Interfaith Group

Gavin Drake

MEMBERS of the Methodist Conference have endorsed the proposals in the report of the Anglican-Methodist Covenant Joint Implementation Commission (JIC) when they met in Birmingham this week, despite continued expressions of concern about the adoption of Methodist bishops.

The proposals, which will be considered by the General Synod next week, call for the two Churches' Faith and Policy groups to work on proposals that would mean that the Methodist Conference's ministry of oversight would be expressed in "a personal form of connexional, episcopal ministry"; and for the C of E to "recognise that ministry . . . as a sign of continuity in faith, worship, and mission in a Church that is in the apostolic tradition".

The Methodist co-chair of the JIC, Professor Peter Howdle, said that there had been "a shift in the ecumenical tone . . . both nationally and internationally" over the past12 months. It was "a very decisive moment and a very auspicious time," he said.

At the recent meeting between the Archbishops of Canterbury and York and both the President and Vice-President of the Conference, "there was a very strong sense of needing to move forward for the sake of mission in our islands", Professor Howdle said. They were "very strongly in favour of actionsto move things forward.

http://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2014/4-july/news/uk/methodists-give-cautious-endorsement-to-bishops