Anglican Church

ANGLICAN CHURCH or COMMUNION: A comprehensive name for the Reformation churches of English origin, including the Church of England and its branches in Ireland, Scotland, the colonies, and India, with the various missionary jurisdictions, and the Protestant Episcopal Church of the United States. The liturgy in all is the Book of Common Prayer with modifications (see Common Prayer, Book of), and the Thirty-nine Articles are accepted with changes necessary to fit local conditions (see Thirty-Nine Articles). All have episcopal organization and hold to the “historic episcopate” (see Apostolic Succession). The Lambeth Conference is a meeting of bishops of the Anglican communion intended to promote the unity and fellowship of its members. See England, Church of; Ireland; Scotland; Protestant Episcopal Church.