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ACNS 2270 - AUSTRALIA - 17 October 2000

Gift of Authority does not sufficiently support key features of reformed Anglican doctrine

[ Note ARCIC III, which is referred to in this text is the 3rd report of the Anglican - Roman Catholic International Commission: The Gift of Authority. The designation ARCIC I and ARCIC II are usually used to refer to the first and second commission mandates, not the documents themselves. ]

Report from the Sydney Diocesan Doctrine Commission upon the third paper from the Anglican and Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC).

At the session held in October 1999 the Synod of the Diocese of Sydney requested the Diocesan Doctrine Commission to prepare a report upon The Gift of Authority, the paper issued by ARCIC which outlines the agreement reached within the Commission upon authority in the Church. Its comments on the authority of the Papacy have provoked much debate within both Churches across the world.

The conclusions of the Sydney Doctrine Commission, are:

• that ARCIC III "does not sufficiently support the key features of reformed Anglican doctrine of the sovereignty of Scripture and guard against their dilution";
• that ARCIC III "has not reconciled the confessional stances of Anglicanism and Roman Catholicism";
• that if ARCIC III "represents the contemporary Anglican view of authority, a substantial change from the confessional position of Anglicanism has occurred"; and
• that "ARCIC has not demonstrated from the Bible a new understanding of authority to which we ought submit."

The Sydney Commission regard doctrinal statements as the proper ground for reaching restoration of relationships between churches rather than questions of order. Its concluding statements are as follows:

"With respect to the question of ecumenical relations, is not the Creed of Nicea-Constantinople a sufficient confession for eucharistic communion among the Churches. We wish to suggest that the person and acts of God witnessed to by that creed are the appropriate theological bases for seeking restoration of relations between the churches, not questions of order."

The report is particularly penetrating in its consideration of the role of episcopacy and the notion of papal infallibility. It says "the role assigned to bishops and the notion of papal infallibility also has the effect of adding historical experience into the "Gospel"; that the argument on the function and the nature of espicopacy comes to two conclusions that result in "an unacceptable hermeneutical and epistemological privilege given to ecclesiastical hierarchy."

"Overall then, ARCIC III gives the earthly church and episcopal functioning such a theological necessity that they have an indispensable intermediatory role in our appropriation of the apostolic witness. ... But that intermediatory role rightly belongs to Christ and the Spirit. Thus, at the least, this model blurs the New Testament promises concerning how Christ exercises his Lordship in the church today."

The report from the Sydney Doctrine Commission has been circulated by Bishop Paul Barnett, Chairman of the Commission, to all members of the Sydney Synod, and will be debated at this present session of the Synod.

Further documentation:

• The Gift of Authority: Authority in the Church III (Palazzola, 1998)
  • Statement of the co-chairs (London, May 12, 1999)
  • Statement of Archbishop George Carey (London, May 12, 1999)
  • Statement of Rt. Rev. Frank Griswold (London, May 12, 1999)
  • ACNS press release (London, May 12, 1999)