The Porvoo Communion
PORVOO THEOLOGICAL CONFERENCE
Durham, England, 8 - 13th September 2000
CONCLUDING DOCUMENT
1. INTRODUCTION
Theologians of the Anglican and Lutheran Churches of northern Europe
met from 8-13 September 2000 in Durham to seek together, through prayer
and study, how fellowship at every level in the Porvoo Communion might
be deepened. The meeting took place as a direct consequence of the commitment
in the Porvoo Common Statement to establish appropriate forms of collegial
and conciliar consultation on significant matters of faith and order,
life and work, and to 'encourage consultations of representatives of our
churches and to facilitate learning and exchange of ideas and information
in theological and pastoral matters' (paragraph 58b viii/ix). Our exploration
of the complex task laid before us has been permeated by the spiritual
communion and fellowship we have experienced in worship, Bible study and
prayer. The Porvoo Agreement calls us to 'a deepening of fellowship, to
new steps on the way to visible unity and a new coherence in our common
witness in word and deed to one Lord, one faith and one baptism' (paragraph
29).
The six day residential conference gathered representatives from the
Porvoo churches who through their professional background, their office
or the responsibility they hold take a leading role in the doctrinal work
of their church. In response to the request by the Porvoo church leaders'
consultation in Turku in 1998, which had designated the theme 'Diversity
in Communion', the delegates focused on a possible common understanding
of unity and common mission.
Papers and group discussion focused on four main themes: Scripture, human
sexuality, ministry, and the contemporary world in which the church exists.
The discussion was informed by a detailed consideration of the nature
of communion in the light of the Porvoo Common Statement and the wider
issues of ecclesiology, identity, and reception.
In two respects in particular, namely in relation to the ordination of
women to the priesthood and episcopate, and to views about homosexuality,
there are profound differences of conviction between and within the member
churches of the Porvoo Communion. It was evident that these differences
comprised not merely diverging judgements, but also varieties of approach,
method and understanding in theological questions. We did not attempt
to resolve all these matters, but we made a preliminary effort to evaluate
their weight and significance for the future deepening of fellowship between
us. Important considerations emerged, some of which we have set down in
what follows.
As Anglicans and Lutherans we have already considerable experience of
diversity and (indeed) tensions within our own communions. But more fundamentally
we acknowledge together that diversity was built into the experience of
Christian unity from the very first. Studies of the New Testament period
have shown that there was a plurality of ways in which the apostolic gospel
was preached and lived. Consequently, although unity of heart and mind
between fellow Christians is a gift of God through Jesus Christ in the
Holy Spirit, it still had to be sought in daily life. Diversity is and
always has been the natural condition of fellow Christians. But the same
study of the New Testament documents makes plain that diversity contained
dangers of factiousness and deviation in faith which had to be taken with
the utmost seriousness. This is still the case today.
2. RECOGNITIONS
In the discussions focusing upon how our churches are facing issues
of unity and diversity, the following recognitions emerged:
2.1 Diversity and Division
There are significant differences of history and cultural context between,
for example, Baltic Lutheranism and Nordic Lutheranism, or between these
and English, Irish, Welsh or Scots Anglicanism/Episcopalianism. Comparative
study of European sociology illuminates many of these diversities, which
play a role in ecclesial experience.
Despite our diverse origins and histories, nonetheless all our churches
are presently in different ways struggling with the challenges of reaching
out to and representing all social groups. They also face declining rates
of attendance. This situation also challenges us to reflect anew on the
extent to which our churches can still provide a unifying force in society.
It also asks us to rethink our role as servants to a society increasingly
marked by plurality and different modes of life-styles as well as religious
attitudes. Sometimes the churches must consider acting as a counterforce
to prevalent social and cultural trends.
Moreover, the diversities within the respective churches are often greater
than the diversity which exists between our churches, for example on issues
of class, race, gender, sexuality and spirituality. There is a need to
recognise the distinction between diversity and division. For example,
in some churches charismatic movements may be both enriching and divisive.
Diversity has very different connotations in different societies: a courageously
prophetic stance in one context would not necessarily be so in another.
2.2 A Shared Life
Communion demands interaction and points of interchange. We have to share
a common life to reach the point where we come to a common mind. We need
to identify points of interaction and co-operation where questions of
diversity are not seen as complicating factors, for example diaconal work,
and spiritual formation.
2.3 Young People and the Church
Our churches differ from one another considerably in the degree to which
there is established and effective contact with children up to the age
of confirmation. But all of us are aware of a serious and increasing gulf
between the churches and the cultures of young people. Some even ask whether
ours is in danger of being the last Christian generation in Europe. The
handing on of the faith we consider to be the greatest challenge in mission
which we face together as a community. There is an urgent need for the
churches to develop a new language which can link the Christian narrative
to people's lives and to the emerging symbols and carriers of meaning.
2.4 Mission and Communication
The church has to be aware of the complex issues behind the choice of
reiterating the gospel in its traditional form and rephrasing it in interaction
with contemporary society. These may be stages of a process rather than
simple alternatives. But there is a need to articulate the gospel in a
way which can be heard by people profoundly influenced by postmodern culture.
The concept of forgiveness is still a part of public discourse with which
the Christian message resonates. There is a new interest in the telling
of story as the raw material for doctrinal statements, which opens up
new possibilities for reading Scripture and understanding the faith.
2.5 Spiritual Renewal
The challenge of renewal is a profound one for all members of our churches.
We find it difficult to address spiritual and moral matters in the context
of an increasingly materialistic culture, the influence of which is inside
our own heads and hearts. It is hard to express the profound questions
of life and provide good possibilities for Christian growth in a 'culture
of entertainment'. At the same time there are signs of dissatisfaction
with superficiality, and of the acknowledgement of deeper longings. The
church is a worshipping community, not a community of opinions. Spiritual
renewal for its members, not least for its clergy, will involve prayer
and practice as well as theological study.
3. RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE PORVOO CHURCHES
3.1 Reshaping Theology
To continue theological discussion between the Porvoo churches with the
aim of:
- appreciating the integration of life and theology in a Christian context;
- providing an account of communio which supports diversity
but which is also aware of the need to identify limits;
- promoting socio-ethical studies involving all Porvoo churches;
- directing attention to divisions and diversities related to race,
gender, class, sexuality and spiritual culture within the church, helping
each other overcome negative consequences for church and society.
3.2 Sharing Theology
To encourage specific initiatives to:
- promote the interchange of teachers, students and clergy;
- promote the interchange of ordinands through fact-finding projects
for small groups representing the internal diversity of individual churches,
to describe the other church in terms acceptable to the host church.
The aim is to further self-understanding as well as intra-communion
understanding;
- encourage the establishing of relationships between agencies, groups
and individuals working in the field of diakonia and education;
- facilitate the exchange of literature between the churches.
- offer theological tools, as already described in the Porvoo Common
Statement, to address diversity in the local context.
3.3 Youth Culture
Given the priority of this issue across the European churches, to commission
a Porvoo study to look into youth cultures, with the following aims:
- to find ways of facilitating the mutual interchange between 'church'
and 'youth' cultures, between the resources of theology and the semantics
of youth cultures;
- to contribute to the understanding of being Church within the new
generation.
- to develop ministry in areas of concern distinctive to young people.
3.4 Developing Means of Mutual Accountability
To promote mutual accountability between our churches, by ensuring that
- where a signatory church of the Porvoo Communion is in dialogue with
churches outside the Communion, then other signatory churches within
the Communion be invited to contribute to those consultations;
- where a signatory church of the Porvoo Communion intends to take an
action which is likely to affect the boundaries of diversity within
the Communion some structure of sharing information and concerns be
established;
- the churches actively seek advice from each other on matters of liturgy;
- the churches promote ecumenical awareness among clergy especially
in churches which have traditionally a majority position;
- in the light of current economic circumstances, the churches continue
to address questions of poverty and debt in our countries and overseas.
Currently this implies energetic and urgent engagement in the Jubilee
2000 campaign.
3.5 Mission
To ensure that the diversities and divisions within our community do not
hinder us from working together in mission in order to face the present
crisis that the Christian churches of Europe face today by
- studying the issue of a shared language/discourse between Christian
and non-Christian in response to the stress on common mission contained
in the Porvoo Common Statement;
- exploring how the gospel can be expressed in action and new ways of
communication;
- studying the possibilities for new symbolisms to be 'baptized' and
incorporated into liturgical practice as well as to link them to the
narratives of the Christian faith;
- promoting the notion of ecclesia domestica (nurturing spiritual
formation at home) in order to connect life, church and faith.
4. AFFIRMATION
The recommendations of this document have been formulated with the explicit
intention of deepening our fellowship by means of 'new steps on the way
to visible unity and a new coherence in our common witness in word and
deed to one Lord, one faith and one baptism' (Porvoo Common Statement,
paragraph 29). We who present this document commit ourselves to further
the implementation of the recommendations in dialogue with the appropriate
bodies within our churches.
St John's College Durham, 13th September 2000
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