(As one who helped to produce TO MEND THE NET I was interested in the info and Communique below)

www.churchnewspaper.com

Top theologians in bid to save the Communion

A high-level meeting of Anglican theologians took place last week in an
attempt to stave off splits in the Anglican Communion over differences on
human sexuality.

Unable to hold their planned meeting in Virginia Theological Seminary near
Washington DC as a result of the terrorist attacks on September 11, many
members were already in London and met instead at the Marie Reparatrice
Retreat Centre in Wimbledon.

The major question facing the commission was on the limits of diversity in an
Anglican Communion, which covers most of the globe and a whole variety of
theological standpoints.

They will also be looking at a controversial document ‘To Mend the Net’
commissioned by the Primates of West Indies and Southern Cone, to find a
means of disciplining the Episcopal Church in the USA for its largely
permissive stance on homosexual clergy and same-sex blessings.

The commission, chaired by Bishop Stephen Sykes, includes the leading New
Testament theologian, Canon Dr Tom Wright, and the Very Rev Dr Paul Zahl, a
systematic theologian.

Members of the Commission come from Nigeria, New Zealand, Canada, India,
Kenya, Southern Cone, South East Asia, America, Britain and the United States.

In their first meeting, a communiqué revealed that they had already
identified some of the key commissions including asking basic questions about
what the word ‘communion’ in terms of the Anglican Communion actually means.
They are also to address the question of why some disputes are so crucial
that failure to resolve them threatens a break in communion. In addition,
they are to address the issue of how Christian teaching about moral behaviour
is integral to the maintenance of communion.

Overshadowed by the events of September 11 and in the absence of some
American members, the Commission’s first meeting was unable to "enter in
depth into the substantive issues related to the mandate."

++++

Communique

The International Anglican Theological and Doctrinal Commission (IATDC) met
from 14 to 18 September at the Marie Reparatrice Retreat Centre in Wimbledon,
England, under the chairmanship of the Rt Revd Professor Stephen Sykes.

This was the first meeting of a newly constituted Commission, appointed by
the Archbishop of Canterbury. It was scheduled to be held at Virginia
Theological Seminary (VTS), in Alexandria Virginia, on the outskirts of
Washington DC. The devastating events of the 11 September necessitated a
transfer of the venue to England, as many members were either passing through
London en route to the USA, or beginning their journey in the United Kingdom.
Due to the disruptions in air travel, and the pastoral commitments of those
based in the United States, we had to proceed in the absence of some members.
We recognised that such a situation would be far from ideal, but it was
important to begin the work with as many as could be present.

The IATDC was asked by the Archbishop of Canterbury to focus on an area that
is of critical importance to the Anglican family at this time: ìThe nature,
basis and sustaining of communion in the Church with particular reference to
the Anglican Communionî. This will involve analysis of the limits of
diversity within a communion of Churches, some further reflection on
collegiality and interdependence, and the implications of being in communion
with the See of Canterbury. In the circumstances, with several members
unable to be present, it was not possible to enter in depth into the
substantive issues related to the mandate. However the Commission was able
to identify the key questions that will need to be faced in the study of
ìcommunionî, and to outline the processes and resources that might enable us
to move the study forward when the full complement of members are together.
As the first meeting of the Commission, some time was necessarily spent in
mapping out a timetable for the work, and discussing some practical details
of process and management of the studies to be undertaken.

Among the highlights of the discussion at this preliminary stage were:

an assessment of the way the Churches of the Communion and individual
theologians are evaluating The Virginia Report (1997) of the previous
doctrine commission;
an analysis of the main proposals in To Mend the Net, a volume prepared for
and presented to the Primates' Meeting in 2001 and referred by that meeting
to the IATDC; the consideration of the concept of 'the fundamental articles'
of Christian faith Questions which will give direction to the work were
identified, along with an overarching question related to the relevance of
The Virginia Report:

(1) When we speak of the Anglican Communion, what do we mean by the word
"communion"?
(2) What is it that makes some disputes so crucial that failure to resolve
them threatens a break in communion?
(3) "In what way are Christian teachings about moral behaviour integral to
the maintenance of communion"?
(4) "In addressing these questions, we shall be asking how far does the
Virginia Report meet the relevant situations that have arisen in the Anglican
Communion since its publication".

The members recognised that complementary work on "communion" is being
undertaken by the Inter Anglican Standing Commission on Ecumenical Relations
(IASCER). It was agreed that relevant papers and study material will be
shared between IASCER and IATDC to ensure coherence in the respective studies.

The meeting was undergirded by daily offering of morning and evening prayer
and celebration of the eucharist. In addition to the formal sessions, time
was devoted each day to a reflective study of 1 John. The members attended
the Sunday eucharist at Christ Church Wimbledon where they were warmly
received by clergy and parishioners. The prayer life of the meeting was very
profoundly affected by the tragic events in Washington and New York earlier
in the week, and the grief, anxiety and distress felt by the whole world were
at the heart of our intercessions.

The Commission was grateful to the Sisters of the Marie Reparatrice Retreat
Centre for their most gracious hospitality and loving attention to our needs
and for their willingness to host the meeting at such short notice.

IATDC will next meet at VTS, Alexandria Virginia, USA, from 5 - 11 September
2002.

The members and staff of the Commission are:

The Rt Revd Prof. Stephen Sykes England, Chairman
*Dr Jennie Te Paa Aotearoa/NZ and Polynesia
The Revd Dr Stephen K. Pickard Australia
*The Revd Dr Bruce Kaye Australia
*Dr Eileen Scully Canada
*The Rt Revd Dr Samuel Cutting India
The Rt Revd Paul Richardson England
The Revd Prof. Nicholas Sagovsky England
The Revd Canon Dr Tom Wright England
Dr Ester Mombo Kenya
The Revd Joseph Denge Galgalo Kenya
The Rt Revd Dr Matthew Owadayo Nigeria
The Revd Canon Luke Pato Southern Africa
*The Rt Revd Hector Zavala Southern Cone
The Rt Revd Dr Lim Cheng Ean South East Asia
The Revd Victor Atta-Bafoe West Africa
*The Very Revd Dr Paul Zahl United States
*The Revd Prof. Kortwright Davis United States

*The Revd Dr Kathy Grieb Observer, VTS
*The Rt Revd Dr Mark Dyer IASCER Cross Appointment

The Revd Dr Philip Thomas England, Assistant to the Chairman
The Revd Canon David Hamid ACO, Secretary

Mrs Christine Codner ACO, Administrative Assistant
Ms Frances Hiller ACO, Administrative Assistant

(*unable to attend the Wimbledon meeting)
For information please contact:

The Revd Canon David Hamid, The Anglican Communion Office, 157 Waterloo Road,
London SE1 8UT, UK

Tel: +44 20 7620 1110 Fax: +44 20 7620 1070
email: dhamid@anglicancommunion.org"

London
19 September 2001