The Reuilly Common Statement
| On Wednesday November 17th. 1999, the General Synod of the Church of England, meeting in Westminster, welcomed "the vision of visible unity and the theological agreements set out in the Reuilly Common Statement", approved its Joint Declaration and requested the Council for Christian Unity to oversee its implementation. The goal was not yet "a communion in which ordained ministers are inter-changeable (as they are under the Porvoo arrangement) but was for mutual ecclesial recognition and a degree of mutual sharing in witness and sacramental life". |
| A Celebration Service and Signing of the English copy of the Reuilly Agreement took place in the crypt of Canterbury Cathedral on Saturday 16th June 2000. The signing of the French copy took place in Paris some days later. |
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Reuilly is a district of Paris where in the 19th century a deaconesses' centre came into being. Its vocation was service, witness, mission and (already) unity between the different spiritual families of Protestantism. In 1970 they established a community centre in Versailles, where they developed a life of prayer and meditation with even greater ecumenical dimensions and wider influence. This is where the first two sessions were held.
"CALLED TO WITNESS AND SERVICE"
The Reuilly Common Statement with Essays on Church, Eucharist and Ministry Church House Publishing, Great Smith Street, London SW1P 3NZ. Price £6·95 |
| The following article is reproduced from the Strasbourg Briefing sent out by James Barnett, former Anglican Chaplain in Strasbourg and the Archbishops' Representative at the European Institutions |
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The Reuilly Common Statement was overwhelmingly supported by the General Synod. There is much rejoicing in Strasbourg. Strasbourg is an "ecumenical" city. There are Catholics, Lutherans of the Confession d'Augsbourg, and l'Eglise Reformée. In addition there are twelve thousand Jews and two Mosques. The Orthodox are also well represented in Alsace. We are committed to working together and the Groupe du Pont is involved in contributing to Religious Education.
Those readers who live in the UK need to understand that the position of French Protestants is different from that of Free Churches in the UK despite doctrinal similarities and other more superficial resemblance. In France Protestants protested against the Catholic Church. The massacre of St. Bartholomew's Eve is still remembered with feeling. In the UK Protestants also protested against the Established Church, many of the first members of which considered that they were Protestant. In England the Established Church has retained the historic orders. So a simple linkage between the French Protestant Churches and an Episcopal one is no more simple than some of the discussions that have already been held in the UK itself - agreement on justification notwithstanding. Nevertheless Diarmid McCulloch's biography of Thomas Cranmer makes plain the extent to which the early Church of England was influenced by mainland Europe. Buçer died in Cambridge, Cranmer travelled in Europe on the King's Great Matter and Hermann, the former Archbishop of Cologne, contributed to the Book of Common Prayer. So the agreement with the CPLR (Conseil permanent Luthéro-Reformé) is to be welcomed. The Representation has been working with the French Protestant churches for years. Obviously we share the same faith and most of the same beliefs despite some of our ecclesiological differences. It is good that the common witness that we practise has been continued in the Common Statement. As we move towards the hoped-for closer unity there is still work to be done. We share much of our method, and we agree about the nature of theology. French Protestants who know about Anglicanism appreciate the openness of our method. For our part we appreciate the thorough training in Biblical theology and history received by many French Protestants. In due course we shall celebrate here as we look forward to completing the work which has begun so well. About a fifth of the population of Alsace is Protestant and this is the part of France where the Protestant tradition is most important. In the meanwhile we are members of the Conference of European Churches (CEC) and we work closely with the CEC in Strasbourg. Werner Jurgensen is a co-signatory of the Common Statement. He was at the General Synod Debate and he is the Lutheran Pasteur at Bischeim. He said that the General Synod applauded the mutual understanding and the honesty of the Reuilly Document in respect of the continuing differences. One of the reasons why these differences are not regarded as an obstacle to the Communion of the Churches is that there are perceived differences and debates within the Church of England and there is not "a single way of being Anglican". The other Churches that have voted for the declaration are the Evangelical Lutheran Church in France, the Reformed Church in Alsace and Lorraine and l'Eglise Réformée de France. From the Anglican side the Common Statement has now been approved by the Scottish Episcopal Church and the Church of England. The Church in Wales and the Church of Ireland will be meeting in April and June next year. |
| An Opportunity for the Churches. The Revd. Dr. Charles Hill, formerly the Europe Secretary at the Council for Christian Unity, speaking in Folkestone, encouraged local parishes to put the Reuilly accord into practice, by making contact with Reformed and Lutheran churches in France. So now may be a good time to put the idea to your church council! Robin Blount will be pleased to offer help and resources to parishes wishing to consider the idea of twinning. Just ask: +44 1303 250028 or email robin.blount[at]virgin.net The offer to help in twinning matters is not confined to Anglican churches! |
