Inter-Anglican Standing Commissions are relatively new, but have grown out of years of work by Anglicans chosen by their provinces to carry forward communion-wide efforts on particular areas of church life such as ecumenical relationships or mission and evangelism. They generally have some level of staffing based at the Anglican Communion Office, and in most cases some measure of funding from the inter-Anglican budget.
Inter-Anglican Theological and Doctrinal Commission (IATDC)
The current body was set up in 2001 to study the nature of communion, and ways in which the relationship between the churches of the Anglican Communion could be sustained and strengthened. It aimed to develop the work of a predecessor commission which was formed after the 1988 Lambeth Conference, and after several consultations and meetings produced the Virginia Report and associated statements on Women in the Episcopate. It is seeking to identify theological issues which underlie public controversies.
The Episcopal Church is represented by the Rt. Rev. Mark Dyer, Retired Bishop of Bethlehem.
Inter-Anglican Standing Commission on Ecumenical Relations (IASCER)
IASCER was established by the ACC in response to a request from the bishops gathered at the Lambeth Conference in 1998. Its purpose is to monitor the progress of ecumenical affairs in the Anglican Communion, and to offer support and advice as requested by provinces. It encourages "best practice" in ecumenical initiatives within provinces, and ensures that in bilateral dialogues with other partners there is consistency between the Agreed Statements developed. (Last meeting December 2004, next meeting December 2005.)
The Episcopal Church is represented by the Rt. Rev. C. Christopher Epting, the Presiding Bishop's deputy for ecumenical affairs and the Rev. Canon J. Robert Wright, Professor of Ecclesiastical History at General Theological Seminary
Ecumenical Dialogues:
Reporting to IASCER are a series of bilateral conversations and commissions, on which the Episcopal Church is represented. The bulk of international, denomination to denomination, ecumenical work for Anglicans is undertaken through this route and funded from the inter-Anglican budget.
[Names of official Episcopal Church participants are enclosed in parentheses]
- Anglican
Communion – Baptist World Alliance International Conversations
(North American phase: Howard Loewen, the Rev. Saundra Richardson, the Rt.
Rev. Douglas Theuner, David Wheeler)
- Anglican Lutheran International
Commission
(To be appointed this year, with an Episcopal Church member
likely to be requested)
- Anglican Old Catholic International Coordinating
Council
(The Rev. Canon Dr. J. Robert Wright)
- Anglican Oriental Orthodox
International Commission
(The Rev. Canon Dr. J. Robert Wright)
- Anglican/Roman
Catholic International Commission
(The Rev. Dr. Rozanne Elder; The Most
Rev. Frank T. Griswold was Anglican co-chair until he resigned in November
2003)
- International Commission of the Anglican-Orthodox Theological Dialogue
(The
Rt. Rev. Mark Dyer, co-chair; the Rev. Canon William Green, the Rt. Rev.
William Gregg)
Inter-Anglican Standing Commission on Mission and Evangelism (IASCOME)
The present commission was brought into being by ACC-11 (Dundee, Scotland, 1999). Its mandate is to enable the sharing of information and reflection, and the facilitation of relationships across provinces and synodical and voluntary mission agencies. It succeeded MISSIO, the Anglican Communion Mission Commission, appointed by ACC-9 (Cape Town, South Africa, 1993) to succeed the Mission Issues and Strategy Advisory Group. (The final meeting of this group was in March 2005; new commission members will be appointed).
The
Episcopal Church is represented by the Rev. Dr. Ian T. Douglas, who has been
appointed to the Continuing Committee that will oversee IASCOME's work until
new members are appointed. (Margaret S. Larom and J. Patrick Mauney, the
current and previous directors of Anglican & Global Relations, both served
on MISSIO.)
Inter-Anglican Standing Commission on Telecommunications (IASCT)
The purpose of IASCT, established by ACC-12 (Hong Kong, 2002), is:
"To share the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and to further extend the mission and ministry of the Anglican Communion in the world by using telecommunications technologies, and through that to encourage an environment in which people may find meaning and significance in community with one another." The commission hopes to survey and grow the telecommunications capacity of the provinces of the Communion, and affirms the establishment of the Anglican Communion portal and the nurture of provincial news websites. (First meeting, January 2004; next meeting not set.)
The designated representative for North America is Margaret S. Larom of the Episcopal Church (director, Anglican and Global Relations).
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Theological Education for the Anglican Communion (TEAC)
Described variously as a "Task Group of the Anglican Communion" and "The Anglican Primates' Working Party on Theological Education," TEAC's mandate is to make recommendations and practical proposals to strengthen theological education within the life of the Anglican Communion. A priority of the Archbishop of Canterbury, theological education has been a key item on the agenda of the Primates during recent years. Four sub-groups are studying the basic standards as well as challenges facing theological education available to the following: Bishops; Priests and Transitional Deacons; Vocational Deacons, Catechists and Licensed Lay Leaders, and Laity. A fifth group is examining "The Anglican Way," and a sixth group will be formed to examine the provision of resources. (The last meeting was in Bristol, England in June 2004; the next meeting will be in January 2006 in South Africa.)
The
Episcopal Church is represented by the Rev. Susanne Watson Epting, the Rev.
Canon Ogé Beauvoir, and the Rev. George Hobson.