Archbishop Fred Hiltz and Bishop Susan Johnson. Photo: Bruce Myers
“To be in full communion means that churches become interdependent while remaining autonomous. One is not elevated to be the judge of the other, nor can it remain insensitive to the other. […] Thus the corporate strength of the churches is enhanced in love, and an isolated independence restrained.”
Anglican-Lutheran Working Group (Cold Ash, 1983)
The Anglican Church of Canada and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) have been in full communion since 2001. This means that while each church maintains its own autonomy, it also fully recognizes the catholicity and apostolicity of the other. In practical terms, this means that Anglicans and Lutherans in Canada can share the Eucharist together, use each other’s liturgies, and participate in each other’s ordinations. Anglican and Lutheran clergy may also serve interchangeably in either church.
The Joint Anglican-Lutheran Commission (JALC) is a group of individuals from each church who meet twice yearly to explore ways our two churches can work even more closely together in full communion. One example of this growing cooperation is the joint 2013 General Synod and National Convention.
The members of the Joint Anglican-Lutheran Commission are:
Anglican
- The Very Rev. Peter Wall (co-chair)
- Mary Conliffe
- Bishop Terry Dance
- The Rev. Dale Gillman
- The Rev. Dr. Richard Leggett
- Cynthia Haines-Turner
Lutheran
- Bishop Michael Pryse (co-chair)
- Brita Chell
- The Rev. James Halmarson
- Deacon Pamela Harrington
- The Rev. Dr. Allen Jorgenson
- The Rev. Doug Reble
Ecumenical observers
- The Rev. Dr. Gerald Hobbs (United Church of Canada)
- The Rev. Mark Lewis (Presbyterian Church in Canada)
- The Rev. Jon Perez (Lutheran-Episcopal Coordinating Committee)
Anglican-Lutheran resources
- The Waterloo Declaration – The 2001 document officially bringing the Anglican Church of Canada and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada into full communion.
- Anglican-Lutheran Guidelines for Clergy Serving in Each Other’s Churches – A guide to the process around full communion’s interchangeability of ministries.
- Anglican-Lutheran Worship Guidelines – A guide to assist those in planning worship in various contexts that might involve members and/or liturgies from each other’s churches.
- “To Serve, Not to Be Served” – A report on diaconal ministry in the Anglican Church of Canada and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada.
- Anglican-Lutheran Cycle of Prayer: Advent 1 2012 to Reign of Christ 2013 – A year-long calendar of petitions with which to hold up our full communion partners in congregational and personal prayer.
- Anglican-Lutheran Epiphany devotions – Six devotions for the 2013 season of Epiphany, prepared by the Lutheran-Episcopal Coordinating Committee (USA) and the Joint Anglican-Lutheran Commission (Canada).
- Waterloo Ministries Directory (March 2013)– a directory of Canadian Anglican-Lutheran ministries that give expression to the 2001 Waterloo Declaration by sharing facilities, programs, worship, and more.
