News from particular dialogues
A large part of IASCER's work was to come to grips with the wide range of
dialogues taking place across the Communion. As well as these, some
consideration was given to recent multilateral ecumenical work - Treasure in
Earthen Vessels, and The Nature and Purpose of the Church (both from the WCC
Faith & Order Commission). The amount of reading had delegates burning the
midnight oil!
What follows summarises highlights of discussion, learning and plans for
future work.
Baptists:
A five-year dialogue has begun, using a distinctive method. Meetings are
taking place in five different parts of the world where Anglicans and Baptists
encounter one another: Europe (met in England in 2000), Asia / South Pacific
(meeting in Myanmar 2001); Africa (meeting in Nigeria 2002); Caribbean
(meeting in Jamaica 2003) and North America (meeting in the USA 2004). A
'continuing committee' of three from each tradition attends each meeting,
together with up to another six from each tradition representing the region
concerned.
The goals of the dialogue are modest but significant: mutual learning, sharing
understandings of Apostolic faith, identifying areas of doctrine and church
life which need fuller exploration, and looking for ways to cooperate in
mission, and increase fellowship and common witness.
Moravians:
A dialogue based in England saw the production of "The Fetter Lane Common
Statement", which is also being sent to churches of the Anglican Communion in
which where is contact with Moravians, asking such Anglicans to consider
whether this Statement may offer a basis for similar agreements in their
region.
New Churches, Independent Church Groups and Pentecostal Churches:
A huge variety of bodies is included here - from African indigenous churches
to Western Pentecostal denominations and more besides. Given this diversity,
the Commission took a very local approach, encouraging working parties in
areas where such bodies were active.
Two specific suggestions were made: to have 'good news' stories of Anglican
encounters with such groups published (eg in Anglican World); and to explore
whether a seminary could take the lead in resourcing relations between
Anglicans and New / Independent church bodies.
Methodists:
Dialogue has proceeded both globally and locally. The Anglican-Methodist
International Commission has issued Sharing in the Apostolic Communion.
IASCER was impressed by this, and decided to consider the congruence of its
eucharistic section with ARCIC's work. More locally, IASCER members will
consult with Methodist colleagues as to ways forward in our relationship. The
renewal of dialogue in England was particularly noted.
Eastern Orthodox:
In the midst of occasional difficulties, and against the background of rapidly
changing social and political contexts in most traditional Orthodox lands,
serious dialogue has proceeded for some decades in the Anglican-Orthodox
International Joint Doctrinal Commission.
Several documents have been published: The Moscow Agreed Statement (1976, on
the knowledge of God, scripture and tradition, councils, the filioque clause,
church as eucharistic community, and the invocation of the Spirit in the
eucharist); The Athens Report (1978, on the ordination of women), The Dublin
Report (1984, on the mystery of the Church; faith in the Trinity, prayer and
holiness; worship and tradition (including icons); with an impressive summary
of the dialogue as a whole). More recently, interim agreements have been
reached on The Trinity and the Church; Christ, the Spirit and the Church; and
Humanity and the Church.
IASCER - near overwhelmed by the wealth of theological resources offered -
nevertheless realised that most of these Statements were not well known among
Anglicans. It therefore set about designing a study by which Anglicans at
local level can mine these riches, and so engage more deeply with Orthodox
Christians in heart, mind and spirit.
Two particular issues raised were Anglican use (or not) of the filioque clause
in the Nicene Creed (adding 'and from the Son' after 'proceeded from the
Father'), and proposals for a common date for Easter. Lambeth has backed both
changes, with varied response across the Anglican Communion. A survey showed
that a narrow majority of reporting Provinces had either omitted filioque or
made it optional, but also that the canonical issues were not trivial. IASCER
supported both proposals, after discussion, but implementation can only come
from Provinces themselves.
'Oriental' Orthodox:
An Anglican-Oriental Orthodox dialogue has been under way for some time,
though occasionally interrupted. Its goals are growth in understanding more
than structural change, especially to assist Anglican offer support to, and be
open to learn from, Oriental Orthodox churches in parts of the world where
they are newly emerging (not uncommonly as the result of refugee movement).
The Commission took particular note of the remarkable agreements between these
churches and the Roman Catholic Church on Christological issues, and the
fascinating implications for theological method in ecumenical work which they
embody (for example, the non-use of the term theotokos in discussing
Chalcedonian teaching about Christ).
Lutherans:
The overarching issue in developing relations with Lutherans - given their
emphasis on the 'priesthood of all believers', and that ordained ministry is
'one' - has been the role of bishops in relation to other ministers. More
recently, the ministry of deacons has emerged as an issue, through The Hanover
Report of the Anglican-Lutheran International Working Group, and the
Commission gave some time to considering this.
The outstanding good news on the Anglican ecumenical front is the rapid growth
of openness with several Lutheran churches. Two Agreements seek to give
tangible Christian expression to the emerging unity of Europe; two more bring
together Anglican and Lutherans in North America. IASCER also heard of
promising developments in Brazil, Africa and Australia.
The Meissen Agreement (1991) is limited in scope, but brings the Church of
England into cooperative and practical working relationships with the
Evangelical Church of Germany (EKD), seen for example in the rapid growth of
'twinned' dioceses. (It is now complemented by a similar Agreement with
Reformed Churches in Europe, in the Reuilly Agreement.)
The Porvoo Agreement (1996) brings the Church of England, Church of Wales,
Church of Ireland and Episcopal Church of Scotland into communion with six
(thus far) episcopal Lutheran Churches of the North Atlantic.
The Common Call to Mission has brought the Episcopal Church and the
Evangelical Lutheran Church of the USA into 'pulpit and altar fellowship',
whose structural implications will develop over time.
Of special interest here is the way in which the vexed issue of the necessity
of episcopal orders has been resolved. The ELCA embraced a personal episcopate
(via Lutheran sources), while ECUSA - as a temporary 'anomaly' for the sake of
unity - suspended the preface to its Ordinal requiring all clergy in communion
with that church to be episcopally ordained.
The underlying method here is to look forwards rather than back. If we can
agree on where we are called as churches to be in the future, according to the
will of Christ, then we can, and must, step out in faith towards this future
together, without insisting on a 'pure' past. This principle of 'anomaly' for
the sake of an agreed future in Christ raises most significant issues of
method in bridging previously irreconcilable positions.
The Waterloo Declaration, to be voted on finally in 2001 by both Canadian
Anglicans and Lutherans, has been developed among similar lines to CCM, with
Canadian contexts in mind.
These welcome - and challenging - developments have as a common feature the
grounding of understanding the church, and its ministry, in the mission of
God. Alongside and beneath these agreements has also been the highly
significant Lutheran-Roman Catholic agreement on justification by faith, and
the retraction of their condemnations of one another.
Roman Catholics:
The Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC) is the best-known
and oldest ecumenical dialogue in which Anglicans are involved. The Final
Report (1981) has been largely accepted by Anglicans, to the point where its
conclusions on the eucharist and ministry now undergird much liturgical
revision in the Communion. The two Statements on Authority are the parts about
which substantial agreement was not fully reached by ARCIC.
Later work by ARCIC is not so well known, however: Salvation and the Church
(1985, on justification); Church as Communion (1991, bringing together ARCIC's
work on the motif of koinonia, 'communion'); Life in Christ: Morals in
Communion (1993); and most recently, The Gift of Authority: Authority in the
Church III (1998).
IASCER set up a two-phase process to enable Anglican Provinces to make their
responses to Salvation and the Church (formal synodical responses by 2004),
and Gift of Authority (initial response from study by 2003; then, after work
by IASCER on these, and consultation with the 2005 Anglican Consultative
Council meeting, tot seek formal synodical responses by 2006). This plan will
enable a fully considered response to be made to ARCIC's work by the 2008
Lambeth Conference.
The theological agreements reached by ARCIC are vital, yet are but one aspect
of working towards visible unity. Pushing forward in practical ways calls for
the engagement of the leaders of the churches, the bishops.
In May 2000, thirteen 'pairs' of Anglican and Roman Catholic bishops met
together for over a week in Mississauga (Toronto, Canada), to work on tangible
steps forward. Their 'Joint Declaration', with its 'Action Plan', called for a
Joint Unity Commission to be set up, a proposal warmly endorsed by IASCER.
Alongside formal dialogue, other developments with the Roman Catholic Church
continue apace. Some are positive, such as John-Paul II's Ut Unum Sint (to
which several Anglican Provinces have offered responses, briefly considered by
IASCER); or the 75th anniversary celebrations in 1996 of the Malines
Conversations, initiated by European Roman Catholic leaders, politely
obscuring the centenary of Apostolica Curae; or the generous invitation of
John-Paul II to the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Ecumenical Patriarch to
join him in opening the Holy Door for the Jubilee Year, 2000, with its
profound spiritual symbolism.
Other Roman Catholic actions have been problematic for Anglican relations,
however: the stream of pronouncements on the ordination of women, for example,
or the issuing by English RC bishops of One Body, One Bread (guidelines on who
may receive the eucharist, drawing sharp criticism from the Archbishop of
Canterbury as too narrow). Most recently, the letter from the Congregation for
the Doctrine of the Faith, Dominus Jesus, and its associated note on the
meaning of 'sister churches', raised questions (notably in the public media)
about the way in which Roman Catholic official bodies regard other churches.
IASCER spent some time considering these relationships, and came to appreciate the need to 'read' Roman Catholic pronouncements in the way in which they are intended, while reserving the right to criticise them for the sake of the kingdom of God.
On a personal level, the death of Fr Jean-Marie Roger Tillard OP, just prior to IASCER's meeting, was noted with much sadness by its members, several of whom knew him well. The Commission recorded its "heartfelt appreciation for the many and deep contributions he selflessly and tirelessly made towards the restoration of full, visible unity, especially between the Roman Catholic
Church and the Churches of the Anglican Communion".
Intra-Anglican ecumenical relations:
Relationships between member churches of the Anglican Communion came under
scrutiny, in two particular areas:
What can be learnt from the full participation in the Communion of 'united'
Churches (such as the Church of South India), and others in full communion
with Canterbury (such as the Old Catholics, or the Mar Thoma Church)? Initial
discussion took place, and plans for further exploration of this significant
resource were set in train.
The overlapping jurisdictions in Europe were considered. These are based
respectively on the chaplaincies derived from the Church of England, and the
mission churches of ECUSA; in addition, Canterbury is in communion with the
Old Catholics, and Spanish and Portuguese episcopal churches not in communion
with Rome. What is the best way forward for Christ's mission in Europe - and
how do these relationships affect agreements such as Porvoo?
In a different realm or relationships, a large number of bodies, especially in
North America, use the name 'Anglican', or claim Anglican identity, but are
not recognised by Canterbury as being in communion with him. Some have been in
existence since the 19th century; others are of recent origin, and some seem
to reflect a schismatic ethos. Nevertheless, IASCER saw as part of its
ecumenical the need to consider how best Anglicans may relate to such bodies,
and set up a small working group to explore this further.
Reconciliation, Towards Unity - Anglicans: With Catholics, Lutherans, Methodists, Orthodox, Baptists, Pentecostals, etc 
to: 
Outline:
Read between the lines. A case of the Anglican-RC dialogue. by Christopher Yip, 2001, May 28 
I agree with unity for the churches by Jason S, 2001, Jun 06 
Jason - I too agree unity is important BUT NOT AT THE EXPENSE OF BIBLICAL TRUTH by Christopher Yip, 2001, Jun 06 
The never ending.........Is there Peace? by Jason S, 2001, Jun 06 
What I mean is............Harmless by Jason S, 2001, Jun 07 
"Frog in the well"? Interesting. by Christopher Yip, 2001, Jun 08 
R C I A by Jason S, 2001, Jun 07 
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