A History of Global Anglicanism

Book excerpt: Anglicanism can be seen as irredeemably English. In this book Kevin Ward questions that assumption. He explores the character of the African, Asian, Oceanic, Caribbean and Latin American churches which are now a majority in the world-wide communion, and shows how they are decisively shaping what it means to be Anglican. While emphasising the importance of colonialism and neo-colonialism for explaining the globalisation of Anglicanism, Ward does not focus predominantly on the Churches of Britain and N. America; nor does he privilege the idea of Anglicanism as an 'expansion of English Christianity'. At a time when Anglicanism faces the danger of dissolution Ward explores the historically deep roots of non-Western forms of Anglicanism, and the importance of the diversity and flexibility which has so far enabled Anglicanism to develop cohesive yet multiform identities around the world.