I recognize that there is a difficulty in understanding the various methods employed by various ecumenical dialogues. Here is a simple and clear description by the Rev. Canon Nicholas Sagovsky, an Anglican member of ARCIC II. This was part of the presentation on May 19 at Westminster Cathedral, London.

The 'ARCIC method', which is by now well tried and tested, is to go behind entrenched positions or statements of doctrines which have proved divisive and to see, as much as we can, what as Anglican and Roman Catholic Christians, we hold in common. Often ARCIC has used new language or perspectives, or revisited old language and perspectives, to bring out what we have in common and what we can say together. This is what we have done when faced with the questions over Mary which have proved divisive between our two communions. In the work of ARCIC as a whole the theme of communion has held much of our work together. In our work on Mary it was often the insights of the East (Mary as 'all-holy'; the 'dormition' of Mary) which helped us approach the problems that have divided the West. However, the truly fresh perspective we have brought to our work is that of Pauline theology: we have reflected on the place of Mary in our shared Christian faith in the light of the the Scriptural themes of grace and hope in Christ. (from ACNS 3983)

All ecumenical dialogues present their agreed statements to the churches for study, reflection, and hopefully reception. Reception is a complicated process. It is more than presenting it to the next Lambeth Conference or the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. It is about the evaluation of the agreement in and through the life of the churches. It is not only about determining whether the statement is faithful to earlier statements but also about whether it is faithful to Scripture and the Tradition lived in the life of the churches today. Reception requires a sincere response, reflection, and evaluation on the part of the whole church.

For those who have not yet seen the ARCIC document, I have permission to post it online at « http://www.ecumenism.net/archive/arcic/mary_en.htm » on June 1st. It will also be available in French on the same day at « http://www.ecumenism.net/archive/arcic/mary_fr.htm  ».

The statement says, in an overview of recent developments: "In 2003, the decision of the Episcopal Church of the United States of America to ordain as bishop a priest in an active homosexual relationship, as well as the introduction of a rite of blessing for same sex couples in the Diocese of New Westminster in the Anglican Church of Canada, created new obstacles for relations between the Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion. As a result of these actions and the uncertainty they created, the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity agreed with representatives of the Anglican Communion to put on hold the plenary meetings of the International Anglican - Roman Catholic Commission for Unity and Mission (IARCCUM) while maintaining close communication with the Anglican Communion Office and with Lambeth Palace."

"Faced with major tensions within the Anglican Communion, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, established the 'Lambeth Commission', mandating it to prepare" The Windsor Report, which was published in October 2004 and "proposes various practical steps to situate the autonomy of Anglican provinces more clearly within the interdependence of the Anglican Communion." Archbishop Williams invited Cardinal Kasper to write a letter offering reflections on the report and to come to London for conversations at the Anglican Communion Office. On both occasions, Cardinal Kasper emphasized the importance of clarifying both ecclesiological and moral issues related to the current situation.

Following the publication of "Mary: Grace and Hope in Christ," IARCCUM will resume its review of the work of ARCIC II, and present a synthesis of that work to respective Anglican and Catholic authorities.

It is essential that IARCCUM get back on track, and I am glad that the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity has been able to twist whatever arms were necessary to get Vatican approval for this step. It is timely because next Monday ARCIC II will release a statement on Mary. The Seattle document, as it is being called, is the end of the ARCIC II mandate. Will there be further theological dialogue (an ARCIC III?) or will we move into a phase of dialogue in which practical ecumenical experience is intentionally fostered? I think that both are important, and I hope that there can be a balance between them. IARCCUM's purpose is not only to implement ARCIC's consensus, but also to feed back into the theological dialogue reflection upon the practical experience of sharing in ministry. Thus the two commissions have a symbiotic relationship.

This step is also important for internal Anglican reasons. It gives a signal to Anglican conservatives that Rome believes that the measures taken by the primates are sufficient, and that Rome believes that the Anglican Communion continues to be a viable ecumenical partner. This is not only a statement about the Vatican's trust in the sincerity and moral integrity of the Anglican Communion, but also that the Vatican believes that there will still be an Anglican Communion in the foreseeable future. Not all Anglican conservatives care what Rome thinks, but many do. Though they may have reservations about Rome for theological, historical, and scriptural reasons, they also recognize similar concerns for orthodoxy and social conservatism. So Rome is prepared to work together with Anglicans even while Anglicans work internally to resolve some issues that trouble their own communion's unity. This should send a signal to Anglican conservatives that staying within Anglicanism, and working for the unity of Anglicanism, is preferable to schism.

Just as the Vatican suspended the IARCCUM plenary meetings in order to signal displeasure and concern with Anglican internal decisions, they are now using the reestablishment of the plenary meetings to signal to all parties that it is now time to return to the fundamental task of ecumenical dialogue and cooperation.

Update: The full text of the ARCIC Seattle Statement "Mary: Grace and Hope in Christ" can be found online at www.ecumenism.net/archive/arcic/mary_en.htm.