ACC-7 Resolutions

RESOLUTIONS

The Anglican Consultative Council met for the seventh time in 1987 in Singapore.

The resolutions agreed at ACC-7 address ecumenical dialogue, mission and evangelism, the governance and pastoral life of the Member Churches, and the Communion's response to the concerns of the time. Each resolution is listed below. Open the accordion to read any entry in full.

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THAT this Council:

a. receives the Report of the Mission Agencies Conference held in Brisbane, Australia, in December 1986 entitled Progress in Partnership; commends the conference on its work and refers the Report to the Standing Committee and to MISAG-2 for appraisal and appropriate action;

b. affirms the Partnership in Mission Programme, notes the statement printed below from the Mission Agencies Conference and refers it to the Standing Committee with comments;

c. welcomes the Mission Agencies’ offer to engage in a feasibility study, in consultation with ACC, to determine the cost in money and human resources of an international-data bank and that this be referred to the Standing Committee;

d. requests the Standing Committee:

i. to prepare guidelines for the Companion Diocese Scheme after consulting with those member churches who already h

e. acknowledges the formation of the Mission Agencies Working Group, encourages it to pursue its aims of increased Agency co-operation, and requests it to report regularly to MISAG-2. Finance will be the responsibility of the Agencies.

THAT this Council recommends the following terms of reference for MISAG-2:

a. to review mission issues with special reference to the theology of the mission of the Church in a pluralist society:

b. to explore and develop strategies of evangelism and development to help the member Churches of the Communion in their task of mission;

c. to review the ecumenical dimension of mission and to find ways and means for collaboration with other Christian bodies in mission;

d. to continue to review the Partners in Mission process;

e. to respond to the requests of member Churches of the Communion through the Standing Committee and to the Standing Committee’s own requests for assistance in identification of needs and opportunities in evangelism and development;

f. to review the effectiveness of the Mission Audit as recommended by ACC-6 and to report to ACC-8;

g. to submit progress reports to the Standing Committee and to report to ACC-8.

THAT this Council:

a. expresses its gratitude to the contributors to the book of essays Open to the Spirit, acknowledging the value of their help in the preparation of the Provinces for the Lambeth theme, ‘Renewal of the Church in Mission’ and recommends it to the Lambeth Conference Mission and Ministry Preparatory Group for its consideration and commends the book to the Provinces for study.

b. requests the Secretary General to refer the statement above ‘Renewal of the Church in Mission – Some aspects’ to the Lambeth Conference Mission and Ministry Preparatory Group for its consideration.

THAT this Council:

a. commends the section of the report entitled ‘Ordination of Women to the Priesthood and Episcopate’ to the Provinces and to the relevant Section at the Lambeth Conference;

b. encourages all Provinces to be sensitive to one another in this matter;

c. encourages all Provinces to be sensitive to ordained women and to women whose hopes for ordination have not been realised;

d. expresses its appreciation and support of the Archbishop of Canterbury in his role of encouraging the consultative process between the Provinces;

e. requests the Secretary General to obtain and circulate to the Provinces information on the state of the debate in Provinces where women have not been ordained to the priesthood and the degree of reception where they have.

THAT this Council asks the Secretary General to refer to the Liturgical Network the statement ‘Liturgy and the Laity – Ministration of the Holy Communion’ and asks the network to consider the issues raised in it and report to ACC-8.

THAT this Council asks the Secretary General to assemble material from all provinces about reviews which have been made or are in hand concerning the diaconate, particularly about steps which are being contemplated about ‘a distinct order of servanthood ministry’. This to be done by the end of 1987 so it might be considered at Lambeth in 1988 and ACC-8.

THAT this Council

a. welcomes warmly the Report of the Inter-Anglican Theological and Doctrinal Commission For the Sake of the Kingdom as an illuminating and balanced discussion of some central theological issues;

b. commends it for study within the Anglican Communion but acknowledges that for many, at the local level, help in the way of a study guide will be necessary. A simple study guide, drawn up by people of very diverse cultures is offered;

c. recommends that the Standing Committee gives thought to the difficult problem of producing reports that can be understood by those for whom the language of the report is their second language;

d. recommends that the Churches, not least in the developing world, pay careful attention to their ministry to students and teachers in Universities and Institutes of Higher Education;

e. recommends to the Churches and institutes of theological education of the Communion that clergy be trained to understand the trends in society towards secularisation, affecting in various ways all cultures, and to relate the Gospel to all levels of modern society, not least to the well educated.

THAT this Council:

a. welcomes the implementation of Resolution 20 of ACC-6 and notes that a Co- ordinator of Anglican/Muslim relations has now been appointed. We recommend that Resolution 20 be implemented in full. Areas that should continue to be examined would include ways in which the two communities can better live together, the application of Sharia, mutual respect and freedom of religion.

b. recommends that the Lambeth Conference, after studying this subject, get in touch with the ACC about setting up a continuing body to study Inter-Religious encounter especially in the light of African and Asian and Latin American perspectives.

THAT this Council: recommends that the Secretary General of the ACC draw up a set of guidelines on Jewish-Christian relations, drawing on existing sets, and that these be offered to the 1988 Lambeth Conference for discussion and commendation.

THAT this Council

a. requests the Secretary General to facilitate and encourage continuing study of the pastoral, educational, liturgical and theological implications of initiation reform; requests further that, where practicable, he should encourage those Provinces with experience of a new approach to initiation and admission to communion to share that experience with Provinces which follow the traditional pattern;

b. commends for study in the context of this subject the Lima text of Baptism, Eucharist and Ministry (World Council of Churches) and the statement of the International Anglican Consultation (Boston, July 1985) on Children and Communion;

c. requests the Secretary General to draw the attention of member Churches to the growing number of educational resources that are available in the Anglican Communion for the nurture and instruction of candidates for Baptism (and their sponsors), admission to Communion and Confirmation;

d. requests that this report be referred to the Lambeth Conference for study and comment.

THAT this Council:

a. recognises the 1987 Consultation, which is not to be funded by the ACC, and requests that its proceedings be made available to the ACC and the Lambeth Conference 1988;

b. recommends that the membership of future consultations be widely representative of the Communion, and that the Secretary General be requested to confer with the organisers about its future meetings;

c. encourages Provinces to give financial support for members of their Province who attend such gatherings.

THAT this Council: invites the Standing Committee to establish an Anglican Communion Liturgical Commission with the following terms of reference:

a. to keep under review liturgical revision in the Anglican Communion, both among those Provinces which have gone a long way in this direction and those who have not;

b. to offer encouragement, support and advice to those Provinces which have, as yet, few liturgically-trained specialists, whether in the pastoral or the more theological aspects of liturgy, and in some instances finance the training of liturgists;

c. to study and reflect on those areas in which inculturation and contextualisation of Anglican worship is developing, maintaining contact with other Churches in those places as well as Anglican Provinces in other parts of the world;

d. to study and evaluate ecumenical liturgical developments as they relate to the Anglican tradition;

e. and, in doing all this, to attempt to discern liturgical features and principles in which, as the future unfolds, the Anglican Communion could recognise its continuing identity and encourage fellowship with other Christian Communions. NB The cost of the commission is estimated to be £8,000 per annum on the assumption that it will meet every two years and have a membership of less than the Inter- Anglican Theological and Doctrinal Commission (15 members).

THAT this Council

a. expresses its thanks to those bishops and ecumenical officers who drafted The Emmaus Report and looks forward to its completion at the St Augustine’s Seminar in August 1987 in preparation for the Lambeth Conference 1988;

b. requests that the Report be published in study form as a companion booklet to the Report of ACC-7.

THAT this Council requests the Secretary General to write to appropriate member Churches on publication of the book Light from the East inviting them to consider ways of pastoral co-operation and exchanges of students with the Oriental Orthodox Churches in their regions.

THAT this Council commends The Dublin Agreed Statement 1984 of the Anglican/Orthodox Joint Doctrinal Discussions to member Churches for study and evaluation.

THAT this Council commends the first Agreed Statement of ARCIC-II, Salvation and the Church, to member Churches for study and evaluation.

THAT this Council:

a. resolves that the ACC should now move towards normal membership of the Council for all united Churches with which the Churches of the Anglican Communion are in full communion (i.e. the Church of South India, the Church of North India, the Church of Pakistan and the Church of Bangladesh);

b. requests the Lambeth Conference of 1988 and the Primates’ Meeting of 1989 similarly to consider full membership of those bodies for united Churches in full communion.

THAT this Council requests the Secretary General to inquire whether member Churches are aware of research being pursued in their regions on new Churches and religious movements and to initiate discussion with the World Council of Churches and the Christian World Communions on the desirability of co-operation in this matter.

THAT this Council calls on member churches to:

a. act on behalf of the poor and powerless, particularly in the matter of international debt;

b. challenge their governments to review issues raised in this report;

c. channel questions and issues through any representation the Communion has at the United Nations.

THAT this Council encourages member churches to:

a. consider the ethics of modern technology, especially in the biomedical area;

b. consider carefully any existing guidelines for public and Christian institutions such as hospitals, and if they do not exist, to help develop them;

c. examine ways in which Church and nation where possible might welcome technology which strengthens local community development and which is appropriate to that region and nation, and reject technology which is inappropriate, causes unemployment or other suffering among the people; Further, this Council requests the Peace and Justice Network and the Family and Community Network to monitor this issue and report to ACC-8.

THAT this Council:

a. gives thanks to God for all the benefits provided to life by modern means of communication;

b. urges member Churches to make effective use of such media in teaching, evangelism and communication;

c. noting the danger of passive, unreflective and constant viewing, and the absorption of ideas and values alien to local culture and Christian values, calls on the Churches:

i. to help their members exercise critical discernment (e.g. through Television Awareness Training), in both what i

d. urges member Churches to make use of the ACC Communications Network to share information and experience;

e. encourages member Churches to examine current media censorship and to work for freedom of information;

f. urges all member Churches to fight against pornography, unnecessary portrayal of violence, and open advertising for alcohol and tobacco products in all media

THAT this Council:

a. recommends to member Churches that they

i. examine the extent to which the arms trade and militarism, as defined in the report, have become a reality in th

b. requests that the issue of militarism be placed on the Lambeth Conference agenda; and

c. requests the Peace and Justice Network to monitor this issue and report to ACC-8 with a specific strategy on peacemaking which the Communion might follow.

THAT this Council, believing that the Church must tackle and expose the sin of racism:

a. affirms that

i. all people are equal because they are made in the image of God;

ii. any and all expressions of racism must be de

b. therefore calls on member Churches to

i. expand their concept of mission and ministry to include community development and social transformation for the

THAT this Council, reaffirming its belief that apartheid is an evil racist system and recognising the injustice and suffering it causes:

a. condemns the detention without charge or trial of many people including children in South Africa, isolating them from their families; and further expresses support for those within the country who are protesting at this inhumane action;

b. reaffirms its solidarity with all those who are suffering for a just society in South Africa in which the peoples of all races will share on terms of equality the responsibility of government and the full benefits of citizenship;

c. encourages its member Churches to

i. continue their prayers and support for the peoples of Southern Africa in their struggle for justice and peace; i

d. urges the Government of South Africa to

i. bring the present State of Emergency to an end;

ii. release without delay all political prisoners, including Nel

i. reaffirms resolutions on Namibia passed at ACC-6 expressing the Council’s solidarity with the people of Namibia

f. affirms its solidarity with the Front-line States in their efforts to secure a just solution to the problems of South Africa and Namibia and condemns the unprovoked aggression on some Front-line States by the South African Government;

g. directs the Secretary General to convey to the Archbishop of Cape Town, the Bishop of Namibia, the Secretary of the South African Council of Churches and the Secretary of the Namibian Council of Churches copies of this Resolution together with an assurance of the Council’s continued support for them and for those whom they represent at this critical time in the history of Southern Africa.

THAT this Council:

a. affirms the importance of the Church in the exercise of its prophetic role by standing on the side of the oppressed in their struggle for justice, and by promoting justice, peace and reconciliation for all peoples in the region;

b. affirms the existence of the State of Israel and its right to recognised and secure borders, as well as the civic and human rights of all those who live within its borders;

c. rejects the interpretation of Holy Scripture which affirms the special place of the present State of Israel in the light of biblical prophecy, finds it detrimental to peace and justice, and damaging to Jews, Christians and Muslims;

d. calls attention to the injustice done to the Palestinians in consequence of the creation of the State of Israel, and therefore affirms the right of the Palestinians to determination, including consideration of the possibility of establishment of their own state;

e. supports the convening of an international conference over Palestine/Israel under the auspices of the UN and based on all the UN resolutions in relation to this conflict, to which all parties of the conflict be invited including the PLO;

f. commits itself to continued prayer for Israelis and Palestinians, for Muslim, Jew and Christian, for the achievement of justice, peace and reconciliation for all.

THAT the Council, conscious of the spread of AIDS and the need for a Christian response:

a. urges all people to examine their life-styles, to uphold fidelity within marriage and chastity outside it; and to refrain from taking illegal drugs;

b. recommends to the member Churches

i. the development of theological and pastoral guidelines on AIDS appropriate to their culture and biblical underst

c. requests the Associate Secretary for Mission and Social Issues to monitor this issue and report to Standing Committee and ACC-8.

THAT this Council:

a. affirms :i. the equality of women and men before God and in the exercise of the gifts God has given them, including leadersh

b. calls on member Churches to:i. investigate the suffering of women and men in their region because of poverty, marriage breakdown, economic and

v. examine how pornography and prostitution exploit women and children in their region, for the tourist trade and o

c. requests the Secretary General to send copies of this resolution to the World Council of Churches and other ecumenical partners, and to request the Family and Community Network to monitor these issues and report further to ACC-8.

THAT this Council

a. requests the Standing Committee when deciding on future subjects for the Inter-Anglican Theological and Doctrinal Commission to consider a theological study of the understanding of creation in terms of ecology – the wholeness of creation – for circulation and discussion in the Communion;

b. requests the Secretary General, through the networks or other sources, to identify and circulate available environmental studies to the Provinces. Of special note is the United Nations Brundtland Report on Environment and Development; li>encourages the member Churches to participate in community development schemes, giving special attention to Section 5 of the report of Mission and Ministry ACC-6 entitled ‘Service and Social Transformation’;

c. calls on member Churches to join with governments where possible in providing the leadership and education to provide appropriate balance between development and environmental issues.

THAT this Council:

a. urges member Churches to study the political, social, psychological and economic implications of fundamentalism as described above;

b. requests the Lambeth Conference to give a priority to discussion of the issue of fundamentalism.

THAT this Council requests:

a. the issue of militarism to be placed on the Lambeth Conference agenda;

b. fundamentalism be given a place on the agenda of the 1988 Lambeth Conference.

THAT the audited accounts of the Council for the year ended 31 December 1986 as approved by the Standing Committee and signed on their behalf by the Chairman and Vice-Chairman be and they are hereby adopted by the Council.

THAT the draft budgets for the years to 31 December 1989 and 1990 approved by the Standing Committee in the sum of £653,250 and £712,000 be and they are hereby approved by this Council but subject to revision by the Standing Committee should circumstances require.

THAT this Council

1. urges all members to give priority to the payment of at least the minimum contribution requested to the ACC budget;

2. recognises that there are certain special circumstances which hinder some Provinces from paying their quota to the ACC budget;

3. invites each Province to notify the ACC Standing Committee in advance about their special circumstances;

4. authorises the Standing Committee to

i. enter into dialogue with such Provinces with a view to making appropriate budgetary re-adjustments;

ii. to take the necessary steps to remedy such deficiencies in the budget as may occur.

THAT this Council requests the Standing Committee and the Archbishop of Canterbury to carry forward the proposals for an Inter-Anglican Budget, which would incorporate the funding needs of the ACC, the Primates’ Meeting and the Lambeth Conference and in this process to consult the Provinces. The Council expresses the hope that this budget might be operative with effect from 1 January 1990 and requests the Standing Committee to implement this if the Lambeth Conference agrees.

Affairs THAT this Council:

a. gives thanks to God for the courageous witness of Terry Waite expressed in his care and concern for the victims of injustice and oppression;

b. expresses its appreciation for Terry Waite’s devotion to the service of God through the Anglican Communion;

c. notes with sadness the suffering of all the people in the Lebanon because of the civil strife which is a symptom of the prevailing tension in the Middle East;

d. condemns the detention of innocent people against their will in the Lebanon and other parts of the world;

e. encourages the Archbishop of Canterbury in his attempts to ensure the return of Terry Waite;

f. sends its love and prayers to Terry and his family.

THAT this Council:

a. expresses its gratitude to Professor Henry Chadwick and his colleagues for the Report of the Review Committee of the Anglican Centre in Rome and accepts its recommendations concerning the revision of the Constitution of the Anglican Centre as modified in the Report of ACC-7;

b. further expresses its gratitude to Canon Howard and Mrs Celia Root for all their work on behalf of the Anglican Communion and Anglican/ Roman Catholic reconciliation. (NB Budget implication: £2,500 per annum from 1988 to cover cost of travel of ACC representatives on the Council of the Anglican Centre in Rome)

THAT this Council:

1. welcomes the invitation from the Church of the Province of Southern Africa to hold ACC-9 in Johannesburg, South Africa;

2. directs the Secretary General to explore an alternative venue in Panama or Central America should conditions be unsuitable in South Africa.

That this Council affirms the value of approved Networks and commissions the Standing Committee to:

a. appoint a three person working party to consult and to prepare a set of guidelines for the setting up and operation of Networks

b. that the guidelines should include:

i. the requirement that Network names indicate whether they are set up:

1. by ACC or its Standing Committee;

2. by another initiative;

ii. the requirement that all Networks have the approval of the Standing Committee bef

v. that the involvement of a Province in a Network be subject to the prior approval of the Primate or his nominee;

c. that the proposed guidelines be:

i. approved by the Standing Committee

ii. communicated by the Standing Committee to member Churches together with a

THAT this Council

a. welcomes the initiative of the Anglican National Youth Officers, in response to ACC-6 Resolution 54 to hold an Inter-Anglican Youth Conference in Belfast in 1988;

b. assures the Anglican National Youth Officers of our support and prayers for the Conference.

THAT this Council

a. notes that:

i. it is proposed to establish a new province of the Anglican Church constituted by four dioceses of the Philippine

b. offers the emerging Province the continuing advice and consultancy resource of the ACC;

c. upon necessary requirements being achieved, looks forward to the proposed Province being a member of the ACC;

d. encourages the emerging Province and the Philippine Independent Church to develop further their growing partnership with a view to whatever unity seems right to both Churches.

THAT this Council:

a. notes that the Archbishop of Sydney consecrated Canon D. Foord on 12th February 1984 on the authority of letters dimissory from the Rt Revd S. C. Bradley;

b. further notes a Statement made by the Archbishop of Sydney before the consecration which was a gesture of goodwill and encouragement;

c. recognises the Church of the Province of Southern Africa’s efforts in seeking reconciliation with the Church of England in South Africa;

d. encourages the reestablishment of the Joint Liaison Committee between the Church of the Province of Southern Africa and the Church of England in South Africa and hopes that progress can be reported by the Church of the Province of Southern Africa to ACC-8.

a. Archbishop of Canterbury THAT this Council gives thanks to the Archbishop of Canterbury for his leadership and inspiration as President of the ACC.

b. Chairman of ACC THAT this Council gives thanks to the Chairman of the ACC, Archdeacon Yong Ping Chung for the able manner in which he presided over its deliberations.

c. Outgoing Members THAT this Council gives thanks to God for the contribution of the following outgoing members who have served it faithfully. This Council assures them of its prayers. Bishop Sumio Takatsu – Brazil Archbishop Gregory Hla Gyaw – Burma Bishop Patrice Njojo – Burundi, Rwanda and Zaire The Revd John Makokwe – Burundi, Rwanda and Zaire Mrs Patricia Bays – Canada Archbishop French Chang-Him – Indian Ocean Mr Barry Deane Ireland Mr Ibrahim Wakid – Jerusalem and the Middle East The Most Revd Brian Davis – New Zealand The Very Revd Samuel Johnson – Nigeria The Rt Revd Arne Rudvin – Pakistan The Revd Gideon Waida – Papua New Guinea The Rt Revd Lawrence Zulu – Southern Africa The Rt Revd I Jesudasan – South India The Most Revd John Ramadhani – Tanzania The Revd Canon Benezeri Kisembo – Uganda Professor Enoka Rukare – Uganda The Very Revd Frederick H. Borsch – USA The Revd David S. Benjamin – West Indies and in particular gives thanks for the work of the following members retiring from the Standing Committee: Mrs Patricia Bays The Revd Canon Benezeri Kisembo

d. THAT this Council expresses its gratitude for the excellence of the Presentation Addresses made by Professor Nicholas Lash Dr. Harding Meyer Dr. Allan Boesak which did much to stimulate debate on ‘The Unity we Seek’.

e. Ecumenical Partners THAT this Council gives thanks to the following Ecumenical Partners for their presence and participation and for their wise counsel and advice The Revd George Ninan – Christian Conference of Asia Dr. Jonas Jonson – Lutheran World Federation The Rt. Revd. Philipose Mar Chrysostom – Mar Thoma Syrian Church of Malabar The Revd. John Chryssavgis – Orthodox Church The Rt. Revd. Gerhard A. Van Kleef – Old Catholic Church Fr. Kevin McDonald Roman Catholic Church The Revd. Dr. Stephen C. Tan – World Alliance of Reformed Churches Mr. William Thompson – World Council of Churches

f. Diocese of Singapore THAT this Council expresses its appreciation and gratitude to the following:

i. The Right Reverend Dr. Moses Tay, Bishop of Singapore, for the invitation to meet in Singapore and for the hospi

ii. The Revd. Dr. Louis Tay, Vicar of St. Andrew’s Cathedral, for the opportunity to worship in the Cathedral Church;

iii. Mr. George Seow, the Liaison Officer for the Diocese of Singapore;

iv. Mr. Lim Ewe Huat for organising the Opening Service and reception at St. Andrew’s Cathedral;

v. The Revd. Canon Frank Lomax for arrangements for worship at the RELC Chapel;

vi. the clergy and people who hosted delegates;

vii. those who offered their time and talents to enable the work of the Council, especially Miss Bessie Lee who played the organ at the morning Eucharist, Miss June Tan as Press Liaison Officer, Miss Chee Mee Lin and Miss Han Ya Ni for secretarial assistance, and Mr. Georgie Ong who was responsible for the reception arrangements for the delegates;

viii. the management and staff of the regional English Language Centre for their co-operation;

ix. Mrs. Marjorie Lau who co-ordinated the making of needlepoint kneelers for each delegate.

g. Donors RESOLVED THAT this Council acknowledges with gratitude:

i. the presence and invaluable work of the communicators and in particular expresses its thanks to those Provinces

h. Staff and Volunteer Staff RESOLVED THAT this Council:

i. gives thanks and praise for the leadership, vision and expertise of the Secretary General, the Reverend Canon Sa

i. requests that the Secretary General presents a fair copy of this resolution to those mentioned by name.

Click the links below to read all the resolutions from each ACC in full: