This book is a comparative study of the Constitutions, Canons, and other forms of law of the Churches in the worldwide Anglican Communion. Doe's analysis draws out the similarities and differences between them and proposes that global principles of Anglican canon law apply to all Churches in the Communion.

Table of secular legislation ; Table of cases ; Introduction ; 1. Churches, States and Laws ; 2. The Institutional Organization of Churches ; 3. The Resolution of Ecclesiastical Conflict ; 4. Archbishops and Bishops ; 5. The Ministry of Priests and Deacons ; 6. The Ministry of the Laity ; 7. Faith and Doctrine ; 8. Public Worship and Liturgical Law ; 9. Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Communion ; 10. Marriage, Divorce, Confession and Funerals ; 11. Church Property and Finance ; 12. Inter-Church Relations and Ecumenical Law ; 13. General Conclusions ; Bibliography ; Index

`Norman Doe's latest masterpiece is arguably the most important, and certainly the most detailed and authoritative book ever to have been written on the Anglican Communion./ Those who enjoy poring over footnotes are here presented with a gargantuan feast, matched only by the learnedness of the main text ... a must for anyone who thinks seriously and cares deeply about the church to which he or she belongs.' Gerald Bray, Churchman, 1998, 112/4. `scholarly book ... the results are of special importance for the study of ecclesiology. It should also provide an indispensible springboard for those contemplating legal change anywhere within the Anglican Communion.' Rupert Bursell, Theology, Jan/Feb. 1999. `at last, some empirical evidence is to hand. Dr Doe's scholarly volume gives to the Anglican Communion the same probing treatment which his previous work, The Legal Framework of the Church of England, had visited on but two of its component provinces ... Doe's book provides the hard evidence of homogeneity and raises serious issues, many of which inevitably are left unanswered. ... This work merits a consideration equal to the painstaking scholarship which produced it.' Mark Hill (barrister, Deputy Chancellor of the Diocese of Winchester and Visiting Fellow of Emmanuel College Cambridge) New Directions Dec 1998 `Norman Doe has produced a comprehensive overview of the variety of Canon Law systems throughout the worldwide communion of the Anglican Church.' Thomas Creagh-Fuller, English College, Rome, Heythrop Journal, Vol 40, no 3, July 1999 `Dr Norman Doe has done the Anglican Communion a great service ... It is a timely and painstaking overview of the core elements to be found in Anglican Churches around the world ... no comparative study on this scale has previously been attempted ... The size of the task will have been mountainous, but the result of Doe's analysis is both impressive, and tantalising ... This is a very welcome book ... We are all in Norman Doe's debt for this major study. Oxford University Press is also to be congratulated on a beautifully produced volume ... This is an important book. It deserves to be widely read. Perhaps most importantly, it reminds us that the Church of England may not have all the answers to what it means to be Anglican Christians today.' John Rees, Joint Registrar, Diocese of Oxford, Legal Adviser to the Anglican Consultative Council, Ecclesiastical Law Jrnl `he has fashioned a comparative study of the law relating to the central aspects of the canon law ... the author of this pioneering work deserves thanks and congratulations.' R. H. Helmholz, The Cambridge Law Journal, July 1999, vol 58 `Clearly, the canons of all the dioceses could not be studied and compared, and most of the material and Dr. Doe's conclusions are based on the canon laws of the larger church bodies ... Even at that the prospect must have been daunting, and the fact that he has done it, and done it so well does him much credit ... Again Dr. Doe has written a book which should be in the library of every person involved in the canon law of the Anglican Church, but which also has much to say to the wider Christian community. Anyone with an interest in these matters cannot help but find much useful material in this book.' W J Hemmerick, Church Law Association of Canada Journal, Volume III no 1

Global in scope and will be of interest beyond the UK, it will be of especial interest to scholars and practitioners from the Anglican communities of north America and Africa The subject matter is of relevance to both academics and practitioners Complements the authors earlier work published by OUP

Norman Doe, a qualified barrister, is Senior Lecturer at Cardiff Law School of the University of Wales. He was elected Honorary Member of the Senior Common Room of Magdalen College for 1996/97 and was Visiting Fellow at Pusey House for the Hilary Term of 1997.

Global in scope and will be of interest beyond the UK, it will be of especial interest to scholars and practitioners from the Anglican communities of north America and Africa The subject matter is of relevance to both academics and practitioners Complements the authors earlier work published by OUP