Resolutions ACC - 15

  1. Resolution 15.01: Anglican Communion Environmental Network
  2. Resolution 15.02: Anglican Health Network
  3. Resolution 15.03: Anglican Indigenous Network
  4. Resolution 15.04: Anglican Refugee and Migrant Network
  5. Resolution 15.05: Birth Registration
  6. Resolution 15.06: Colleges and Universities of the Anglican Communion (CUAC)
  7. Resolution 15.07: Gender-based and Domestic Violence
  8. Resolution 15.08: International Anglican Youth Network
  9. Resolution 15.09: Safe Church
  10. Resolution 15.10: The trafficking of persons
  11. Resolution 15.11: Truth and Reconciliation Commissions and related activities
  12. Resolution 15.12: Violence and the Family
  13. Resolution 15.13: Anglican Lutheran International Commission
  14. Resolution 15.14: Anglican-Old Catholic Relations
  15. Resolution 15.15: Anglican-Reformed Relations
  16. Resolution 15.16: Transitivity in Ecumenical Relationships
  17. Resolution 15.17: WCC Faith and Order Commission text 'The Church: Towards a Common Vision'
  18. Resolution 15.18: Anglican Alliance
  19. Resolution 15.19: Bible in the Life of the Church Project
  20. Resolution 15.20: Communications
  21. Resolution 15.21: Continuing Indaba
  22. Resolution 15.22: Finance
  23. Resolution 15.23: Mission Department
  24. Resolution 15.24: Christian Witness in a Multi-religious World
  25. Resolution 15.25: Theological Education in the Anglican Communion
  26. Resolution 15.26: Denial of Visas
  27. Resolution 15.27: Anglican Communion Safe Church Network
  28. Resolution 15.28: Religious Minorities in Pakistan
  29. Resolution 15.29: Greek Orthodox School of Theology
  30. Resolution 15.30: Translation of key documents
  31. Resolution 15.31: Capital Campaign
  32. Resolution 15.32: Land of Promise?
  33. Resolution 15.33: Rites Relating to Marriage
  34. Resolution 15.34: Sixth Mark of Mission
  35. Resolution 15.35: Peace in African Countries
  36. Resolution 15.36: Lay Participation in the Work of the ACC
  37. Resolution 15.37: Practical Strategies for Implementing the Marks of Mission
  38. Resolution 15.38: ACC Written Statement to the 57th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW57)
  39. Resolution 15.39: Understanding of Continuing Indaba
  40. Resolution 15.40: Thanks to Archbishop Rowan
  41. Resolution 15.41: Thanks

Resolution 15.01: Anglican Communion Environmental Network

  1. thanks the Anglican Communion Environmental Network for its Report, Lima Statement and Action Plan, ‘Crisis and Commitment’, following the meeting of ACEN provincial representatives in the Diocese of Peru in August 2011;
  2. commends the Report, ‘Lima Statement and Action Plan’ to the Provinces for study and engagement; and
  3. in light of alarming ecological trends observed worldwide and to which ACEN’s provincial representatives bear witness in their Report, requests that the Provinces take the following actions in three principal areas of environmental concern:
    1. to celebrate, support, and encourage ongoing and new ministries in sustainable food/agriculture, freshwater conservation, and renewable energy, giving them high priority;
    2. to consider the inclusion of a season of Creation in the liturgical calendar;
    3. to commend for study Sabbath Reflections;
    4. to commend and participate in:
      1. efforts by our Anglican colleges, universities, theology schools and seminaries to promote programs in environmental sustainability and justice, including those pursued by Colleges and Universities of the Anglican Communion (CUAC). 
      2. ecumenical and inter faith initiatives that facilitate collaborative actions, rooted in inherent respect and concern for the environment we share;
      3. parish-based initiatives which help to link environmental issues and faith, and promote practical approaches to safeguarding the integrity of creation and sustaining and renewing the earth.

Note  ACEN report: ‘Crisis and Commitment: Final Report, Lima Statement and Action Plan of the Anglican Communion Environmental Network Meeting in Lima, Peru, August 2011’, http://acen.anglicancommunion.org/reports/index.cfm. 
Seven ACEN Sabbath Reflections, written by Bishop George Browning, http://acen.anglicancommunion.org/resources/documents.cfm.
Eco-Congregation: www.ecocongregation.org.

Resolution 15.02: Anglican Health Network

  1. affirms the health and healing activities of its constituent Provinces as a fundamental and continuing feature of Anglican participation in God’s mission through which millions of people are offered life-enhancing support and treatment;
  2. welcomes the growth and development of the Anglican Health Network over the past three years as a key collaborative initiative to promote and support Anglican health mission; and
  3. urges Provinces to encourage representatives of their various health and healing ministries to be involved in the Network’s 2013 programme, ‘Promoting healthy communities: An initiative to inspire and strengthen Anglican leadership in health development’.

Note to (3): A descriptive document for the ‘Promoting health communities’ initiative can be viewed or downloaded at www.anglicanhealth.org.

Resolution 15.03: Anglican Indigenous Network

Acknowledging the witness of Scripture to set free God-given gifts of leadership ‘to equip the saints for ministry’ (Ephesians 4:11-13:  ‘The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ.’),

  1. recognizes the development of indigenous leadership within the Anglican Communion as an essential part of church leadership and applauds the work of the Anglican Indigenous Network (AIN) to support this;
  2. encourages AIN to continue its good work in this area and assist indigenous communities to identify culturally appropriate processes for discerning leaders and providing them with culturally relevant training in their homelands;
  3. recognizes the critical need to restore the spiritual wellbeing of Indigenous People who have survived historical trauma, but are still grieving and in pain; and encourages the AIN to assist indigenous communities to find ways to enable this restoration; and
  4. requests AIN to report progress to ACC-16.

Resolution 15.04: Anglican Refugee and Migrant Network

  1. thanks the Province of Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui for supporting the re-establishment of the Anglican Refugee and Migrant Network (ARMN) and welcomes the appointment of the Revd Catherine Graham as its coordinator;
  2. commends the essential work that is being done throughout the Anglican Communion in supporting migrant people including refugees, internally displaced and migrant workers;
  3. requests Provinces and dioceses to aid ARMN in the global mapping exercise highlighted in the ARMN report to ACC-15, so that ARMN may develop effective strategies for the future;
  4. supports the ARMN in taking forward the well-being of refugees, internally displaced persons and migrant workers in the following ways:
    1. gathering concrete case studies of advocacy regarding the plight of refugees and migrants from around the Communion;
    2. sharing information and resources on advocacy and practical outreach;
    3. supporting the international campaign for the ratification of International Labour Organization convention 189 on decent work for domestic workers (ILO 189), in collaboration with the Anglican Alliance, other partners and non-governmental organizations; and
    4. building strategic alliances with civil societies, NGOs and faith-based organizations; and
  5. requests the ARMN to report on progress to ACC-16.

Note to 4(c): The text of International Labour Organization convention 189 on decent work for domestic workers (ILO 189) is available on-line http://tinyurl.com/basbk9q. An explanatory summary of ILO 189 is on-line at http://tinyurl.com/8zs36qs.

Resolution 15.05: Birth Registration

noting the importance of the proper registration of the births of children, and the scale of under-registration and its impact on children’s lives;  and recognizing that the importance of birth registration is based on a theology of belonging and identity:

  1. thanks the Inter-Anglican Family Network (IAFN) for raising the issue of birth registration;
  2. requests the Provinces of the Anglican Communion:
    1. to promote birth registration in their communities and to support families in overcoming obstacles to registration;
    2. in doing so, to seek partnerships with state agencies, NGOs, and other Churches and faith traditions;
    3. to share the results of this work with the IAFN about the results of these actions;
  3. requests the IAFN to:
    1. support information-sharing in respect of birth registration and associated church initiatives, and
    2. report to ACC-16 on developments in the Provinces.

Note ‘Count Every Child’, IAFN’s Newsletter on birth registration and identity, November 2011: http://iafn.anglicancommunion.org/newsletters/2011/november/index.cfm.
IAFN’s birth registration blog: www.registerbirths.blogspot.co.uk.

Resolution 15.06: Colleges and Universities of the Anglican Communion (CUAC)

  1. affirms the integral expression of Anglican witness and identity in the Colleges and Universities of the Anglican Communion network (CUAC) on five continents;
  2. calls on the Provinces and dioceses where CUAC colleges and universities are located to
    1. engage with them to enhance their participation in the mission of God and the life and ministry of the Church, and
    2. enlist their support as resources in catechesis and training for lay and ordained ministers;
  3. calls on Provinces and dioceses to enable and support colleges’ and universities’ well-being and to report periodically, in consultation with the colleges and universities, on their endeavours to CUAC.

Resolution 15.07: Gender-based and Domestic Violence

as part of its continuing commitment to the incorporation and realisation of Millennium Development Goal 3 ‘Promote gender equality and empower women’, as expressed in ACC resolutions 13.31 and 14.33:

  1.  
    1. welcomes the Primates’ Letter to the Churches, January 2011, concerning gender based violence;
    2. affirms that: ‘In penitence and faith we must move forward in such a way that our churches truly become a living witness to our belief that both women and men are made in the image of God;
    3. endorses the commitments outlined in the Letter;
  2. rejoices in initiatives already in place in our Provinces, dioceses and parishes in response to gender based violence and violence within families;
  3. recommends that each of the theological colleges and training schemes of the Anglican Communion ensure that curricula include at least one component designed to train all clergy and other ministers concerning:
    1. the nature and dynamics of gendered and domestic violence;
    2. how positive attitudes and behaviours among women, men, girls and boys can be encouraged and affirmed;
    3. awareness of the indicators often present in situations involving trafficking of girls and boys, women and men for sexual purposes and exploitative labour;
    4. the scriptural and theological basis underpinning the work of eliminating gender-based and domestic violence.
  4.  
    1. commends the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Primates of the L’Eglise Anglicane du Burundi, the Province de L'Eglise Anglicane du Rwanda and the Province de L'Eglise Anglicane du Congo for taking a lead in gathering other church and faith leaders and agencies in order to discern what might be said and done together in responding to sexual violence as a weapon of war and terror;
    2. endorses and encourages Anglican engagement worldwide with the We Will Speak Out coalition of churches and Christian agencies against sexual violence.
  5.  
    1. commends Anglican church leaders for their public commitment to the White Ribbon campaign;
    2. endorses Anglican participation in the White Ribbon Campaign and the ‘16 Days of Activism for the Elimination of Violence against Women’;
    3. encourages all Anglican churches to mark White Ribbon Day (annually, 25 November) and the ‘16 Days of Activism for the Elimination of Violence against Women’ (annually, 25 November to 10 December) in liturgy, prayer and study.
  6. asks all Anglican Provinces to:
    1. encourage their churches to provide an environment where boys and girls are equally valued and equally enabled to participate in learning and activities that foster positive and respectful relationships irrespective of gender, ability, and ethnicity;
    2. develop age-appropriate Christian teaching resources to empower girls and boys to overcome gender stereotypes, and share these resources via the International Anglican Family Network and International Anglican Women’s Network.

  Note 

 www.anglicancommunion.org/communion/acc/meetings/acc14/resolutions.cfm#s33 

Resolution 15.08: International Anglican Youth Network

  1. confirms its continued support of young people in the Anglican Communion and endorses  the Archbishop of Canterbury’s statement that ‘a good educational system in a healthy society is one that builds character, that builds virtue’;
  2. urges Provinces to commit themselves to the further development of youth ministries through:
    1. developing opportunities and programmes for youth leadership;
    2. continuing to educate young people on what it means to be a Christian in the Anglican tradition;
    3. appointing a committed and engaged youth officer to participate in the International Anglican Youth Network;
    4. contributing financially to the work of the International Anglican Youth Network;
  3. encourages a Province from each of the five International Anglican Youth Network regions (Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe and the Middle East and Oceania) to host, coordinate and promote a regional gathering of those involved in youth ministry;
  4. affirms the need for a contemplative approach in ministry with young people and requests each Province to create a prayer or utilise an existing prayer for young people in their Province and distribute this prayer to all parishes in the Province for regular use in worship;  and
  5. recommends the use of ‘Ending Violence Against Young Women and Girls’, a resource developed by the International Anglican Youth Network.

Note  
Collect for Young People
Loving God,
You desire to welcome all your children:
In the beginning you reached out your hand
and brought forth offspring from the earth;
draw to yourself the young people of our community.
Guide and strengthen them,
to celebrate the joy of life that flows from you,
that in knowing you, they may know life in all its fullness;
through our eternal saviour,
Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen.

Resloution 15.09: Safe Church

recognising and affirming:

  1. the witness of Scripture to God’s love for all members of the human family and the priority given in Jesus’ ministry to children and the vulnerable of society;
  2. the resolution of the Lambeth Conference in 1998 that each member Church represented make an intentional effort to work toward eliminating abuses affecting women and children (Resolution 1.3);
  3. the commitment of ACC-13 in 2005 to the highest standards of care for all young and vulnerable people, seeking to ensure their protection (ACC Resolution 13.50);
  4. the testimony of the Lambeth Conference in 2008 to the many forms of abuse of power within society as well as the church from which women and children suffer disproportionately, and the challenge to reclaim the gospel truth of the dignity of the human person and to exercise power in ways that would always be life giving (Lambeth Indaba: Capturing Conversations and Reflections, paragraphs 47 to 50);
  5. the call of ACC-14 in 2009 to member Churches to take appropriate steps to assist the healing of indigenous families, including the protection of women and children from violence and human trafficking (ACC Resolutions 14.19 and 14.33);
  6. the statement of the Primates in 2011 that our churches must accept responsibility for our own part in perpetuating oppressive attitudes towards women, and in penitence and faith we must move forward in such a way that our churches truly become a living witness to our belief that both women and men are made in the image of God (Letter to the Churches of the Anglican Communion):

commits itself to promoting the physical, emotional and spiritual welfare and safety of all people, especially children, young people and vulnerable adults, within the member churches of the Anglican Communion, and to this end calls upon all member churches to adopt and implement the following Charter for the Safety of People within the Churches of the Anglican Communion, and report to the next meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council as to steps taken to adopt and implement the Charter.
Charter for the Safety of People within the Churches of the Anglican Communion
Pastoral support where there is abuse

  1. We will provide pastoral support for the abused, their families, and affected parishes and church organizations by:
    1. listening with patience and compassion to their experiences and concerns;
    2. offering spiritual assistance and other forms of pastoral care.

Effective responses to abuse

  1. We will have and implement policies and procedures to respond properly to allegations of abuse against clergy and other church personnel that include:
    1. making known within churches the procedure for making complaints;
    2. arranging pastoral care for any person making a complaint of abuse;
    3. the impartial determination of allegations of abuse against clergy and other church personnel, and assessment of their suitability for future ministry;
    4. providing support for affected parishes and church organizations.

Practice of pastoral ministry

  1. We will adopt and promote by education and training standards for the practice of pastoral ministry by clergy and other church personnel.

Suitability for ministry

  1. We will have and implement policies and procedures to assess the suitability of persons for ordination as clergy or appointment to positions of responsibility in the church including checking their background.

Culture of safety

  1. We will promote a culture of safety in parishes and church organizations by education and training to help clergy, other church personnel and participants prevent the occurrence of abuse.

Resolution 15.10: The trafficking of persons

Recalling Exodus 2.23 ‘Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God.  And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.’, and mindful of God’s liberating action through human history,

  1. laments and condemns the growing trafficking of girls and boys, women and men, for sexual purposes or exploitative labour;
  2. welcomes work undertaken by the International Anglican Family Network and the International Anglican Women’s Network to raise awareness of trafficking of persons, especially women and children, and draw attention to projects already being pursued by Anglicans in response to trafficking;
  3. requests the Provinces of the Anglican Communion to:
    1. learn about, and raise awareness of, their own country’s or countries’ involvement in trafficking as senders and receivers or as a point of transit, and their level of implementation of the United Nations Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children,  and the United Nations Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons; 
    2. identify resources available and activities already being undertaken nationally in addressing the elimination of trafficking;
    3. report findings to provincial and diocesan synods or conventions with a view to evaluating how churches can engage prophetically and develop local and regional strategies in response to trafficking;
    4. promote and disseminate new and existing liturgical and theological materials relating to trafficking in persons as a resource for local churches;
  4. requests the International Anglican Refugee and Migrant Network, the International Anglican Women's Network and the International Anglican Family Network to collaborate in:
    1. supporting Anglicans in this work by gathering and disseminating, and making available on-line, further resources and models of good practice from the churches in respect of trafficking in persons;
    2. reporting to ACC-16 on progress.

Note  United Nations Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children (the ‘Trafficking Protocol’):
English: www.unodc.org/documents/treaties/UNTOC/Publications/TOC%20Convention/TOCebook-e.pdf, page 41ff
Français: www.unodc.org/documents/treaties/UNTOC/Publications/TOC%20Convention/TOCebook-f.pdf, page 41 et ss
Español: www.unodc.org/documents/treaties/UNTOC/Publications/TOC%20Convention/TOCebook-s.pdf,   página 43 y s
United Nations Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons:
English: www.unodc.org/documents/human-trafficking/United_Nations_Global_Plan_of_Action_to_Combat_Trafficking_in_Persons.pdf
Français: www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/refworld/rwmain/opendocpdf.pdf?reldoc=y&docid=4caadff52
Español: www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/refworld/rwmain/opendocpdf.pdf?reldoc=y&docid=4caae0052
ECPAT:  End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and the Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes, see www.ecpat.net 
Resources:

Resolution 15.11: Truth and Reconciliation Commissions and related activities

calling to mind II Corinthians 5:17-20: ‘ So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God’, and
remembering that as ambassadors for Christ Christians are called to be reconciled and have been given the ministry of reconciliation, and
in light of the number of Truth and Reconciliation Commissions currently in process and the increasing movement towards forming Truth and Reconciliation Commissions in post-conflict or post-human rights abuse situations:

  1. requests the Anglican Peace and Justice Network to conduct a survey of how Provinces, dioceses and individuals of the Anglican Communion have related, or are relating, with their national Truth and Reconciliation Commissions and similar activities;
  2. requests the Anglican Peace and Justice Network to consider, in the light of the results of the survey, whether to seek funding for, and facilitate, an international conference for representatives of those Provinces or dioceses, or individuals in the Anglican Communion who have been directly involved, or are planning involvement, in Truth and Reconciliation Commissions and similar activities, so that:
    1. the worldwide experience of the Anglican Communion in this issue may be shared, and
    2. helpful directions for the future be discerned, and
  3. requests a report to ACC-16 on these matters.

Note  A background paper ‘Truth and Reconciliation Commissions: An emerging issue for the Anglican Communion’ by Bishop Terry M Brown of the Anglican Church of Melanesia is on-line at http://apjn.anglicancommunion.org/media/53597/truth_and_reconcilation_commissions_terry_brown.pdf

Resolution 15.12: Violence and the Family

  1. applauds  the recent consultation of the Inter-Anglican Family Network in Oceania on violence and the family, and in particular its emphasis on the Christian recognition of the belovedness of every human person, the importance of local context, and the benefits of building on positive elements within traditional cultures;
  2. commends the report of IAFN’s Oceania consultation ‘Violence and the Family – Action Plan for the Churches to Tackle Abuse’ ;
  3. strongly encourages the member churches of the Anglican Communion to:
    1. consider how the Action Plan might be adapted and used in their own dioceses and parishes
    2. share information with IAFN about what is being achieved, and
  4. requests IAFN to
    1. continue monitoring action taken in the member churches to understand and end family violence;
    2. continue sharing information in respect of violence and the family and associated church initiatives;
    3. report to ACC-16 on progress.

Note  ‘Violence and the Family – Action Plan for the Churches to Tackle Abuse’, Report of IAFN’s Oceania consultation 2010:
http://iafn.anglicancommunion.org/media/55943/violence_and_the_family.pdf

Resolution 15.13: Anglican Lutheran International Commission

welcomes the Jerusalem Report of the Anglican-Lutheran International Commission (‘To Love and Serve the Lord’, LWF 2012), commends the report to the churches of the Anglican Communion for study and action, endorses its recommendations, and in particular affirms the establishment of a Coordinating Committee to take this work forward.
Note The Jerusalem report asks both Communions:
1. a. To encourage our churches to pursue common development of a wide range of ministries and for the building up of Lutheran and Anglican relationships on all levels of ecclesial life and mission;
b. To challenge member churches to find ways in which they may do more together on all levels for disaster relief and to advocate on issues relating to climate change, illegitimate debt, HIV and AIDS, and other pressing social concerns of peace, justice, and the integrity of creation;
c. To encourage churches not in a relation of communion with each other to begin conversations around the invitations to shared diakonia, especially as it is developed in this report, and simultaneously to consider cooperation in diaconal projects;
d. In particular, to encourage the All Africa Anglican–Lutheran Commission to move to the formal signing of those agreements on full communion which have been agreed in various consultations since 1992 but not yet endorsed;
e. To encourage ways to be with one another in decision making (following the model of the 2013 joint meeting in Canada of the Evangelical Lutheran Church’s National Convention and the Anglican Church’s General Synod);
f. To encourage churches to revisit and continue to consider the recommendations from Growth in Communion, especially Recommendation 6, Paragraph 214 concerning ‘mutual visits and common action by church leaders’
g. To commend to the churches the appendix on Transitivity.
2. To continue regular Joint Staff Meetings, and to include a focus on possibilities for shared diakonia;
3. To seek opportunities to participate reciprocally in each other’s networks and programmes
4. To establish a Coordinating Committee to aid in taking the next steps
The proposed mandate for the Coordinating Committee is on page 44 of The Jerusalem Report.
A similar resolution has been adopted by the Lutheran World Federation’s Executive Council

15.14: Anglican-Old Catholic Relations

  1. commends the paper Belonging together in Europe: A joint statement on aspects of ecclesiology and mission to ACC-15 as a sufficient basis on which to proceed to further concrete proposals for common mission between the Anglican Communion and the Old Catholic Churches of the Union of Utrecht on the European continent.
  2. renews the mandate for the Anglican-Old Catholic International Coordinating Council, asking it:
    1. To continue to explore the nature and meaning of our communion;
    2. To promote knowledge of our churches and their relationship;
    3. To assist the annual meeting of Old Catholic and Anglican Bishops in Europe to develop a common definition and understanding of shared mission and coordinated oversight for their work;
    4. To explore the possibility of establishing a representative body to oversee relationships in Europe;
    5. To advise on the establishment of appropriate instruments and concrete proposals for joint initiatives in mission work in continental Europe;
    6. To review the consistency of ecumenical agreements and dialogues of the churches of the Anglican Communion and the Union of Utrecht;
  3. thanks the Anglican members of the Coordinating Council and requests that the Archbishop of Canterbury name the Anglican co-chair in consultation with the Secretary General, and that the Secretary General name the Anglican members in consultation with the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Resolution 15.15: Anglican-Reformed Relations

recommends the establishment of a dialogue with the World Communion of Reformed Churches, according to the Schema prepared at the exploratory talks.
Note  In June 2011, exploratory talks were held between the Anglican Communion and the World Communion of Reformed Churches, with a view to re-establishing a dialogue between them.  There has not been a formal dialogue since the publication in 1984 of God’s Reign and our Unity, a report which has been influential, despite never having been received officially.  These talks were very positive and a proposed Schema has been approved by IASCUFO.
The Schema proposes that the following topics be addressed:

  • The Nature of Communion
  • The History between us
  • Mapping of existing relationships
  • Identifying ultimate and proximate goals
  • The range of missiological challenges facing the two Communions
  • Patterns of worship which shape the Communions
  • Sources of authority and how to discern the work of the Spirit over the ages and in the present

time

  • How the traditions build bridges in terms of continuity and discontinuity, embody episcope

and transmit ministerial authority and oversight

  • Mutual recognition of churches and reconciliation of ordained ministries
  • Promoting reception of the fruits of this dialogue broadly in the Communions

A recommendation to establish the talks is being sought from ACC-15 now and will also be sought from the Executive Committee of the WCRC. Due to the reorganisation of the Reformed Communions this work is likely not to begin immediately, but is hoped that it will start before ACC-16.

Resolution 15.16: Transitivity in Ecumenical Relationships

affirms the report on Transitivity and commends it to the member churches of the Communion, inviting them where appropriate to implement its recommendations on “Laying foundations for transitive relationships”
Note  Transitivity is a term that is used in the ecumenical context.  It is the question of the relationship of different ecumenical agreements to one another.  The report on transitivity arose in the context of the Anglican-Lutheran international conversations.  It is found at in the IASCUFO Report, Ecumenical Section.

Resolution 15.17: WCC Faith and Order Commission text 'The Church: Towards a Common Vision'

welcomes the publication of The Church: Towards a Common Vision, the convergence text of the Faith and Order Commission of the World Council of Churches, commends it to the member churches of the Anglican Communion for study, and requests those which are members of the World Council of Churches to send a copy to the Anglican Communion Office of their response to the WCC.

Resolution 15.18: Anglican Alliance

  1. receives the report of the Anglican Alliance for development, relief and advocacy;
  2. applauds the progress made since the last ACC in establishing the secretariat, holding regional consultations and carrying forward the workplan in development, relief and advocacy, bringing together the work of Anglican churches and agencies;
  3. affirms the regional grounding of the Anglican Alliance through the regional facilitators; and
  4. calls on the provinces to engage with the Alliance’s work at regional and global level as appropriate.

Resolution 15.19: Bible in the Life of the Church Project

  1. affirms the centrality of the Bible in the life of the churches of the Anglican Communion;
  2. affirms the importance of the continued study of the Bible in the parishes, dioceses and Provinces of the Anglican Communion and congratulates all involved in the Bible in the Life of the Church (BILC) Project on the work undertaken, in particular its smooth and effective facilitation by Stephen Lyon;
  3. welcomes the work of the Project, especially the Lent books (And it was Good, and Economic Justice), and the final report, Deep Engagement, Fresh Discovery and requests the Provinces to encourage their widespread use throughout their dioceses and parishes;
  4. notes with deep appreciation the collection of resources on the use of the Bible made by the BILC Steering Group, and commends them particularly to Christian Education bodies, theological colleges and Doctrine Commissions across the Communion;
  5. requests theological colleges and research scholars across the Anglican Communion to explore further the issues raised by the Project, especially as these relate to engaging with the Bible in local contexts;
  6. requests that the work undertaken by the BILC Project be continued and that, where possible, resources developed by the BILC be translated into one or more languages other than English; and
  7. requests that the Secretary General attempt to secure funding to enable an immediate publicizing and rolling out of the Project’s insights and resources across the Communion.

Resolution 15.20: Communications

  1. welcomes Participating in God’s Communication and recommends it to the churches of the Anglican Communion – in particular to their ordained and lay leaders and their theological educators – for study, reflection and action;
  2. recommends that every Province work to ensure that it is fully equipped at all levels to share the Good News of God’s Kingdom in the 21st Century by evaluating its capacity to communicate effectively the best of its life and work, and by drawing up plans to improve its capacity, with one key goal being the appointment of a qualified, senior Provincial communicator by ACC-16; and
  3. encourages churches of the Anglican Communion to celebrate, and take advantage of resources produced for Anglican Communion Sunday.

Resolution 15.21: Continuing Indaba

  1. receives the report Celebrating a Journey presented to the Standing Committee in May 2012;
  2. encourages all provinces of the Anglican Communion to engage with the theological work underpinning Continuing Indaba and to hear the stories of the Pilot Conversations;
  3. requests the further development of Continuing Indaba to enable process resources to be offered to Provinces and dioceses across the Communion, including:
    1. the effective communication of Continuing Indaba;
    2. the widening of the theological base, gaining further biblical insights from more provinces of the Communion;
    3. the development of models for facilitation and of a programme of facilitator training;
    4. the commitment to evaluation.

Resolution 15.22: Finance

  1. adopts the financial summary report for the periods ending 31st December 2009 to 2011;
  2. approves the budget for 2012 and 2013 and the projections for the years 2014 and 2015;
  3. asks each Province to meet its requested budget contribution, which includes a projected increase of 3% each year.

Resolution 15.23: Mission Department

  1. receives the report of the Mission Department;
  2. notes the work of the Evangelism and Church Growth Initiative over the past three years and acknowledges the achievements made, including the emphasis on encouraging and enabling mutual sharing and learning, through the Witness 6.7 newsletter, the Anglican Witness Facebook page and core group meetings that include an engagement within the local mission context;
  3. welcomes the resolution of the Standing Committee to change the name of the Evangelism and Church Growth Initiative (ECGI) and changes it to  ‘Anglican Witness: Evangelism and Church Growth Initiative of the Anglican Communion’;
  4. recommends to the Anglican Provinces that their own evangelism and church growth could be enriched through participation in Anglican Witness: Evangelism and Church Growth Initiative of the Anglican Communion, its resourcesand its collaborative style of working based on mutual learning and sharing.
  5. requests theAnglican Witness: Evangelism and Church Growth Initiative of the Anglican Communion (ECGI) to investigate further ways of stimulating Provinces towards more effective, culturally-relevant ministry amongst children and young people, and to prioritise the sharing of learning and resources among Provinces.
  6. appreciates the amount of time given at this ACC to the work of mission.

Resolution 15.24: Christian Witness in a Multi-religious World

  1. endorses Christian Witness in a Multi-religious World and encourages all Provinces to study it, to  assess their current practice of Christian witness, and develop practices to suit their local contexts in the light of its recommendations and  of ‘Generous Love’;
  2. recommends that Provinces encourage discussion of Christian Witness with other faith communities and, where possible, to do this ecumenically.

Note  The document was produced jointly by the World Council of Churches, the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, and the World Evangelical Alliance.  It is an Appendix on pp 4 – 9 of the NIFCON Report.
Generous Love is a NIFCON document which identifies the discernment of a distinctive Anglican theology of inter-faith relations.  It is available at www.nifcon.anglicancommunion.org/resources/generouslove and is available in English, Spanish, French and Urdu.

Resolution 15.25: Theological Education in the Anglican Communion

  1. thanks the members of  the Theological Education in the Anglican Communion Working Group (TEAC2), chaired by Archbishop Colin Johnson from Toronto, Canada, for their work on behalf of theological education in the triennium since the last ACC meeting;
  2. receives with thanks the report from TEAC2,  especially the document An Anglican Communion Approach to Theological Education: Report on Future Directions;
  3. noting that the recommendations relating to staff appointments at the Anglican Communion Office cannot be implemented within the present budget priorities of the Anglican Communion, recommends that, subject to external funding being found:
    1. the working group TEAC2 be succeeded by a Commission on Theological Education;
    2. a Director of Theological Education be appointed to the staff at the Anglican Communion Office;
  4. requests Provincial Secretaries to circulate widely within their Provinces, especially to those with responsibility for theological education, An Anglican Approach to Theological Education  and encourage its study and discussion.

Resolution 15.26: Denial of Visas

  1. recognises with thanks the time and effort undertaken by the hosts in New Zealand, the staff at the Anglican Communion Office and individual members in obtaining visas and transit visas for this meeting;
  2. requests the Secretary General to express the regret of the Anglican Consultative Council to the immigration services of the governments of New Zealand (about one particular instance) and Australia that in some cases visas were denied, and especially the insulting and degrading manner in which some decisions were communicated to the members;
  3. as a member of the Global Christian family expresses concern that governments of countries commonly known as ‘developed’ are demonstrating increasing inequality in the application of their immigration procedures and asks that they recognise, and implement procedures that recognise, the human dignity of each visa applicant;
  4. encourages Provinces to raise this issue with their government(s), urging them to become more hospitable and just in their consideration of visa applications.

Resolution 15.27: Anglican Communion Safe Church Network

  1. recognises the Anglican Communion Safe Church Network as an official Network of the Anglican Communion;
  2. commends the mission of the Network to the Provinces.

Note  The mission of the Anglican Communion Safe Church Consultation is:

  • to promote the safety and welfare of all people involved in churches throughout the Anglican Communion and the Instruments, ministries and networks of the Anglican Communion through the elimination of abuse, misconduct and the misuse of power by clergy and church employees and volunteers
  • to provide theological reflection upon, and educate people involved in churches throughout the Anglican Communion about, the issues of abuse, misconduct and the misuse of power within the Church and civil society
  • to identify resources and best practices that will assist churches, dioceses and provinces of the Anglican Communion to reduce the risk of abuse, misconduct and the misuse of power by clergy and church employees and volunteers
  • to equip and support persons involved in the Consultation in their ministry in their churches, dioceses and provinces within the Anglican Communion.

This mission is to be accomplished through:

  • the creation of a communication network using electronic media between persons involved in the Consultation and other interested persons
  • the holding of conferences in different provinces of the Anglican Communion for those involved in the Consultation and other interested persons
  • the maintenance of a page with information and resources on the Anglican Communion website

the provision of information and recommendations to the Instruments of Communion.

Resolution 15.28: Religious Minorities in Pakistan

Recognizing that the churches play a positive and developmental role in the public life of Pakistan, and that Christians contribute in the areas of health care, education (both formal and specialized), awareness of the need for a clean environment, gender justice, peace, and inter-faith relations;
and that the Blasphemy Laws in Pakistan, while protecting Islam and the Prophet, are vaguely formulated and are increasingly being arbitrarily enforced by the police and judiciary in a way which amounts to harassment and persecution:

  1. deplores the unjust application of the Blasphemy Laws;
  2. calls upon the Government of Pakistan to:
    1. protect the life and property of religious minorities;
    2. repeal the Blasphemy Laws, and pending their repeal, take steps to prevent their unjust application; and
    3. stop immediately actions of abduction, forced conversion and forced marriages.
  3. requests the Provinces to approach their Ministries of Foreign Affairs or equivalent government departments in support of this resolution;
  4. requests the Provinces to express solidarity, through prayer and action, with those who are trying to build a just society of love and tolerance in Pakistan , including the Church of Pakistan, civil society organizations, and those Muslim religious leaders who are working against these discriminatory practices.

Resolution 15.29: Greek Orthodox School of Theology
supports the immediate reopening of the respected Greek Orthodox School of Theology on the island of Halki, Turkey.

Resolution 15.30: Translation of key documents

  1. commends the work of the  Réseau  francophone de la Communion Anglicane (Francophone Network) in the face of serious cultural and political difficulties in several Provinces ;
  2. requests the Anglican Communion Office to gather translated key documents on the Anglican Communion website  in order to facilitate the sharing of non-anglophone materials among Provinces and dioceses, particularly documents in Spanish, French, Portuguese, Swahili, Arabic and other languages as appropriate;
  3. welcomes and encourages the work of Provinces in translating documents into local languages and requests that translated documents be forwarded to the Anglican Communion Office; and
  4. requests the Secretary General to report to ACC-16 on progress in making translated documents available and accessible.

Resolution 15.31: Capital Campaign

Requests the Secretary General to explore, and with the approval of the Standing Committee, implement as appropriate, a capital campaign to provide endowment income for programmes of the Anglican Communion.

Resolution 15.32: Land of Promise?

expresses its appreciation for NIFCONs report Land of Promise?: an Anglican exploration of Christian attitudes to the Holy Land, with special reference to Christian Zionism and requests that it be made available as a resource for the Provinces to study.

Resolution 15.33: Rites Relating to Marriage

Welcomes the Canterbury Statement of the International Anglican Liturgical Consultation 'Rites Relating to Marriage' and commends it to the Provinces for study.

Resolution 15.34: Sixth Mark of Mission

revises the Fourth Mark of Mission so that it reads as follows:
‘To seek to transform unjust structures of society, to challenge violence of every kind and to pursue peace and reconciliation’
Resolution 15.35: Peace in African Countries

  1. expresses its concern, compassion and prayers for African regions affected by armed conflicts, including Sudan; the Great Lakes Region, particularly the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo; Nigeria; Somalia and Mali;
  2. with thanksgiving to God, expresses its appreciation for the growing peace between Sudan and South Sudan and encourages them to resolve all outstanding issues peacefully;
  3. expresses its empathy for the African countries emerging from violent conflicts, namely Ivory Coast, Tunisia, Egypt and Libya;
  4. strongly condemns all those who are responsible for the violation of human rights, including the right to religious liberty, calls upon them to cease those violations immediately, and requests the appropriate authorities to bring them to justice;
  5. urges prayer for all the victims of those atrocities, and calls upon the people and governments involved in those situations to work together for lasting peace, harmony and sustainable development of their nations;
  6. calls upon the concerned governments, UN and non-governmental organizations to protect and provide needed support to the victims;
  7. supports all initiatives undertaken for the restoration of peace and for improving the conditions of life of affected peoples;
  8. asks all governments who hold national elections to ensure that the elections are free, fair and peaceful; and
  9. supports the processes of reconciliation in African countries.

Note

Resolution 15.36: Lay Participation in the Work of the ACC

requests the Secretary General and the Standing Committee to ensure the increased participation of lay people in all of the Anglican Consultative Council’s commissions, councils, committees, working groups and other bodies.

Resolution 15.37: Practical Strategies for Implementing the Marks of Mission

recognizing in particular the fourth Mark of Mission: to seek to transform unjust structures, to challenge violence of every kind, and to pursue peace and reconciliation,  
requests the Secretary General  to identify practical strategies to provide support for Provinces across the Communion whose people are suffering with respect to the following issues:

  1. land disputes and conflicts between agricultural and pastoral communities;
  2. the trade in small arms, their diffusion and misuse;
  3. border disputes;
  4. narcotics and alcohol abuse;
  5. youth unemployment and crime;
  6. trafficking, abduction and abuse of children and women for rituals, forced labour and forced marriage;

and to communicate these strategies to the Provinces as soon as they are  identified.

Resolution 15.38: ACC Written Statement to the 57th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW57)

  1. welcomes and looks forward to the participation of the delegation of Anglican women nominated by their Provinces in the forthcoming 57th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW57), 4 to 15 March 2013, where the priority theme will be ‘Elimination and prevention of all forms of violence against women and girls’;
  2. thanks the Anglican Office at the UN in New York for facilitating the delegation; and
  3. adopts the following text as the written statement of the Anglican Consultative Council to CSW57:

Anglican Consultative Council Statement to the 57th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women
The Anglican Consultative Council (ACC) representing 85 million Anglican Christians in more than 165 countries has been in consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council since 1985. The ACC is committed to seeking relief for all women and girls from the harsh and disproportionate consequences of conflict, poverty, violence, discrimination and the trauma of natural disasters on their lives and well-being. In view of the high priority given to this commitment, ACC delegations with membership drawn from across the world-wide Anglican Communion have been present at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW) in significant numbers for more than ten years and we particularly welcome the opportunity to participate in this 57th Session of UNCSW with its priority theme: Elimination and prevention of all forms of violence against women and girls. 

We understand ‘gender based violence’ to be violence involving men and women, in which the female is usually the victim, and which is derived from unequal power relationships between men and women. Violence is directed specifically against a woman or a girl because she is a woman or a girl, or affects women and girls disproportionately. It includes but is not limited to, physical, sexual and psychological harm, and it includes violence perpetrated or condoned by the community or by the state. Gender based violence may be hidden and shrouded in stigma but our experience is that it happens all over the world, in all our communities.

The ACC seeks immediate action to eradicate this and all forms of sexual violence perpetrated against women and girls, including trafficking for sexual purposes. The ACC especially seeks to endorse, promote and emphasise that the work of preventing and eliminating gender based violence is the work of all – men and women, boys and girls. Although often considered a ‘women’s issue’, it is the responsibility of all sectors of our communities.

A core belief of the Christian faith is that women and men, girls and boys are cherished equally by God. In January 2011, a global gathering of Anglican church leaders wrote a Letter to the Churches of the Anglican Communion, saying: ‘Our churches must accept responsibility for our own part in perpetuating oppressive attitudes towards women. In penitence and faith we must move forward in such a way that our churches truly become a living witness to our belief that women and men are made in the image of God.’ Recognising the urgency of this issue, they committed themselves to working locally and strategically to eliminate gender based violence. In November 2012 their commitment was endorsed by the Anglican Consultative Council.

Our work towards preventing and eliminating violence against women and girls will build on action already being taken across the Anglican Communion and will take into account local experience, cultures, need and expertise. This action includes awareness raising, advocacy, education to change attitudes and behaviours that lead to violence, the care and reintegration into society of victims/survivors of violence, and working with perpetrators of violence.

We have highlighted the importance of, and will attend further to: the training of clergy and pastors so that they are aware of the nature and dynamics of gender based violence and how certain attitudes and behaviours can be challenged and transformed; participation in the White Ribbon campaign led by men and boys who condemn and act against violence against women and girls, and in the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence; and, engagement with young people so that boys and girls, young men and young women, are enabled to honour themselves and one another and are empowered to be agents of change among their peers.

We urge all member states of the United Nations to:

  • promote equality for women as active and equal ‘decision-makers’ at all levels of society , within their families, locally, nationally and internationally.
  • celebrate and promote women’s and girls’ contributions to our communities as valuable and integral to the health and well-being of all aspects of society
  • expose the silence surrounding, and the extent of, gender based violence
  • identify and address all factors in our communities and societies that lead to violence, its hiddenness and the lack of will to address gender based violence
  • address matters of inequality, stereotyping, discrimination and other factors that lead to women and girls being made vulnerable through unequal power relationships
  • call into question cultural and structural aspects that endorse and perpetuate violence against women and girls
  • take immediate action to eradicate sexual violence as a tactic or weapon of war, and all forms of sexual violence perpetrated against women and girls, including trafficking for sexual purposes.
  • enter into partnerships with civil society, including faith-based organisations, in programmes that encourage men and women, boys and girls to speak out against gender based violence, and develop and act on strategies for its elimination
  • provide and enforce robust legislation that protects women and girls, and promotes equal relationship across all aspects of our societies
  • develop monitoring and regular reporting instruments which highlight resources and programmes of best practice and expose areas still requiring action in the prevention and elimination of gender based violence

The global cost of violence against women and girls, and its impact on development, economies and health is incalculable. Our experience is that its impact on human lives is also incalculable. The Anglican Communion with its presence throughout the world is well placed and is fully committed to challenging gender based violence and taking action. We look forward to our continued work with the United Nations, member states, other civil society groups and agencies, and local communities in preventing and eliminating violence against women and girls.

Resolution 15.39: Understanding of Continuing Indaba

noting the adoption of the resolution ACC-15.21 on Continuing Indaba,
understands Indaba to be a process of honest conversation that seeks to build community, energize mission, and provide a context in which conflict can be resolved.

Resolution 15.40: Thanks to Archbishop Rowan

  1. gives thanks to God for the faithfulness and ministry of the Most Revd and Rt Hon Dr Rowan Williams as the 104th Archbishop of Canterbury;
  2. expresses deep appreciation for his leadership as the President of the Anglican Consultative Council in its meetings of ACC-13, 14 and 15;
  3. wishes all God’s blessings on Archbishop Rowan, Dr Jane, Rhiannon and Pip Williams at the time of his stepping down as Archbishop of Canterbury.

Resolution 15.41: Thanks

authorizes the Chair, Vice-Chair and Secretary General to issue a letter of thanks to all those who have so graciously and generously assisted in making this Council’s meeting  so fruitful for us all.

To the Anglicans of Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia, engä hoa aroha:

As the meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council held in Auckland comes to a close, all involved in the meeting want to say that our hearts are full of gratitude and joy.  We have been received with overwhelming love and hospitality.  We have been welcomed once, welcomed twice, welcomed three times, and more. We express our gratitude to all lay people, clergy and bishops in Tikanga Maori, Tikanga Pasefika, and Tikanga Pakeha who have received us and accompanied us these many days.

We thank the Primates, the Most Revd Brown Turei, the Most Revd Winston Halapua, and the Most Revd David Moxon, and  the host bishops: Bishop Ross Bay, Assistant Bishop Jim White, Te Kitohi Pikaahu, and all the other bishops of the Anglican Church of Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia.  We thank the Ven Amanaki Tuitavake of the Tikanga Pasefika. We thank the Provincial Secretary, Michael Hughes, and the staff of the Provincial Office: Lloyd Ashton, Jayson Rhodes, Julanne Clarke-Morris, Gavin Wood and Marissa Alix.  We thank the staff of the Diocese of Auckland, the Diocesan Secretary Kevin Third and Archdeacon Carole Hughes.

Special thanks are due to the Rt Revd John Paterson and all the members of the Local Arrangements Committee who have carried responsibility for this meeting for many months.

The ACC's meeting had the privilege and pleasure of visiting Turangawaewae on Thursday, November 1 (All Saints Day) and all were welcomed by King Tuheitia, the Kahui Ariki and the Iwi of Waikato Tainui. ACC-15 expresses its deep appreciation for the warm and gracious welcome by the King.

Cathedral
We are overwhelmingly grateful to the Very Revd Jo Kelly-Moore, the Dean of the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity which was our sacred space.  Thanks beyond measure the Chapter, especially the Precentor the Revd Howard Leigh, the Revd Sarah Stevens, the musicians, office and Resource Centre staff, especially events managers Sarah Harris and Gill Blackler, We thank Mark Crowther, Barbara Wesseldine and Jane Bellamy, facilities team, volunteers and all members of the congregation.  The Cathedral and St Mary’s Church gathered us in all of our worship, from the splendid opening Eucharist to the daily offices and Eucharist.  We thank the other members of the chaplaincy team Revd Jenny Quince, Revd Dr Peter Wensor, Revd Rob McKay, Revd Orisi Vuki and Revd Lui Tuilotolava.  In particular, we want to thank the parishioners of the Cathedral for their generous gift to the members of the ACC which made it possible for all who wished to  go on one of the excursions on Saturday afternoon.

We are grateful for the work of Dr Jenny Plane Te Paa and her team of Dr Helen-Ann Hartley, the Ven Dr Lynda Patterson, the Revd Amy Chambers and the Rev Sarah Park who prepared and led us in our daily Bible studies on II Corinthians.
Welcome and Hosted Meals
On the opening day we were welcomed in a Powhiri for which we thank the hosts and the Mayor of Auckland Len Brown who so generously provided a civic lunch for our first meal together. We thank the young people and children of the Anglican schools who led us in, sang for us and posed difficult questions to three of our Primates.  We thank Bishop Kitohi for organizing our own singing, thus contributing to our building of relationships with each other.
On three occasions we were welcomed to dinner: by Tikanga Maori, for whom we especially thank the Auckland Maori Mission, by Tikanga Pasefika, for whom we especially thank Archbishop Winston Halapua and all his people, and by Tikanga Pakeha, for whom we especially thank Archdeacon Carole Hughes and the people of the New Zealand Dioceses.

Volunteers
We thank the Stewards, led by Ellen Bernstein who helped us with so many things: welcoming us each morning, coping with rebellious photocopy machines, distributing papers, driving us to and from our hotels, and running errands,  We thank them for the sign in their meeting area which read ‘Please join in ALL the singing and dancing.’ We thank the security staff led by Canon Lloyd Popata and Sergeants Paddy Whiu and Wayne Panapa.
We thank the many volunteers from parishes in the Diocese of Auckland  who assisted in so many ways, especially those who served morning coffee and afternoon tea.  We are grateful to those congregations which received us on All Saints Sunday and with whom we had energizing conversations about the mission of God in our ‘mission encounters’.  Thanks are due to those who organized transportation to and from the airport, John and Christine Payne and Diane Clarke.

While members of ACC-15 were kept busy with the business of the Council, those accompanying them enjoyed a programme of excursions which enabled them to see more of the life the North Island. We thank all those who planned and led these trips, especially Marion Paterson and Paul Kelly-Moore. We were grateful for the presence with us for the first part of the meeting of Dr Jane Williams.
Hotel Staff
The hotel staffs at the Quality Inn Parnell, the Auckland Rose Park Hotel and the Chalet Chevron  cared for our physical needs and were most attentive  to our welfare.  We thank them for their excellent and abundant food and for their cheerful spirit.  We especially thank Wayne  Darbyshire, General Manager, Reservations & Catering Managers and staff Sylvia Blundell, Josie Barreto, Litty Roberts and Phil Spathis.

We give glory to God for the gifts of all these people who have shared so generously with us throughout our time in this beautiful land.
Tena koutou! Tena koutou! Tena koutou katoa!
Expression of thanks:
ACC-15 gives thanks to God for the work of all those who have contributed to this meeting and to the work of the ACC since ACC-14 in Jamaica, especially the President, the Most Revd and Rt Hon Dr Rowan Williams. We express heartfelt appreciation for the contributions of the Archbishop of Canterbury throughout this meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council: his sermon at the opening Eucharist, his extended reflection on II Corinthians on the quiet morning, his insights about family violence, the environment and Christian witness in a multi-faith society during the three public sessions, and his exposition on authority in his Presidential Address, and his wholehearted participation in the whole life of this meeting.  Dioch yn fawr iawn!
We thank:
the Chair, the Rt Revd James Tengatenga; the Vice Chair, Canon Elizabeth Paver; the Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, Canon Kenneth Kearon; the members of the Standing Committee 2009-2012 and especially those who have completed their terms:  Philippa Amable, María Cristina Borges Álvarez, Tony Fitchett, Kumara Ilangasinghe, Stanley Isaacs and Janet Trisk;  Robert Fordham and the members of the Inter-Anglican Finance Committee 2009-2012; and John Rees, the ACC Legal Advisor.
Staff
We are particularly grateful to Stephen Lyon whose imaginative design and exceptional organizational skills created the space for the Council to conduct its business and do its consultative work well. 
We are grateful for the work of all the staff the Anglican Communion Office, Lambeth Palace and co-opted staff who assisted with the preparation for this meeting and worked during it.  We extend particular thanks to Lynne Butt who managed the exceptionally complicated travel arrangements and helped with the obtaining of visas, and to Stuart Buchanan who was prevented by illness from attending the meeting.  Thanks to those who worked here in Auckland:  Michael Ade, Alyson Barnett-Cowan, Rachel Chardon, Christine Codner, Paul Feheley, Jeff Goliher, Yoshimi Gregory, Phil Groves, John Kafwanka, Sally Keeble, Fiona Millican, Sue Parks, Angharad Parry Jones,Terrie Robinson, Tim Trimble, Joanna Udal and Neil Vigers.
Thanks to the translators Paul Cho, Sam Held, Margaret Lockstone, Sarah Patten, Anthea Delugar and Sister Dorothea.
Members of ACC
Thanks to members of the Council who had particular responsibility during this meeting:
Philippa Amable, the Chair of the Resolutions Committee and its members Garth Blake, Josephine Hicks and John Stuart; the facilitators of the Reflection Groups Helen Biggin, Herman Browne, Joanildo Burity, Dickson Chilongani, Sarah Macneil, Sue Moxley; convenors of the ecumenical self-select sessions Helen Biggin, Moses Chin, Maurice Elliott, Peter Elliott,  Paul Kwong and Ulla Monberg.
Ecumenical Participants
We were blessed by the presence among us of six ecumenical participants, who cheerfully gave a long period of time to live in the midst of our Anglican family and to contribute in so many ways to the life and work of the meeting:  Revd Professor Robert Gribben representing the World Methodist Council, Revd Dr Dong-Sung Kim representing the World Council of Churches, Monsignor Mark Langham representing  the Roman Catholic Church, Bishop Philip Lok representing the Lutheran World Federation, Fr Paul Patitsas representing the Ecumenical Patriarchate  and the Rt Revd Dirk Jan Schoon, a bishop in full communion representing the Old Catholic Churches of the Union of Utrecht.  We appreciate the greetings they brought us from Cardinal Kurt Koch, Prefect of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity; the Revd Martin Junge, General Secretary of the Lutheran World Federation; His All Holiness Bartholomew, Ecumenical Patriarch; and Archbishop  Joris Vercammen, Archbishop of Utrecht.
Networks
The meeting was enriched by the presence for the first part of the meeting of many representatives of the Networks of the Anglican Communion and we thank them through their team leaders:  Ann Skamp, Catherine Graham, Alan Crouch, Pierre Whalon, Virginia Doctor, John Rea, Ken Gray, Garth Blake, Delene Mark and Jamie Callaway. We thank also Claudette Kigeme who represented the We Will Speak Out Coalition.
Above all we give glory and praise to God for many gifts of grace through all this time.

 

Appendix

 

A Letter to the Churches of the Anglican Communion from the Primates of
the Anglican Communion following their Primates’ Meeting in Dublin, Ireland,
between 24 and 30 January 2011

 

During our meeting we discussed the nature and prevalence of gender based violence.¹  Building on consideration of the issue during the Council of Anglican Provinces in Africa (CAPA) conference of bishops in 2010, we shared stories of violence against women and girls from both the southern and northern hemispheres, including an account of unremitting sexual violence against women and girls in the Democratic Republic of Congo as a legacy of conflict, and of domestic and many other forms of abuse in the United Kingdom and other parts of the world. We acknowledged with grief that gender based violence is a global phenomenon and that all but a very small percentage of such violence is perpetrated by men against women, with devastating effects on individuals, families and society.

In considering the pervasive nature of violence against women and girls, our churches must accept responsibility for our own part in perpetuating oppressive attitudes towards women. In penitence and faith we must move forward in such a way that our churches truly become a living witness to our belief that both women and men are made in the image of God. To think and behave in ways that do not live out this belief but disempower and marginalise, is to mar the divine image and therefore to offend humanity and God.

In recent years we have seen a growing resolve in the Anglican Communion to engage with the eradication of gender based violence. In 2009 the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC) resolved to support the elimination of all forms of violence against women and girls and encouraged all Provinces to participate in programmes and events that promote the rights and welfare of women, particularly as expressed in the Beijing Platform for Action and the Millennium Development Goals. The ACC also called on the churches to take appropriate steps to assist the healing of indigenous families, including the protection of women and children from violence and human trafficking.²   The bishops gathered at the Lambeth Conferences of 1998 and 2008 considered violence within and beyond the Church and asked the churches to engage in raising public awareness about the victimisation and exploitation of women and children. We noted that several of the official Anglican Networks have raised violence against women and girls as a priority issue for their own memberships and for the broader Communion.

We were heartened to know that there is an increasing amount of work being undertaken in the Communion as churches engage with awareness raising, advocacy, changing attitudes and behaviours that lead to violence, the care and reintegration into society of victims/survivors of violence, and work with perpetrators of violence. We thank God for these efforts and rejoice in them, and we commit to strengthening our mission and ministry in these areas.

 

_______________________________________
1 Defined by the United Nations in 1993 as ‘…violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivations of liberty, whether occurring in public or private life.’
2 ACC Resolutions 14.33: International Anglican Women’s Network, and 14.19: Anglican Indigenous Network

To this end we have asked the Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, in association with the Networks and the Anglican Alliance, to continue to map activities already responding to gender based violence, and to identify theological and practical resources and consider how these might be made broadly available for reference and adaptation in other local contexts.
As individual Primates we are committed, in each of our Provinces, to raise the profile of Millennium Development Goal 3 (‘Promote gender equality and empower women’); to affirm and pray for God’s blessing on initiatives already in place in our dioceses and parishes in response to violence against women and girls; to gather other church and faith leaders together to discern what we might say and do together; and to attend to the training of clergy and pastors so that they are aware of the nature and dynamics of gendered violence and how certain attitudes and behaviours can be challenged and transformed. We are also committed to ensuring the development and accessibility of local, contextual and accessible resources, including liturgies, for example, for 25 November which is the annual International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women as well as White Ribbon Day,³ and the first day of the global ‘16 Days Activism for the Elimination of Violence against Women’. Furthermore, through teaching and example, we will work with our young people so that our boys and girls, young men and young women, are enabled to honour themselves and one another as human beings cherished equally by God, and empowered to be agents of change among their peers.

 

_______________________________________
3 White Ribbon is a movement of men and boys against violence against women and girls.