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The Anglican Way: A Guidebook
The Anglican Way is a guidebook for anyone interested in following Jesus as an Anglican Christian. Written for both the newcomer and the person who wants to go deeper, this book answers hundreds of questions about history, theology, worship, and more. Learn about this ancient but fast-growing branch of the Body of Christ. Let this guide help you as you walk the Anglican Way.Praise for The Anglican Way“The Anglican Way is an immensely helpful introduction to Anglicanism. By contrasting the seeming polarities, Thomas McKenzie helps readers to understand the richness — and the seeming contradictions — of this extraordinary Way of being a Christian. The writing is practical and accessible and the fruit of significant pastoral engagement.”- The Most Reverend Robert Duncan, Archbishop of the Anglican Church in North America“At a time when a great many people are discovering the Anglican way of Christian discipleship, there is a tremendous need for resources that lay out what this involves. Thomas McKenzie offers just that in this excellent introduction. He supplies us with a clear overview that provides the newcomer to Anglicanism and the experienced practitioner with numerous valuable insights. I am therefore delighted to commend The Anglican Way warmly.”- The Very Reverend Dr. Justyn Terry, Dean and President of Trinity School for Ministry“The Anglican way of worshipping God and following Jesus is beautiful and effective. But some guidance is needed along the first steps on that way. In The Anglican Way, Thomas McKenzie is an reliable and relatable guide. I commend The Anglican Way to all those who are exploring an Anglican Church.”- The Right Reverend Todd Hunter, Bishop of the Diocese of Churches for the Sake of Others
172 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2014
236 people are currently reading
959 people want to read
About the author
Thomas McKenzie
21 books15 followersThomas McKenzie lives in Nashville with his amazing wife and two terrific daughters. He was born and raised near Amarillo, Texas. His Bachelor's degree is from the University of Texas at Austin, and his Master's Degree in Divinity is from Trinity School for Ministry in Ambridge, Pennsylvania.
Thomas is a priest of the Anglican Church in North America and the Anglican Diocese of Pittsburgh. He's the founding pastor of Church of the Redeemer in Nashville, Tennessee. He's an oblate of the Monastery of Christ in the Desert in Abiquiu, New Mexico.
Thomas is a priest of the Anglican Church in North America and the Anglican Diocese of Pittsburgh. He's the founding pastor of Church of the Redeemer in Nashville, Tennessee. He's an oblate of the Monastery of Christ in the Desert in Abiquiu, New Mexico.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 134 reviews
May 6, 2025
First, I was saddened to discover shortly after beginning this that the author was killed in a car crash a few years ago, along with his daughter. In hindsight, I remember the news going around Twitter but had no idea who he was. So listening to him read this was humanizing, sobering.
Second, this was a very succinct and concise overview. If one is looking for deep dives into either the history, theology, or Book of Common Prayer there are numerous books to provide that. But for covering the basics of the tradition, especially for someone completely unfamiliar (which he assumes many might be), you can't go wrong.
At many points, my suspicions of there being quite a bit of freedom and variance within Anglican practice (even within the ACNA) were confirmed, and at times this felt like a fault. But perhaps it shouldn't, and isn't. The discussion on the Episcopalian vs Anglican split was helpful.
There were many aspects I had experienced during corporate worship to fall in love with, but didn't know some of the small particularities or reasons behind them. It was a type of comfort to hear in this book familiar prayers, blessings, call and responses which have worn faint grooves into my soul. There is so much Scripture woven throughout the prayers and behind the practices. Overall, I'm thankful for the way Christians are able to worship a God of beauty and order in a way that fittingly reflects Him.
Second, this was a very succinct and concise overview. If one is looking for deep dives into either the history, theology, or Book of Common Prayer there are numerous books to provide that. But for covering the basics of the tradition, especially for someone completely unfamiliar (which he assumes many might be), you can't go wrong.
At many points, my suspicions of there being quite a bit of freedom and variance within Anglican practice (even within the ACNA) were confirmed, and at times this felt like a fault. But perhaps it shouldn't, and isn't. The discussion on the Episcopalian vs Anglican split was helpful.
There were many aspects I had experienced during corporate worship to fall in love with, but didn't know some of the small particularities or reasons behind them. It was a type of comfort to hear in this book familiar prayers, blessings, call and responses which have worn faint grooves into my soul. There is so much Scripture woven throughout the prayers and behind the practices. Overall, I'm thankful for the way Christians are able to worship a God of beauty and order in a way that fittingly reflects Him.
June 8, 2018
For years I have yearned for the reverence and the liturgy missing from most Protestant churches. Living in an area heavily populated by Southern Baptists, learning how to incorporate this into one’s worship of God is hard to do. This book has solved that problem to some degree. While “a guidebook,” as it’s labeled, certainly cannot replace a community of believers that worship in the same way, it has served to alter how I look at my relationship with God and my treatment of that relationship.
Thomas McKenzie lays out the history, beliefs, and traditions of the Anglican Church in a clear and concise manner. Writing in an easy to understand fashion, he doesn’t talk down to newcomers. He explains the liturgical calendar, the Eucharist, prayer, and hospitality (among other things) in such a way as to show them possible for even one home to live it out.
McKenzie’s explanations cleared up a lot of misconceptions and left me with more questions and topics to research. “The Anglican Way” also gave great insight to the writings of a favorite artist/thinker, Andrew Peterson. If his music has shown God, it would make sense that his priest would have a similar way of reflecting that grace.
Even if I weren’t interested in changing my pattern of worship or incorporating historical traditions, “The Anglican Way” reminded me of unshakable truths. And sometimes we just need that reminder.
“Our sins are numerous. But the grace we’ve received is total.”
I might start rereading tomorrow.
Thomas McKenzie lays out the history, beliefs, and traditions of the Anglican Church in a clear and concise manner. Writing in an easy to understand fashion, he doesn’t talk down to newcomers. He explains the liturgical calendar, the Eucharist, prayer, and hospitality (among other things) in such a way as to show them possible for even one home to live it out.
McKenzie’s explanations cleared up a lot of misconceptions and left me with more questions and topics to research. “The Anglican Way” also gave great insight to the writings of a favorite artist/thinker, Andrew Peterson. If his music has shown God, it would make sense that his priest would have a similar way of reflecting that grace.
Even if I weren’t interested in changing my pattern of worship or incorporating historical traditions, “The Anglican Way” reminded me of unshakable truths. And sometimes we just need that reminder.
“Our sins are numerous. But the grace we’ve received is total.”
I might start rereading tomorrow.
October 17, 2025
Edit: I married the man who read this book review and reached out to get to know me…5+ stars, this book changed my life!
I picked this up after reading so many of my friends’ beautiful tributes to Father McKenzie after his death last year, and now that I’ve read the book I’m sad that I never had the chance to know him. This book isn’t anything revolutionary, just a simple guide to tradition and liturgy, but it’s earnest and gentle much like Father McKenzie was said to be himself. A refreshing picture of the Church
I picked this up after reading so many of my friends’ beautiful tributes to Father McKenzie after his death last year, and now that I’ve read the book I’m sad that I never had the chance to know him. This book isn’t anything revolutionary, just a simple guide to tradition and liturgy, but it’s earnest and gentle much like Father McKenzie was said to be himself. A refreshing picture of the Church
March 24, 2022
This book was written like a conversation—the most approachable book about theology or anything related to spirituality that I have ever read. The trade off with approachability is that some might find fault with his explanations being over-simplified. But he acknowledges this frequently and often points the reader to resources for topics where the appetite is whetted but not satisfied. It is exactly what it is intended to be; an introduction to Anglicanism.
The first few chapters on the Anglican Rose were helpful as a stand-alone resource. I had never heard of this before, and it was a helpful tool to broaden my categories for how to summarize the different types of Christian influences in my life. I grew up mainly hearing churches being assessed on the ‘Liberal to Conservative’ scale, but had not considered the other axises like ‘Orthodox to Evangelical’ or ‘Charismatic to Contemplative’.
I found McKenzie’s explanation of what it means to be a priest to be especially insightful. I’ll have to chew on that for a while, but if that’s a true representation of what Anglicans believe, that feels much more digestible than the way I grew up thinking about priests.
I found McKenzie to be informative, helpful, kind, and generous. I still have some questions or reservations about Anglicanism as a denomination, but I feel I have a much better understanding of what my questions and reservations are, thanks to this book.
Above all else, I appreciate how McKenzie’s desire for unity in the Church shines through. He is uncompromising on his beliefs—even calling out other denominations by name—while remaining steadfast in his claim that the Anglican Way is not THE way to practice Christianity, but A way. I hope to be more like him. Even if you are not investigating Anglicanism, I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to better understand their faith.
The first few chapters on the Anglican Rose were helpful as a stand-alone resource. I had never heard of this before, and it was a helpful tool to broaden my categories for how to summarize the different types of Christian influences in my life. I grew up mainly hearing churches being assessed on the ‘Liberal to Conservative’ scale, but had not considered the other axises like ‘Orthodox to Evangelical’ or ‘Charismatic to Contemplative’.
I found McKenzie’s explanation of what it means to be a priest to be especially insightful. I’ll have to chew on that for a while, but if that’s a true representation of what Anglicans believe, that feels much more digestible than the way I grew up thinking about priests.
I found McKenzie to be informative, helpful, kind, and generous. I still have some questions or reservations about Anglicanism as a denomination, but I feel I have a much better understanding of what my questions and reservations are, thanks to this book.
Above all else, I appreciate how McKenzie’s desire for unity in the Church shines through. He is uncompromising on his beliefs—even calling out other denominations by name—while remaining steadfast in his claim that the Anglican Way is not THE way to practice Christianity, but A way. I hope to be more like him. Even if you are not investigating Anglicanism, I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to better understand their faith.
July 12, 2020
This book is incredibly easy to read, kind, and helpful. As someone who has been, you might say, on the Canterbury trail for many years without belonging to an Anglican Church until this last year, I found that McKenzie’s description of the compass rose well articulated the generous meeting place of the paradoxes central to following Christ that I’ve long been seeking.
I wish this book more robustly interrogated the Anglican Church’s complicity in colonialism and racism. I felt like the version of history I was being handed was a bit too rose-tinted, focusing on particularly positive Anglicans like William Wilberforce instead of more fully and honestly accounting for the role power and privilege have played in the expansion of the church often at the expense of many.
This is a gentle introduction that encourages as much as it informs. I’m grateful it exists.
I wish this book more robustly interrogated the Anglican Church’s complicity in colonialism and racism. I felt like the version of history I was being handed was a bit too rose-tinted, focusing on particularly positive Anglicans like William Wilberforce instead of more fully and honestly accounting for the role power and privilege have played in the expansion of the church often at the expense of many.
This is a gentle introduction that encourages as much as it informs. I’m grateful it exists.
January 18, 2020
This book is helpful for those who have a more Evangelical prospective and want a short book to summarize some of the history, context, theology, and practices of modern (conservative) Anglicans.
The author is no where near unbiased, but he doesn’t let his bias’ push him into unfair characterizations of others. He also over simplifies a lot of complex things, but, like I said, this is a summary, not an authoritative tome.
To my Evangelical friends, you might find this an accessible peak into my Anglican world. 😊
The author is no where near unbiased, but he doesn’t let his bias’ push him into unfair characterizations of others. He also over simplifies a lot of complex things, but, like I said, this is a summary, not an authoritative tome.
To my Evangelical friends, you might find this an accessible peak into my Anglican world. 😊
March 14, 2024
Easily accessible introduction to Anglicanism. Gives a broad overview on theology, history, structure, and other helpful aspects.
June 17, 2025
Fantastic read not just for those considering an Anglican Church, but anyone interested in theology or church history! Many concepts from this will stay with me for a long time.
July 20, 2024
Well-organized, accessible, and gracious. I thought it was a very helpful introduction to Anglican beliefs and practices.
April 8, 2020
This book is a fantastic introduction to Anglicanism by an Anglican Church in North America pastor.
It was written for the interested layman who knows little of what Anglicanism is all about. I think the audience is geared more towards people from other theological traditions (Baptist, Pentecostal, etc.) but it is written simply enough to be helpful for a new Christian as well.
In part 1 he uses the imagery of the Compass Rose (the flag of the Anglican Communion) to highlight the theological spectrum within Christianity. He uses the opposing points on the compass to represent opposing views such as evangelical vs. catholic, imminent vs. transcendent, individualistic vs. communal, grace vs. works, conservative vs. liberal. He explains these well showing how certain denominations tend to emphasize one more than the other. His point is that if you're attracted to the center you probably fit really well in Anglicanism as it is not a religion of extremes but is a Via Media (meaning "middle way").
The second part explains the prayers, the church calendar, as well as private routines within the Anglican home. The church calendar is likely the most unfamiliar for evangelicals in non-liturgical churches (I know it was for me). I really appreciated how he highlighted that we all mark our lives by time. We celebrate birthdays and anniversaries, we have work routines and schedules. Anglicanism recognizes the importance of marking time and follows the ancient Christian calendar. I remember reading how Scot McKnight became an Anglican because of the church calendar and that never really made sense to me. I'm a theology guy so I couldn't imagine a calendar being a draw, but now I can appreciate that reason more.
The third part is all about the Anglican parish where he overviews the sacraments with a particular emphasis on the Eucharist (Lord's Supper). Like Lutheranism, Anglicans believe in the real presence of Christ in communion. However, they do not believe there it is a re-sacricing of Christ like in Catholicism. The Eucharist is just as important as the sermon in Anglicanism whereas in the Baptist tradition I came out of, the sermon was the focal point. Anglicanism is full of symbolism and the first few times I went to an Anglican service it was jarring. I found I didn't appreciate a lot of the elements because I didn't understand the meaning behind it. Through this book, I learned what most of the symbols mean and I can really appreciate the intentionality behind it. The Lord loves symbols and uses them throughout Scripture, so it makes sense that we too should be intentional about symbolism since we know it obviously is beneficial to God's people. In this section, he also talks about how the church is organized and explains the different offices (Bishop, Priest, Deacon) that there are and what each does. The end is what he calls the "Help Desk" which is essentially appendixes. There is a timeline of the Anglican church, a large glossary of terms, the Anglican catechism, as well as overviews of women in the clergy and explanations of the difference between Anglican and Episcopal (it's just a name difference for the American church).
This was my first intro to Anglican book so I don't have anything to compare it to. However, I loved it and would easily recommend it to anyone interested in what Anglicanism is all about.
It was written for the interested layman who knows little of what Anglicanism is all about. I think the audience is geared more towards people from other theological traditions (Baptist, Pentecostal, etc.) but it is written simply enough to be helpful for a new Christian as well.
In part 1 he uses the imagery of the Compass Rose (the flag of the Anglican Communion) to highlight the theological spectrum within Christianity. He uses the opposing points on the compass to represent opposing views such as evangelical vs. catholic, imminent vs. transcendent, individualistic vs. communal, grace vs. works, conservative vs. liberal. He explains these well showing how certain denominations tend to emphasize one more than the other. His point is that if you're attracted to the center you probably fit really well in Anglicanism as it is not a religion of extremes but is a Via Media (meaning "middle way").
The second part explains the prayers, the church calendar, as well as private routines within the Anglican home. The church calendar is likely the most unfamiliar for evangelicals in non-liturgical churches (I know it was for me). I really appreciated how he highlighted that we all mark our lives by time. We celebrate birthdays and anniversaries, we have work routines and schedules. Anglicanism recognizes the importance of marking time and follows the ancient Christian calendar. I remember reading how Scot McKnight became an Anglican because of the church calendar and that never really made sense to me. I'm a theology guy so I couldn't imagine a calendar being a draw, but now I can appreciate that reason more.
The third part is all about the Anglican parish where he overviews the sacraments with a particular emphasis on the Eucharist (Lord's Supper). Like Lutheranism, Anglicans believe in the real presence of Christ in communion. However, they do not believe there it is a re-sacricing of Christ like in Catholicism. The Eucharist is just as important as the sermon in Anglicanism whereas in the Baptist tradition I came out of, the sermon was the focal point. Anglicanism is full of symbolism and the first few times I went to an Anglican service it was jarring. I found I didn't appreciate a lot of the elements because I didn't understand the meaning behind it. Through this book, I learned what most of the symbols mean and I can really appreciate the intentionality behind it. The Lord loves symbols and uses them throughout Scripture, so it makes sense that we too should be intentional about symbolism since we know it obviously is beneficial to God's people. In this section, he also talks about how the church is organized and explains the different offices (Bishop, Priest, Deacon) that there are and what each does. The end is what he calls the "Help Desk" which is essentially appendixes. There is a timeline of the Anglican church, a large glossary of terms, the Anglican catechism, as well as overviews of women in the clergy and explanations of the difference between Anglican and Episcopal (it's just a name difference for the American church).
This was my first intro to Anglican book so I don't have anything to compare it to. However, I loved it and would easily recommend it to anyone interested in what Anglicanism is all about.
July 11, 2023
I really enjoyed this book, hence the high rating. Currently I am strongly considering joining the Anglican church, and I felt that this was a really good overview that answered my questions and then some.
I particularly enjoyed two sections: the first was the chapter on the history of the Anglican church. Honestly all I really knew was "brutish king wanted to divorce his wife so he threw a temper tantrum and boom, new church." McKenzie offers a far more nuanced history that I found really interesting. One thing I definitely did not know was that "...Many of [England's kings] shared one interesting similarity: they claimed that the church in England was under their authority, not under that of the Pope. William the Conqueror once sent the Pope a letter reminding him of this, and the Magna Carta of 1215 asserted the independence of the English Church." That was an interesting bit I want to learn more about. McKenzie also did not pull his punches and freely confesses the weaknesses and dark spots laced throughout Anglican history, which I found refreshingly honest.
The other section I found most interesting was the one on the Compass Rose, which he modified to explain the theological and practical flexibility of the Anglican tradition--the 8 directions he corresponds to Evangelical, Catholic, Charismatic, Orthodox, Activist, Contemplative, Liberal, Conservative. As someone who's been a bit of a homeless drifter in the Church up till this point, I found a lot of comfort in this section--McKenzie seemed to be saying, "come in, there's room for you too" in a way that nevertheless maintains the distinctiveness of Anglicanism.
McKenzie is, as far as I understand, part of ACNA, and does include a discussion about the Anglican Communion and the complex relationship between different parties. I think this was written in like 2014 or something so some of the discussion feels a bit out of date, but it's recent enough to explain the development of the ACNA and the liberalization of the Episcopal church.
This gets 5 stars from me because I feel it accomplishes the goals it sets out to reach very well, and was very readable and accessible. Honestly as I was reading the section on the liturgy I almost felt like I was participating in it in the moment--it probably helps that I've already spent time in Anglican churches for reference, but it was still beautiful.
I particularly enjoyed two sections: the first was the chapter on the history of the Anglican church. Honestly all I really knew was "brutish king wanted to divorce his wife so he threw a temper tantrum and boom, new church." McKenzie offers a far more nuanced history that I found really interesting. One thing I definitely did not know was that "...Many of [England's kings] shared one interesting similarity: they claimed that the church in England was under their authority, not under that of the Pope. William the Conqueror once sent the Pope a letter reminding him of this, and the Magna Carta of 1215 asserted the independence of the English Church." That was an interesting bit I want to learn more about. McKenzie also did not pull his punches and freely confesses the weaknesses and dark spots laced throughout Anglican history, which I found refreshingly honest.
The other section I found most interesting was the one on the Compass Rose, which he modified to explain the theological and practical flexibility of the Anglican tradition--the 8 directions he corresponds to Evangelical, Catholic, Charismatic, Orthodox, Activist, Contemplative, Liberal, Conservative. As someone who's been a bit of a homeless drifter in the Church up till this point, I found a lot of comfort in this section--McKenzie seemed to be saying, "come in, there's room for you too" in a way that nevertheless maintains the distinctiveness of Anglicanism.
McKenzie is, as far as I understand, part of ACNA, and does include a discussion about the Anglican Communion and the complex relationship between different parties. I think this was written in like 2014 or something so some of the discussion feels a bit out of date, but it's recent enough to explain the development of the ACNA and the liberalization of the Episcopal church.
This gets 5 stars from me because I feel it accomplishes the goals it sets out to reach very well, and was very readable and accessible. Honestly as I was reading the section on the liturgy I almost felt like I was participating in it in the moment--it probably helps that I've already spent time in Anglican churches for reference, but it was still beautiful.
October 26, 2020
This is problematic and hopefully not a representation of the majority of Anglican churches in the Anglican Church of North America (ACNA). That said, there were some positives, and I would like to highlight those first.
The sections on church calendar were great. The most encouraging part of the book was Part II - Walking the Anglican Way. This is a section they highlights, how those who are looking for a Christian heritage and tradition can find a theologically robust expression and share it with their Catholic brethren. There is much here, that even if you were not Anglican or Catholic, you could adopt. For example, who doesn’t want 12 days of Christmas! I think this book does a great job of explaining the value of tradition and why it’s not necessary to reinvent the wheel.
The author accurately captures Christian cultures within the different denominations. However, there are several points that stick out as problematic. But there are still problems, several problems in fact.
1. Starting with Love; this sounds like a good theology, but Love is not defined the same by everyone. This is affirmed by McKenzie in the early parts in the book and later where he discusses the ordination of a gay bishop as the “straw breaking the camels back.” This clearly shows that the way to love individuals in the Episcopal Church, versus the ACNA Church, differs due to their theological positions and the reason for the split. This is one of the authors main points of the book, and is odd that he would blatantly contradict himself. This is the same line of argument that many mainstream evangelical churches are taking and it’s troublesome to see a priest take the same approach here in a tradition with a rich history of taking stands for their theology.
2. Equivocation on the Anglican Way. The author regularly attempts to cover for heresy by his episcopal counterparts by merely stating that heresy in the Episcopalian Church is simply “not following the Anglican Way”. This is not the case; these churches explicitly reject the teachings of Christ and the creeds; creeds that McKenzie states are required in order to be recognized as “Christian”. This equivocation is not merely the result of two denominations having different “preferences” of theological expression, they are substantially different theologies and should not be muddled by ambiguous language in order to preserve a pseudo-unity. At one point McKenzie states that he has “lied to keep the peace”. He states this WITHOUT acknowledgement that it’s wrong, especially for a priest! One cannot help but wonder, with all the ambiguity, is he being deceptive here to make Anglicanism more appealing to those on the outside?
3. Relativism: the book has, as one person in our catechism class said, “a relativistic flavor throughout”. This is accurate. There are big differences in the Anglican Church and the Roman Catholic Church, and McKenzie does not seem overly concerned with ensuring that you know the difference, but rather presents a live-your-truth kind of message. The only difference is, instead of your truth being universally relative, he thinks you should live your relativistic Christian faith however you see fit; this also seems to contradict the whole purpose of the ACNA. Which was founded in response to episcopal churches living their flavor of Christianity. At one point, it even appears that McKenzie is ok with participating in a Catholic Mass without having been confirmed, something we discovered is a deceptive action and disrespectful of the denomination of Catholics.
4. Finally, lack of consistency. During the ecclesiology section, the discussion is around Bishops and charismatic experience. McKenzie discusses the role of Charismatic experiences of his own and how God had changed his views on his belief about God and femininity. However, he gives no discussion on the obvious question that comes from the description of Bishops and their authority over priests with charismatic expressions; mainly, to ensure that priests aren’t out of line theologically. So what happens when a Bishop informs a priest that the theology he has adopted due to a charismatic experience is invalid? McKenzie doesn’t tell us. This is problematic and feels like a half truth. Come join the Anglican Way, and you get liturgy and charismatic theology without any smack down from a Cessationist. This seems misleading again, and clarifying the disciplinary authority on bad charismatic experiences, of which we all know occur, would be helpful for those to have a clear view of what Anglog-Charismata is under authority of Bishops.
Granted the Anglican tradition is huge and very diverse. However the author should be clear that those who deny the faith, creeds, the resurrection of Christ, etc. are not “outside the Anglican way” they are not Christians. If there is a revision, there should be a new part added that discusses the differences between the Anglican Way, the non-Anglican way but still Christian, and those who claim Christianity but are not. Pretending like we are on the same page does not help the church flourish; it makes the church a relic that is unclear and incapable of accomplishing its goal of discipleship and sacramental worship. I hope McKenzie recognizes that clarity of thought is the first rule of a book, and that someone of his caliber is either intentionally making his words ambiguous defeats the purpose of the book. Some have responded to my criticisms saying the subject is difficult, implying that grace for the task and his attempt to tackle are admirable, maybe; or the other way to look at it is that he was not ready to take on the task and has failed to accomplish clearly articulating what it means to be Christian at the expense of presenting the Anglican Church as more tolerant than it actually is (just read the Jerusalem Declaration). If a revised copy ever appears, I will look forward to reading it.
The sections on church calendar were great. The most encouraging part of the book was Part II - Walking the Anglican Way. This is a section they highlights, how those who are looking for a Christian heritage and tradition can find a theologically robust expression and share it with their Catholic brethren. There is much here, that even if you were not Anglican or Catholic, you could adopt. For example, who doesn’t want 12 days of Christmas! I think this book does a great job of explaining the value of tradition and why it’s not necessary to reinvent the wheel.
The author accurately captures Christian cultures within the different denominations. However, there are several points that stick out as problematic. But there are still problems, several problems in fact.
1. Starting with Love; this sounds like a good theology, but Love is not defined the same by everyone. This is affirmed by McKenzie in the early parts in the book and later where he discusses the ordination of a gay bishop as the “straw breaking the camels back.” This clearly shows that the way to love individuals in the Episcopal Church, versus the ACNA Church, differs due to their theological positions and the reason for the split. This is one of the authors main points of the book, and is odd that he would blatantly contradict himself. This is the same line of argument that many mainstream evangelical churches are taking and it’s troublesome to see a priest take the same approach here in a tradition with a rich history of taking stands for their theology.
2. Equivocation on the Anglican Way. The author regularly attempts to cover for heresy by his episcopal counterparts by merely stating that heresy in the Episcopalian Church is simply “not following the Anglican Way”. This is not the case; these churches explicitly reject the teachings of Christ and the creeds; creeds that McKenzie states are required in order to be recognized as “Christian”. This equivocation is not merely the result of two denominations having different “preferences” of theological expression, they are substantially different theologies and should not be muddled by ambiguous language in order to preserve a pseudo-unity. At one point McKenzie states that he has “lied to keep the peace”. He states this WITHOUT acknowledgement that it’s wrong, especially for a priest! One cannot help but wonder, with all the ambiguity, is he being deceptive here to make Anglicanism more appealing to those on the outside?
3. Relativism: the book has, as one person in our catechism class said, “a relativistic flavor throughout”. This is accurate. There are big differences in the Anglican Church and the Roman Catholic Church, and McKenzie does not seem overly concerned with ensuring that you know the difference, but rather presents a live-your-truth kind of message. The only difference is, instead of your truth being universally relative, he thinks you should live your relativistic Christian faith however you see fit; this also seems to contradict the whole purpose of the ACNA. Which was founded in response to episcopal churches living their flavor of Christianity. At one point, it even appears that McKenzie is ok with participating in a Catholic Mass without having been confirmed, something we discovered is a deceptive action and disrespectful of the denomination of Catholics.
4. Finally, lack of consistency. During the ecclesiology section, the discussion is around Bishops and charismatic experience. McKenzie discusses the role of Charismatic experiences of his own and how God had changed his views on his belief about God and femininity. However, he gives no discussion on the obvious question that comes from the description of Bishops and their authority over priests with charismatic expressions; mainly, to ensure that priests aren’t out of line theologically. So what happens when a Bishop informs a priest that the theology he has adopted due to a charismatic experience is invalid? McKenzie doesn’t tell us. This is problematic and feels like a half truth. Come join the Anglican Way, and you get liturgy and charismatic theology without any smack down from a Cessationist. This seems misleading again, and clarifying the disciplinary authority on bad charismatic experiences, of which we all know occur, would be helpful for those to have a clear view of what Anglog-Charismata is under authority of Bishops.
Granted the Anglican tradition is huge and very diverse. However the author should be clear that those who deny the faith, creeds, the resurrection of Christ, etc. are not “outside the Anglican way” they are not Christians. If there is a revision, there should be a new part added that discusses the differences between the Anglican Way, the non-Anglican way but still Christian, and those who claim Christianity but are not. Pretending like we are on the same page does not help the church flourish; it makes the church a relic that is unclear and incapable of accomplishing its goal of discipleship and sacramental worship. I hope McKenzie recognizes that clarity of thought is the first rule of a book, and that someone of his caliber is either intentionally making his words ambiguous defeats the purpose of the book. Some have responded to my criticisms saying the subject is difficult, implying that grace for the task and his attempt to tackle are admirable, maybe; or the other way to look at it is that he was not ready to take on the task and has failed to accomplish clearly articulating what it means to be Christian at the expense of presenting the Anglican Church as more tolerant than it actually is (just read the Jerusalem Declaration). If a revised copy ever appears, I will look forward to reading it.
September 5, 2025
I don’t usually read contemporary nonfiction books because I find them overly verbose and condescending, but when my wife bought this for us to read together, as we transition to the Anglican communion, this book was helpful. McKenzie did well in explaining the differences and nuances of Anglicanism, sparking many enjoyable discussions with my wife that made this book last longer than it should have.
Here are the topics my mind has been changed on from these discussions: mysticism, bodily worship, sacramentalism, power of prayer, catholophobia(fear of anything that looks catholic), tradition, priesthood, and ecumenism. I don’t believe most Protestants have thought about these topics in a serious manner.
If you find yourself dissatisfied with the current state of Protestantism but still agree with the reformers, check out this book(or better yet an Anglican Church). It truly is different.
Here are the topics my mind has been changed on from these discussions: mysticism, bodily worship, sacramentalism, power of prayer, catholophobia(fear of anything that looks catholic), tradition, priesthood, and ecumenism. I don’t believe most Protestants have thought about these topics in a serious manner.
If you find yourself dissatisfied with the current state of Protestantism but still agree with the reformers, check out this book(or better yet an Anglican Church). It truly is different.
November 13, 2018
I enjoyed this book. I have listened to the author on Church of the Redeemer Nashville’s podcast and enjoyed his sermons. Until reading this book I had very little understanding of the Anglican Church and I now understand that I held many misperceptions. It was easy to read and I learned a great deal.
January 13, 2024
This book was a simple, easy-to-read introduction to the history, beliefs, and practices of the Anglican Church. While I don’t completely agree with some of the author’s statements, I still found this to be a helpful introduction to a tradition of worship I previously didn’t know much about.
August 20, 2025
I’m fairly new to the Anglican tradition. I began attending an Anglican Church in 2022 in a season of upheaval. The liturgy, much of which is explained in this book, settled my soul and rooted me in timeless truths. I enjoyed learning a bit more about this rich tradition.
July 7, 2021
The best resource I’ve found for understanding Anglican tradition when words like “liturgy” and “diocese” are new for you. The perfect balance of deep yet accessible!
December 17, 2014
This book is incredibly good. I'm normally the world's slowest reader but I burnt through this in... *checks Goodreads*... sixteen days. Thomas McKenzie writes in an incredibly clear and readable manner. And for me, a newcomer to Anglicanism, the content was just so insightful and interesting.
My favorite part of the book was the first section, in which McKenzie explains Anglicanism as encompassing many different facets of Christianity—all godly and good but limited when held in isolation—using the image of a compass rose. These facets are: catholic and evangelical, charismatic and orthodox, contemplative and activist, and conservative and liberal. I'd honestly normally expect such a framework to be an oversimplification based on buzzwords, but in this case each facet is actually a discrete property emphasized in some churches and not others. McKenzie gives great anecdotal examples of each and makes a strong argument for the "Anglican way" of holding all of these values in right tension.
But this part of the book, Anglicanism aside, also just gives any reader a really useful framework for thinking about the Christian Church and realizing that it's broader than any individual one of these facets. I think this framework is incredibly useful for any Christian, not just those specifically interested in Anglicanism.
The rest of the book goes into the specifics of Anglicanism: its history, its worship practice, and various practical matters like advice on finding a church. People explaining Christian tradition can sometimes come across as a bit obnoxious with assumptions of knowledge and verbiage. McKenzie definitively does not. He explains concepts like priests and sacraments in a way that's accessible to those from other Christian backgrounds. He explains the *reasons* for these things, which is what so many of us are seeking to understand. He explains all of this within a framework that of these good things can be distorted and taken to an extreme that loses the heart. He gives historical background when it's useful and personal anecdotes where they fit. It's all just very informative, and it doesn't take long to read at all.
My favorite part of the book was the first section, in which McKenzie explains Anglicanism as encompassing many different facets of Christianity—all godly and good but limited when held in isolation—using the image of a compass rose. These facets are: catholic and evangelical, charismatic and orthodox, contemplative and activist, and conservative and liberal. I'd honestly normally expect such a framework to be an oversimplification based on buzzwords, but in this case each facet is actually a discrete property emphasized in some churches and not others. McKenzie gives great anecdotal examples of each and makes a strong argument for the "Anglican way" of holding all of these values in right tension.
But this part of the book, Anglicanism aside, also just gives any reader a really useful framework for thinking about the Christian Church and realizing that it's broader than any individual one of these facets. I think this framework is incredibly useful for any Christian, not just those specifically interested in Anglicanism.
The rest of the book goes into the specifics of Anglicanism: its history, its worship practice, and various practical matters like advice on finding a church. People explaining Christian tradition can sometimes come across as a bit obnoxious with assumptions of knowledge and verbiage. McKenzie definitively does not. He explains concepts like priests and sacraments in a way that's accessible to those from other Christian backgrounds. He explains the *reasons* for these things, which is what so many of us are seeking to understand. He explains all of this within a framework that of these good things can be distorted and taken to an extreme that loses the heart. He gives historical background when it's useful and personal anecdotes where they fit. It's all just very informative, and it doesn't take long to read at all.
January 3, 2024
McKenzie situates Anglicanism in the historical context of the greater, global church. In doing so, he articulately explores theological debates and principles, denominational distinctions, and global practices and traditions.
The idea of processions is foreign to me, and I struggled to understand the purpose. McKenzie compared the gospel procession to the Torah procession, and the connection between the two covenants reflected in Anglican worship clicked. I also deeply appreciated Mckenzie’s reflection on reconciliation between people before taking communion. McKenzie posed a question to ask when exploring churches - “did the Son of God need to die for this sermon to be true?” What a thought-provoking assessment tool.
The first two parts of this book were engaging and deeply meaningful as I explore Anglicanism. The latter parts are exactly what McKenzie said they would be, resources and guides to help when answers are needed. I probably shouldn’t fault him for these being drier when they are exactly what he said they would be - but, four stars for this lol.
It’s almost as if this book is the culmination of all the little truths I have been unearthing about Jesus in the past 8 years of my spiritual journey. I balked at the liturgical practices of my Lutheran school growing up. It felt like a shoe that didn’t fit. But here is the Spirit, drawing me into a form of worship that allows me to join in with generations of Christians, and it feels like the perfect fit. Sorry not sorry that my reviews always end up being part journal entry!
The idea of processions is foreign to me, and I struggled to understand the purpose. McKenzie compared the gospel procession to the Torah procession, and the connection between the two covenants reflected in Anglican worship clicked. I also deeply appreciated Mckenzie’s reflection on reconciliation between people before taking communion. McKenzie posed a question to ask when exploring churches - “did the Son of God need to die for this sermon to be true?” What a thought-provoking assessment tool.
The first two parts of this book were engaging and deeply meaningful as I explore Anglicanism. The latter parts are exactly what McKenzie said they would be, resources and guides to help when answers are needed. I probably shouldn’t fault him for these being drier when they are exactly what he said they would be - but, four stars for this lol.
It’s almost as if this book is the culmination of all the little truths I have been unearthing about Jesus in the past 8 years of my spiritual journey. I balked at the liturgical practices of my Lutheran school growing up. It felt like a shoe that didn’t fit. But here is the Spirit, drawing me into a form of worship that allows me to join in with generations of Christians, and it feels like the perfect fit. Sorry not sorry that my reviews always end up being part journal entry!
June 11, 2022
“Love is the most easily dismissed of God’s commandments and characteristics. Christians sometimes seem to say, “Of course we should love people, we all know that. So now let’s get on with what we really want to do—fight about theology!” But love is the central Christian ethic, it’s the heartbeat of the church. It’s central to us because it’s essential to God. “God is love,” says the Bible (1 John 4:8, NIV). At the core of the Trinity is a love relationship between three Persons. God cannot be separated from love. Love is his nature. Unless the church is actively living out the reality of love, there is little reason to debate theology. And unless the church has a healthy theology we won’t recognize true love when we see it.”
The Anglican Way provides a map, not just for those exploring Anglicanism, and not just for those exploring Christianity as a whole, but for ordinary Christians who are looking for a framework for finding a healthy church. The book is information dense, and practically helpful, but it's not dry. At times it's actually entertaining. Highly recommend!
The Anglican Way provides a map, not just for those exploring Anglicanism, and not just for those exploring Christianity as a whole, but for ordinary Christians who are looking for a framework for finding a healthy church. The book is information dense, and practically helpful, but it's not dry. At times it's actually entertaining. Highly recommend!
April 5, 2022
This is a great (and concise) summary of the Anglican vision! I appreciate McKenzie's eight-fold compass analogy for the Anglican Way — this diagram eloquently summarizes the balanced approach that Anglicans take.
The section about other denominations was surprising, because McKenzie endorses the more conservative/evangelical sides of each Mainline denomination, even though the majority of the book is spent demonstrating how the Anglican Way is a moderate approach.
The section about other denominations was surprising, because McKenzie endorses the more conservative/evangelical sides of each Mainline denomination, even though the majority of the book is spent demonstrating how the Anglican Way is a moderate approach.
July 5, 2024
This is a very kind and helpful introduction to Anglicanism. I appreciated the subtle undertones of egalitarianism, whether McKinzie meant to do that or not.
I do wish, as another reviewer said, that the book would have touched on the reality of colonialism and how the spread of Anglicanism went hand in hand with that dark part of its history.
Overall would recommend as an explanation to the practices and doctrines of Anglicanism. I wish I could be friends with the author!
I do wish, as another reviewer said, that the book would have touched on the reality of colonialism and how the spread of Anglicanism went hand in hand with that dark part of its history.
Overall would recommend as an explanation to the practices and doctrines of Anglicanism. I wish I could be friends with the author!
September 4, 2025
Looking for a book that takes 8 months to read 🙈 because each page leads to hours of exceptional conversation with your spouse? Well, look no further!🤣
Thankful for the ways this book has put words to what has gone on in my/our hearts and minds during the best spiritual season of my life. Would highly, highly, highly recommend this book (…and the Anglican Church! 😅)
Thankful for the ways this book has put words to what has gone on in my/our hearts and minds during the best spiritual season of my life. Would highly, highly, highly recommend this book (…and the Anglican Church! 😅)
November 14, 2023
An excellent explanation of the Anglican denomination, traditions, history, and purpose of the liturgy. Five stars for Anglicans, 4 for the curious, but I can’t really recommend it to anyone not interested in this denomination.
September 17, 2022
An excellent overview of the tradition. I'm so glad I read it.
July 31, 2024
Digestible, accessible summary of Anglicanism. Learned some new things. Left me wanting though.
May 6, 2025
Deeply helpful and clarifying. Would recommend for anyone curious about Anglicanism.
December 11, 2025
*listened on audible
this book is humbly well written and wholly insightful. i feel like i’m walking away with much wisdom and answered questions. love it!
this book is humbly well written and wholly insightful. i feel like i’m walking away with much wisdom and answered questions. love it!
April 14, 2025
Good overview of the Anglican branch of Christianity. Nothing too “in the weeds.” I’ve encountered other books like this that seem to dedicate each page of the book to ripping apart each sect of Christianity in an attempt to elevate their own. This book refreshingly assesses what is good, true, and beautiful across the Christian landscape, all while framing how the “Anglican Way” seeks to incorporate all of the good, true, and beautiful. Besides that, the book gives digestible overviews of church history, doctrine, and government. I would recommend it to anyone interested in Anglicanism specifically or to those interested in broader Christian thought as a whole.
May 13, 2024
Concise overview of the Anglican Church’s history and core theology & practices.
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