The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) today released a pastoral letter on freedom of conscience and religion. Issued by the CCCB Permanent Council, the letter expresses concern about an "aggressive relativism" in Canada that seeks to relegate religion to the private sphere.

"Legitimate secularity draws a distinction between religion and politics, between Church and state," the pastoral letter states, but is open to the engagement of religious beliefs and faith communities in public debate and civic life. "Radical secularism", however, excludes religion from the public square "and from freely engaging in the public debate necessary for shaping civic life."

In its pastoral letter, the Permanent Council explains why freedom of religion and conscience is necessary for the common good of countries such as Canada where religious diversity is the norm. When religious freedom "is threatened, all other rights are weakened and society suffers," the pastoral letter states. "Freedom of conscience," the letter explains, "is a necessary condition for seeking the truth and for adhering to that truth once it is sufficiently known." Emphasizing that the right to religious freedom includes the right to live out one's faith in the public square, the pastoral letter states that "attempts to limit expressions of religious faith to places of worship … should be judged as a serious curtailment of a guaranteed right."

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The Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission has completed the second meeting of its new phase (ARCIC III), at the Mission to Seafarers in Kowloon, Hong Kong (3-10 May 2012).

The Commission, chaired by the Most Revd David Moxon (Anglican Archbishop of the New Zealand Dioceses) and the Most Revd Bernard Longley (Roman Catholic Archbishop of Birmingham) comprises nineteen theologians from a wide range of backgrounds across the world. According to the mandate given to it by the two Communions, the Commission is addressing interrelated issues: the Church as Communion, local and universal, and how in communion the local and universal Church come to discern right ethical teaching. The Commission has also been mandated to present the documents of ARCIC II for reception by the relevant authorities of both communions. Accordingly, the Commission is reviewing responses already received in order to prepare some elucidations, together with commentaries, which will enable the material of ARCIC II to be studied at all levels of the churches' life.

At this meeting, the Commission built upon the schema it had prepared at its first meeting. The schema seeks to address the interrelated ecclesiological and ethical questions of its mandate under four headings: 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. Members presented papers in each of these areas which were discussed both in plenary and in small groups.

To assist its own understanding, the Commission is preparing case studies in three ethical areas: matters which historically once seemed settled but which, upon reflection, have come to be viewed quite differently by both traditions (slavery); issues on which Anglican and Roman Catholic teaching is at variance (divorce and remarriage, contraception); and evolving issues (a theology of work and the economy). It is not intended that the Commission will seek to resolve disputed ethical questions. Rather, its purpose is to analyze the means by which our two traditions have arrived at or are currently determining 'right ethical teaching'.

In due course the Commission plans to share its developing work with joint meetings of bishops and with local and regional dialogues between Anglicans and Roman Catholics (ARCs).

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Dr. Darren Dahl, new diretor of the Prairie Centre for Ecumenism

The Board and staff of the Prairie Centre for Ecumenism are excited to have a new Director in place. We welcome Dr. Darren Dahl, who began his duties on May 1st. He will be working half-time at the Centre. He is also a sessional lecturer in the department of Religion and Culture at St. Thomas More College and a Fellow in the Classical, Medieval, and Renaissance Studies programme at the University of Saskatchewan. A former Lutheran pastor, Darren was recently received into the Roman Catholic church. He is interested in the relation of ecumenical dialogue to its secular cultural context as well as ecumenical dialogue between Roman Catholics and the Orthodox churches.

Retirement

The Office Manager of the Prairie Centre for Ecumenism, Carol Penner, is retiring after 20½ years of service. These have been exciting years for her, working with all the directors to date, and watching the many changes particularly in local ecumenism. Retirement takes effect July 1st.

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by Christopher Lamb, The Tablet

The Archbishop of Birmingham has said he understands those frustrated with ecumenical dialogue but stressed the long term aim is "full visible unity". Archbishop Bernard Longley was speaking to The Tablet days before members of Anglican Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC) gathered for their latest round of meetings in Hong Kong, which was due to start on Friday.

"I do understand those doubts, misgivings, and sometimes frustrations and disappointments particularly on the part of those people who have committed many years to dialogue and who at the outset thought the prospects of unity were much more realistic than they are now. New challenges, new obstacles have come in the way in the path of unity," the archbishop, who is co-chairman of ARCIC III, said. "At the same time that mustn't deflect us. And it hasn't deflected the Catholic Church from our commitment to search for a way towards the unity that we believe is the will of Christ for all the baptised."

He added that "the ultimate goal is full, visible unity", although "we should also aim toward the attainable goals on the way and a very important one is to deepen our witness together especially in public life".

Archbishop Longley said he hoped that the idea of an Anglican Covenant - rejected by a majority of dioceses in England - would not be completely lost as it "offered an opportunity" to strengthen the Communion.

The meeting of ARCIC III in Hong Kong is the second meeting of the third phase of ARCIC which is examining the question of moral decision-making within the local and universal Church. The other chairman is Anglican Archbishop David Moxon, from New Zealand: the two archbishops were friends while undergraduates at Oxford University.

Archbishop Longley explained that thorny questions such as women bishops would not be avoided. "The specific question of the ordination of women to the presbyterate and the episcopate in the Church of England is obviously a very important decision within the Church of England. We wouldn't ignore that," he said. The archbishop pointed out that one of the members of ARCIC was a woman bishop in Canada, Linda Nicholls.

On the question of the next Archbishop of Canterbury, Archbishop Longley hoped Dr Rowan Williams' successor "would continue the strong teaching role which Archbishop Rowan has performed so successfully".

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Pan-Methodist church leaders join together at the 2012 United Methodist General Conference in Tampa, Fla. From left are: Bishop Sharon Zimmerman Rader (United Methodist Church), Bishop Thomas Hoyt Jr. (Christian Methodist Episcopal Church), the Rev. W. Robert Johnson III (African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church), and Bishop John F. White (African Methodist Episcopal Church). A UMNS photo by Mike DuBose.

[UMNS • Tampa, Florida] After several hundred years of separation, members of six Pan-Methodist denominations have committed to ministry together.

The United Methodist Church (UMC) is the last of the denominations to adopt the full communion agreement, which was celebrated May 1 during the 2012 UMC General Conference.

The affirmation establishes a new relationship among the African Methodist Episcopal, African Methodist Episcopal Zion, African Union Methodist Protestant, Christian Methodist Episcopal, Union American Methodist Episcopal and United Methodist denominations.

Bishop Sharon Zimmerman Rader, ecumenical officer for the United Methodist Council of Bishops, noted that acknowledging past difficulties is part of the process. "We believe this is a significant moment in all of our histories," she said during a news conference preceding the celebration.

For the CME church, an outgrowth of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, this moment is one of lasting significance, said Bishop Thomas Hoyt Jr., who has a long history of involvement with United Methodists through the Pan-Methodist Commission and ecumenical organizations.

"To be in full communion is to be related to one of the great churches of American society and the world," he declared.

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