from the Montreal Gazette [WINNIPEG] The new primate of the Anglican Church of Canada described himself yesterday as an ordinary human being with many limitations, but Archbishop Michael Peers of Regina said the church won’t back away from voicing opinions on social issues. “I believe the church is in the business, at a personal level … Read more »… À suivre »
[Los Angeles Times] Pope John Paul II reiterated this week that the ordination of women in the Anglican Church poses “serious obstacles” to relations with the Roman Catholic Church. In a year-end address to cardinals, the Pope, speaking with “sincere pain,” deplored a resolution adopted by the world’s Anglican bishops in August. The Anglican bishops … Read more »… À suivre »
by Paul de Groot, Edmonton Journal [SASKATOON] Bishops of the Anglican and Lutheran churches embraced here Friday, symbolizing a new, closer relationship between their churches. “This is a thrilling and a tremendous time,” said Anglican bishop Walter Jones of Winnipeg, moments after the biennial convention of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada approved a new … Read more »… À suivre »
by Virginia Battiste, Saskatoon Star Phoenix Jesus prayed that all believers might be one. In Saskatoon, two churches are close to achieving that goal. After several years of dialogue on national and international fronts, the Anglican Church of Canada and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) are moving towards establishing closer ties that would … Read more »… À suivre »
Anglican, United church dialogue goes one step further [Belleville, Ontario] Talks between the Anglican and United churches in Canada — the first formal dialogue since the collapse of a proposed Plan of Union in 1975 — are progressing slowly, but enough to warrant two meetings this month. A recent gathering of church representatives in eastern … Read more »… À suivre »
Anglican chief and B.C. bishop in open feud over gay marriage: Canadian questions ethics of Archbishop of Canterbury by Heather Sokoloff, National Post A public feud has broken out between the Archbishop of Canterbury and the British Columbia bishop he accused of creating a worldwide schism in the Anglican Church by deciding to bless homosexual … Read more »… À suivre »
Two churches examine shared ministries: Anglican dialogue with United Church began in 2003 by Solange De Santis, Anglican Journal Nearly 30 years after the Anglican and United churches broke off merger talks, the two denominations are again discussing closer ties – but a merger is not on the table. “It’s still in an exploratory phase, … Read more »… À suivre »
Following a long and passionate debate at the 2007 General Synod in Winnipeg, the Anglican Church of Canada has rejected the blessing of same-sex unions. The result is not decisive, however, as both clergy and laity voted in favour with the bishops narrowly defeating the resolution. Earlier resolutions affirmed that the blessing of same-sex unions is a doctrinal matter and that they are consistent with the core doctrine of the Anglican Church of Canada. … Read more »… À suivre »
Essays assist Anglican discernment on human sexuality
In our continuing task to assist Canadian churches to comprehend each other, we share with you the following internal Anglican discernment project. Contributions to this project are invited from Anglicans, but other Christians may be interested in the discussion within the Anglican community.
At the last national meeting, General Synod 2007, the Anglican Church of Canada decided that same-sex blessings were not in conflict with core doctrine but still did not allow individual parishes to bless these unions. The Synod also acknowledged that deep theological reflection on the topic was needed. Specifically, the Primate’s Theological Commission, a group of 12 Canadian Anglican theologians, was mandated to consider these topics:
1. The theological question of whether the blessing of same-sex unions is a faithful, Spirit-led development of Christian doctrine
2. Scripture’s witness to the integrity of every human person and the question of the sanctity of human relationships
The Commission was asked to consult with the wider Canadian Anglican church as it prepares responses. As part of this consultation, the Commission has invited Canadian Anglican theologians to write essays that address the two topics above. Some of these essays on human sexuality are now available for your consideration, as part of the Anglican Church of Canada‘s ongoing discernment about the blessing of same-sex unions.
Anglicans who are interested in submitting an essay on one of the above questions, or in commenting on one of the other essays, should contact the Rev. Canon Alyson Barnett-Cowan, Director of Faith, Worship, and Ministry.
Essays in response to the commission’s questions
• Introduction by George Sumner, Catherine Hamilton, Peter Robinson
• What Would John Henry Newman Do? by George Sumner
• Scripture and Doctrine in the St. Michael Report and The Primate’s Questions: A Reflection on Scripture and Theology in the Canadian Anglican Context by Christopher Seitz
• Words Do Not Stand Still by Roseanne Kydd
• Sex and the Garden: Genesis 3 and the Sanctity of Human Relationships by Catherine Sider Hamilton
Some additional resources on this topic are available from the ACC Primate’s Theological Commission. … Read more »… À suivre »
The Rev. Michael Hawkins was elected as bishop of the Anglican diocese of Saskatchewan on Saturday. The election was held at St. Alban’s Cathedral in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, the seat of the diocese. The bishop-elect has been rector of St. Alban’s since 2001, and also serves as Dean of Saskatchewan. Rev. Hawkins was elected to succeed Bishop Anthony Burton who took up parish ministry in Dallas last September. The diocese has announced that March 6th has been set as the date for the consecration of their new bishop. … Read more »… À suivre »
New Anglican bishop elected for Saskatoon: David Irving
David Irving, currently the executive archdeacon of the diocese of Kootenay, has been elected the new bishop of the diocese of Saskatoon. Bishop-elect Irving will replace Bishop Rodney Andrews , who is retiring on Feb. 28.
Court rules church properties remain with diocese of New Westminster
The Supreme Court of British Columbia ruled yesterday that the Anglican Church of Canada‘s diocese of New Westminster retains possession of four church properties worth an estimated $20 million. Members of congregations in these churches, who voted to leave the Anglican Church of Canada and join the more conservative Anglican Network in Canada (ANiC), claimed these properties were held in trust for them.
The Anglican Church of Canada‘s governing body has approved a landmark resolution today repudiating and renouncing the Doctrine of Discovery. It also pledged a review of the church’s policies and programs to expose the doctrine’s historical impact and to end its continuing effects on indigenous peoples. … Read more »… À suivre »
Close to 1,000 Anglicans and Lutherans from across Canada will be gathering in Ottawa in July for what the Anglican Primate, Archbishop Fred Hiltz, says is an “historic and exciting moment” in church history.
For the first time since 2001, when they signed a declaration of full communion, the Anglican Church of Canada (ACC) and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) will be holding a joint assembly from July 3-7 at the Ottawa Convention Centre.
With the theme of “Together for the love of the world,” it will be a meeting quite unlike any other meeting,” say Archbishop Hiltz and Lutheran National Bishop Susan Johnson.
Each church will still hold separate sessions to deal with elections and specific church matters but will join together for worship and issues of common interest. … Read more »… À suivre »
The Lutheran World Federation has lauded the full communion of Canada’s Lutheran and Anglican churches, marked in an unprecedented Joint Assembly as a key development that can help global church unity.
The churches entered into a relationship of full communion, called the Waterloo Declaration in 2001, which means they work closely together in all respects, exchanging clergy and establishing joint congregations, while remaining separate church bodies.
“You have refused to say ‘I have no need of you’ [1 Corinthians 12:21] but rather have said that with the other you can better live out your calling as churches here in Canada and the world,” said Tveit, a Norwegian theologian.
“You do this in the context of belonging to a much bigger Christian family, therefore the efforts you make have the potential to transform beyond yourselves.” … Read more »… À suivre »
They could, for instance, issue a joint pastoral letter in response to a natural calamity and invite their members to contribute to relief and recovery efforts through one of their four relief agencies, said Archdeacon Bruce Myers, General Synod’s co-ordinator for ecumenical and interfaith relations. Myers served as staff support at the meeting.
Leaders of the four churches reached this agreement when they met for a day and a half of informal talks last December in Winnipeg. Since 2010, the heads of these four churches have met for informal talks, “becoming colloquially known as the ‘Four-Way,’ ” said Myers.
The Anglican Church of Canada’s primate, Archbishop Fred Hiltz, ELCIC Bishop Susan Johnson and Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori were joined in the meeting by the new presiding bishop of the ELCA, Elizabeth Eaton. … Read more »… À suivre »
“Both friendly and intense”—that’s how the Rev. William Harrison describes the latest phase of the dialogue between representatives of the Anglican Church of Canada and the United Church of Canada after the last of three annual meetings wrapped up at the Vancouver School of Theology on Jan. 16.
Harrison, the group’s Anglican co-chair, said the participants from both churches have prepared an interim report, which has to be submitted the Anglican Church of Canada’s Council of General Synod (CoGS) for its next meeting in May before it can be discussed in detail. In the meanwhile, he answered a few questions from the Journal by email about the latest meetings and their progress.
In keeping with a resolution from the 2010 General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada, and with the agreement of the United Church’s Theology and Inter-Church Inter-Faith Committee, these most recent talks have focused on “the doctrinal identities of the two churches and the implications of this for the lives of the churches—including understandings of sacraments and orders of ministry.”
“Both sides have been willing to engage and ask tough questions,” Harrison wrote. “Where the previous phase focused on what we have in common, this phase has been more inclined to recognize differences. The result is that we have challenged one another and ourselves.” The previous dialogue took place over six years and ended in 2009. Those conversations were described in Drawing from the Same Well: The St. Brigid Report.
In spite of those differences, Harrison wrote, “We found that on core theological commitments (as expressed in the Nicene and Apostles’ Creeds, for example) we are really in much the same place, facing common challenges. Our differences on these matters tend to be more in the realm of how we do theology than in the things that we affirm.” … Read more »… À suivre »
Read the 2015 joint statement of the Evangelical-Roman Catholic dialogue in Saskatoon, Called to Common Witness
Receiving 'The Nature and Mission of the Church'
Permanent link: https://ecumenism.net/?p=6211
Close to 1,000 Anglicans and Lutherans from across Canada will be gathering in Ottawa in July for what the Anglican Primate, Archbishop Fred Hiltz, says is an “historic and exciting moment” in church history.
June 29, 2013 – Feast of Saint Peter and Saint Paul
The heads of the 
“Both friendly and intense”—that’s how the Rev. William Harrison describes the latest phase of the dialogue between representatives of the