I. The Church's Life in the 4^th Century

     5. The fourth century was a particularly turbulent period in the Church's history, during which the Christian community was both grappling with the doctrinal crisis of Arianism and adapting to a new relationship with the State. Henry Chadwick notes that it 'was the misfortune of the fourth-century church that it became engrossed in a theological controversy at the same time as it was working out its institutional organization.'² The same could be said for the Anglican Communion today, which is in the throes of a major controversy regarding sexuality and ordination at the same time as it is seeking to develop structures to sustain an interdependent life among an ever increasing number of provinces. It is helpful to look to the Church's life in the 4^th century at a time of doctrinal crisis and to note in particular the role of councils, the responsibilities of bishops and metropolitans, and the relationship between local and universal within the koinonia of the Church.

     6. The 4^th century shows the Church's instinct to address problems by means of councils of bishops, and in this way, to hold together the Church in its local and universal expressions. The Council of Nicaea, for instance, lays down fundamental principles for episcopal life and relations, stipulating that a bishop should be ordained by all the bishops of his province, if possible, but never by less than three, and that whatever is done in a province is subject to the consent and confirmation of the metropolitan of that province (canon 4). Nicaea also acknowledged particular regional prerogatives of the bishops of Rome and Alexandria, whereby they had authority to confirm episcopal elections beyond the strict bounds of their own provinces (canon 6) . The Council of Sardica (342/3), while not accepted as a universal council, reflects the same sense of interdependence between the local and the universal. With regard to the integrity of the local church it decreed that, 'if in any province, any bishop have a cause against his brother and fellow-bishop, neither shall call in bishops from another province'.³ This measure in turn highlighted the leadership role of the metropolitan in the bishops' own province. On the other hand, Sardica reflects the importance of interdependence of local churches with the Church universal by decreeing that if an accused or deposed bishop felt himself to be misjudged, there could be an appeal to the Bishop of Rome by those who heard the case, by the neighboring bishops or by the bishop himself. If the Bishop of Rome decided that the case should be retried, he could appoint judges or send a delegate to sit with the neighboring bishops to settle the matter (canon 3).

     7. It is plain that the Church's conciliar life, which was developing at this time, did not spontaneously function in total harmony. In 4^th century practice, many councils were actually summoned by the emperor (e.g. Nicaea, 325; Constantinople, 381) or emperors (Sardica, 342/343). Moreover, a feature of the period between Nicaea and Constantinople 'was certainly the large number of controversial assemblies of bishops which were summoned by one party or the other or by the emperors themselves';⁴" the resolution of these controversies necessitated further clarification of the relationship between the local and the universal Church. Through this formative period, we can see that metropolitans undoubtedly exercised a vital role in the assurance of good order, and that important patriarchal and primatial responsibilities were beginning to be clarified for the effective living out of the Church's life of communion. Unity and interdependence were emerging as essential hallmarks of authentic koinonia. Patterned on the primordial communion of the three persons of the Holy Trinity, these hallmarks were to characterize the life of the Church at all levels.

     8. Commenting on the councils of the early Church, the Orthodox scholar, Alexander Schmemann, insists that: 'the basic truth to which all canons dealing with bishops, their consecration and their jurisdiction point and refer, is the reality of unity, as the very essence of the Church', and that 'the unity and interdependence of the bishops' is 'the form of the Church's unity'⁵." In this way, the bishop mediates his church to the wider communion of churches, and the wider communion to his own church. In the name of the Good Shepherd, he has prerogatives of leadership among his people that cannot be abdicated. The bishop is not just a chairman, but exercises his distinctive ministry of leadership in, with and among his people. Authentic koinonia has a focal point - the bishop among his people - just as the life of the Trinity is centered upon the Father. Moreover, authentic koinonia requires unity and interdependence between this focal figure and the community gathered around him. As suggested above, the early Church displayed this configuration not just within each local church but also at the regional or provincial level. The 34^th of the Apostolic Canons ca.375-380) stipulated that the bishops of every region should acknowledge the one who is first among them as their head and do nothing of consequence without his consent, as also he should do nothing without their consent, 'for so there will be unanimity and God will be glorified through Christ in the Holy Spirit'.⁶

     9. Recalling the crises, councils and canons of the 4^th century helps us to reflect on our current situation: in particular, on the role of the local bishop, and his relationship to the metropolitan and the universal Church, in safeguarding the unity of the Church. The practice of the 4^th century, which shows that, in challenging situations, consultation and conciliarity alone are not always sufficient to sustain and protect ecclesial communion, may also suggest models for the Anglican Communion as it seeks to find a way forward. In particular, it may suggest the need for some kind of right of appeal from within any Anglican province to the Archbishop of Canterbury. More broadly, it may suggest the need to strengthen both the focal role of the Primates within provinces and that of the Archbishop of Canterbury among the Primates. These would be important developments during this interim period as we continue to work towards full visible unity between the Anglican Communion and the Catholic Church. There is everything to be said for both our Communions developing a polity which is both consistent with the early Church and also consistent with the sort of Church we believe God is calling us to become together in the future.

ii. Recent Reflections on koinonia in our two Communions

     10. In order to contextualize the ARCIC material which follows, we turn now to review some of the ecclesiological themes in recent writings of both our Communions, illustrating a converging understanding about the Church as koinonia, the maintenance of communion and decision-making in communion.

     11. Each of our Communions affirms koinonia as the fundamental reality of the Church and also as the primary concept for our understanding of the life and mission of the Church, both through history and today.⁷ Since Jesus Christ is the Word of God incarnate, the life in which the Church participates, as the Body of Christ, is the life of the Trinity, which is one of perfect koinonia. Koinonia is both God's gift to us and our calling. Dependent on the Holy Spirit, we are to manifest God's life in and for the world.⁸

     12. Each of our Communions understands that koinonia is sustained and nurtured by "structures of grace", the constituent elements or bonds of communion. Each agrees that all the various elements of visible communion are gifts of the Risen Christ, bestowed through the power of the Holy Spirit, on the Church. They are not separable items but integrally related to one another. Working together they serve and protect the inner mystery of the Church's communion. By such gifts of communion, the Church is held together in the apostolic Tradition, enabled to offer united worship and praise to the Triune God, and strengthened and organized to be the sacrament of God's presence in the world.⁹

     13. Each Communion considers that it lives by these bonds of communion. Anglicans are held together in a life of visible communion by baptism, 'the confession of a common faith, the celebration of the eucharist, a life of common prayer, the service of an ordered ministry, conciliar structures, shared service and mission …These elements belong to the universal Church and are not unique to Anglicans. They are, nevertheless, lived out in a recognizably and characteristically Anglican way.¹⁰ These bonds are what Roman Catholics also indicate when they say that the unity of the Church is 'constituted by the bonds of the profession of faith, the sacraments and hierarchical communion.'¹¹ Essential to these bonds for Roman Catholics is the ministry of the Bishop of Rome and the bishops in communion with him.¹² Anglicans recognize that the constitutive elements of the Church exist in the Roman Catholic Church, while the Roman Catholic Church has acknowledged that 'some and even very many of the significant elements and endowments which together go to build up and give life to the Church itself, can exist outside the visible boundaries of the Catholic Church';¹³ or, in the words of Ut Unum Sint, that 'many elements of great value … are also found in other Christian Communities.'¹⁴

     14. Each of our Communions cherishes the ministry of episcopacy in apostolic succession as having a decisive role within the succession of communities living in fidelity to the apostolic Tradition. The episcopal ministry, exercised in a personal, collegial and communal way, nurtures the communion of the Church and safeguards the unity between local churches. Collegiality and some form of primacy are exercised in both our Communions at the different levels of the Church's life. At the world level, collegiality for Anglicans is expressed in the meeting of the Lambeth Conference. The Archbishop of Canterbury is the personal focus of unity and communion, having 'in a particular way the care of all the churches which is shared by all the bishops'. His task is 'not to command, but to gather', and within the Anglican Communion, his authority is understood as moral and not juridical. His is 'a primacy of honor'.¹⁵ Only an Archbishop of Canterbury may call bishops to a Lambeth Conference. He presides at the Conference, chairs the regular meetings of Primates and is President of the Anglican Consultative Council. For Anglicans, the communal dimension of the exercise of episcope, expressed in synods in which laity participate, is a vital part of the maintenance of communion. Roman Catholics stress that the fullness of koinonia entails the ministry of universal primacy of the Bishop of Rome, the successor of St Peter, to whom Christ entrusted all his sheep 'to be confirmed in faith and shepherded in perfect unity'. The service of unity of the Bishop of Rome is exercised by him within the college of bishops.¹⁶

     15. Each of our Communions emphasizes the interdependence of the local and the universal. Although binding decisions for Anglicans can only be made at the level of a province, there has been a growing 'sense' that matters that touch the faith, order or moral life of the Communion should be settled within the interdependent life of the Anglican Communion - and, in a divided Christendom, should be considered in a way that is open to the rest of the Church. Archbishop Robert Runcie challenged what he called 'the shibboleth of autonomy'. His speech to the 1988 Lambeth Conference was an encouragement to continue moving along a path from independence to interdependence: 'We have reached the stage of growth of the Communion when we must begin to make radical choices, or growth will imperceptibly turn to decay. I believe the choice between independence and interdependence…is quite simply the choice between unity or gradual fragmentation'.¹⁷ The Virginia Report suggests that: 'within the Anglican Communion matters which touch the communion of all the churches need to be discerned and tested within the life of the interdependence of the Provinces …'¹⁸

     16. Anglicans have developed international structures and processes for the purpose of helping them to maintain the communion of all the churches. The Lambeth Conference has served the Anglican Communion since 1867. Resolution 49 of the Conference of 1930 declared that the Churches of the Anglican Communion 'are bound together not by a central legislative and executive authority, but by mutual loyalty sustained through the common counsel of the bishops in conference.' Two newer organs, the Anglican Consultative Council and the Primates' Meeting also have a part to play, along with the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Lambeth Conference, in the Anglican Communion's discernment of what is faithful to the Apostolic tradition on matters which touch the unity of the Church. Decision-making entails consultation, dialogue, discernment and reception and involves those with a special ministry of oversight and the whole people of God.

     17. Roman Catholics hold to 'the very ancient discipline whereby the bishops installed throughout the whole world lived in communion with one another and with the Roman Pontiff in a bond of unity, charity and peace', and also maintain the practice of holding councils wherein profound issues are to be settled together.¹⁹ The college or body of bishops has 'no authority unless united with the Roman Pontiff, Peter's successor, as its head'.²⁰ Lumen gentium speaks of the role of the entire body of the faithful in the discernment of matters of faith, which is 'aroused and sustained by the Spirit of truth'.²¹

     18. Each of our Communions is exploring more effective ways to maintain koinonia in times of change. Roman Catholics, since Vatican II, have been gradually developing structures for sustaining koinonia more effectively: national and regional Episcopal Conferences, General Assemblies of the Synod of Bishops and, at local level, the involvement of lay people and clergy in parochial and diocesan pastoral councils. Anglicans have considered how to develop their international instruments of communion: the role of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Lambeth Conference, the Anglican Consultative Council and the Primates' Meeting - and what part each has to play in the maintenance of the communion of local churches.

     19. Each of our Communions stress the qualities of life that belong to Communion. The Virginia Report speaks of life in communion as one of mutuality, common concern for one another, forbearing one another in love.²² Pope John Paul II has called for the fostering of a 'spirituality of communion', without which external structures 'will serve very little purpose', becoming 'mechanisms without a soul'. Such a spirituality centers on the 'contemplation of the mystery of the Trinity dwelling in us, …whose light we must also be able to see shining on the face of the brothers and sisters around us.' A spirituality of communion means thinking of our brothers and sisters in faith as 'those who are a part of me', and enables us to 'share their joys and sufferings, to sense their desires and attend to their needs', to 'make room' for each other, 'bearing "each other's burdens" (Gal 6:2)'.²³

     20. The convergence that we note in our understanding of the nature of the Church, of the constitutive elements of communion and of the ways in which communion is to be maintained prompt us to ask how far the recent events in North America challenge what we both believe. With this question in mind, we now turn our attention directly to the work of ARCIC, which has given sustained expression to our shared belief.