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ACC Completes Sixth Meeting

Episcopal News Service. August 9, 1984 [84157]

LAGOS, Nigeria (DPS, Aug. 9) -- At its sixth meeting, the Anglican Consultative Council has affirmed an understanding of the Church's mission which clearly calls Christians to confront the social structures which surround them in working toward peace with justice for all people.

Meeting here July 17-27, the Council's 60 delegates from 46 countries approved a statement that the Church's mission involves "not only proclamation of the Gospel but also the common life of the Church and the Church's relation to society as a whole; " therefore Christians "are called to challenge every kind of structure (including Church structures) which become oppressive and deny human dignity."

The Council endorsed a progression Christians should seek in their response to human need from a ministry of compassion (aimed at meeting the immediate needs of the suffering) through community development (aimed at improving the standard of living and the well-being of those in the community) to social transformation (in which they are called to attack the root causes of human suffering, looking beyond persons to the structures of society). In particular, the Council called on its member churches, wherever possible, to enter into dialogue with their various governments to try to ease the acute tensions which exist in Namibia and in Central America. Whole-hearted approval was voiced for the pastoral visits of a delegation sent to Namibia last year by the Archbishop of Canterbury, and a similar delegation sent to Central America in January 1984 by the Presiding Bishop of the United States. The Churches were asked to publicize the visits and the situations in the two areas, and to work with ecumenical agencies as well as governments in alleviating conditions. The Council also voiced appreciation to the Archbishop of Canterbury for sending last year, at the request of bishop Desmond Tutu, a group to lend support to the South African Council of Churches, then under investigation by the Eloff Commission.

Interaction with ecumenical agencies and governments was called for regarding the whole matter of refugees and migration around the world, which was termed "a major issue of international tension and alienation." The Council approved establishment of a network to share information and expertise on refugee/migration matters, and suggested that each province attempt to involve all levels of the Church in that ministry.

Asserting that the "Gospel imperative requires God's children to work for peace with justice," the Council urged all member churches and their dioceses to consider this a top priority in their mission and ministry. The Anglican peace network now being established was welcomed as a means of sharing information throughout the Communion.

The Council requested the secretary-general to seek non-governmental observer (NGO) affiliation and observer status for the Anglican Consultative Council with the United Nations as a means of sharing information and influencing strategy in matters involving basic human rights and needs.

Authorization was given to establish an ongoing advisory group on mission issues and strategies. The group will initiate a world-wide conference to involve all mission agencies as well as the churches in whose mission they are participants, for the purpose of developing a more coordinated response to the Partners in Mission process and overall mission strategy.

A second theme running throughout the Anglican Consultative Council meeting was the importance of strengthening ecumenical relations as part of the Church's "pilgrimage toward unity." Almost every resolution passed by the Council included an ecumenical dimension which urged the member churches to work closely with other communions. The Council recommended constituting a new Anglican/Orthodox Commission to follow up on the forthcoming statement agreed upon by the two communions; commended progress made in Anglican/Lutheran relationships and in particular the "Interim Eucharistic sharing" authorized in the United States as a step towards full communion; encouraged provinces to complete their responses to the Anglican/Roman Catholic (ARCIC) Final Report so that these can be considered at the next Council meeting; welcomed the recently released Anglican/Reformed report and asked for the provinces' response.

Approval was given to a proposal to invite representatives of the United Churches, and of other churches in full communion, to discuss the question of their membership in the Lambeth Conference at the Primates Meeting in March 1986.

The Council also made a strong statement in support of full communion within the Anglican Communion, with reference particularly to the ordination of women.

A group which concentrated on dogmatic and pastoral matters, headed by the Very Rev. Frederick Borsch, Dean of the Chapel at Princeton University, dealt with two marriage problems confronting various parts of the Communion: Anglican/Roman Catholic inter-marriages and polygamy. The Council endorsed the group's position with regard to inter-marriage that there must be complete equality between the partners and between the churches. The full report on that matter will be sent to the Secretariat for Christian Unity in Rome for consultation.

The Council asked the African provinces to study the issue of polygamy and the Christian family further in both its theological and pastoral dimensions, and to make available its findings to the 1988 Lambeth Conference.

Reviewing the many problems of contemporary life contributing to the breakdown of the family, which the Church has recognized as the basic element in "the social orders of all God's creation," the Council suggested that the family and society be a major subject for study by Lambeth '88. The Archbishop of Canterbury endorsed this suggestion, expressing the hope that the Lambeth Conference might issue as historic a statement on the family as it had in 1958.

The Council also requested studies on other areas of concern including authority in the Church, Anglicanism and indigenization, and the charismatic movement in Anglicanism.

With regard to increasing tensions between Christians living in Islamic countries, especially the Sudan, the member Churches were asked to study the foreign aid policies of their respective governments to see if they are linked to the observance of the Declaration of Human Rights, including specifically the article referring to the freedom of religion, and to be responsive to the special needs of the Church in Sudan, giving support in prayer. The Council asked the Communion to seek dialogue on this matter with other churches and the World Muslim Federation.

Archdeacon Yong Ping Chung of the Diocese of Sabah, Malaysia, was elected to chair the Council in succession to John Grant Denton of Australia, who has served since 1980. The new chairman was born in Indonesia of Chinese parentage and undertook theological studies in Canada. He was ordained in 1966 and has been Archdeacon of Sabah since 1977. He is chairman of the Sabah Interior Mission, an indigenous mission initiative founded 25 years ago to reach the Kadazan peoples of central Sabah.

Four new members were elected to the Council's standing committee: Archbishop George Browne (West Africa), Patricia Bays (Canada), the Rev. Winston Ndungane (Southern Africa) and Bishop Joseph Iida (Japan). They join Bishop Alastair Haggart, Vice Chairman (Scotland); the Rev. Colin Craston (England); the Rev. Benezeri Kisembo (Uganda) and Dr. Charles Lawrence (U.S.A.). As president, the Archbishop of Canterbury is an ex-officio member of the standing committee.

Faga Matalavea of Samoa was appointed to a "co-opted member" position in the Council.

Paying tribute to the work of the Council near the close of the 10-day meeting, Archbishop of Canterbury Robert Runcie said that the Anglican Consultative Council "is now a spiritual reality of common worship, deep friendships, and a forum for honest and sometimes robust exchange of opinions."

"I know now that oppression and suffering can never destroy the Christian Church anywhere, but complacency, internal squabbles, taking things for granted, lack of vision -- that's a different matter." Therefore, the Archbishop concluded, paraphrasing St. Paul's letter to the Philippians, "I thank God for our partnership in the Gospel."

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