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A consultation entitled “episkopé and episkopos in the ecumenical debate” was convened by the Faith and Order Commission of the World Council of Churches with a specific purpose in mind. It was to provide clarifying suggestions for the revision of the three agreed statements, “One Baptism, One Eucharist and a Mutually Recognized Ministry”. (1)
Let us briefly recall the background. In 1974 the Faith and Order Commission decided to submit to the churches three statements of agreement on baptism, eucharist and the ministry. The decision was later endorsed by the Fifth Assembly of the World Council of Churches in Nairobi (1975). The Assembly asked the churches to send in their official responses to the texts by December 31, 1976. A large number of churches replied. The Faith and Order Commission is now faced with the task of revising the texts in the light of the responses received. It is hoped that this revision can be completed within one or two years and that the new texts can be shared again with the churches before the next Assembly of the World Council of Churches.
In their responses, several churches expressed their dissatisfaction with the way in which the text on the ministry dealt with the issue of the forms of the ministry and especially with the episcopate. They felt that paragraph 26 was insufficient and that a new approach was required. Some suggested that the Faith and Order Commission convene a consultation on this subject. At its meeting in Bangalore (1978), the Faith and Order Commission made this recommendation its own. The consultation was held in Geneva, August 13-16, 1979.
In preparation for the meeting, Professor J.K.S. Reid (Great Britain) had undertaken the task of summarizing the present theological debate on the theme; his survey helped the participants in the consultation to take into account recent developments in the thinking of the churches and particularly the findings of bilateral conversations. At the meeting itself, Professor R.E. Brown (USA) read a paper on the New Testament evidence on episkopé and episkopos and Professor J.D. Zizioulas (Great Britain) on the situation in the early Church. Finally the consultation turned its attention to the actual practice in the churches. Several papers served as guides in this discussion. Bishop A.R. Samuel (India) presented an account on the issue of episcopacy in the Church of South India. The Rev. M. Mbwana (Tanzania) had provided a paper on the situation in his country and the consultation was also able to make use of a paper by Mr S. Escobar on episcopacy seen through the eyes of a Latin American evangelical Christian. (2)
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The consultation decided to draw up a brief memorandum on the main issues which will need to be taken up in the process of revising the agreed statement on the ministry. The memorandum is addressed primarily to the Faith and Order Commission and those who are in charge of the revision but, obviously, it will be of interest to all who actively participate in promoting the consensus among the churches.
Geneva, December 31, 1979
Lukas Vischer
(1) Faith and Order Paper No. 73, Geneva: WCC, 1974.
(2) This paper was originally written for another purpose. It is
reproduced here with the kind permission of the Anglican
Consultative Council.