The Director of Ecumenical Affairs at the Anglican Communion Office (the Revd Canon Gregory K Cameron) last month reported to the Joint Standing Committee of the Primates and Anglican Consultative Council (ACC) that the current Anglican-Roman Catholic dialogue had reached a significant milestone.

In a report to the Joint Standing Committee, which was held in Canterbury in March, Canon Gregory Cameron confirmed that the Anglican – Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC) had completed its work on a document “Mary: Grace and Hope in Christ” setting out an agreed framework for the theological and devotional understanding of Mary in the Christian faith.

The Lambeth Commission today expressed its sadness over the “strident language” being used in the debate now besetting the Anglican Communion over the issues of openly gay clergy and same sex unions. In a statement following its first full plenary meeting under the chairmanship of the Most Revd Robin Eames, the Primate of all Ireland and Archbishop of Armagh, at St George’s House, Windsor, the commission sets out its work-plan for the next few months.

Due to report to the Most Revd Dr Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, in September 2004, the commission has organised small working groups to study and reflect on five key topics. The subject areas are:
Issues of process in the Anglican Communion; The nature and purposes of Communion; The obligations of Communion; Authority; The role of the instruments of unity in preserving fellowship