What makes the Anglican way of being "church" distinctive and perhaps unique?

To answer this question, Paul Avis sets contemporary worldwide Anglicanism against its historical background and compares and contrasts the Anglican approach with that of other churches, particularly the Roman Catholic and Protestant Churches. Avis provides a clear exposition of Anglican ecclesiology structured around relevant topics which serves as a guide to Anglicans in these troubled times, while also explaining Anglicanism to Non-Anglicans. The main focus is on the nature of the Anglican Communion, the role of bishops in Anglicanism, the theology of priesthood and the ordination of women as well as Anglican Eucharistic theology.

Published in time for the 2008 Lambeth Conference, Paul Avis provides an update on the basics of the Anglican way of being church which may help to find the common ground on which the present conflicts can be solved.

Paul Avis is the General Secretary of the Church of England's Council for Christian Unity and convening editor of the journal Ecclesiology.