Though it has been struggling with an internal crisis, the worldwide Anglican Communion is still attracting positive attention.
Casting sights on possible ecumenical partnerships with the Communion are the registered Protestant Church in China and Coptic Orthodox Church.
This is mainly due to the rise of the Anglican Global South.
Representatives of both church bodies were invited to the fourth Anglican Global South summit held this week in Singapore.
The church leaders have expressed an interest in deepening their relationship with the Anglican Communion.
I assume that ++Mouneer Anis of Egypt had a major part in the fact that the Coptic Church is there in Singapore. If so, good for him.
As for the official Protestant Church in China, several GS primates have been courting its leaders for some time, and this is a welcome development too. Although this post-denominational church entity is viewed quite negatively (as compromised by government recognition) by many evangelicals, who prefer the brave underground churches, I’m glad to see the mainland Chinese represented somehow. After all, the Anglican province of SE Asia is overwhelmingly made up of ethnic Chinese believers. Stronger ties with disciples elsewhere could be a great help in reducing the severe isolation felt by most Chinese Christians in the giant communist nation.
David Handy+
Bishop Mouneer and the Diocese of Egypt have a cordial and reciprocal relationship with the Coptic Orthodox Church.
I can’t speak for the Protestants, but the Copts will never ever hold communion with the AC or any part of it as long it tolerates W/O. Cordial relations on some level might be possible with some of the more conservative Anglican provinces, but communio in sacris is out of the question.
#3, there’s no question of intercommunion at this point, even with the Diocese of Egypt, which does not ordain women. The relationship is one of friendship and respect.
Re # 4
Katherine,
Inter-communion will never be possible because the Copts hold to the ancient discipline of the church that you are who you are in communion with. The diocese of Egypt is part of the broader Anglican Communion which does tolerate W/O. Whether they do it themselves or not is immaterial. They have endorsed the practice through their communion with heretics.
The presence of these groups (the Copts, the 3-self church) is highly significant. In recent years (since the Virginia Report) the Anglican Communion has spoken of the ABC, the Lambeth Conference, the Primates Meeting and the Anglican Consultative Council as ‘Instruments of Unity’ (or of ‘Communion’) – whether they have lived up to that billing is doubtful. What I believe we are seeing in these ecumenical relationships is the development of the Anglican Global South as an ‘Instrument of Mission.’ Regardless of questions like the ordination of women and many other issues dividing the world church, it is heartening to think that this moment (which appears from one perspective to be a moment of divsion) may actually be a profoundly ecumenical moment of mission.
Grant LeMarquand
Ad Orientem, you are correct that there is no question of intercommunion between any Anglicans and the Copts. Why did you bring it up when it is not being discussed in these meetings?
I agree with #6. Ties of friendship and respect among confessing Christian churches are increasing and significant.
Re # 7
Katherine,
Is not the sharing of the cup the ultimate objective, indeed the only one worth mentioning, of ecumenism?
In ICXC
John
It would be wonderful, AO. The only one worth mentioning? I don’t think so. It is my understanding that Eastern Orthodox are not in communion with the Oriental Orthodox (which includes the Copts), and neither is in communion with the Roman church. The ultimate goal is that we all be one. I see no reason to disdain ecumenical movements which fall short of that goal but are a step in the right direction.
Katherine,
The Church is indeed engaged in serious bilateral discussions with both Rome and the non-Chalcedonians churches. The objective however is restoration of communion and the full unity of the Church.
This is not a thread about W/O and it is not a thread about heresies, perceived or otherwise of one church or another, however knowledgeable some Western commenters consider themselves to be on the Middle East. Please remain on topic
Grant (#6) thank you for the phrase “instrument of mission”. In answer to AO#8, the Global South are modeling that “mission”, the outward sharing of God’s grace, is a unifying principle of the Church. They are choosing to define Church by what we have to offer the world, rather than by what do in-house. Abp Williams address fell flat largely because it was focused inwards, rather than on the proclamation outwards of a worthy Gospel.
In Singapore, on Moulmein, there is a pentecostal congregation and a cessationist congregation–the first delights in the gifts and work of the Holy Spirit today, the second teaches that the miraculous ceased at the end of the apostolic age. Yet those two very divergent congregations have far more in common with each other than they do with the Hindu temple, the Buddhist temple, and the Taoist temple right next door, and the Mosque around the corner.
Our mission to share God’s grace with our neighbors is more unifying than our disagreements over how best to articulate and live that grace. “The instrument of mission” thus is an instrument for unity.