What is The Difference Between Anglican and Evangelical?

I was looking into Logos & answering their quiz questions on how to determine what type of study software I should get.

Answer

Anglicans typically have a different style of worship. Their conversion is going to be focused on the time of baptism. Baptism, of course, is a sacrament. The Lord’s Supper is a sacrament whereas an Evangelical baptist would say no. 

Sacramentum comes from the Greek word musterion. Musterion means something magical is happening. So when a person’s baptized, when an infant’s baptized, there’s a sacrament happening. The conveyance of grace holds that the child is protected under their parent’s parentage until the child comes of age. It’s basically a mystical, magical way of looking at things. 

When you’re baptized, it’s a memorial. You’re obeying the Word of God, you’re being baptized to be identified. The Lord’s Supper is a memorial. There’s no grace, sacrament, or magic happening there. They would hold a high view of Scripture as we would, but they would focus on the so-called 39 articles that are really key to being an Anglican. Governance would also be a big issue.

Most Bible and Evangelical churches have elders or deacons. Anglicans will have bishops and priests, under a larger denominational umbrella. Their form of church hierarchy is very governance oriented, very proscriptive. Whereas Evangelicals make it up locally with elders and deacons in your particular context. 

Anglican and Evangelical Literature

In general, a lot of Evangelical and Anglican sources will be beneficial to read. It’s not like you’re going to an Anglican church, where these styles of worship, robes, liturgy, clerical, bishops, and priests are going to cloud the way. But understand, there will be some theological differences between Anglicans and Evangelicals.

Find more episodes of Ask Dr. E here.

Call or text us your question at 615-281-9694 or email at question@michaelincontext.com.