I also made a request for an Orthodox chaplain to come for Lent through Pascha.