Ecumenical Relations Committee
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OUR GLOBAL FAMILY
The Ecumenical Relations Committee is committed to
working in partnership with other churches in Scotland
and internationally.
On this page you will find information about our involvement
with these partner organisations:
Action of Churches Together in Scotland
Churches Together in Britain and Ireland
Conference of European Churches
Community of Protestant Churches in Europe
World Alliance of Reformed Churches
World Council of Churches
Please note that all external website links will take
you out of the Church of Scotland website and open a
new browser window.
Action of Churches Together in
Scotland (ACTS)
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ACTS is an expression of the commitment
of nine trustee churches to one another. Its structure
comprises the Scottish Churches' Forum composed
of representatives from the member churches. |
There are four networks: church life, faith studies, mission,
and church and society. They also give expression to the
churches' commitment to work together and bring together
key people in a defined field of interest or expertise.
Associated ecumenical groups and bodies in association
contribute to the life of the networks. ACTS is an expression
of the commitment of the churches to one another.
ACTS is staffed by a general secretary, an assistant general
secretary and two network officers. These structures facilitate
regular consultation and intensive co-operation among
those who frame the policies and deploy the resources
of the churches in Scotland and throughout Britain and
Ireland. At the same time, they afford greater opportunity
for a wide range of members of different churches to meet
in common prayer and study.
Visit ACTS online at www.acts-scotland.org
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Churches Together in Britain and
Ireland (CTBI)
In September 1990 Churches
throughout Britain and Ireland (CTBI), solemnly
committed themselves to one another, promising to
one another to do everything possible together.
To provide a framework
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for this commitment to joint action, the churches established
Churches Together in Britain and Ireland for the United
Kingdom and Ireland and, for Scotland, Action of Churches
Together in Scotland (ACTS), with sister organisations for
Wales and England.
In 2006, CTBI ceased being a separate ecumenical instrument
and became an agency of the four national ecumenical
bodies. It is governed by trustees appointed by the
national instruments, is managed by the general secretaries,
will have a Church Leaders' Meeting and a significant
annual gathering around its annual general meeting.
It retains two commissions on racial justice and inter
faith relations. It has three core portfolios, study,
church and society and inter faith together with a communication
officer.
Visit CTBI online at: www.ctbi.org.uk
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Conference of European Churches
(CEC)
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The Church of Scotland is a founder
member of the Conference of European Churches (CEC),
formed in 1959. More than 100 churches, Orthodox
and Protestant, are members. |
Most of its work is done through its Commissions on
Church and Society and on Churches in Dialogue and it is
in the process of merging with the Churches Commission
on Migrants in Europe.
Although the Roman Catholic Church is not a member there
is very close co-operation with the Council of European
Catholic Bishops' Conferences. With the removal of the
long-standing political barriers in Europe, CEC has opportunities
and responsibilities to assist the Church throughout the
continent to offer united witness and service.
CEC covers the whole of Europe, not just the
European Union, and its member churches come from
every country from the Atlantic to the Urals.
Alison Elliot
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Our representative on CEC's Central
Committee is Dr Alison Elliot OBE. |
Visit the CEC online at: www.cec-kek.org
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Community of Protestant Churches in Europe(CPCE)
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The Church of Scotland is a founder
member of the Community of Protestant Churches in
Europe (CPCE), which was formery known as the Leuenberg
Church Fellowship. The Fellowship came into being
in 1973 on the basis of the Leuenberg |
Agreement between the Reformation churches in Europe,
and the name was changed to the CPCE in 2003. The Leuenberg
Agreement stipulates that a common understanding of the
Gospel based on the doctrine of Justification by Faith,
and interpreted with reference to the proclamation of
the Word of God, Baptism and the Lord's Supper, is sufficient
to overcome the Lutheran-Reformed church division. Over
100 Protestant churches in Europe, and a number of South
American Chuches with European origin, have been signatories
to the Leuenbeg Agreement, including Lutheran, Reformed,
United and Methodist churches, as well as pre-reformation
Waldensian, Hussite and Czech Bretheren, and they grant
each oher pulpit and table fellowship.
John McPake
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Our representative on the CPCE Council
is Rev Dr John L McPake. |
Visit the CPCE online at: www.leuenberg.eu
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World Alliance of Reformed Churches
(WARC)
| The Church of Scotland is a founder
member of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches
(WARC) which began in 1875 as: "The Alliance
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Reformed Churches Throughout the World Holding the Presbyterian
System" and which now includes also churches of the
congregational tradition.
Today it is composed of more than 200 churches in nearly
100 countries, with an increasing number in Asia. It brings
together for mutual help and common action large churches,
which enjoy majority status, and small minority churches.
The Alliance engages in theological dialogue with other
Christian traditions - Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Lutheran,
Methodist, Baptist, etc. It is organised in three main
departments: co-operation with witness, theology and partnership.
Alexander Horsburgh
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Our representative on WARC's Executive Committee
is Rev Alexander Horsburgh. |
Visit WARC online at: warc.ch
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World Council of Churches (WCC)
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The Church of Scotland is a founder-member
of the World Council of Churches (WCC) formed in
1948. |
The WCC was established as a "fellowship of Churches
which confess the Lord Jesus Christ as God and Saviour
according to the Scriptures, and therefore seek to fulfil
their common calling to the Glory of the one God, Father,
Son and Holy Spirit".
Its member churches, which number more than 300, are drawn
from all continents and include all the major traditions:
Eastern and Oriental Orthodox, Reformed, Lutheran, Anglican,
Baptist, Disciples, Methodist, Moravian, Friends, Pentecostalist,
and others. Although the Roman Catholic Church is not
a member, there is very close co-operation with the departments
in the Vatican. The WCC holds its assemblies every seven
years.
Presently, the World Council of Churches is coordinating
a 'Decade to Overcome Violence' (2001 to 2010) which the
Church of Scotland has taken up as part of the context
in which we do our work. It held its 9th Assembly in Brazil
in early 2006.
Graham McGeoch
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Our representative on the WCC's Executive
Committee is Mr Graham McGeoch. |
Visit WCC online at: www.wcc-coe.org
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