The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has received the resignation of the presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church (USA), Bishop Frank Griswold, as Anglican Co–chair of the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission. Following recent events in the life of ECUSA, Bishop Griswold has written to the Archbishop of Canterbury to announce his decision, in the interests of “not jeopardizing the present and future life and work of the Commission“. In his response, Archbishop Williams thanked Bishop Griswold for his “outstanding labour and commitment.” The text of the letters is below.

ARCIC began work in 1970, following the historic meeting of Archbishop Michael Ramsey and Pope Paul VI in Rome in 1966. It has produced agreed statements on many of the questions that have divided the Roman Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion, particularly in the areas of Eucharist, Ministry and Authority. Bishop Griswold has been the Anglican Co–chair since 1998. The Roman Catholic co–chair is Archbishop Alex Brunett, Archbishop of Seattle. A new Anglican co–chair will be appointed by the Archbishop of Canterbury, after consultation with the Secretary General of the Anglican Consultative Council.