Anglicans in Melbourne and Geelong

  1. The bible`

The Anglican Church

Anglicans are Christians who belong to the Anglican Communion, a varied group of churches which spread out across the globe from the Church of England. Today the Anglican Church of Australia stands on its own feet as part of the 'one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church', which carries on the tradition of the early church called and sent into the world by Jesus.

Anglicans are committed to the one Christian faith. Yet we have learnt that this faith may be expressed in different ways depending on people's experiences, cultures and historical circumstances. Anglicans thus enjoy diversity, and respect one another's differences. We are also committed to wrestling with the issue of faith publicly , even if that means allowing differences- sometimes sharp ones - to be expressed openly.

The Bible

Anglicans receive the holy scriptures (the Bible) as containing 'all things necessary to salvation' for human beings. Our faith combines deep loyalty to the Bible with respect for the experieicne for the Church and the need to use our minds with creative imagination. We hold out the Bible, a repository of many types of writings, as being true - and that it uses many ways to express its truths, as a library also embraces many tyupes of books and forms of literary expression.

Worship

When Anglicans gather for worship we hear the scriptures read and explained and pray together using authorised prayer books - the most recent was issues in 1995 - so that everyone can join in, and so that common prayer becomes a familiar part of spiritual life. But Anglicans respect diverse styles of worship, formal and mystical, family or youth events with lots of singing and activity, or a quiet early morning service, for example.

Church structure

Anglicans have developed a way or organising their Church that involves all its people - both ordained clergy and other members. Each local congregation (with its own leaders, both ordained and not) forms part of the basic unit of the church, called a diocese, having a bishop. The spiritual leadership of our Church comprises the threefold ministry of bishops, priests and deacons.

Quick Links

  1. The Anglican Church in Australia

  2. The Anglican Communion around the world

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