The Protestant denomination founded in England when King Henry VIII broke away from Rome in 1534 and declared himself "the Supreme Head of the Church of England." The Church was in essence 'a Catholic Church without the Pope' during the rest of Henry's reign. The Church took to a more clearly reformed during the short reign of his son and successor, Edward VII. Under the leadership of of Thomas Cranmer, the Thirty-Nine Articles were formulated and passed, that became the official creed of the Church, though many Anglicans like to think that the Church follows a 'via media.'
The English Church has existed long before Henry VIII, of course, but as a distinctively Protestant institution, the Church of England (henceforth CE) traces its origin to the 16th Cent. The CE, by the fact of its origin was closely associated with the State (the more technical term is Erastian), and in later centuries, was the stronghold of the Tories. The Test Acts passed in 1673 & 1678 were political instruments to safeguard the institution from meddling by any who would disagree with the Church. Foolishly Charles I attempted to get his ways by imposing change through the church and get himself into a civil war (English Civil Wars) and lost his head. Though the tie to, and its influence by, the State is now less obvious than it used to be, still no Archbishop can be appointed without the approval of parliament.
Further Reading:
Gerald Bray, Anglicanism: A Reformed Catholic Tradition (Bellingham, WA: Lexham, 2021). See MJTM 23 (2021-2022) for a review.
Resources:
Gerald Bray, "Anglican Theology," The Gospel Coalition, US edition.
html N 5-6 (Open on Phone)
John Corrie, "Anglican Mission and the Via Media," Anvil 21.1 (2004):35-41.
Pdf N 5-6 (Open on Phone)
©ALBERITH
160520lch