Draft Programme for ARCIC III

The Informal Talks between representatives of the Roman Catholic Church and of the Anglican Communion have produced this draft programme for the next phase of the work of the Anglican Roman Catholic International Commission:

Pope Benedict XVI and Archbishop Rowan Williams said in a Common Declaration in November 2006
“It is a matter of urgency… that in renewing our commitment to pursue the path towards full visible Communion in the truth and love of Christ, we also commit ourselves in our continuing dialogue to address the important issues involved in the emerging ecclesiological and ethical factors making that journey more difficult and arduous.”

When they met in Rome in November 2009, the Pope and the Archbishop of Canterbury said that they looked forward to the establishment of a third phase of international theological dialogue. In the light of their shared will to continue and to consolidate the ecumenical relationship between Catholics and Anglicans, the Preparatory Commission for the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC III) formulated this mandate in terms which the Standing Committee of the Anglican Communion and the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity now present:

The Standing Committee of the Anglican Communion and the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity thank the Lord for the work achieved by the previous phases of the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission. Our journey towards reconciliation involves various tasks being carried out at different levels of the Church’s life. At an international level these include theological dialogue; promoting forms of collaboration and shared witness in facing contemporary challenges; and consultation on matters which are not communion-dividing but which are vital for common mission and witness. Of these three tasks, ARCIC III should continue engagement in theological reflection. This work is only one component in the larger task of furthering relations between our two Communions, which continues to be taken forward by the International Anglican-Roman Catholic Commission on Unity and Mission (IARCCUM) and other regional, national, and local bodies.

At this point in our ecumenical journey, we now charge the Commission to undertake a third phase of its work.

From the beginning of the dialogue, the commitment of the Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church has been to seek “restoration of complete communion in faith and sacramental life”. This goal and this commitment have not changed. Nevertheless, we charge ARCIC to re-examine how, in the light of our common journey over more than forty years, this goal is understood and this commitment pursued today.

We ask the Commission to promote the reception of its previous work by presenting the previous work of ARCIC as a corpus, with appropriate introduction.

ARCIC has worked with a characteristic method. To quote the Gift of Authority, “From the beginning of its work, ARCIC has considered questions of Church teaching or practice in the context of our real but imperfect communion in Christ and the visible unity to which we are called. The Commission has always sought to get behind opposed and entrenched positions to discover and develop our common inheritance.” ARCIC III is asked to continue to work in this way on the basis of the Gospels and the ancient common Tradition.

On the basis of the Common Declaration of Pope Benedict and Archbishop Williams we affirm the two interrelated areas as critical for further work: the Church as Communion, local and universal, and how in communion the local and universal Church come to discern right ethical teaching. In both areas, the Commission is asked to build on what is already in the agreed statements of the first two phases of dialogue.

As we announce the continuation of ARCIC, and considering the challenges facing all Christian communities today, we offer encouragement in the words of Colossians 3:17, “Whatever you do in word or deed, do everything in the name of Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God the Father in him.”