The distinction in the Anglican vs Episcopal comparison involves both global terminology and a recent North American denominational realignment. Globally, all Episcopalians are Anglicans belonging to the worldwide Anglican Communion, but in North America today, "Episcopal" refers to the progressive Episcopal Church, while "Anglican" often designates the conservative Anglican Church in North America.
Terms Explained: Anglican vs Episcopal
To understand the relationship between Anglicanism and Episcopalianism, one must first clarify how the words are used. "Anglican" is an overarching global umbrella term derived from ecclesia anglicana, the medieval Latin phrase meaning "the English Church." An Anglican is any Christian whose tradition, liturgical rhythm, and ecclesiastical heritage derive from the Church of England, established during the sixteenth-century English Reformation.
The term "Episcopal," by contrast, comes from the Greek word episkopos, meaning "bishop" or "overseer." Following the American Revolutionary War, Anglicans in the newly formed United States could no longer remain under the British Crown or use prayers for the English monarch. In 1789, they organized an independent American province named the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America (often shortened to TEC or The Episcopal Church). They chose "Episcopal" to underscore that their church was governed by bishops in historic apostolic succession, rather than by presbyteries or congregational democracy. Thus, historically and globally, the Episcopal Church is simply the American branch of the Anglican family, as chronicled in our overview of the history of the Episcopal Church.
Today, worshippers can explore both communions through our nationwide Episcopal and Anglican church directory. The side-by-side comparison table below outlines the core institutional, theological, and liturgical distinctions between both bodies in North America.
Anglican vs Episcopal Comparison Table
| Feature | The Episcopal Church (TEC) | Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) |
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1789 (following American independence) | 2009 (realignment of conservative dioceses) |
| Communion with Canterbury | Full, official member of Anglican Communion | Not officially recognized by Canterbury; aligned with Gafcon |
| Primary Prayer Book | The Book of Common Prayer (1979 edition) | The Book of Common Prayer (2019 edition) |
| Theological Tone | Mainline, progressive, broad-church via media | Evangelical, Anglo-Catholic, charismatic orthodox |
| Scripture View | Authoritative witness; historical-critical scholarship | Inerrant or infallible Word of God; primary authority |
| Ordination of Women | Women ordained as bishops, priests, deacons since 1976 | Deacons universal; priests vary by diocese; bishops male only |
| Marriage Doctrine | Same-sex marriage permitted and celebrated | Marriage exclusively between one man and one woman |
| Global Affiliation | Anglican Consultative Council, Lambeth Conference | Global Anglican Futures Conference (Gafcon), GSFA |
Episcopal Church vs ACNA: The Realignment Split
While the terms explained above address linguistics, the modern division centers on the institutional conflict between the Episcopal Church vs ACNA. Throughout the late twentieth century, theological tensions simmered within the Episcopal Church over biblical authority, the unique salvific role of Jesus Christ, and social ethics. These tensions erupted into national controversy in 2003 when the Episcopal Church consecrated Gene Robinson, an openly partnered gay man, as Bishop of New Hampshire.
The consecration provoked intense theological opposition from conservative Episcopalians and sparked outrage across conservative Anglican provinces in the Global South (particularly in Nigeria, Uganda, Kenya, and Rwanda). Several conservative American parishes and four whole dioceses (Fort Worth, Quincy, San Joaquin, and South Carolina) voted to disaffiliate from the Episcopal Church. In 2009, these departing groups joined together with Canadian Anglicans and continuing Anglican bodies to form the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA). The ACNA was established to provide a home for orthodox Anglicans committed to historic Christian doctrine, traditional sexual ethics, and biblical authority. This realignment mirrored similar conservative splits in other mainline bodies, such as examined in our PCUSA vs PCA comparison.
Prayer Books: 1979 BCP vs 2019 BCP
Liturgical worship in both bodies centers upon the Book of Common Prayer, yet their preferred editions reflect contrasting theological emphases. In the Episcopal Church, the standard liturgical text is the 1979 Book of Common Prayer. The 1979 BCP represents a major twentieth-century liturgical renewal, placing the weekly Holy Eucharist at the heart of Sunday parish life. It introduced contemporary English language (Rite II) alongside traditional Elizabethan phrasing (Rite I) and emphasized the baptismal covenant as a charter for social justice, human rights, and peacemaking.
The ACNA, seeking to restore classical Anglican liturgical grammar, published its own official prayer book: the 2019 Book of Common Prayer. While the 2019 BCP includes contemporary language services, it deliberately restores classical theological phrasing from the historic 1662 English prayer book. It incorporates the Jerusalem Declaration of 2008 and the historic Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion as normative confessional benchmarks. ACNA liturgies place strong emphasis on personal repentance, penal substitutionary atonement, and the unique authority of Scripture, appealing to evangelical and Anglo-Catholic traditionalists alike. Visitors can prepare for worship in either tradition using our comprehensive guide on visiting an Episcopal church.
Communion with Canterbury and the Global South
One of the most complex aspects of the divide concerns official communion with Canterbury. The Archbishop of Canterbury (the historic spiritual head of the Church of England) serves as the primary focus of unity for the worldwide Anglican Communion. By historic canon law, the Episcopal Church is the sole recognized official province of the Anglican Communion within the United States. Episcopalian bishops attend the decennial Lambeth Conference and participate in the Anglican Consultative Council.
The ACNA is not officially recognized as a constituent province by the Archbishop of Canterbury or the Church of England. However, the ACNA enjoys full communion and passionate support from conservative archbishops representing the Global Anglican Futures Conference (Gafcon) and the Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches (GSFA). Because these Global South provinces in Africa, Asia, and Latin America encompass the vast majority of the world's 85 million active Anglicans, ACNA leaders argue that they represent the global majority of Anglican believers, even without official recognition from Canterbury. Readers can explore the theological roots of these traditions in our guide to what Episcopalians believe.
Theology, Clergy Ordination, and Marriage
Doctrinal and moral teachings clearly delineate both communions. The Episcopal Church describes itself as walking the via media, cultivating a broad-church atmosphere where diverse theological viewpoints coexist, while championing progressive causes. The Episcopal Church authorized same-sex marriages in 2015 and ordains women to all orders of ministr—eacons, priests, and bishops. Anyone interested in comparing this perspective with other liturgical traditions can read our Catholic vs Episcopal comparison and our study of the Methodist vs Episcopal relationship.
The ACNA upholds traditional biblical morality. ACNA canons define marriage strictly as the lifelong union of one man and one woman, forbidding clergy from blessing same-sex unions. On the ordination of women, the ACNA reflects a compromise between its constituent streams: women may be ordained as permanent deacons across the province, individual dioceses determine whether to ordain women as priests, and the episcopate (bishops) remains strictly reserved for men.
American Presence and Demographics
Demographically, the Episcopal Church remains the larger body, reporting approximately 1.5 million baptized members across 99 domestic dioceses, with historic parish properties in prominent city centers and university towns, mapped in our survey of Episcopal churches by state.
The ACNA has grown steadily since 2009, reporting over 125,000 members across more than 1,000 congregations in the United States and Canada. Its parishes frequently operate in suburban neighborhoods and newer church plants, reflecting energetic church-planting initiatives alongside established Anglo-Catholic parishes that withdrew from the Episcopal Church.