The Anglican–Old Catholic International Coordinating Council
Internationaler Anglikanisch/Alt-Katholischer Koordinierungsrat
(AOCICC)
Communiqué 2024
Bonn, 10 July 2024
The Anglican–Old Catholic International Coordinating Council (AOCICC) met in Bonn, Germany from 7 to 10 July 2024. The meeting was hosted by the Union of Utrecht and convened at St Cyprian’s Old Catholic Church in Bonn.
The Coordinating Council discussed a draft questionnaire exploring how our churches, and particularly local congregations, respond to the crises of our time, specifically those posed by refugees and by climate change. It is planned that a pilot survey will be conducted later in 2024, with the main questionnaire to be distributed in early 2025.
In addition, the Council considered the ecumenical agreements into which Anglicans and Old Catholics have entered with other partners, with a focus on those in Europe. A distinction was made between relationships of (full) communion, such as that between the Anglican Communion and the Union of Utrecht, and agreements which achieve mutual eucharistic hospitality and sometimes also pulpit exchange (but not full interchangeability of ministries), such as the Meißen Declaration (1991) between the Church of England and the German Protestant Church (EKD) or the agreement between the German Old Catholics and the United Evangelical Lutheran Church of Germany (VELKD), later ratified by the EKD (1985). The Council noted a lack of clarity in the Anglican Communion as to the status of the “Churches in Communion” and of their representatives at meetings such as the Lambeth Conference. It also identified a level of confusion amongst some Old Catholics about the status of the Union of Utrecht in relation to the Anglican Communion. Further work will be conducted on the existing relationships of (full) communion to explore how agreement was reached on the recognition of ministries and on episcope. The practical consequences of the agreements of mutual eucharistic hospitality will also be considered.
The Council worshipped together at St Cyprian’s Old Catholic church. Bishop Matthias Ring also celebrated a Eucharist with the members of the Council at the Namen-Jesu-Kirche, the German Old Catholic cathedral and episcopal church. At the invitation of Bishop Matthias, Council members were privileged to dine at the Hotel Königshof, where the Bonn Agreement achieving (full) communion between Anglicans and Old Catholics was drafted and signed on 2 July 1931. They also enjoyed a guided tour of Bonn and a trip to the Drachenfels.
The Council’s members are very grateful to Bishop Matthias Ring of the German Old Catholic Church for his hospitality and support during this meeting, to all in his office for their assistance and expertise, and also to Pfarrer Thomas Schüppen, his parish team, and the congregation of St Cyprian’s for their generous welcome.
For further information, please contact the Revd Neil Vigers (neil.vigers@anglicancommunion.org) or the Revd Ruth Tuschling (ruth.tuschling@alt-katholisch.de).
Websites: www.anglicancommunion.org and www.utrechterunion.org
Members of the Council
Anglican
The Rt Revd Peter Eagles (Co-Chair)
Mrs Jenny Knudsen
The Revd Dr Tess Kuin-Lawton (unable to be present)
The Revd Prof. Charlotte Methuen
The Revd Neil Vigers (Co-Secretary) (present for part of the meeting)
Old Catholic
Bischof Emeritus Dr Harald Rein (Co-Chair)
Vikarin Revd Dorothee Hahn
Prof. Dr Andreas Krebs (present for part of the meeting)
Pfarrerin Dr Ruth Tuschling (Co-Secretary)
Priester ThDr Petr Jan Vinš