Church of England

noun

the established church in England, Catholic in faith and order, but incorporating many principles of the Protestant Reformation and independent of the papacy.

Example sentences from the Web for church of england

  • The present incumbent is a model of a Church-of-England clergyman.

    Wild Wales |George Borrow

  • The last fancy fair, or rather bazaar, held there by the Church-of-England Association, was a very crowded affair.

    Antigua and the Antiguans, Volume I (of 2) |Anonymous

  • Of the "Gospel scheme" this is quite true; of the Church-of-England scheme it is not.

    Studies of Christianity |James Martineau

British Dictionary definitions for church of england

Church of England

noun

the reformed established state Church in England, Catholic in order and basic doctrine, with the Sovereign as its temporal head

Cultural definitions for church of england

Church of England

The established church (see also established church) in England. The Church of England is Protestant and is governed by bishops, with the king or queen as its official head. One of the primary results of the Reformation, it was founded in the early sixteenth century when King Henry VIII declared that he, not the pope, was the head of the Christian Church in England. The Church of England is the original church of the Anglican Communion.