There was some publicity around Christmastime regarding the publication of the joint Columba Declaration by the Church of Scotland and Church of England. The provincial Faith and Order Board met recently and agreed that a short background note should be issued. After the publication in 2010 of Our Fellowship in the Gospel by the Joint Study Group of the Church of England and the Church of Scotland, a product of five year’s work, an invitation to join the Joint Study Group was issued to the Scottish Episcopal Church. The Scottish Episcopal Church was then involved in those new talks up until 2013. At that point, the other two churches expressed a desire to enter into a deeper ecumenical arrangement. The Faith and Order Board considered the matter carefully but did not believe it was appropriate to enter a tripartite “ecumenical” agreement where one of the parties was the Church of England because the Scottish Episcopal Church is already in full communion with the Church of England. The Board suggested instead that the three-way talks might continue, aimed not at forming an ecumenical agreement but rather at enriching common life and mission across the three churches. Therefore, it suggested alternative ways of proceeding on a tripartite basis. However, the other two churches were keen to move towards some form of ecumenical agreement. It was at this point that the Scottish Episcopal Church ceased to be a full participant in the talks, albeit we were invited to appoint an observer, and duly did so. The then Convener of Inter-Church Relations Committee took on that role with his last involvement being at the final bilateral meeting in late 2014 where a draft of the report was under discussion. A joint statement by the Church of Scotland and Church of England setting out the Columba Declaration (which forms only the final part of the report) was unexpectedly issued just before Christmas 2015, in response to a press query, and we became aware of this on Christmas Eve. The final form of the full report, however, was embargoed until the 29th January 2016. Since the issue of that statement, we have been in direct contact with both the Church of Scotland and Church of England and have obtained a copy of the final report Growth in Communion-Partnership in Mission. We have been able to ask a number of initial questions which have been helpfully answered jointly by the Church of Scotland and the Church of England. In the report it is stated that a response from the Scottish Episcopal Church would be welcomed. The Faith and Order Board at its meeting on 21st January agreed to remit the Scottish Episcopal Church’s detailed examination of the report to the Inter-Church Relations Committee and to ask that Committee to formulate a response for consideration by the Faith and Order Board in September 2016 (which will be the first meeting of the Board after this year’s Church of England Synod and the Church of Scotland General Assembly). This will include consideration of the concerns which the publication of the Columba Declaration, without the benefit of the full report, had prompted before Christmas. The Board believes that publication of Growth in Communion-Partnership in Mission now provides an opportunity to build on the warm relations which the Scottish Episcopal Church already enjoys with the Church of Scotland and very much looks forward to continuing discussions. The Board similarly looks forward to strengthening our relationship and mutual regard with the Church of England. The report of the Church of Scotland and Church of England Joint Study Group can be read here A press release issued today by the Church of Scotland can be read here
Read in browser »
Share:
The Rev Libby Talbot was appointed Associate Rector at St Paul’s and St George’s, Edinburgh on 24 January 2016. The Rev Martin Ayers was appointed Rector at St Silas, Glasgow on 19 January 2016. The Rev Lorna Mortis has taken over as Interim Pastor at St Baldred’s, North Berwick and St Adrian’s, Gullane from 1 January 2016.
Read in browser »
Share:
Read in browser »
Share:
Read in browser »
Share:
The Scottish Episcopal Institute is delighted to announce that Professor John Starr, currently training to be a Lay Reader within the Diocese of Edinburgh, is this year’s winner of The Fraser Prize for theological writing. The aim of the £500 award is to affirm constructive, creative, theological thinking within the wider church in Scotland. The prize is named in honour of Dr Ian Fraser, now in his 99th year, who through his life has encouraged and empowered theological discourse. The topic was ‘What are the challenges of modern biology to theology today?’. Professor Starr submitted an essay on the ‘Theology of Daughterhood’, which will appear in Theology in Scotland in due course. He received his award from Dr Fraser at a meeting of the Scottish Theological Society in Peebles Hydro on 12 January
Read in browser »
Share:
On 17 January The Rt Rev Kevin Pearson, Bishop of Argyll and The Isles, collated the Very Rev Andrew Swift as the Rector of Holy Trinity Dunoon and St Paul’s Rothesay at a service in Dunoon. Andrew has been the priest in charge of those congregations since 2010, but the charges have now grown numerically and financially to the point where they are no longer dependent on financial support from the province for their ministry. The charges have therefore ended their period of ‘suspension’ and can now ask the bishop to appoint a permanent rector instead of a temporary priest in charge. In practical terms, the day to day mission and ministry of the charges will not change, but the change from a suspended incumbency for both churches is a significant milestone in their lives. Andrew says“It has been a privilege to work as priest in charge with the teams in Dunoon and Rothesay for the past few years, and this change of status in the charges is a sign of the growth in self-confidence and mission focus that these congregations have achieved. We are looking forward to the next few years of exploring where the Scottish Episcopal Church in Cowal and Bute is going to journey!”
Read in browser »
Share:
Eco-Congregation Scotland Environmental Chaplain, the Rev Trevor Jamison, regularly preaches and leads worship for congregations across Scotland. He is available, willing and eager to come to your congregation. Respecting the traditions of worship in your church, Trevor • Encourages the congregation to celebrate God’s goodness in creation • Shares news and information about the Eco-Congregation movement • Affirms green-friendly, practical actions your church takes • Preaches sermons that engage positively with scripture from a “green” perspective Trevor also offers talks to groups on issues relating to Church and environmental issues. For more information visit http://www.ecocongregationscotland.org/chaplain/ To contact Trevor Jamison: Telephone 0131 667 1788 or 0131 240 2274 Email trevor@ecocongregationscotland.org (Your church treasurer might like to know that Trevor’s travelling expenses are met by Eco-Congregation Scotland. Of course, should you normally offer a fee or gift to a visiting preacher or worship leader then making an equivalent donation to Eco-Congregation Scotland would be very welcome, but is not required.)
Read in browser »
Share:
|