Mandate
The mandate of the Dialogue is to identify and address issues affecting relationships between The Anglican Church of Canada and The United Church of Canada. Significant areas of mutual concern and interest have to do with core theological affirmations, sacramental theology, and shared ministries. Central to the Dialogue team’s work is deepening each community’s understanding of the other. To this end, perceptions, stereotypes, and history are explored.
The task assigned to the Dialogue is to explore themes that will enable members of the two churches to understand each other better and to encourage and strengthen shared ministry and mission, particularly at the local level. During the period 2012-2016, the Dialogues worked explored each Church’s tradition of doctrinal development with specific attention given to questions of sacraments and ordered (ordained) ministries.
The proposed agenda for the next phase of the Anglican Church–United Church Dialogue includes the following:
- continuation of the dialogue about episkopé, with the goal of the mutual recognition of the office of oversight in each church’s polity, drawing on the work of recent ecumenical agreements elsewhere;
- further development of the dialogue concerning the mutual recognition of ordained ministries;
- exploration of ways to involve conversation partners who have particular wisdom to offer on these theological issues;
- (with other ecumenical partners) renewal of the Ecumenical Shared Ministries Task Force.
Membership
Five elected members and one staff person from each of The United Church of Canada and The Anglican Church of Canada form this group.
Skills and Experience
Specific skills and experience that would be assets to this work include:
- good understanding of and personal commitment to dialogue with different denominational expressions of Christian faith;
- strong capacity to participate in theological dialogue;
- knowledge and understanding of cross-cultural experience; and
- in-depth knowledge and understanding of the living tradition of Anglican Church of Canada theology and commitments that shape its ethos.
The representative will be a regular communicant member of an Anglican worshipping community, be familiar with the polity of The Anglican Church of Canada, predisposed to collaboration and teamwork across various sorts of diversities. The representative will demonstrate passionate commitment to God’s mission as expressed within the Anglican tradition, and be open to learning from and communicating the wisdom of our partners as we seek together to discern God’s purpose in this work.
Expectations and Term
There will be one three-day face-to-face meeting per year. Some work may be required between meetings. The term of appointment is three years, beginning winter of 2016-17.
Reporting and Accountabilities
Anglican members of the Dialogue are accountable to the Faith, Worship, and Ministry Coordinating Committee of General Synod (FWM). The Dialogue reports regularly to the Council of General Synod and will bring a final Report to the General Synod of 2019. In all circumstances, reporting is done through FWM.
To Apply:
Please send brief, written responses to the questions below, along with your name, diocese, clerical status (lay/deacon/priest/bishop) and primary contact information, to: [email protected], clearly marked with the Subject as “ACC-UCC Dialogue”
- What about your own faith and denominational tradition do you treasure the most?
- What about your own faith and denominational tradition challenges you the most?
- Describe an occasion when you have been conscious of learning something and having your faith deepen by engaging with someone quite different from you. What have been the long-lasting fruits of that learning for you?
- What excites you most about ecumenism?
- The search for full and visible unity of Christ’s church for the salvation of the world requires a long-range view of things as we take our steps along the way. What sustains you along this journey? Where do you see signs of hope?
Applications will be received up until Wednesday November 30, 2016
Anglican appointments to the ACC-UCC dialogue will be made by the Faith, Worship, and Ministry Committee