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The Eucharist: Sacrament of Unity

22 March 2001

(full text of document available at http://www.cofe.anglican.org/ccu/england/ )

'The Eucharist stands at the heart of the life and mission of the Church,' the Rt Rev John Hind, Chairman of the Church of England's Faith and Order Advisory Group, stressed, today, on the publication of The Eucharist: Sacrament of Unity. This occasional paper from the House of Bishops provides a timely exposition of the Church of England's teaching on the Eucharist (otherwise known as the Holy Communion, the Lord's Supper or the Mass). It also encompasses a courteous yet robust response to One Bread, One Body, issued by the Roman Catholic Bishops' Conferences of England and Wales, Ireland and Scotland in 1998.

'It is celebrated in Anglican churches and cathedrals week by week and day by day. It deepens our communion with God and with one another. What the churches believe and teach about the Eucharist is bound to be important,' Bishop John continued.

The Eucharist: Sacrament of Unity is a teaching opportunity. It sets out the teaching of the Church of England, within the worldwide Anglican Communion, on the Eucharist. It draws on the official teaching and liturgies of the Church of England, especially the Book of Common Prayer (1662) and Common Worship, and the ecumenical agreements the Church has approved.

This statement covers such questions as:
- Why is the Eucharist important in the life of Christians?
- How is Christ present in and through the sacrament?
- In what sense is the Eucharist a sacrifice?
- Why do Anglicans offer eucharistic hospitality to members of other churches and expect to receive it from them?

The statement is also a contribution to ecumenical dialogue. The Church of England is involved in many forms of ecumenical co-operation with the Roman Catholic Church at every level of the Church's life. There are warm personal friendships between Anglican and Roman Catholic bishops, clergy and lay people. The English Anglican - Roman Catholic Committee is a meeting point where theological issues are discussed and local unity initiatives are encouraged. The Anglican - Roman Catholic International Commission has been at work since the early 1970s and has produced a series of reports that seek to carry forward agreement in faith. Although questions remain, a largely common understanding of the Eucharist and Ministry have been revealed, and considerable progress made on the subject of authority in the Church. The Mississauga meeting last year, between Anglican and Roman Catholic bishops gave further impetus to growth in fellowship in many ways.

Ecumenical dialogue explores common ground and clarifies areas where further work is necessary. This statement from the House of Bishops does both.

In 1998, the Roman Catholic Bishops of England and Wales, Ireland and Scotland issued One Bread, One Body and invited responses from ecumenical partners. This document expounds the theology of the Eucharist and lays down the Roman Catholic Church's rules for sharing communion with non-Roman Catholics.

The Church of England Bishops make clear that they warmly endorse much of the eucharistic theology of One Bread One Body.

In the course of their argument, the Roman Catholic Bishops call into question Anglican celebrations of the Eucharist, Anglican orders of ministry and the integrity of the Church of England as part of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.

In this courteous but robust reply, published this week, the Bishops of the Church of England address these questions. Their document indicates the extent of genuine theological agreement between the two churches and makes clear the Church of England's commitment to the faith of the Christian Church concerning the Eucharist. The Bishops show why Anglicans differ from the Roman Catholic Church's rules for eucharistic sharing and explain the Church of England's practice of inviting baptised communicants in other Christian churches to receive Holy Communion at Anglican Eucharists.

The House of Bishops offers this statement to Anglicans to confirm their faith with regard to the Eucharist, and to fellow Christians, especially Roman Catholic colleagues, as a contribution to the ongoing dialogue and theological convergence that are necessary for the full visible unity of the Church.

The Eucharist: Sacrament of Unity is published by Church House Publishing, price £3.95, and is available from all Christian bookshops and Church House Bookshop, 31 Great Smith Street, London SW1P 3BN, tel 020-7898 1300, fax 020-7898 1305, email bookshop@c-of-e.org.uk, web www.chbookshop.co.uk (mail order available).