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The Essential Guide to the Anglican Communion

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We are putting together a short course at our church on what it means to be an Episcopalian and came across this compact volume, which was compiled it seems as part of the general preparation for the Lembeth conference in Canterbury this past summer (1998). The book's organization may seem whimsical in part (the first chapter is a list of saints' days), but there is no part of the book that does not tell you something fundamental and interesting about the makeup of the Anglican communion. There is a map of the Anglican world, which will astonish Episcopalians in the U.S. (we represent only 2.4 million of a total 70 million Anglicans world wide). You will find a list of the archbishops of Canterbury (pages 40 through 42 -- nearly all single names -- like Feologild -- on page 40) beginning with Augustine and ending with George Carey. You will find a chapter on history and vision, a chapter on the history of the Lambeth conference, a chapter on elements of the faith, and a glossary of Anglican terms. You will find great irony (see the last sentence on page 47), and you will find contributions by Frank Griswold (Anglican Spirituality) and John Westerhoff (Anglican Temperament). You will find the hymns of George Herbert, which are breathtaking in their power. And, as if that were not enough, you will learn that a new rose -- The Compass Rose -- was bred by Norcutts and launched (?) at the 1997 Chelsea Flower Show by the Archbishop of Canterbury in anticipation of the 1998 Lambeth conference.