There are two styles of address for members of the Clergy: formal and social. In most circumstances the social form of address is used - that is a polite but slightly less deferential style of approach than the very rigid form that was followed in the last century. The formal styles of address may be found in the published edition of Debrett's Correct Form.

The Church of England is the officially established Christian Church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican communion. It dates to the separation of the English Church from Rome in 1534 during the reign of King Henry VIII. The British monarch still has the constitutional title of "Supreme Governor of the Church of England"

The Church of England has a legislative body, the General Synod, which can create two kinds of legislation: measures (which must be approved by the UK Parliament) and canons (which require Royal Licence and Royal Assent).

Structure of the Church of England

The Church of England is structured as follows, under the Archbishop of Canterbury ('the Primate of All England'):

Province (ie. York and Canterbury): This is an area under the jurisdiction of an archbishop. A province is subdivided into dioceses.

Diocese: An area under the jurisdiction of a diocesan bishop, who may be assisted by one or more bishops (known as suffragan bishops). Very large dioceses are divided into 'episcopal areas'; the diocesan bishop runs one of these areas himself and 'area bishops' will be appointed to run 'mini-dioceses'.

Deanery: An area, consisting of a number of parishes,  for which a rural dean is responsible.

Parish: The most local district of Church administration, a parish originally consisted of a church, a community and a vicar, rector or priest. Increasingly, however, several parishes (especially in rural districts with small congregations) are being joined together under one parish priest.

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