What’s the difference between Anglicanism and Roman Catholicism?
Anglicanism and Roman Catholicism share deep historical roots, and both Christian traditions maintain liturgical worship, episcopal leadership (bishops), and sacraments. Their separation dates to the 16th century, when the Church of England broke from papal authority during the English Reformation under King Henry VIII. Although Anglicanism is considered a branch of Protestantism, the beliefs and practices of the Anglican Communion are often said to be the middle ground between those of the other Protestant churches and the Roman Catholic Church. The primary differences lie in authority, doctrine, and sacramental theology. In general Anglicanism allows greater theological flexibility within a shared liturgical framework, while Roman Catholicism emphasizes centralized authority and doctrinal uniformity.
Although Anglicanism emerged from the Church of England, it is not a single uniform tradition. The worldwide Anglican Communion includes 42 autonomous provinces—including the Church of England, the Episcopal Church in the United States, and the Church of Nigeria—that share historical origins and forms of worship but govern themselves independently. Some Anglicans emphasize continuity with Roman Catholic traditions in liturgy and devotion (Anglo-Catholic, or High Church), while others follow a more informal liturgy (Anglican Evangelical, or Low Church). Within these churches there is also considerable diversity in theology and practice, particularly surrounding the issues of the ordination of women and stances on homosexuality.
Authority
One major difference between Anglicans and Roman Catholics concerns authority. Roman Catholicism recognizes the pope, the bishop of Rome, as the supreme earthly leader of the Church. Authority is exercised through a centralized hierarchy, and the priesthood is reserved for men. With few exceptions, most priests also take a vow of celibacy (married men can become priests in Eastern Rite churches).
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Anglicanism does not recognize papal authority. Instead, the archbishop of Canterbury serves as a symbolic focus of unity and is often described as “first among equals” among the leaders of the churches of the Anglican Communion. These member churches are largely self-governing and show considerable diversity in their practices regarding the priesthood. Priests can be married, and some provinces permit women and openly gay people to become deacons, priests, and bishops. In a historic first the Church of England elected Sarah Mullally as the archbishop of Canterbury in 2025, making her the first woman to ever hold the office.
The two traditions also differ in how they understand doctrinal authority. Roman Catholicism teaches that divine revelation is transmitted through both scripture and tradition and that the church provides authoritative interpretation. Anglicanism traditionally affirms scripture as primary, interpreted through reason and tradition. This understanding of doctrine, together with Anglicanism’s decentralized structure, has resulted in a wide range of theological perspectives across the communion. Catholic teaching, by contrast, is defined more centrally and tends to emphasize doctrinal uniformity.
The sacraments
The Roman Catholic Church recognizes seven sacraments: baptism, the Eucharist, confirmation, marriage, ordination, reconciliation, and anointing of the sick. Of these, Anglicans traditionally hold only baptism and the Eucharist as sacraments instituted by Christ and regard the others as sacramental rites. The Roman Catholic Church teaches transubstantiation, the doctrine that the bread and wine of the Eucharist become the body and blood of Christ. Anglicans reject transubstantiation while affirming the “real presence” of Christ in the Eucharist; the specific theology surrounding the sacrament varies widely across the communion.
(Read Britannica’s article “The Seven Sacraments of the Roman Catholic Church.”)
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Saints and the Virgin Mary
Devotion to saints also differs between the two traditions. In Roman Catholicism saints are formally recognized through canonization, and believers may ask for their intercession in prayer. The Virgin Mary holds a particularly prominent place in Catholic devotion, expressed in prayers such as the Hail Mary and in teachings such as the Immaculate Conception and the Assumption.
Anglican views of saints and Mary vary widely. Roman Catholics and Anglicans share many of the same pre-Reformation saints, including the Apostles, popular medieval saints, and figures important in British history and tradition, such as St. Patrick, St. George, St. Thomas Becket, and St. Augustine of Canterbury. Anglicans generally honor saints as examples of Christian faith and commemorate many of them in the church calendar. Some Anglicans, especially in Anglo-Catholic traditions, also ask for the intercession of saints and maintain Marian devotions similar to those in Roman Catholicism. Others limit prayer to God alone and emphasize remembering saints primarily as historical models of holiness. Most Anglican churches do not require belief in Catholic Marian doctrines such as the Immaculate Conception.