Ecumenical Affairs and Studies Department at the Anglican Communion Office
The main task of the Director of Ecumenical Affairs and Studies is to co-ordinate the Anglican Communion's relationships with other World Communions and with the World Council of Churches. Where formal conversations exist at the world-level between Anglicans and other Christians, the Director serves as co-secretary of those dialogues, and as such is responsible for the research, logistics, planning and subsequent follow-up in study and action related to these inter-church conversations. Additional inter-church responsibilities include being a consultant to the Faith and Order Commission of the World Council of Churches and to the Joint Working Group between the WCC and the Roman Catholic Church. With Churches in Communion, such as the Old Catholics of the Union of Utrecht, the Director is responsible for nurturing and deepening these established relations of ecclesial communion.
The Inter Anglican Standing Committee for Ecumenical Relations
The Inter Anglican Standing Commission on Ecumenical Relations was established by the Anglican Consultative Council in response to a request from the bishops gathered at the Lambeth Conference in 1998. Its purpose is to monitor the progress of ecumenical affairs in the Anglican Communion, and to offer such support and advice as is requested by provinces in their ecumenical affairs. Its two chief concerns are to encourage "best practice" in the ecumenical initiatives undertaken within provinces, and to ensure that in bilateral dialogues with other partners there is consistency between the Agreed Statements developed. The Commission meets annually, under the chairmanship of the Archbishop of the West Indies, the Most Revd Drexel Gomez.
