The Acts of Convention

That B-107 and B-125, which deal with texts of the Nicene Creed, be referred to the Committee on Theology and the Committee on Ecumenical Relations.

This referral is motivated by the desire to deal appropriately with the proposals of the Moscow Agreed Statement and the recommendations of the last Lambeth Conference. The matter is of theological and spiritual consequence, and it ought not to be treated superficially as merely historical or liturgical. The Anglican Consultative Council has joined the Lambeth Conference in expressing a desire for the preparation of appropriate study material as well as discussion with other Eastern and Western Churches. A matter of such deep significance demands thorough treatment, and our request for referral is an assurance to the Orthodox Churches of our intent to deal responsibly with an issue which concerns them so deeply.

Whereas, the filoque clause in the Nicene Creed as used in the Anglican Churches and in other Western Churches, creates a problem in the quest for unity with the Churches of the East; and

Whereas, the Lambeth Conference of 1978 resolved:

"Requests that all member Churches of the Anglican Communion should consider omitting the filioque from the Nicene Creed, and that the Anglican-Orthodox Joint Doctrinal Commission through the Anglican Consultative Council, should assist them in presenting the theological issues to their appropriate synodical bodies and should be responsible for any necessary consultation with other Churches of the Western tradition."

Whereas, the Anglican Consultative Council of 1979 has resolved:

"Requests the Anglican members of the Anglican-Orthodox Joint Doctrinal Discussions to prepare explanatory material for use by Synods on both the historical and theological issues involved, noting with interest the Faith and Order Commission of the World Council of Churches' document in preparation, asking the Joint Doctrinal Discussions to take the completed document into consideration, and to be responsible for any necessary consultation with other Churches of the Western tradition; Recommends that the issue be discussed by the Churches when the explanatory material has been prepared, in the context of a renewal and reaffirmation of the living experience of the one God in Trinity; and a new consideration of the relation of the person and work of the Holy Spirit to the person and work of Christ."

Whereas, the Archbishop-designate of Canterbury, the present Bishop of St. Albans, Robert A.K. Runcie, has devoted a sabbatical leave to visit personally the Patriarch of Constantinople and the other heads of the Orthodox Churches with the purpose of restoring the Anglican-Orthodox Joint Doctrinal Discussion; and

Whereas, this Orthodox-Anglican dialogue has been restored and will meet again in England, July 14-19; be it therefore

Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring, That this 66th General Convention supports the Anglican Consultative Council's request that the Anglican members of the Anglican-Orthodox Joint Doctrinal Discussions prepare explanatory material and be responsible for any necessary consultation with other Churches on the filioque clause of the Western tradition, including consultation with the Inter-Anglican Theological and Doctrinal Commission, and that the Standing Commission on Ecumenical Relations be directed to make material available to enable and encourage the members of this Church to give serious attention to this issue in preparation for the next General Convention; and be it further

Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring, That issues raised by the Diocese of San Joaquin concerning an alleged mistranslation of the Nicene Creed text with respect to the relationship of the Holy Spirit to the Virgin Mary in the birth of Christ be referred to the Committee on Theology for report and a future meeting of this House.