Ecumenical Impact of Women's Ordination Discussed by JCER
Diocesan Press Service. February 27, 1975 [75090]
CINCINNATI, Ohio -- The Episcopal Church's Joint Commission on Ecumenical Relations (JCER) has said that it does "not feel able to forecast exactly what the result would be " with regard to its ecumenical relations if the Episcopal Church were to approve the ordination of women to the priesthood and the episcopate.
In a recent statement, JCER said that "in all probability" discussions with the Orthodox would not be terminated if this step were taken by the Episcopal Church. The commission said that while "Roman Catholic opinion can be found on both sides of the question, " it is unlikely that Church will change its policy in the near future.
On the other hand, the statement said, "our failure to admit women to these orders is at present an obstacle to unity" in relations with churches in non-episcopal traditions. The JCER said that it believes "the Episcopal Church must make its decision, as the Lambeth Conference of 1968 anticipated, acting as a province of the Anglican Communion and on the basis of a widely shared conviction about the meaning and significance of Scripture, Tradition, and theological reflection. "
The commission also approved unanimously the proposed Consultation on Church Union (COCU) affirmation, "Toward the Mutual Recognition of Members," qualifying its understanding of the statement by three footnotes and prefacing it with a Preamble addressed to members of the Episcopal Church. The affirmation will be recommended to the 1976 Minnesota General Convention for adoption.
The JCER also approved a subscription plan for the Ecumenical Bulletin. Edited by Assistant Ecumenical Officer, the Rev. William A. Norgren, the publication may be ordered from The Seabury Bookstore, 815 Second Ave., New York, N.Y. 10017. A year's subscription (six issues) costs $4.00, with a special group rate of $3.00 each for five or more subscriptions.
The bulletin, which is written for "grass roots " persons as well as ecumenical officers, records what various dioceses are doing ecumenically, interesting developments in relations among the various churches, case studies, and the texts of various ecumenical documents and reports.
[For attachments, please contact the Archives. -- Ed.]