Anglican, Lutheran commission to oversee new relationship

Three Anglicans have been named to an eight-member joint commission that will oversee a new relationship between the Anglican Church of Canada and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC).

The Anglican primate, Archbishop Michael Peers, was expected to name a fourth Anglican member this fall.

The motion to adopt and implement The Waterloo Declaration – Call to Full Communion, which brings the two churches closer but stops short of a merger, was approved at the Anglican and Lutheran churches’ national conventions held last July in Waterloo, Ont.

Anglicans on the committee are: Dr. Richard Leggett, Vancouver School of Theology; Bishop Fred Hiltz, diocese of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island and Rev. Arthur Anderson, diocese of Qu’Appelle. Canon Alyson Barnett-Cowan, director of Faith, Worship and Ministry, will provide staff support to the commission.

Anglican and Lutheran bishops were scheduled to celebrate the Waterloo Declaration at a joint service at All Saints’ Cathedral in Edmonton on Oct. 28. The service date was set to correspond to the Anglican house of bishops meeting, from Oct. 27 to Oct. 31 in Edmonton.

Both Archbishop Peers and Bishop Ray Schulz, the national bishop of ELCIC, were to participate in the house of bishops meetings and in the joint service.

“Lutheran bishops have been attending part of our house of bishops meetings for the past five years,” said Ms. Barnett-Cowan. This fall the group discussed sharing resources and guidelines and protocol for clergy serving in each others’ churches.

Lutheran bishops in Canada number six, plus the national bishop. Anglican bishops number around 40, including suffragan, or assistant, bishops.