Comparative Essay: Compare And Contrast Anglicanism And Catholicism

Compare and contrast Anglicanism and Catholicism

Rahul Kheraj

There are many differences and similarities between Anglicanism and Catholicism. Anglicanism was derived from Catholicism and its principle ideas are similar to catholic beliefs. However, some ideas, such as the separation of church and state, differentiates Anglicanism from Catholicism. The fundamental reason for the Anglican split was caused by King Henry VIII in the 16th century; His wish to divorce Catherine of Aragon was denied by the pope and he seized action by establishing the Church of England. Mary of Tudor, however, restored Catholicism in England, and she persecuted Anglicans. In 1558, Elizabeth I reversed Mary’s policies and reestablished the Church of England1. Elizabeth’s Act of supremacy caused turmoil against Catholic Spain in 1585 causing an Anglo-Spanish war2. The split in religion within England led to a shift between the kings court and the parliament, leading to a civil war. When Charles I married a Catholic, Henrietta Maria, he upset the Anglicans in England causing riots and eventually a civil war in 16423. Decades of religious turmoil and wars led to a larger shift between the two religions. The

religious differences between Anglicans and Catholics motivated England to conquer Ireland and eventually the New world. However, over time similarities prevailed and now both Anglicans and Catholics acknowledge each other as Christians.
There are many similarities between Anglicanism and Catholicism that help unify them as Christian religions. Both churches believe in the same God and follow the same religious texts. The Bible is the fundamental root of both religions. Both religions follow the catholic creeds, a series of catholic scripts that are still in use today. Anglicans have a religious leader similar to Catholicism. However, the church of England is led by the king or queen, to contrast, the catholic church is led by the pope. Both religions have a system of priests and bishops4. Both religions believe and saints and religious figures, such as Jesus Christ, Mary the virgin, and the Apostles. Both religions believe that their patron saints are the roots to their christian faith. Both churches are broken down into dioceses, each diocese is led by a bishop or priest5. Catholic conquerors in the new world justified their reasons using three concepts, including religion; similarly, The English justified their settlement in North America using religious reasons. The Spanish Catholics believed it was God's gift to conquer the new world, and the English believed it was a God-given opportunity to create a new settlement. Similarly, both Catholics and Anglicans justified slavery using their faith. Both religions believed the white race was superior and it was meant to enslave the other races6. Such similarities between the two religions helped conquer the Americas under Christian beliefs and helped spread their faiths to the locals. The conquering of the new world expanded European powers like England and Spain, strengthening the Catholic and Anglican faiths through out the globe.
There are many strong differences between the Anglican and catholic faiths that led to religious hatred in the 16th and 17th centuries.

When Henry VIII established the Church of England, the fundamental change was the separation of church and state. This allowed England to take full control of their economy and getting rid of the pope. The Church of England is led by the King or Queen rather than a pope. Anglicanism also had more religious freedoms. For example, Anglicanism allows divorce, and recently women priesthood. The simplicity of Anglicanism appealed to a lot of England but the remaining Catholics rebelled and protested against the government7. The Catholic faith is surrounded around saints and the pope while Anglicanism is centered around the holy spirit and nation

unity.
To conclude, although Anglicanism and Catholicism have many differences that have caused turmoil in the past, they are both similar and are unified under the Christianity as a whole. Differences in the past has resulted in a religious clash that's still in effect till this day, like the bitterness between the Irish and English.. Feuds that were caused due to the christian split had its aftermath for centuries. However, many powers settled their differences under the name of the Christian God and to join forces. Although England remains an Anglican state, it is an open-minded nation and accepts catholic believers. Similarly, Catholic adherents accept Anglicans and acknowledge the two branches of Christianity.