Last week\u2019s meeting of the Anglican Oriental Orthodox International Commission in Hawarden, Wales, and the agreement on dropping the filioque clause of the Nicene Creed has moved the two families of churches \u201cone step closer to as close as we can be\u201d\u009d, a leading Orthodox bishop has said.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor us, we saw [the filioque clause] as an addition to the Creed,\u201d\u009d Bishop Angaelos, General Bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Church in the United Kingdom, said. \u201cOne of the founders of our Church, Saint Athanasius, was instrumental in formulating it. As a church that has been persecuted for most of its existence, our faith and faith issues are exceptionally important.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe relevance [of the agreement] is that we are one step closer to as close as we can be. There are things that we are not going to be able to agree on but that should not stop us resolving things that we can agree on.\u201d\u009d<\/p>\n