Kaileah said:
I am a Roman Catholic and I went to Catholic school as a child. I was taught that the Angilcan Church is not Catholic because they broke away from the Church by a KING not a BISHOP. if they had broken through a Bishop it would be a whole new story but they did not. they broke away because King Henry VIII wanted a divorce and the Pope would not grant it. I could be wrong but that was what i was taught by my religion teachers at school and i also learned it from the Religious education classes i had to take at church also(for my first Communion and Confirmation). We were told that the only church we could recieve communion in besides the Catholic Church that is headed by the Pope, is the Orthodox Church whether it be Greek, or Russian or any other reconized Orthodox Church because they broke away through a Bishop. Just like we as Catholics can not recieve communion at a Luthern church...they broke away through a priest not a Bishop. For us the line of succession has to come through a bishop who is appointed by the Pope, it can not come any other way. Most non Catholic are not supposed to recieve communion at our Church's either like we can not at theirs.
I have never seen this explanation before in over 25 years of teaching the Reformation and the beliefs of the Roman Catholic and Anglican churches.
I have done some digging on the internet however.
The following two quotes come from
http://www.anglican.org.au/index.cfm?SID=2&SSID=5 an Anglican site and clearly state that the anglican church regards itself as catholic just as the Orthodox churches do.
'The English believed, like the Orthodox Eastern Church, that it was possible to be Catholics without the Pope.'
'The ancient Church in England became the reformed Church of England and still claimed to be Apostolic, Catholic, Reformed and Protestant.'
The Catholic Encyclopedia site
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01498a.htm says
'They believe that the Church of England is a true and reformed part, or branch, or pair of provinces of the Catholic Church of Christ.'
It seems clear from these quotes and from the creeds that are used in the Anglican liturgy (both Apostles and Nicene - 'I believe in one CATHOLIC and apostolic church) that Anglicans regard themselves as catholic but not Popish or Roman Catholic.
You have obviously been taught differently to me and I respect your beliefs but I will hold that as an Anglican I am a Catholic otherwise how can I possibly say the creeds and mean them if I am not able to believe in one Catholic church.
I don't want to see this degenerate into a slanging match so please, agree to disagree rather than have religious differences spoil a board.
I reiterate I have stated my beliefs and I respect yours and have shown you where I have obtained some of my information and on what I base some of my arguments just as you have.