Anglican step towards unity

Press, 8 April 1978, Page 19

Anglican step towards unity

PA Auckland The draft of an ordination service which will allow the five negotiating Churches to minister at one another’s services has been approved by the Anglican Church. The Anglican General Synod passed the second reading of a bill which sets out a unifying ordination service for ministers of the Associated Churches of Christ, and the Methodist, Presbyterian, Congregational, and Anglican Churches.

The service will be held both at national and local levels. At each service of the unification of ministries, a representative from each Church will attend. The representative appointed by the Anglican Church will be a bishop.

The service of ordination will enable ministers from the other negotiating Churches to take a service in the Anglican Church and they will therefore be considered as Anglican priests or deacons.

Ministers who have taken part in the ordination service will be known as presbyters.

The Bishop of Dunedin (the Rt Rev. P. W. Mann) said that the Church was seeking a way to integrate and unify the ministries. The Church was not in breach of Anglican doctrine as some had feared. There was no compulsion for every priest tq take part in the service. Bishop Mann said that the Churches would grow

together at a local level. “I hope it will be a step to enrich our Churches,” he said.

The Bishop of Nelson (the Rt Rev. P. E. Sutton) said it was not good enough to say that rite service was optional. If rhe Church expected the services to be held at local, regional, and national level, some clergy would be “left out of the mainstream.” . . , ' Bishop Sutton said he believed the service would set the Churches back in working towards unity because there would be confusion between order and office.

The Archbishop and Primate of New Zealand (the Most Rev. Dr A. H. Johnston) expressed his support for the service of ordination. He said he hoped he would be able to service proposed and that his ministry in return would be accepted “right across the board.” But because of the delays inherent in synod government, it will be at least three years before the bill is implemented. After the third reading of the bill at this General Synod, it will be referred back to the diocesan synods which must pass it by a majority. It will then come before the newly elected General Synod in two years time for final approval. A full 12 months must elapse after the next General Synod without a successful appeal being lodged against