Anglican vs Episcopal Explained
Episcopalians are Anglicans. The Episcopal Church is the U.S. province of the Anglican Communion, so Episcopal names one member of the wider Anglican family. Both churches share a worship tradition shaped by the Book of Common Prayer, and that shared ground is the place to start.
Anglican is the broader term. It describes the worldwide Anglican Communion, a family of churches that trace their origins to the Church of England and are in communion with the Archbishop of Canterbury. Episcopal is narrower.
It names the Episcopal Church, the U.S. member of that family. Some Anglican churches in the United States exist outside the Episcopal Church, so Anglican and Episcopal do not always point to the same church. At Find A Prayer, we write for readers who want each tradition described in its own terms.
What Anglican Describes
Anglican describes the worldwide Anglican Communion, a family of churches that trace their origins to the Church of England. The Church of England separated from papal authority in the 1530s during the English Reformation, and Anglican churches retain bishops, priests, and deacons. The Communion is made up of self-governing provinces in many countries.
Each province runs its own affairs, and Anglican churches are in communion with the Archbishop of Canterbury. The Archbishop is the Communion's symbolic spiritual head, without direct jurisdiction over each province. The liturgy in Anglican churches is shaped by the Book of Common Prayer.
Not every Anglican church in the United States belongs to the Episcopal Church. The Anglican Church in North America, formed in 2009, is a separate body from the Episcopal Church, and it is one example of that wider group.
What Episcopal Refers To
Episcopal refers to the Episcopal Church, the U.S. province of the Anglican Communion. The Communion traces its origins to the Church of England, and the Episcopal Church has no pope. Its worship follows the Book of Common Prayer, with liturgy and the Eucharist central to it.
Episcopalians count two great sacraments, Baptism and the Eucharist. They also count five other sacramental rites: confirmation, ordination, marriage, reconciliation, and unction. The Episcopal Church ordains women as deacons, priests, and bishops, and it authorized priestly ordination of women in the 1970s.
Priests may marry. Baptized Christians are welcomed to receive Communion in the Episcopal Church. Episcopalians accept the Nicene Creed and bishops in apostolic succession.
They hold a high view of the Eucharist, with a range of views on the nature of Christ's presence. Episcopalians do not hold a single doctrine of transubstantiation. On marriage and divorce, the Episcopal Church allows remarriage after divorce under church guidelines.
It has also authorized marriage rites for same-sex couples. Those moral teachings differ from Catholic teaching, and they are contested within and between the Anglican Communion's provinces.
The Real Head-to-Head Difference
Episcopalians are Anglicans, and the two names share a worship tradition. The Episcopal Church belongs to the Anglican Communion and shares its liturgical worship and Book of Common Prayer tradition. The difference between the names is one of scope: Anglican covers the whole family, and Episcopal covers one member province in the United States. A question about the wider family calls for an answer that covers self-governing provinces in many countries.
A question about the Episcopal Church's ordination rules, marriage rules, or Communion practice calls for the Episcopal Church's own positions. When the question is how the Episcopal Church compares with Catholic teaching, remarriage after divorce and marriage rites for same-sex couples are among the moral teachings that differ. Those differences are contested within the Anglican Communion as well.
How the Two Names Relate
Anglican is the family, and Episcopal is the U.S. member of that family. The Anglican Communion is made up of self-governing provinces in many countries, and the Episcopal Church is one of them. The Archbishop of Canterbury is the Communion's symbolic spiritual head, without direct jurisdiction over each province. Some Anglican churches in the United States are not part of the Episcopal Church.
The Anglican Church in North America, formed in 2009, is a separate body from the Episcopal Church. The Church of England separated from papal authority in the 1530s during the English Reformation. The Communion traces its origins back to that church. The history of how the Anglican Church in North America came to be separate is a question for a priest, pastor, or minister to explain.
The Episcopal Church's positions on ordination, marriage, and Communion belong to the Episcopal Church. A reader who meets another Anglican church should ask that church about its own rules.
Readers This Comparison Serves Less Well
The Episcopal Church holds its own positions on remarriage and same-sex marriage rites, and the Anglican Communion's provinces contest such teachings within and between themselves. The Episcopal Church holds its own positions on those questions, and the Anglican Communion's provinces contest such teachings within and between themselves. A reader choosing a specific church, or asking how a particular congregation applies these teachings, should ask a priest, pastor, or minister.
A reader who wants a Catholic or Protestant label for the Episcopal Church should ask a priest, pastor, or minister how that label is used. A reader who wants a settled view on Christ's presence in the Eucharist should note that Episcopalians hold a range of views on that point. A pastor can explain what a particular Episcopal church teaches on it.
What Would Change This Recommendation
The recommendation depends on what the reader wants to find out. If the question is about the worldwide family, its origins in the Church of England, or its self-governing provinces, Anglican is the right frame to start from. If the question is about a U.S. church that calls itself Episcopal, its ordination, marriage, and Communion positions are the Episcopal Church's own, so Episcopal is the frame that answers it.
That changes if the church in question is a different Anglican body, such as the Anglican Church in North America. If the reader's priority is the worship tradition, both names share the Book of Common Prayer, so the names do not change that answer. If the reader's priority is a specific moral question, the Episcopal Church's positions on remarriage and same-sex marriage rites are the ones to weigh.
Anglican vs Episcopal: at a glance
| Factor | Anglican | Episcopal |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Worldwide family of churches that trace their origins to the Church of England | U.S. province of the Anglican Communion |
| Leadership | Archbishop of Canterbury as symbolic spiritual head, without direct jurisdiction over each province | Archbishop of Canterbury as symbolic spiritual head, without direct jurisdiction over each province |
| Worship | Liturgical tradition shaped by the Book of Common Prayer | Worship follows the Book of Common Prayer, with liturgy and the Eucharist central |
| Ordained ministry | Bishops, priests, and deacons | Bishops, priests, and deacons, with women ordained as deacons, priests, and bishops |
| Relation to other Anglican bodies | Other Anglican churches exist in the United States outside the Episcopal Church, such as the Anglican Church in North America, formed in 2009 | One member province; the Anglican Church in North America is a separate body |
| Moral teachings | Contested within and between the Communion's provinces | Remarriage after divorce allowed under church guidelines; marriage rites authorized for same-sex couples |
Verdict: Anglican vs Episcopal
Choose Anglican as the frame when your question concerns the worldwide family of churches, its origins in the Church of England, or its self-governing provinces. Choose Episcopal when your question concerns the Episcopal Church itself, including its ordination, marriage, and Communion positions. Next, read the Catholic vs Episcopal comparison.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Anglican and Episcopal?
The difference is one of scope. Anglican describes the worldwide Anglican Communion, a family of churches that trace their origins to the Church of England. Episcopal describes the Episcopal Church, which is the U.S. province of that Communion. A question about the whole family uses Anglican, and a question about the U.S. member uses Episcopal. Both names share the Book of Common Prayer tradition for worship. A priest, pastor, or minister can explain which level a particular church means when it uses either name.
Are Episcopalians Anglican?
Yes. The Episcopal Church belongs to the Anglican Communion, so Episcopalians are Anglicans. The Episcopal Church is the U.S. province of that Communion, and it shares the liturgical worship and Book of Common Prayer tradition of Anglican churches. The Anglican Communion is made up of self-governing provinces in many countries, and the Episcopal Church is one of them. Being Episcopal places a church inside the wider family. The wider family also includes Anglican churches in the United States that sit outside the Episcopal Church.
Is the Episcopal Church part of the Church of England?
No. The Episcopal Church is a self-governing province of the Anglican Communion, which traces its origins to the Church of England. The Church of England separated from papal authority in the 1530s during the English Reformation. Anglican churches retain bishops, priests, and deacons. The Archbishop of Canterbury is the Communion's symbolic spiritual head, without direct jurisdiction over each province, including the Episcopal Church.
Who leads the Anglican Communion?
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the Anglican Communion's symbolic spiritual head. The role is symbolic and spiritual, without direct jurisdiction over each province. The Communion is made up of self-governing provinces in many countries, and each one runs its own affairs. The Episcopal Church is the U.S. province. Anglican churches are in communion with the Archbishop of Canterbury. For questions about one province, a priest, pastor, or minister can explain who leads that church.
What is the Anglican Church in North America?
The Anglican Church in North America is a separate body from the Episcopal Church, and it was formed in 2009. It is one of the Anglican churches in the United States that exist outside the Episcopal Church. The Episcopal positions described above belong to the Episcopal Church, so a reader who wants this body's positions on ordination, marriage, or Communion should ask a priest, pastor, or minister.
Do Episcopalians use the Book of Common Prayer?
Yes. Worship in the Episcopal Church follows the Book of Common Prayer, and liturgy and the Eucharist are central to that worship. Anglican churches worship in a liturgical tradition shaped by the same book, and the Episcopal Church shares that tradition with the wider Communion. The Episcopal Church counts Baptism and the Eucharist as its two great sacraments. Baptized Christians are welcomed to receive Communion in the Episcopal Church.
Do Anglicans and Episcopalians ordain women?
The Episcopal Church ordains women as deacons, priests, and bishops, and it authorized priestly ordination of women in the 1970s. Priests in the Episcopal Church may marry. A reader asking about an Anglican church outside the Episcopal Church should ask that church's own leaders about its ordination practice.
Is the Episcopal Church Catholic or Protestant?
The Episcopal Church belongs to the Anglican Communion, which traces its origins to the Church of England. The Episcopal Church has no pope. It accepts the Nicene Creed and bishops in apostolic succession, and it holds a high view of the Eucharist. Its moral teachings on remarriage and same-sex marriage rites differ from Catholic teaching. The Church of England separated from papal authority in the 1530s.