"I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one."
(John 17.20)
The Council for Christian Unity supports the Archbishop of Canterbury's ecumenical ministry, in collaboration with staff at Lambeth Palace.
Latest Ecumenical News
The Malines Conversations Group
The Malines Conversations Group, an informal Anglican-Roman Catholic dialogue group which seeks to repeat the spirit of the original Malines conversations of the 1920s, met in Helsinki from 20 to 26 April 2024. A range of subjects was covered, including theological anthropology, the nature of AI, transhumanism, and the contribution of the esoteric tradition and Christian mysticism to consideration of the human person and ministry. The Group published a document on the Catholic view of Anglican orders, Sorores in Spe, in 2021, and is doing further work on issues of mutual ecumenical interest.
Global Christian Forum
The Global Christian Forum met from 16 to 19 April in Accra, Ghana, under the theme ‘That the world may know’. True to its aim to embrace the whole worldwide fellowship of Christians, there were Christians from every continent, and from a huge range of the global Christian family, including members of the Church of England. The forum is a place of encounter and faith-sharing, and does not make statements or take decisions. Its meetings included opportunities for sharing personal stories of faith, and for acts of worship, and a visit to the Cape Coast Castle where slaves were imprisoned and traded, and an ensuing service of lament and reconciliation.
Working Together in the General Election Year
A fringe meeting at General Synod looked at ecumenical projects including hustings and voter registration.
The Meissen Theological Conference
The Twelfth Theological Conference between the Church of England and the Protestant Church in German (EKD) took place at the Dietrich-Bonhoeffer-Hotel in Berlin from 12 to 15 February 2024. We are very grateful to the Evangelical Church Berlin Brandenburg-Silesian Upper Lusatia (EKBO) for hosting an ecumenical reception.
The Anglican-Oriental Orthodox Forum
The Anglican-Oriental Orthodox Forum met at Trinity House, Southwark on Thursday 7 December. We had a very lively discussion about the current situation in Armenia and in the Holy Land, as well as catching up on news across our various churches in the UK.
Council of Lutheran Churches - 75th Anniversary
This year, the Council of Lutheran Churches, formerly known as the Lutheran Council of Great Britain, is celebrating its 75th Anniversary. The festive day was Reformation Day on the 31st of October, culminating with a service at the Norwegian Church.