Originally published at National Catholic Register
Justin Welby, the archbishop of Canterbury and head of the Anglican Communion, resigned on Tuesday over his handling of a high-profile abuse case.
A position with deep Catholic roots, the archbishop of Canterbury is considered “first among equals” among Anglicans worldwide and has the important role of anointing the new British monarch during coronations.
In recent years, Pope Francis has made ecumenical gestures toward the Anglican church, traveling with Welby and a Scottish Protestant leader to South Sudan in 2023 and allowing Welby to celebrate an Anglican liturgy earlier this year in Rome’s Basilica of St. Bartholomew as part of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.
Here’s what you need to know about the Church of England, the archbishop of Canterbury, and Anglicanism.
What is the Church of England?
Simply put, the Church of England is the United Kingdom’s official church, with the British monarch serving as its supreme governor.
King Charles III’s official title is “Defender of the Faith and Supreme Governor of the Church of England,” and since the 16th century each new monarch has sworn an oath to uphold the Protestant religion.
Since the Synod of Whitby in 664, the Church of England has been divided into
