Resolutions

  1. Resolution 16.01: Intentional Discipleship
  2. Resolution 16.02: Women and Men in Church and Society
  3. Resolution 16.03: Gender Equality and Justice
  4. Resolution 16.04: Statements from Anglican delegations to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women
  5. Resolution 16.05: Representation at the United Nations in Geneva and New York
  6. Resolution 16.06: International Anglican Family Network
  7. Resolution 16.07: Anglican Lusophone Network
  8. Resolution 16.08: Response to Global Climate Change
  9. Resolution 16.09: Out of the Depths: Hope in Times of Suffering
  10. Resolution 16.10: Anglican inter faith engagement
  11. Resolution 16.11: Continuing Indaba
  12. Resolution 16.12: Anglican Alliance
  13. Resolution 16.13: Anglican-Methodist relations
  14. Resolution 16.14: Anglican-Oriental Orthodox relations
  15. Resolution 16.15: Anglican-Orthodox relations
  16. Resolution 16.16: The Five-Hundredth Anniversary of the Reformation
  17. Resolution 16.17: Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification
  18. Resolution 16.18: Anglican-Lutheran relations
  19. Resolution 16.19: Receiving One Another's Ordained Ministry
  20. Resolution 16.20: A Mission-Shaped Communion
  21. Resolution 16.21: Instruments of Communion: Gifts, Signs, and Stewardship
  22. Resolution 16.22: Exploration of dialogues with Evangelical and Pentecostal Churches
  23. Resolution 16.23: Translations and versions of the Bible
  24. Resolution 16.24: Walking Together
  25. Resolution 16.25: Safe Church Commission
  26. Resolution 16.26: Anglican Communion Safe Church Charter
  27. Resolution 16.27: Protocol for the disclosure of ministry suitability information
  28. Resolution 16.28: Safe Church and the Lambeth Conference in 2020
  29. Resolution 16.29: Communications
  30. Resolution 16.30: Translation
  31. Resolution 16.31: Strategic Planning for the Anglican Consultative Council
  32. Resolution 16.32: The Church of Ceylon
  33. Resolution 16.33: Reducing ACC Carbon Footprint
  34. Resolution 16.34: Anglican Youth Network
  35. Resolution 16.35: Youth Representation on the Anglican Consultative Council
  36. Resolution 16.36: Ensuring both continuity and turnover of the leadership of the Anglican Consultative Council
  37. Resolution 16.37: Resourcing the ACO and Lambeth Conference
  38. Resolution 16.38: Anglican Congress
  39. Resolution 16.39: Solidarity with Burundi
  40. Resolution 16.40: Support for South Sudan
  41. Resolution 16.41: Support for the Anglican Province of Southern Africa
  42. Resolution 16.42: Solidarity with Pakistan
  43. Resolution 16.43: Asia Bibi
  44. Resolution 16.44: Constitution of the ACC
  45. Resolution 16.45: Thanks

A. The Marks of Mission

Resolution 16.01: Intentional Discipleship

The Anglican Consultative Council

  1. acknowledges with gratitude the work of the Anglican Witness Core Group accomplished in the last six years and particularly the work of advancing discipleship; and
  2. in light of the Gospel and theological imperative to make disciples, recognizes the need for every province, diocese and parish in the Anglican Communion to adopt a clear focus on intentional discipleship and to produce resources to equip and enable the whole church to be effective in making new disciples of Jesus Christ; and
  3. requests the Standing Committee to work with the Secretary General and Mission Department to effect a Season of Intentional Discipleship for a period covering ACCs 16, 17,18; and report back at ACC-17 on progress.
  4. commends the report, Intentional Discipleship and Disciple making—an Anglican Guide to Christian Life and Formation, for study across the Anglican Communion.

Resolution 16.02: Women and Men in Church and Society

The Anglican Consultative Council

urges the provinces of the Anglican Communion to continue to work at empowering girls and boys, women and men to live and work in relationships that reflect Christian values of love, dignity, and justice, by;

  • fostering awareness of harmful gender norms and cultural practices, and unjust power relations;
  • encouraging and supporting church leaders to take responsibility for modelling just relationships and, within their spheres of influence, for promoting gender equality, and for leading their people in challenging and ending gender-based violence in all its forms;
  • transforming structures that prevent women and girls from offering their gifts and talents in the Church and in their communities;
  • fully involving men and boys as well as women and girls in exploring and redefining just and equal gender relationships;
  • exploring how liturgies, contextual Bible study and existing ministries such as preparation for Baptism, Confirmation and Marriage can serve in the promotion of right relationship and intergenerational teaching about the God-given dignity and status of all persons.

Resolution 16.03: Gender Equality and Justice

The Anglican Consultative Council

  1. recommits itself to resolutions ACC13.31 and ACC14.33 calling for equal representation of women in decision-making bodies; to ACC15.07 concerning the elimination of all forms of gender-based and domestic violence; and to ACC15.10 concerning the ending and preventing of the trafficking of persons; and
  2. upholds just relationships between women and men as a reflection of our Christian belief that women and men are equally made in the divine image; and
  3. celebrates the encouraging progress made across the Anglican Communion to address key challenges to gender justice; and
  4. supports UN Sustainable Development Goal #5: ‘Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls’; and
  5. welcomes the Message to Our Church Leaders and the Anglican Consultative Council from IAWN’s South Asia consultation and commends it to all Anglican provinces for consideration and action; and
  6. requests the provinces of the Anglican Communion to
  • adopt the above resolutions
  • cooperate with the International Anglican Women's Network by nominating a provincial link to the Network, and offering financial support where possible
  • report to ACC-17 on progress.

Resolution 16.04: Statements from Anglican delegations to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women

The Anglican Consultative Council

receives and commends to the provinces of the Anglican Communion the statements from the Anglican delegations who participated in the 59th session (March 2015) and 60th session (March 2016) of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, specifically

  • Appendix 1: The Statement to the Anglican Consultative Council from the Anglican Communion delegations to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women.
  • Appendix 2: The Statement to the Anglican Consultative Council meeting in Lusaka, April 2016.

Resolution 16.05: Representation at the United Nations in Geneva and New York

The Anglican Consultative Council

  1. acknowledges the importance of representation of the ACC to the UN Institutions in Geneva and New York; and
  2. recognizes the ACC’s engagement with the many and different programmes of the UN, including UN High Commissioner for Refugees, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, World Health Organisation and UNAIDS, and the World Food Programme, United Nations Climate Change Conference (UNCCC), UNICEF, United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Peoples, the United Nations Development Programme United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP); and
  3. encourages the provinces of the Anglican Communion to engage with and support this work.

Resolution 16.06: International Anglican Family Network

The Anglican Consultative Council

  1. welcomes the work done by the International Anglican Family Network (IAFN) as it networks across the Communion to celebrate the God-given potential of the family as a source of thriving relationships, identity, belonging, discipleship and reconciliation; and
  2. calls on the provinces of the Anglican Communion to support IAFN in its efforts to
  • safeguard children’s identity, dignity and security through practical means such as birth registration and in responding to the abuse of trafficking and any other form of exploitation
  • strengthen the family as a foundation for human flourishing and to build up resilience to cope with change and challenge
  • work for reconciliation and justice in the home and the community.

Resolution 16.07: Anglican Lusophone Network

The Anglican Consultative Council:

  1. celebrates the emergence of the Anglican Lusophone Network (ALN); and
  2. recognizes the Anglican Lusophone Network as a network of the Anglican Communion; and
  3. looks forward to the contribution of this network to the Anglican Communion’s participation in God’s mission.

Resolution 16.08: Response to Global Climate Change

The Anglican Consultative Council

  1. receives and commends for study The World Is Our Host: A Call to Urgent Action for Climate Justice, a statement from seventeen Anglican archbishops and bishops who met at Volmoed, South Africa, February 2015;
  2. notes the dire consequences of climate change for future generations and for all of God’s creation;
  3. recognizes the global urgency of the crisis of climate change and its impact on the well-being of all people, especially the most vulnerable in societies;
  4. encourages Anglicans everywhere to join in pastoral, priestly, and prophetic action as we seek together the redemption of all things in Christ by:
    • praying and fasting, including special fasts on the first day of each month and a ‘carbon fast’ during Lent;
    • designing and taking strategic actions toward sustainability and resilience in our dioceses, communities and congregations, taking into account local ecological and economic contexts and opportunities;
    • reviewing and making necessary changes to church investments to ensure these are visibly supportive of a move towards a low carbon economy;
    • making energy efficiency and access to renewable energy a priority in all church operations;
    • teaching the Fifth Mark of Mission in theological and church-sponsored educational bodies;
    • urging political, economic, social, and religious leaders in our various constituencies to address the climate change crisis as the most pressing moral issue of our day consistent with the United Nations’ 21st Climate Change Conference, Paris 2015;
    • recognizing and supporting indigenous peoples’ right to free, prior and informed consent in decisions concerning the environment and the well-being of communities; and
    • advocating for sustainable water, food, and agricultural practices in our communities consistent with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
  5. requests provinces of the Anglican Communion to consider appointing a contact person to the Anglican Communion Environmental Network who will report to the Network on actions taken so that a full report may be made to the next ACC.

Resolution 16.09: Out of the Depths: Hope in Times of Suffering

The Anglican Consultative Council

  1. expresses its appreciation of the Anglican Inter Faith Network’s draft report, Out of the Depths: Hope in Times of Suffering; and
  2. requests that it be published by the Anglican Communion Office, (including in Urdu and Arabic), depending on financial and staff resources; and
  3. commends it to the provinces of the Anglican Communion for study.

Resolution 16.10 Anglican inter faith engagement

The Anglican Consultative Council

  1. requests the Secretary General to work with the Standing Committee, and in liaison with the office of the Archbishop of Canterbury, to establish an inter-Anglican commission on inter religious relations, once necessary funds have been secured, the brief of which shall include
    • reflecting on and coordinating experiences across the Communion of encounter and dialogue with major world faiths, including but not limited to Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Islam, and Sikhism
    • formulating strategic objectives
    • working with appropriate regard both to region and to religions
    • communicating its work regularly to all provinces
  2. reviews such a commission as to its continuation at ACC-18.

Resolution 16.11: Continuing Indaba

The Anglican Consultative Council

  1. commends the use of the learning from the Continuing Indaba process to:
    • strengthen relationships in local churches around the Anglican Communion,
    • enhance capacity to transform conflicts involving deeply-held differences,
    • support engagement between the provinces of the Anglican Communion to encourage new approaches to renewing relationships and our commitment to shared life and witness,
    • communicate how Anglicans understand and practice reconciliation so we can better help transform conflict and end violence between communities and among peoples where we find it around the world.
  2. requests the Standing Committee to review the current resourcing of this work through the Anglican Communion Office.

Resolution 16.12: Anglican Alliance

The Anglican Consultative Council

  1. affirms the work of the Anglican Alliance in
    • promoting a Christian paradigm of relief and development that responds to God’s holistic mission in the world and upholds a vision of human dignity, flourishing, interdependence and self-reliance; and
    • strengthening the connectivity and sharing of prayer, capacity, skills and resources for development, relief and advocacy through the Anglican/Episcopal family of churches, agencies and networks as part of their intentional discipleship.
  2. encourages the participation of all provinces of the Anglican Communion (and ACC members acting as a link, focal point and ambassador) in the activities of the Anglican Alliance, reaching the most remote and marginalised, by promoting two-way communication (through a variety of media and technology) of good news stories and models of good practice from around the Communion.

B Unity, Faith and Order

Resolution 16.13: Anglican-Methodist relations

The Anglican Consultative Council

  1. welcomes the report of the Anglican-Methodist International Commission for Unity and Mission—Into All the World: Being and Becoming Apostolic Churches (2014); and
  2. commends the report to the Churches of the Anglican Communion for study, action and response; and
  3. endorses the following four recommendations of AMICUM:
  • Requests the World Methodist Council and the Anglican Consultative Council to commend this report to their member churches for study, action and response.
  • In particular, requests the Councils to invite those churches which are considering moving into a relationship of communion to study and learn from the examples and precedents noted in Section 10 of this report, and to invite all churches to make use of the suggestions in the Toolkits of this report.
  • Requests the World Methodist Council and the Anglican Consultative Council to establish an Anglican-Methodist International Coordinating Committee to oversee and foster relationships between Methodist and Anglican member churches, with the following mandate:
    1. To monitor and advise upon the development of Anglican-Methodist relations around the world, giving attention to their consistency with each other and with the self-understanding of the two communions,
    2. To act as a catalyst for the development of Methodist and Anglican relations, and in particular for agreements of communion where these do not yet exist,
    3. To encourage the growth of joint life and mission, especially where there are established agreements,
    4. To arrange theological consultation as appropriate,
    5. To reflect on the responses to this report received from the member churches of the two communions, and
    6. To report on a regular basis to the two Councils.
  • Requests each Council to appoint five members representing the breadth of their respective Communions, with appropriate expertise, and to invite ecumenical participation in the committee as appropriate.

Resolution 16.14: Anglican-Oriental Orthodox relations

The Anglican Consultative Council

  1. rejoices in the work of the Anglican-Oriental Orthodox International Commission in producing an Agreed Statement on Christology; and
  2. recognizes it as a significant step of reconciliation across ancient divides; and
  3. commends the Agreed Statement on Christology to the Churches of the Communion as a means to deepen faith in our Incarnate Lord, and as an opportunity to reflect on this faith together with members of the Oriental Orthodox Churches, and with other Christians, as part of an ongoing process of reception.

Resolution 16.15: Anglican-Orthodox relations

The Anglican Consultative Council

  1. welcomes the Buffalo Statement of the International Commission for Anglican-Orthodox Theological Dialogue, In the Image and Likeness of God: A Hope-Filled Anthropology; and
  2. gives thanks for this profound exploration of what it means that God has become human not only that we may share in the divine life, but also that we may become fully human; and
  3. commends it to the provinces of the Anglican Communion as a resource for study, reflection and reception.

Resolution 16.16: The Five-Hundredth Anniversary of the Reformation

The Anglican Consultative Council

  1. recognizes the significance of the five-hundredth anniversary of the Reformation, which will be marked in 2017; and
  2. encourages Anglicans across the Communion to be a part of the commemorations by joining in shared services, undertaking study with Lutherans and other ecumenical partners, and engaging with them in mission activities; and
  3. recommends that Anglicans engage with the Lutheran World Federation’s focus: Liberated by God’s Grace.

Resolution 16.17: Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification

The Anglican Consultative Council

  1. welcomes and affirms the substance of the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification (JDDJ), signed by Lutherans and Roman Catholics in 1999; and
  2. recognizes that Anglicans have explored the doctrine of justification with both Lutherans and Roman Catholics; and
  3. recognizes that Anglicans and Lutherans share a common understanding of God’s justifying grace, as the Helsinki Report stated that we are accounted righteous and are made righteous before God only by grace through faith because of the merits of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and not on account of our works or merits; and
  4. recognizes that in 1986 the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC) produced a statement Salvation and the Church, which observed that our two Communions are agreed on the essential aspects of the doctrine of salvation and on the Church’s role within it.

Resolution 16.18: Anglican-Lutheran relations

The Anglican Consultative Council

  1. recognizes the relationships that already exist between Anglicans and Lutherans globally; and
  2. commends the steps being taken by North American, British and Irish Anglican churches, to bring the three regional agreements of Communion into relationship with each other; and
  3. encourages Anglican Churches in other regions to explore deepening relationships with churches of the Lutheran World Federation in a formal theological way following the guidelines offered in the 2012 Anglican-Lutheran International Commission report To Love and Serve the Lord.

Resolution 16.19: Receiving One Another’s Ordained Ministry

The Anglican Consultative Council

  1. receives IASCUFO’s report, Receiving One Another’s Ordained Ministry, as a resource to assist member Churches of the Anglican Communion in recognizing and receiving ordained ministry in their relationships with ecumenical partners; and
  2. commends it for study and action in the provinces of the Anglican Communion as they seek to order their ecumenical relationships.

Resolution 16.20: A Mission-Shaped Communion

The Anglican Consultative Council

  1. receives IASCUFO’s report, A Mission-Shaped Communion, as a resource to help the member churches of the Anglican Communion to appreciate deeply the gift and responsibility of the communion we share; and
  2. commends the report to the provinces of the Anglican Communion, and all the Instruments of Communion.

Resolution 16.21: Instruments of Communion: Gifts, Signs, and Stewardship

The Anglican Consultative Council

  1. receives IASCUFO’s report, Instruments of Communion: Gifts, Signs, and Stewardship, as a way to assist the provinces of the Anglican Communion in recognizing and receiving the four Instruments of Communion as gifts; and
  2. commends the report to all those who exercise leadership within the Anglican Communion with particular attention to the Instruments of Communion.

Resolution 16.22: Exploration of dialogues with Evangelical and Pentecostal Churches

The Anglican Consultative Council

  1. appreciates the work done by IASCUFO in deepening our ecumenical relationships; and
  2. notes the growth of Evangelical and Pentecostal Churches globally and the emergence of the Global Christian Forum; and
  3. urges the Department for Unity, Faith and Order to explore the potential for dialogues with Evangelical and Pentecostal Churches.

Resolution 16.23: Translations and versions of the Bible

The Anglican Consultative Council

  1. notes that there is a proliferation of Bible versions in English in the world today, used for translation into local vernaculars, which are not based on the original biblical languages; and
  2. invites provinces of the Anglican Communion to consult as needed with IASCUFO as to its recommendations regarding which biblical versions to use for translation purposes.

Resolution 16.24: Walking Together

The Anglican Consultative Council

  1. receives the formal report of the Archbishop of Canterbury to ACC-16 on the Primates’ Gathering and Meeting of January 2016; and
  2. affirms the commitment of the Primates of the Anglican Communion to walk together; and
  3. commits to continue to seek appropriate ways for the provinces of the Anglican Communion to walk together with each other and with the Primates and other Instruments of Communion.

C. Governance

Resolution 16.25: Safe Church Commission

The Anglican Consultative Council

requests the Secretary General to establish a Safe Church Commission, once necessary funds have been secured, upon the terms set out in the Report of the Anglican Communion Safe Church Network including

  • to identify policies and procedures currently in place for the safety of persons in the provinces of the Anglican Communion; and
  • to develop guidelines to enhance the safety of all persons especially children, young people and vulnerable adults, within the provinces of the Anglican Communion for consideration by the Anglican Consultative Council at its the next meeting, and thereafter for implementation, as far as practicable, by each province; and
  • to develop resources for the effective implementation of the guidelines in the provinces.

Resolution 16.26: Anglican Communion Safe Church Charter

The Anglican Consultative Council

  1. reaffirms its commitment in Resolution 15.09, to promoting the physical, emotional and spiritual welfare and safety of all people, especially children, young people and vulnerable adults, in the provinces of the Anglican Communion through the Charter for the Safety of People within the Churches of the Anglican Communion.
  2. recognizes that this Charteris a practical expression of walking together in the service of God in the world.
  3. requests each province of the Anglican Communion to report to ACC-17 as to the steps taken to adopt and implement the Charter.

Resolution 16.27: Protocol for the disclosure of ministry suitability information

The Anglican Consultative Council:

  1. welcomes the Protocol for disclosure of ministry suitability information between the churches of the Anglican Communion set out in the Report of the Anglican Communion Safe Church Network; and
  2. requests the Secretary General to provide a template of forms as a resource for the provinces to enable implementation; and
  3. requests each province of the Anglican Communion to implement the Protocol, and report to the next meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council.

Resolution 16.28: Safe Church and the Lambeth Conference in 2020

The Anglican Consultative Council

requests the Archbishop of Canterbury to consider including in the programme for the Lambeth Conference in 2020 a session on the Anglican Communion Safe Church Charter.

Resolution 16.29: Communications

The Anglican Consultative Council

  1. recognizes the vital role of Communications in a digital age; and
  2. encourages the Standing Committee to support the Communications Department in seeking new ways to tell our story to the world.

Resolution 16.30 Translation

The Anglican Consultative Council

  1. reaffirms Resolution 15.31 as regards the translation of key documents; and
  2. requests the Secretary General to explore the development of an efficient and cost-effective translation service for documents and other media deemed important for all Anglicans into the following languages: French, Spanish, Portuguese, Swahili; and
  3. requests a report to the next meeting of the Standing Committee.

Resolution 16.31: Strategic Planning for the Anglican Consultative Council

The Anglican Consultative Council

  1. acknowledges the work being done by the Standing Committee in a strategic planning process; and
  2. encourages the Standing Committee to continue to develop this work by consulting with the members of the ACC and their provinces, as well as the Networks and Commissions of the Anglican Communion; and
  3. urges that the strategic plan be completed by 1 May 2017; and
  4. welcomes the support of the Compass Rose Society in accomplishing this work.

Resolution 16.32: The Church of Ceylon

The Anglican Consultative Council

  1. notes the resolution of the General Assembly of the Church of Ceylon and its aspiration to regulate its own affairs and govern itself independent of the metropolitical authority of the Archbishop of Canterbury; and
  2. welcomes the formation of a Commission by the Church of Ceylon to consult widely and further this work; and
  3. affirms its support for the Church of Ceylon as it makes this journey; and
  4. requests the Standing Committee in considering any future request to take into account the unique situation of this national church which is passionately engaged in the work of reconciliation especially as it emerges from a long period of civil war.

Resolution 16.33: Reducing ACC Carbon Footprint

The Anglican Consultative Council

  1. notes the high carbon footprint occasioned by travel related to meetings of the Anglican Communion; and
  2. appreciates the current use of electronic meetings and commits itself to reducing its carbon footprint by further utilising electronic meetings whenever possible; and
  3. urges the Finance Committee to direct monies saved by such meetings to the Anglican Alliance in their efforts address the world refugee crisis and human suffering as a result of conflict and drought.

Resolution 16.34: Anglican Youth Network

The Anglican Consultative Council

  1. celebrates the importance of young people in God’s mission and their witness to the Gospel in a world marked by deep divisions; and
  2. acknowledges their energy, creativity and determination in evangelism and in their baptismal commitment for service in the world; and
  3. challenges the provinces of the Anglican Communion to include young people in the decision-making and programmes; and
  4. commits itself to finding ways to include more young people in its life and work; and
  5. urges the provinces of the Anglican Communion to support those committed to the renewal of an Anglican Youth Network, by providing spiritual, financial and structural efforts for this purpose; and
  6. requests the Secretary General to consult with the Youth members of ACC-16 to effect this resolution.

Resolution 16.35: Youth Representation on the Anglican Consultative Council

The Anglican Consultative Council

requests that the Standing Committee consider changes to the Constitution to allow for Youth membership of the Council, consisting of one Youth member from each of the five regions as reflected in the current regional representation of the Primates’ Meeting Standing Committee.

Resolution 16.36: Ensuring both continuity and turnover of the leadership of the Anglican Consultative Council

The Anglican Consultative Council

  1. recognizes the importance of both continuity and renewal in the membership of the Standing Committee and its Chair and Vice-Chair; and
  2. urges the Standing Committee, in consultation with its legal adviser, to consider amendments to the Constitution in order:
    • to ensure that the terms of the Chair and Vice-Chair are staggered (so that both officers are not elected for the same term at the same plenary session)
    • that the other elected members of the Standing Committee can serve for specific staggered terms (so that both continuity and renewal can be achieved at relevant plenary sessions).
  3. requests that these proposed amendments to the Constitution re presented to the Members for approval at ACC -17 so that they may be implemented accordingly.

Resolution 16.37: Resourcing the ACO and Lambeth Conference

The Anglican Consultative Council

  1. reaffirms Resolution 12.33 which urges each province of the Anglican Communion to identify an Anglican Communion Sunday, for the purpose of raising awareness of the Anglican Communion and for providing financial resources for the inter-Anglican budget; and
  2. invites the provinces of the Anglican Communion to stipulate the Sunday closest to the Feast of Saint Augustine of Canterbury (26 May ) as Anglican Communion Sunday to celebrate and pray for the Anglican Communion; and
  3. requests each diocese of the provinces of the Anglican Communion to budget for their participation in the forthcoming Lambeth Conference; and
  4. reaffirms Resolutions 10.27 and 15.22 and calls upon all provinces of the Anglican Communion to contribute financially to the budget of the Anglican Consultative Council; and
  5. urges the Standing Committee to consider a reduction in days of ACC-17 as a cost-saving measure.

Resolution 16.38: Anglican Congress

The Anglican Consultative Council

  1. believes that an Anglican Congress emphasizing the participation of laity, young people and women would foster the relational nature of our life together in the Anglican Communion and support intentional discipleship in a world of differences; and
  2. reiterates the resolutions of ACCs 10.31, 11.14, 12.35 and 13.13, calling for an Anglican Congress in the Anglican Communion; and
  3. urges the President and the Secretary General to pursue the feasibility of a holding a global Anglican Congress by the end of 2025; and
  4. requests the Standing Committee to address progress on the planning of such an Anglican Congress at each of its annual meetings and report directly to the Members of the Anglican Consultative Council on the status of the Anglican Congress immediately following each Standing Committee meeting.

D. Solidarity

Resolution 16.39: Solidarity with Burundi

The Anglican Consultative Council

  1. expresses solidarity and support for the Anglican Church of Burundi as it continues to strive for justice, peace and reconciliation for all God’s people in its region; and
  2. expresses particular thanksgiving for the leadership of the Anglican Primate of Burundi and other Christian leaders; and
  3. calls upon people to work for unity, peace and stability; and
  4. encourages all stakeholders to hold an inclusive and sincere dialogue between all Burundians for a sustainable peace in Burundi; and
  5. supports the programme for a Truth and Reconciliation Commission; and
  6. draws attention to the ongoing humanitarian needs of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs); and
  7. expresses sympathy to families who have lost loved ones; and
  8. calls upon all parties to end violence.

Resolution 16.40: Support for South Sudan

The Anglican Consultative Council

  1. prays for peace and reconciliation in South Sudan; and
  2. prays for Bishop Gwynne College.

Resolution 16.41: Support for the Anglican Province of Southern Africa

The Anglican Consultative Council

expresses solidarity and support for the Anglican Province of Southern Africa as they continue in the ‘new struggle’ for equality of opportunity for all God’s people in their region with particular thanksgiving for the leadership of the Anglican Primate of Southern Africa and other Christian leaders.

Resolution 16.42: Solidarity with Pakistan

The Anglican Consultative Council

  1. reaffirms Resolution 15.28 on Religious Minorities in Pakistan; and
  2. expresses solidarity with all persecuted churches in Pakistan.

Resolution 16.43: Asia Bibi

The Anglican Consultative Council

  1. stands in solidarity and prayer with Asia Bibi, convicted under the Pakistani blasphemy law 295c, who remains in prison; and
  2. urges that her case be re-investigated and that she be honourably acquitted; and
  3. 3. stands in solidarity and prayer with other victims of law 295c & d.

Resolution 16.44

The Anglican Consultative Council, in accordance with Article 27.3 of its Constitution

  1. approves the following amendment to the Constitution (as a new Article 12.7):

    12.7 A general meeting of the Standing Committee, including an annual general meeting if the Trustee-Members consider it appropriate, may be held in electronic form, and the Standing Committee may make any necessary procedural rules or guidelines as to the conduct of such a meeting

  2. requests the Standing Committee to give effect to this amendment in accordance with English law.

Resolution 16.45: Thanks

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

We thank the HE Edgar Chagwa Lungu, President of the Republic of Zambia, and the Rt Hon. Inonge Wina, Vice-President of the Republic of Zambia, and HE Kenneth Kaunda, for the honour of their presence with us at the meeting.

The Church of the Province of Central Africa

As the meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council held in Lusaka comes to a close, all involved in the meeting wish to say that our hearts are full of gratitude and joy. We have been received with overwhelming love, generosity and hospitality. We express our deep gratitude to all lay people, clergy and bishops who have received us and accompanied us during our meeting, including those who travelled from Botswana, Malawi, Zimbabwe, and other parts of Zambia to be with us for the opening Eucharist and celebration. The opening Eucharist and presentations provided us with a window into the sheer joy, enthusiasm and life of Anglicans in Central Africa.

We thank the Primate, the Most Revd Albert Chama, the Bishop of Lusaka, the Rt Revd David Njovu and the staff of his office, and all other bishops of the Church of the Province of Central Africa. We thank the Provincial Secretary, the Rt Revd William Mchombo, the staff of the Provincial Office and the staff of the Zambia Anglican Council.

Enormous gratitude is due to the members of the local ACC-16 Planning Group and its teams who have carried responsibility for this meeting for many months.

Cathedral of the Holy Cross, Lusaka

We are grateful beyond measure to the Dean of the Cathedral of the Holy Cross, the Very Revd Canon Charley Thomas, the Cathedral Council, the Cathedral Chapter House, and all the parishioners of the Cathedral. We also thank the City Canon, the Revd Canon Emmanuel Chikoya, and the chaplaincy team. The cathedral has been our sacred space both for worship and for the business of our meeting.

Welcome and support

We thank sincerely the many teams that made us feel welcome, cared for, at home, and well resourced. These included the logistics and transport; medical; hospitality; public relations; protocol; security; opening Eucharist, and the Saturday Conference teams and their sub-committees.

Stewards, Ushers and Volunteers

We thank the Stewards, Ushers and Volunteers who have helped us in so many ways and who remained attentive and cheerful throughout.

Youth

We benefitted so much from the energy and vibrancy that young people bought to our meeting, beginning with a pre-ACC Youth Conference on Intentional Discipleship and Green Young Anglicans, and carrying on through our worship and the Saturday Conference. We owe them our gratitude.

Bible Study

We are grateful to the group that collaborated to produce the ACC-16 Bible Studies on the Book of Ruth, which grounded the business of each day in Scripture.

Mission Encounters

We are immensely grateful to the congregations who welcomed us to their joyful services during the second Sunday of our meeting, for their wonderful hospitality and for conversations on mission and discipleship.

Choirs

We offer special thanks for the gift of music which has given praise to God and served us so well throughout our meeting, during the opening Eucharist, our daily worship, the evening receptions, the Saturday Conference and in the parishes we visited.

Hotel Management and Staff

We thank the Management and Staff of the Taj Pamodzi and the Southern Sun Ridgeway who cared for our physical needs and were most attentive to our welfare. We thank them for their excellent food and for their kindness.

Expression of thanks

ACC-16 gives thanks to God for the work of all those who have contributed to this meeting and to the work of the ACC, especially the President, the Most Revd and Rt Hon Justin Welby. We express heartfelt appreciation for the contributions of the Archbishop of Canterbury throughout this ACC meeting, including his sermon at the opening Eucharist, and his exposition in his Presidential Address on intentional discipleship, religiously motivated violence and climate change, his report on the Primates’ Gathering and Meeting, and his unreserved participation in the whole life of this meeting. We thank Mrs Caroline Welby for her presence with us.

On completing their terms, we offer our deepest gratitude to the Chair, the Rt Revd James Tengatenga and the Vice-Chair, Canon Elizabeth Paver, for their faithful service to the Anglican Consultative Council.

We thank:

the Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, Archbishop Josiah Idowu-Fearon; the members of the Standing Committee and especially those who have completed their terms: Mrs Helen Biggin; Professor Joanildo Burity; the Rt Revd Dr Ian T. Douglas; the Rt Revd Dr Sarah Macneil, and Mr Samuel Mukunya, the members of the Inter-Anglican Finance Committee 2012-2016, and the legal adviser for this meeting, Darren Oliver. We also acknowledge with gratitude Canon John Rees’ continuing and valuable support.

Staff

We are particularly grateful to Stephen Lyon whose organizational skills and hard work led to a programme which enabled the Council to consult and conduct its business effectively.

We are grateful for the work of all the staff of the Anglican Communion Office, Lambeth Palace and co-opted staff who assisted with the preparation for this meeting and worked hard during it.

ACC Members

We thank those members of the Council who had particular responsibility during this meeting: the Most Revd Dr Thabo Makgoba, Chair of the Resolutions Drafting Committee, and its members Mrs Helen Biggin, Professor Joanildo Burity, the Rt Revd Dr Ian T. Douglas, the Revd Canon Rose Hudson-Wilkin, and Ms Suzanne Lawson.

Ecumenical Participants

We were blessed by the presence among us of eight 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: Ms Natasha Klukach representing the World Council of Churches, Fr Antony Currer representing the Roman Catholic Church, Bishop Matti Repo representing the Lutheran World Federation, HE Metropolitan Seraphim of Zimbabwe representing the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Dr Femi Adeleye representing the Global Christian Forum, the Revd Chris Ferguson representing the World Communion of Reformed Churches, HG Bishop Angaelos representing the Coptic Orthodox Church, and the Rt Revd Dirk Jan Schoon, Bishop of Haarlem, 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 second part of our meeting was enriched by the presence of representatives of the Networks of the Anglican Communion and we thank them sincerely for their contributions to the programme.

Above all we give glory and praise to God for many gifts of grace through all our time together.

Zikomo kwambiri!