Anglican and Catholic Churches seek common ground on ethics

The Anglican and Catholic churches agreed to deepen their dialogue on moral decision making after an international meeting held in Hong Kong last week.

The Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC) met for the second time in this third phase of talks at the Hong Kong offices of the Mission to Seafarers – an ecumenical project supported by the Anglicans, the Catholics and the Lutherans.

A communiqué issued after the meeting said the Commission is preparing case studies in three ethical areas to facilitate the mutual understanding of Anglicans and Catholics.

These include matters that once seemed settled but which have come to be viewed quite differently by both traditions, such as the issue of slavery; issues on which Anglican and Roman Catholic teaching is at variance, such as divorce and contraception; and evolving issues, such as the theology of work and the economy.

The Commission plans “to share its developing work with joint meetings of bishops and with local and regional dialogues between Anglicans and Roman Catholics”.

The Commission is to also address related issues, including "the Church as Communion, local and universal, and how in communion the local and universal Church come to discern right ethical teaching”.

The theologians and pastors are focused on four areas, namely “the identity and mission of the Church; the patterning of the Church’s life that undergirds local and universal communion; shortcomings in the churches which obscure the glory of God; and ethical discernment and teaching”.

The Anglican Archbishop of New Zealand and co-chairperson of ARCIC, David Moxon, told church media at the meeting that the commission would not aim at settling controversial ethical questions, but analyse how the traditions helped shape the ethical teachings.

Another ARCIC co-chair, the Catholic Archbishop of Birmingham, Bernard Longley, emphasised the importance of friendship on the journey of ecumenical dialogue.

He said that the two Churches are seeking “creative ways” to developing communion, while fully respect their own traditions.