As of Jan. 2, the Anglican Church of Canada will have a dedicated new advocate for ecumenism.

Archdeacon Bruce Myers, missioner of communications in the diocese of Quebec, will assume a one-year, part-time position as coordinator for ecumenical relations with the Faith, Worship and Ministry department of General Synod.

"I've always had a passion for ecumenism even if I didn't always call it that," says Myers, who is manager of the Quebec diocese's website and editor of its newspaper, Gazette. "Early on, I recognized that it was not right that the body of Christ was divided into so many pieces."

Myers, who holds a master's degree in ecumenical theology from the The Ecumenical Institute of Bossey in Switzerland, now brings that passion to healing the divisions in Christendom, so much of which was united as one church for 15 centuries. "I think ordinary Christians of every denomination are questioning whether the differences are all that important when we share so much in common," he says. "The overarching ecumenical task is how to mend those broken fences and relations."

As coordinator for ecumenical relations, Myers will provide staff support to Anglicans engaged in bilateral dialogues, including the Anglican-Roman Catholic Theological Dialogue, the Anglican-Roman Catholic Bishops' Dialogue, and the Joint Anglican-Lutheran Commission the United Church of Canada (with which the Anglican church discussed union in the 1970s).

Also falling within his purview is monitoring developments in the Canadian Council of Churches and the World Council of Churches as well as all aspects of the Anglican Church of Canada's relations with other denominations. He will provide what clergy and volunteers need to carry out that work as well as staff ecumenical meetings and support the network of diocesan ecumenical officers.

Since most of this work can be done remotely, Myers will remain based in Quebec, where he will continue to serve as incumbent at St. Michael's Sillery until Jan 8.

Vacant for the past year, the coordinator's role was previously filled by Canon Alyson Barnett-Cowan, former director of faith, worship and ministry, now Director for Unity, Faith and Order at the Anglican Communion office in London, and after her, by theologian Natasha Klukach, who currently serves with the World Council of Churches in Geneva.

The fundamental rights of freedom of religion or belief are often violated by both governments and individuals, acting either on their own behalf or as members of majority groups. Despite significant initiatives taken by states and the international community, religious minorities in several parts of the world are becoming the targets of discrimination, acts of violence or hostility and persecution because of their religion.

The extent to which freedom of religion or belief can be considered as an absolute right in pluralistic societies, as well as its relation to various aspects of human rights, was the centre of discussion among experts who participated at an international consultation organized by the WCC's Commission of the Churches on International Affairs (CCIA).

Equal rights of all individuals in any society should be the broader parameter which should be seen beyond legal measures when addressing the issue of the Freedom of Religion and belief in today's global context: This was the principle emphasized by thirty experts from 23 countries in Africa, Asia, the Americas, Europe and the Middle East.

The consultation was held in Istanbul, Turkey from 28 November to 2 December and hosted by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.

Ambassador Theodoros J. Theodorou of Greece said in his keynote presentation that "Nations must take seriously the provisions of international human rights treaties by integrating them into their own legal systems. More systematic efforts need to be made so that governments around the world enact the meaningful legislation designated to curb religious persecutions."

Religious freedom a historic focus of WCC

The history of the WCC's contributions in addressing concerns related to freedom of religion and human rights was recalled by CCIA director Dr Mathews George Chunakara.

He pointed out that the CCIA, which was formed in 1946 jointly by the International Missionary Council and the structure preparing the foundation of the WCC, undertook as one of its first tasks to press for international standards on religious freedom. WCC's contribution to drafting article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) has been widely recognized.

"All countries and their governments which ratified various human rights declarations or conventions and covenants, including the 1981 UN Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief, are obliged to uphold the human rights of all citizens. But in reality this is not being observed and more and more people are facing serious threats to their right to freedom of religion and the right to exist as religious minorities," said Mathews George.

A report on religious freedom will be presented to the next CCIA meeting which is to be held in the People's Republic of China in June 2012.

Christina Papazoglou, WCC programme executive for human rights, said that the "study consultation has analyzed reports from 27 countries in five regions, and several examples of violations have been highlighted from various countries as well as positive responses showing ways to protect freedom of religion."

"In moving forward," Papazoglou added, "the participants in the consultation have encouraged the full participation of church leaders in public life and the involvement of political, religious and social institutions in upholding the right of religious freedom. Furthermore, they emphasized the need for strengthening the existing protection mechanisms and devising effective safeguards against violations of national and international law relating to religious freedom."

The study process on Freedom of Religion and Rights of Religious Minorities was initiated by the CCIA in its 50th meeting held in Albania in 2010, and a special working group has been formed by the CCIA to evaluate the study.

Read also:
• More information on the Commission of the Churches on International Affairs
• Ecumenical Patriarch highlights freedom of religion and minority rights (WCC press release of 1 December 2011)

The document "Christian Witness in a Multi-Religious World: Guidelines for Conduct" was launched by the World Council of Churches (WCC), the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue and the World Evangelical Alliance in June. It was commended to the churches for reflections in their own particular contexts.

The meeting brought together eighty participants from a wide diversity of church traditions, university students and interfaith partners.

The event was initiated by the WCC and jointly organized by the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Canadian Council of Churches, and the Canadian Churches Forum for Global Ministries.

Natasha Klukach, WCC programme executive for North America, asked participants not to shy away from difficult questions, especially in regard to Canada's history of mission and the tragic legacy of church-run native residential schools in the 19th century, where children were mistreated in the name of "cultural assimilation".

She said, "The text of the document does not assume the end of a conversation, but the beginning of one."

Two panel discussions offered perspectives on the guidelines. The first, including Bruce Clemenger, president of the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, Patti Talbot, programme coordinator for People in Partnership at the United Church of Canada, and Fr. Damian MacPherson, director of the Office for Ecumenical and Interfaith Affairs in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto, examined applications of the text in different Christian traditions.

Initiating conversations among faith communities

Many participants shared that the guidelines accurately reflect current practices in their churches. However, some noted that churches in Canada are often reluctant to talk about evangelism, and the text could be a good tool for facilitating conversation and building together a common vocabulary.

There was a wide agreement that churches were not active enough in finding opportunities for building relationships with other faiths, and the text can serve as a valuable avenue for entering into dialogue.

A second panel examined the implications of the guidelines. The Rev. Jim Foster, vice-president of Global Ministries for the Christian and Missionary Alliance, Dr Johnson Mbillah, advisor for the Program on Christian-Muslim Relations in Africa, and Pandit Roopnauth Sharma, president Hindu Federation of Canada, asked intriguing questions about inter-religious relations in Canada.

During the discussions Mbillah challenged Canadians to reflect critically on how their mission activities in other parts of the world may encourage conflict.

He said, "The value of the document is related to our Christian identity. It is about what is expected of us and not what is expected of the other."

As a Hindu, Sharma spoke passionately about his experience, saying that his faith community has often been victim of the attempts of conversion. He advocated greater awareness of the text in this context and encouraged further inter-religious conversations.

The event concluded by identifying the need for engaging in ecumenical dialogue about mission and evangelism, stressing greater commitment to inter-religious dialogue, and encouraging churches to reflect critically on mission history and present practices, as well as initiating more opportunities of such encounters. Canadian churches are also looking forward to hold similar events in other cities.

Rev. Jeremy Bell of the Canadian Baptists of Western Canada, reflecting on the text and the day's conversation, said, "The text is not intended to be a mirror of ourselves. It's a catalyst, not a catechism. What we need is persistence in dialogue and the courage to keep talking to each other."

Clare Amos, the WCC programme executive for inter-religious dialogue and cooperation, commended the efforts of Canadian churches. She said, "The willingness of such a wide range of Christians to participate in this process is a very significant development. The key task now is to ensure that recommendations of the document are widely known and adopted through the whole Christian constituency."

Read also:
• Full text: Christian Witness in a Multi-Religious World: Guidelines for Conduct
• Christians reach broad consensus on appropriate missionary conduct
• Press release from Canadian Council of Churches

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 349 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 560 million Christians in over 110 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, from the [Lutheran] Church of Norway. Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.

by Charles Lewis, National Post

Rabbi Roy Tanenbaum marvels at the idea that the first mainstream Jewish seminary in Canada will be housed inside a Catholic school of theology and be part of seven Christian schools that comprise the Toronto School of Theology.

"I have never heard of a situation like this in the world in which a Jewish seminary is among Christian theological schools and seminaries," said Rabbi Tanenbaum, president of the recently founded Canadian Yeshiva & Rabbinical School.

"The creation of this school really marks the coming of age for Canada's Jewish community. It's a sign of our maturity and will be an important part of Judaism's future in this country."

The school, which will be officially launched at a ceremony Sunday on the University of Toronto campus, will be housed inside the University of St. Michael's College, on St. Joseph Street, a school renowned for its graduate program in Catholic theology.

Professor Ann Anderson, the school's president and a Catholic nun, sits on the rabbinical school's board and was instrumental in bringing the Jewish seminary to the campus, Rabbi Tanenbaum said.

Rabbi Tanenbaum retired from congregational life in Toronto two years ago and since then has put his energy into creating a Jewish seminary, something that has been a longtime dream of many Canadian Jewish leaders.

"In Great Britain, you have six seminaries, but the Jewish population is smaller than ours. That's because in Britain, they are more isolated. Here, it is very simple to go to the rabbinical schools in the U.S."

As a result, Canadian Jews who want to be rabbis usually go to New York, Cincinnati or Israel for training ­ and many never make it back to Canada. Not having a seminary here has also led to the majority of rabbis in Canada being American.

That has been seen as a problem on multiple levels, many observers note.

At its most basic, Americans will not understand they are in a different culture and miss the kind of links, such as an obsession with hockey, that can create bonds between rabbis and young students. Others have pointed to Canadian Jews being more conservative in their beliefs than American Jews.

Rabbi Tanenbaum, who was born in Erie, Pa., but is now a Canadian citizen, said that having Canadian rabbis is important for the health of the country's Jewish community and preventing assimilation.

"We have always looked to the United States to see what Judaism in Canada will look like in 10 to 15 years. But when we see things that we want to avoid ­ such as the high rate of intermarriage ­ we've never been able to do it. And why is that? Because we continue to bring our top religious leadership from another country."

The new rabbinical school will follow a form of the religion known as Classic Judaism ­ a decision that will make it distinct from the American Jewish experience.

In the United States the three main branches are Reform, Conservative and Orthodox. Classic Judaism, he said, follows the European Judaism of the 1700s in which those denominational differences were absent.

"We don't think the struggle between Reform, Conservative and Orthodox is a good thing for Jewish life. We believe that it is destructive. There's reasons why during the Enlightenment these groups began but it is important to go back to when Jews were just Jews."

The school will not have female rabbis though women will be able to attend and receive a degree in Jewish theology.

The opening of the seminary comes at a time when some see attendance at synagogues dropping.

But Rabbi Howard Voss-Altman of Calgary said that would not preclude opening a seminary now.

"Even if that's the case the effort to produce home-grown rabbis is something of value for Canadian congregations," said Rabbi Voss-Altman, who said attendance in Calgary is declining. "Besides, having Canadian rabbis could have a positive impact on the Jewish community and help bring people back. How many young people decide not to become rabbis because they can't afford to go outside the country for training?"

The linking of the rabbinical school with Christian institutions fits with a greater trend of Christians seeking out the roots of their faith through Judaism and the Old Testament. Pope Benedict has made it a large part of his teaching to emphasize the Jewish roots of Catholicism.

The yeshiva is now operating and acts as a place for the Jewish community to learn more about their faith. The actual rabbinical school will open at the earliest in September but it could be later, Rabbi Tanenbaum said.

Alan Hayes, director of the Toronto School of Theology, said moving from just Christian schools to a multi-faith milieux completes a process started in the 1960s.

After Vatican II Catholic schools were allowed to share space with Protestants, which took place very quickly in Toronto, he said.

He believes that the interaction between Jews and Christians will enrich the experience of both groups.

"Christian study of the Old Testament tends to be historical where as Jewish interpretation tends to be more theological and richer. That could be a big help to all of us," Mr. Hayes said.

"Jews and Christians often study many of the same things but they don't always talk to each other. This will be a place for people to meet. We still have a lot to learn from each other."

Of all the challenges faced by the Vatican in organizing the 25th anniversary of the historic interreligious gathering in Assisi in 1986, the hardest was how to make it newsworthy. The 176 delegates—representing, said the Vatican, "not only the world's religions, but all people of good will, everyone seeking the truth"—whom Pope Benedict XVI led by train from Rome to the town of St Francis were comprehensive in their diversity. But if the Christian delegations on October 27 included the top men—Pope Benedict himself, the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Ecumenical Patriarch, Bartholomew I—the delegates from Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and others included no obvious celebrities, or even organizations whose presence might have raised an eyebrow. Even the inclusion of four non-believers failed to create a stir, for it was not Richard Dawkins or Christopher Hitchens standing with the pope but little-known academic philosophers.

• Read the complete web-only article on the America Magazine website.

A number of church leaders gathered for an early morning meeting Oct. 12 at St. George Anglican parish in Saskatoon, to receive an update about Station 20West and discuss plans for another ecumenical Advent campaign in support of Good Food Junction Cooperative Grocery Store.

Good Food Junction continues to work to raise funds to equip and stock the cooperative grocery store, which is one part of Station 20 West, now under construction in the city's core neighbourhood. During an Advent campaign undertaken by a number of Christian churches in Saskatoon last year, some $150,000 was raised for the project.

An estimated $350,000 to $400,000 is still needed to equip and stock the grocery store, permitting it to open without debt, something that the business plan deems necessary to ensure the Good Food Junction's ongoing viability, said Ralph Winterhalt, the cooperative grocery store's business development manager. "If that grocery store can open without debt for equipment, and has its inventory paid for, it's going to be a very successful project in the core neighbourhoods."

Winterhalt, who is also the project manager of Station 20 West, described how the Good Food Junction will be just one of the tenants located in the community enterprise centre. Others will include Quint, involved in creating housing in core neighbourhoods; CHEP, which works to place good food in schools and in the community; and Saskatoon Health Region, which will operate a Mother Centre and the Kids' First health centre; as well as a University of Saskatchewan community service outreach program.

Eventually, CHEP took a leadership role especially in bringing people together to develop plans for including a grocery store in Station 20 West, finding resources for the feasibility study and a business plan. Good Food Junction was incorporated six years ago as a cooperative grocery store, owned by members of the community. Plans are in place for a membership drive in the near future, to add to those memberships that have already been pledged, said Sanford Beck.

"The fundraising that the churches did last year was a huge boost for the grocery store," Sanford Beck said, as well as for Station 20 West as a whole. "It really drew people's attention to the project, and brought it into the minds and hearts of people who might otherwise not have had known about it, or might otherwise not have been as supportive."

The lack of a full service grocery store makes shopping for healthy, inexpensive food a huge challenge for those living in the core neighbourhoods, especially those without access to a vehicle, she described.

"We all know how important food is to good health, and we also know that it is often the heaviest and most expensive foods that are the healthiest for us. And so things like milk, fresh fruits and vegetables, are things that are heavy to carry home from the store, and they are also things that don't keep for a long time," she said of the situation.

Ideas for bulletin inserts, events and fund raising ideas, and a proposed ecumenical outdoor nativity pageant to launch another Advent campaign in Christian churches were discussed during the meeting.

Saskatoon Health Region chief medical officer Dr. Cory Neudorf also spoke during the meeting, stressing the ongoing gospel call to address income and health disparity, and tackle poverty and the suffering it causes. He noted that there are over 3,000 verses in scripture that address poverty, calling for justice and mercy.

Neudorf was one of those who worked on a 2008 health disparity report addressing the health status of residents within Saskatoon's six low income neighbourhoods, compared to the rest of the city – a report that showed a clear connection between low income and poor health.

It is important to recognize that the problem is ongoing, and calls for a long-term ongoing response to poverty issues, he said. The "poverty issue" is never done, he said. For instance, with the income health disparity study, it has been suggested it be repeated every few years to continue to "keep this in front of the community," and determine what progress has been made.

Neudorf suggested that a system of networking be established, whereby concerned individuals and groups can work together to share ideas, support each other, and coordinate their responses and initiatives. "There does seem to be a movement of God's Spirit working in this across many denominations," he said. "This is bringing churches together across the spectrum."

As an example, Neudorf suggested local churches might sponsor an event "to bring people together to give some feet to the words." Facilitators of such an event might guide the process, but it would permit people with similar projects, concern or interests to actually work together on practical responses to problems such as housing, hunger, support for single parents, and so on, he said. Neudorf said that he envisioned such a process including business leaders, entrepreneurs, and philanthropists.

"There is this sense that people want to make a difference, they just don't know how."

Bishop Cindy Halmarson of the Saskatchewan synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada said there is a need to focus on building relationships as a way to address issues. Neudorf agreed.

"Many people's misconceptions and judgments (about poverty) start from a lack of relationship," said Neudorf. "Take that first step and get to know others in your own congregation, because it may be you are sitting beside that person already, they just hide it. But beyond that, reaching out and actually getting to know someone, getting to know 'the other' breaks down those walls of judgments and preconceptions."

Teams from the Baptist World Alliance and the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople held exploratory talks Oct. 30-Nov. 2 that could lead to formal dialogue between Baptist and Orthodox Christians internationally.

BWA General Secretary Neville Callam, who led the Baptist delegation, described aims of the meeting held on the island of Crete as responding to the Lord's prayer in John 17:21 for his disciples "that they may all be one ... that the world may believe."

"Facing this challenge today, we believe that we should continue to explore our common ground in biblical teaching, apostolic faith and tradition as well as practical Christian witness, together with our remaining differences," Callam said.

Representing Orthodox Christians were Gennadios of Sassima of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople and professor of Orthodox theology and canon law; George Tsetsis, a former permanent representative of the Ecumenical Patriarchate to the World Council of Churches; and Konstantinos Kenanidis, general director of the Orthodox Academy of Crete.

The Ecumenical Patriarchate is ranked "first among equals" in the Eastern Orthodox communion and is widely regarded as the representative and spiritual leader of the world's 300 million Orthodox Christians.

According to a BWA press release, the two teams reviewed earlier discussions between the BWA and the Orthodox Church and proposed that any international dialogue should be aimed, among other things, at increasing mutual understanding and knowledge of each other; the exploring of a common witness to the world; and the encouragement of common action on ethical and moral issues.

A decision on whether formal dialogue will take place is expected by March 2012.

In its most important piece of work the Council finalized the text of a joint statement on ecclesiology and mission Belonging Together in Europe. An earlier version of the text was the major focus of the International Old Catholic and Anglican Theological Conference held in Neustadt, Germany from August 29 to September 2, 2011.

The joint declaration fulfils two points of the Council's mandate in offering a joint reflection on the ecclesiological and missiological implications of the Bonn agreement and the relationship between our churches. It is intended to provide a platform on which our two churches might make further progress to full visible unity. The Council will submit this to our parent bodies.

The Council participated in the annual meeting of the Society of St Willibrord. The Bishop of Lichfield presided at the festival eucharist in York Minster, and the Bishop of Haarlem preached. Bishop David Hamid presented a paper "From anomaly to opportunity: diaspora and national churches with a common mission."

This was the final meeting under the Council's current mandate. The Council's report to the archbishops of Canterbury and Utrecht includes recommendations to be considered in a new mandate.

For further information, please contact the Revd Professor Dr Angela Berlis, tel +41 (0)31 631 4193, email , or Canon Dr Alyson Barnett-Cowan at the Anglican Communion Office, tel +44 (0)20 7313 3930, email . Websites: www.utrechterunion.org and www.anglicancommunion.org

Present at the meeting:

Anglicans
The Rt Revd Jonathan Gledhill, Co-chair
The Rt Revd David Hamid
Mrs Maryon Jägers
The Revd Dr Jeremy Morris
The Revd Carola von Wrangel, Consultant
Canon Dr Alyson Barnett-Cowan, Co-secretary
Mr Neil Vigers, Anglican Communion Office

Old Catholic
The Rt Revd Joachim Vobbe, Co-chair
The Revd Professor Dr David R Holeton
The Rt Revd Dr Dirk Jan Schoon
The Revd Professor Dr Angela Berlis, Co-secretary
The Revd Lars Simpson, Administrative Support and Interpreter

The Revd Henriette Crüwell (not able to be present at this meeting)

Internationaler Anglikanisch/Alt-Katholischer Koordinierender Rat

Der Internationale Anglikanisch/Alt-Katholische Koordinierende Rat (AOCICC) traf sich vom 4. bis 8. November 2011 in York (England).

Als wichtigsten Teil seiner Arbeit vollendete der Rat den Text einer gemeinsamen Erklärung über Ekklesiologie und Mission, Belonging Together in Europe. Eine frühere Textversion war das Hauptthema der Internationalen Alt-Katholischen und Anglikanischen Theologenkonferenz vom 29. August bis 2. September 2011 in Neustadt/W. (Deutschland).

Die gemeinsame Erklärung erfüllt zwei Punkte des Mandats, indem sie eine gemeinsame Reflexion der ekklesiologischen und missiologischen Implikationen des Bonner Abkommens und der Beziehung zwischen unseren beiden Kirchen darstellt. Sie will eine Grundlage sein, auf der unsere beiden Kirchen zu voller sichtbarer Einheit weiter voranschreiten. Der Rat wird sie den zuständigen Organen übermitteln.

Die Mitglieder empfingen Berichte über die Entwicklungen in der Anglikanischen Kirchengemeinschaft und in den Alt-Katholischen Kirchen der Utrechter Union und nahmen laufende ökumenische Dialoge zur Kenntnis, an denen unsere Kirchen beteiligt sind.

Der Rat nahm am Jahrestreffen der Willibrord-Gesellschaft teil. Der Bischof von Lichfield präsidierte die festliche Eucharistiefeier in der Kathedrale von York, der Bischof von Haarlem hielt die Predigt. Bischof David Hamid hielt einen Vortrag mit dem Titel "From anomaly to opportunity: diaspora and national churches with a common mission" [Von der Anomalie zur Gelegenheit: Diaspora- und Nationalkirchen mit einem gemeinsamen Missionsauftrag].

Diese Sitzung war die letzte dieser Mandatsperiode des Rates. Der Bericht des Rates an die Erzbischöfe von Canterbury und Utrecht enthält Empfehlungen, die für ein neues Mandat berücksichtigt werden sollen.

Weitere Informationen sind erhältlich bei Prof. Dr. Angela Berlis, Tel. +41 (0)31 631 4193, email bzw. bei Canon Dr. Alyson Barnett-Cowan, Tel. +44 (0)20 7313 3930, email . Webseiten: www.utrechterunion.org und www.anglicancommunion.org

Bei der Sitzung waren folgende Mitglieder anwesend:

Alt-Katholische Kirchen
Bischof em. Joachim Vobbe – Ko-Präsident
Prof. Dr. Angela Berlis – Ko-Sekretärin
Prof. Dr. David R. Holeton
Bischof Dr. Dick Schoon
Administrative Unterstützung und Übersetzung: Pfr. Lars Simpson

Anglikanische Kirchengemeinschaft
Bischof Jonathan Gledhill – Ko-Präsident
Canon Dr. Alyson Barnett-Cowan – Ko-Sekretärin
Bischof David Hamid
Frau Maryon Jägers
Pfarrerin Carola von Wrangel (Beraterin)
Administrative Unterstützung: Neil Vigers, Anglican Communion Office

Abwesend: Pfarrerin Henriette Crüwell (alt-katholisch)

Archbishop's Seminary, Rabat (Malta)
31 October – 5 November, 2011

Communiqué

The island of Malta located in the Mediterranean Sea between Italy and the shores of Tunisia and Libya was the setting for the last plenary meeting of the Joint Working Group between the Roman Catholic Church (RCC) and the World Council of Churches (WCC) before the forthcoming WCC assembly in 2013 in Busan (Korea). Malta has been at the crossroads of Europe, Northern Africa and the Middle East throughout its history. According to Acts 28, the Apostle Paul stayed three months on the island following his shipwreck on the way to Rome. While a prisoner, he established the Church in Malta that remains faithful to its apostolic origins until today. Meeting in Rome and Damascus before, the members of the JWG were again reminded of the breadth of St. Paul's missionary vision of the church and community in Christ. Our deliberations were guided by the words of St. Paul to "receive one another just as Christ has received you, for the glory of God" (Rom 15:7).

This verse of St. Paul's letter has guided the work of the JWG in the present mandate. Under the leadership of the two co-moderators Archbishop and Metropolitan Nifon of Targoviste (Romania) and Archbishop Diarmuid Martin of Dublin (Ireland), the group finalized its work on two study documents on Reception and the Spiritual Roots of Ecumenism and reflections on the current issues of An Ecumenical Response to Migration and on The Church in the Life of Youth and Youth in the Life of the Church. The texts are addressed to the two parent bodies to inspire and activate the ecumenical life of the churches.

Both the harvesting of the fruits of many years of ecumenical dialogue and attention to the important role of shared spiritual life and values for ecumenism are vital for the future of the ecumenical movement and progress towards the goal of visible unity.

Hosted by the Archbishop's seminary in Rabat, the group experienced the warm hospitality of leadership, staff and students of this school, which guaranteed an excellent working environment. Having the chance to meet Archbishop Paul Cremona OP of the Roman Catholic Church of Malta with other clergy of the Church, representatives of the Church of Scotland and the Church of England, and the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Tommaso Caputo, the JWG members witnessed a fresh spirit of ecumenical openness and cooperation in this predominantly Catholic island, not least because of a common response to the steady arrival of migrants.

The group also visited the President of the Island, Dr George Abela, in the presidential palace in the capital, Valetta. Recalling the images of the recent Day of Reflection and Prayer for Peace in Assisi, the president underlined the role of religious leaders in the support of the peaceful resolution of conflicts and encouraged the ecumenical cooperation of Christian churches. Societies need the inspiration that unity in diversity is possible. Churches need to support Europe in the search for common values in this moment of the financial crisis.

On the last evening, the JWG participated as special guests at a concert "Singing for Peace" at St. John's Co-Cathedral. Co-moderators and JWG members from different regions and Christian traditions led prayers for peace during this event.

It's sometimes been said in recent years that the Church of England is still used by British society as a sort of stage on which to conduct by proxy the arguments that society itself doesn't know how to handle. It certainly helps to explain the obsessional interest in what the Church has to say about issues of sex and gender. It may help to explain just what has been going on around St Paul's Cathedral in the last couple of weeks.

The protest at St Paul's was seen by an unexpectedly large number of people as the expression of a widespread and deep exasperation with the financial establishment that shows no sign at all of diminishing. There is still a powerful sense around – fair or not – of a whole society paying for the errors and irresponsibility of bankers; of messages not getting through; of impatience with a return to 'business as usual' – represented by still soaring bonuses and little visible change in banking practices.

So it was not surprising that initial reactions to what was happening at St Paul's and to the welcome offered by the Cathedral were quite sympathetic. Here were people – protesters and clergy too, it seemed – saying on our behalf that 'something must be done'. A marker had been put down, though, comfortingly, not in a way that made any very specific demands.

The cataract of unintended consequences that followed has been dramatic. The Cathedral found itself trapped between what must have looked like equally unpleasant alternative courses of action. Two outstandingly gifted clergy have resigned. The Chapter has now decided against legal action. Everyone has been able to be wise after the event and to pour scorn on the Cathedral in particular and the Church of England in general for failing to know how to square the circle of public interest and public protest.

As I said, the demands of the protesters have been vague. Many people are frustrated beyond measure at what they see as the disastrous effects of global capitalism; but it isn't easy to say what exactly we should be doing differently. I believe it is time we tried to be a bit more specific.

There is help to be had from a bold statement on our financial situation emerging last week from the Vatican. This document, from the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, is entitled 'Towards Reforming the International Financial and Monetary Systems in the Context of Global Public Authority'. It contains, along with some sharp critical analysis a rather utopian vision of global governance and regulation. But, more importantly, it offers three quite specific recommendations that seek not to change everything at once but simply to minimize the damage of certain current practices and assumptions in the immediate future.

One is something we have now heard clearly from many sources – a plea now endorsed by the Vickers Commission that routine banking business should be clearly separated operationally from speculative transactions. The rolling-up of individual and small-scale savings into high-risk and high-return adventures in the virtual economy is one of the more obvious danger areas in the light of recent years. Early Government action in this area is needed.

A second plea is for the recapitalization of banks with public money to be accompanied by obligations on the banks to help re-invigorate the real economy.

But the third suggestion is probably the most far-reaching. The Vatican statement strongly backs the proposal of a Financial Transaction Tax – a 'Tobin Tax' or, popularly, a 'Robin Hood Tax' in the form in which it has been talked about most recently. This means a comparatively small rate of tax (0.05%) being levied on share, bond, and currency transactions and their derivatives, with the resulting funds being designated for investment and development in the 'real' economy, domestically and internationally. The modest rate of taxation conceals the high levels of return that could be expected (some $410bn globally on one estimate).

This has won the backing of significant experts who cannot be written off as naïve anti-capitalists – George Soros, Bill Gates and many others. It is gaining traction among European nations, with a strong statement in support this week from Wolfgang Schaüble, the German Finance Minister. The objections made by some who claim that it would mean a substantial drop in employment and in the national economy generally seem to rest on very much exaggerated and sharply challenged projections – and, more importantly, ignore the potential of such a tax to stabilise currency markets in a way that would boost rather than damage the real local economy.

The UK Government currently prefers the model of a direct taxation of bank assets, and it looks as though that will be their position at the impending G20 summit. But we need some robust public discussion enabling us to compare the relative merits of these structures, to assess the advantage of a co-ordinated approach across Europe, and to probe how far the Government's preferred option will guarantee the domestic and international development goals central to the 'Robin Hood ' proposals.

These ideas – ideas that have been advanced from other quarters, religious and secular, in recent years – do not amount to a simplistic call for the end of capitalism, but they are far more than a general expression of discontent. If we want to take seriously the moral agenda of the protesters at St Paul's, these are some of the ways in which we should be taking it forward. The Church of England and the Church Universal have a proper interest in the ethics of the financial world and in the question of whether our financial practices serve those who need to be served – or have simply become idols that themselves demand uncritical service.

The best outcome from the unhappy controversies in the City of London's Cathedral will be if the sort of issues raised by the Pontifical Council can focus a concerted effort to move the debate on and effect credible and hopeful change in the financial world. If religious leaders and commentators in the UK and elsewhere could agree on these three proposals, not as a fixed agenda but as a common ground on which to start serious discussion, the struggles and questionings alike of protesters and clergy at St Paul's will not have been wasted.