A137 Church of Sweden - Full Communion Relationship
Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring,
That the 80th General Convention of The Episcopal Church accept the Memorandum of Understanding dated January 15, 2022 between The Episcopal Church and the Church of Sweden (which can found on the Ecumenical and Inter-religious page of The Episcopal Church’s website at https://www.episcopalchurch.org/ministries/ecumenical-interreligious/ and which shall be added to the Ecumenical and Interfaith Relationships page of the Archives upon acceptance of the Memorandum by the General Convention https://www.episcopalarchives.org/sceir) the basis for a relationship of full communion between The Episcopal Church and the Church of Sweden; and be it further
Resolved, That the 80th General Convention of The Episcopal Church request that the Most Rev. Michael B. Curry, Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church, convey this action to the Archbishop of the Church of Sweden; and be it further
Resolved, That the ecumenical officers of The Episcopal Church, working with the Task Force to Coordinate Ecumenical and Interreligous Work, establish policies and procedures to facilitate exchange of ministry between The Episcopal Church and the Church of Sweden as set forth in the Memorandum; and be it further
Resolved, That Canon I.20 be amended by adding a new subsection, as follows:
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I.20
(__) The Episcopal Church has a relationship of full communion with the Church of Sweden under the terms of the Memorandum [name of Memorandum] dated _______, 2022 between The Episcopal Church and the Church of Sweden, which was accepted by the 80th General Convention of The Episcopal Church as Resolution 2022-A___.
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I.20
(__) The Episcopal Church has a relationship of full communion with the Church of Sweden under the terms of the Memorandum [name of Memorandum] dated _______, 2022 between The Episcopal Church and the Church of Sweden, which was accepted by the 80th General Convention of The Episcopal Church as Resolution 2022-A___.
Explanation
The Task Force to Coordinate Ecumenical and Interreligous Work was tasked by 79th General Convention Resolution 2018-D085 “Affirm Full Communion with Evangelical Lutheran Church of Sweden” to “to prepare, in concert with the Church of Sweden, a memorandum of understanding setting forth the terms and procedures of the full communion between The Episcopal Church and the Church of Sweden.”
This Memorandum of Understanding is based on the recognition of our exiting full communion relationship, which is set forth in 78th General Convention’s Resolution B004, which received and commended the “Report on the Grounds for Future Relations Between the Church of Sweden and The Episcopal Church,” (https://www.episcopalchurch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/07/eir_report_on_the_grounds_for_future_relations_between_the_church_of_sweden_and_the_episcopal_church.pdf)
A Memorandum of Understanding (attached) has been prepared as directed by 2018-D085 by representatives of the Episcopal Church and the Church of Sweden, dated January 15, 2022.
January 15, 2022
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH, represented by _________,
and THE CHURCH OF SWEDEN, represented by _________
Recalling the summary of our dialogue, “Report on the Grounds for Future Relations between the Church of Sweden and the Episcopal Church,” which made clear the existing relationship of communion between our two churches.
Grateful that this report was accepted by the Seventy-Eighth General Convention of the Episcopal Church, held in 2015.
Inspired by the formal celebration of this relationship held at a service of Holy Eucharist at Uppsala Cathedral, Sweden, in November of 2015, led by The Most Reverend Katharine Jefferts Schori, then Presiding Bishop and Primate of the Episcopal Church, and The Most Reverend Antje Jackelén, Archbishop and Primate of the Church of Sweden.
Mindful of the request of the Seventy-Ninth General Convention of the Episcopal Church, held in 2018, that the Presiding Bishop facilitate the development of a Memorandum of Understanding between us “setting forth the terms and procedures of full communion between The Episcopal Church and The Church of Sweden”.
Recommend that the governing bodies of both our churches receive and affirm the following Memorandum of Understanding:
We, the Church of Sweden and the Episcopal Church, on the basis of our common understanding of the nature and purpose of the Church, fundamental agreement in faith and our agreement on episcopacy in the service of the apostolicity of the Church, contained in “Report on the Grounds for Future Relations between the Church of Sweden and the Episcopal Church”, make the following acknowledgements and commitments:
- We agree to the following:
- We acknowledge one another’s churches as churches belonging to the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church of Jesus Christ and truly participating in the apostolic mission of the whole people of God.
- We acknowledge that in our churches the Word of God is authentically preached, and the sacraments of baptism and the eucharist are duly administered.
- We acknowledge that our churches share in the common confession of the apostolic faith.
- We acknowledge that one another’s ordained ministries are given by God as instruments of God´s grace and as possessing not only the inward call of the Spirit, but also Christ’s commission through his Body, the Church.
- We acknowledge that personal, collegial and communal oversight (episcope) is embodied and exercised in both our churches in a variety of forms, in continuity of apostolic life, mission and ministry.
- We acknowledge that the episcopal office is valued and maintained in both our churches as a visible sign expressing and serving the Church’s unity and continuity in apostolic life, mission and ministry.
- We commit ourselves:
- To share a common life in mission and service, to pray for and with one another, and to share resources.
- To welcome one another’s members to receive sacramental and other pastoral ministrations.
- To regard baptized members of both our churches as members of our own.
- To welcome diaspora congregations into the life of the indigenous churches, to their mutual enrichment.
- To welcome persons episcopally ordained in either of our churches to the office of bishop, priest or deacon to serve, by invitation and in accordance with any regulations which may from time to time be in force, in that ministry in the receiving church without re-ordination.
- To invite one another’s bishops (normally) to participate in the laying on of hands at the ordination of bishops as a sign of the unity and continuity of the Church.
- To establish appropriate forms of collegial and conciliar consultation on significant matters of faith and order, life and work.
- To encourage consultations of representatives of our churches, and to facilitate learning and exchange of ideas and information in theological and pastoral matters.
- To establish a contact group to nurture our growth in communion and to co-ordinate the implementation of this agreement.
Following approval of this Memorandum of Understanding by the General Convention of the Episcopal Church, and the synod of the Church of Sweden, This MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING comes into force immediately after being signed by the Archbishop of Uppsala and the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church.
DONE in ______ Cathedral, this __________