Report of the General Synod Committee on Faith and Order
https://archives.anglican.ca/link/official9812
- Date
- 1934 September
- Source
- General Synod. Minutes
- Type
- Resolution
- Mover
- Bishop of Montreal
- Seconder
- Archbishop of Ottawa
- Prologue
- Report of the Commission on Faith and Order
- Your Committee met and organized in November 1911.
- Following up the Report of the World Conference held in Lausanne in 1930, and in compliance with recommendation 3 of the Report of the Committee on Re-union presented at the last meeting of the General Synod, your Committee appointed the following Theologians to consider the Lausanne Report -- The Archbishop of Ottawa, the Bishop of Algoma,the Bishop of Saskatoon, the Rev. Canon Abbott-Smith, Principal of the Montreal Diocesan Theological College, the rev. Dr. Carrington, Dean of Divinity of Bishop's College, Lennoxville, the Rev. Dr. Hunt, Professor of King's College, N.S., the Rev. Professor Kingston, Professor of Trinity College, Toronto, the Rev. Dr. Pilcher, Professor of Wycliffe College, Toronto, the Rev. Dr. Waller, Principal of Huron College, London, the Rev. Canon J.O. Murray, Professor of St. John's College, Winnipeg, the Ven. Archdeacon Blagrave, and the Very Rev. A.F.C. Whalley, Dean of Nova Scotia. The Archbishop of Ottawa presented the final Report of the Committee of Theologians on the 6th April, 1934, which we submit herewith.
- "Report of a Committee of Theologians of the Church of England in Canada.
- "To the Rt. Rev. the Lord Bishop of Montreal,
- Chairman of the Committee on Faith and Order:
- "At the meeting of the General Synod Committee on Faith and Order, held in Toronto on September 21st, 1933, the Archbishop of Ottawa gave a verbal report on his correspondence with a Committee of Theologians to whom the report of the Lausanne Conference had been referred by direction of the General Synod. The terms of reference were as follows:
- "'That the Committee on Faith and Order be instructed to appoint a Committee of Theologians to assist them in the study of the Lausanne reports, and particularly as to their consistency with the standards of the Church of England in Canada'.
- "From twelve Theologians with whom Archbishop Roper corresponded, some eight replies had been received, from which he had drawn up an interim report, and sent it again to them. He asked that Principal Waller might be associated with him in preparing a final draft for presentation to the Committee on Faith and Order.
- "We are now able to report as follows:
- "It is felt by all that the spirit of the reports is admirable, and the amount of agreement arrived at most encouraging, especially when we consider the great variety of opinion represented at the Conference at Lausanne. Great appreciation is also expressed of the fact that a report, such as that on 'The Church's Message to the World, the Gospel', should have been adopted unanimously by the whole Conference.
- "The Lausanne reports, with the exception of the first, 'The Call to Unity', and second, 'The Gospel', consist of statements both of agreements reached and of differences recorded. We find that on the whole the statements of agreement on the positive side are not inconsistent with the standards of the Church of England in Canada. We must add, however, the following criticisms made by one or more members of the sub-committee:
- "1. The agreements reached are very valuable as a basis of further discussion and as an approach to ultimate unity. They allow, however, as the points of difference indicate, great variety of interpretation, and are not, therefore, in themselves as yet adequate to serve as a basis of reunion. Some of our number feel that as they stand, owing to certain omissions, the amount of agreement may be over-estimated.
- "2. Some of the Committee feel that before the agreements reached can be in full accord with the Faith as we have received it, and with the conception of the Church and of the sacraments found in the Book of Common Prayer, there must be a further united study of the Incarnation, and a deeper agreement as to the full significance of this fundamental fact and doctrine of the Christian faith. They feel also that in this fuller apprehension of the Incarnation will be found the key to further agreement on the closely related doctrine of Grace, which we are glad to know is already being studied anew under the direction of the Continuation Committee.
- "3. With regard to the Ministry we find some real gain in the general acceptance of the five propositions laid down in the report:
- - "(1) The Ministry is a gift of God through Christ to His Church, and is essential to the being and well-being of the Church.
- - "(2) The Ministry is perpetually authorized and made effective through Christ and His Spirit.
- - "(3) The purpose of the Ministry is to impart to men the saving and sanctifying benefits of Christ through pastoral service, the preaching of the Gospel, and the administration of the Sacraments, to be made effective by faith.
- - "(4) The Ministry is entrusted with the government and discipline of the Church, in whole or in part.
- - "(5) Men, gifted for the work of the Ministry, called by the Spirit and accepted by the Church, are commissioned through an act of ordination, by prayer and the laying on of hands, to exercise the functions of this Ministry.
- "We welcome the careful statement of differences in the notes added to the report. Some members of the Committee, however, feel that if ultimately one form of Ministry is to receive recognition by the whole Church, while the question of its origin may remain open, there must be agreement as to its present authority and functions.
- "All of which is respectfully submitted,
- (Signed) John Charles Ottawa, Chairman,
- (Signed) C. Cameron Waller, Secretary".
- For economic reasons changes have been made in the organization of Faith and Order. The Geneva Office has been closed, and the services of a full-time Secretary dispensed with. The Rev. Canon Hodgson, of Winchester, Acting General Secretary, gives "his services free, besides giving the General Secretary's office a home in his house". While the Hon. Alanson Houghton continues as Treasurer in New York, in order to save money through fluctuations of exchange; the Rev. Canon Tissington Tatlow, was appointed Regional Treasurer in England.
- It has also been decided by a joint committee representing the Americans sections of the World Conference on Faith and Order, and the Universal Christian Council for Life and Work, that the Conferences of the two Movements be held in the same city, or in easily accessible adjacent cities, with a short interval in between for rest. That the programmes for the two Conferences be mutually arranged, and that co-ordination as to office help, administration and financial appeals as may be consistent with the recognized independence of the two organizations.
- The next World Conference will be held in August 1937 at Lausanne, when the general subject will be, "The Church and the Purpose of God". The Continuation Committee urge:
- 1. That Conferences, "little Lausannes", should be organized in all centres representing "as many Churches and ecclesiastical traditions as possible:, in order that the fullest preparation should be made to educate Christendom for the World Conference by careful study of the subject to be discussed.
- Your Committee recommends that the General Synod take action to inaugurate such Conferences.
- 2. That each Church should appoint delegates to the Conference in 1937 now, in order that he delegates may have ample time to prepare themselves thoroughly to forward the great work before us.
- We herewith submit the financial statement.
- Wilmot Niagara, Secretary.
- John Montreal, Chairman.
- STATEMENT OF RECEIPTS FOR FAITH AND ORDER CENTRAL COMMITTEE
- [Text of financial statement NOT included in electronic database.]
- Text of motion
- That the Report of the Commission on Faith and Order be adopted. CARRIED in both Houses.
- Subjects
- Church of England in Canada. Committee on Faith and Order
- Church of England in Canada. Committee of Theologians
- World Conference on Faith and Order. Continuation Committee
- World Conference on Faith and Order (1st : 1927 : Lausanne, Switzerland)
- World Conference on Faith and Order (2nd : 1937 : Edinburgh, Scotland)
- Christian union - 20th century
- Christian union - 20th century - Congresses
- Christian union - Anglican Church of Canada
- Ministry and Christian union