Archbishop of Canterbury to join historic debate with Church of Scotland

The Archbishop of Canterbury will be the first head of the Church of England to join a debate at the Church of Scotland's General Assembly on Wednesday.

Archbishop Justin Welby will address the Church's ruling body on a key report that proposes formal links between the two Churches.

The agreement, known as the Columba Declaration, was passed at the Church of England's synod in February but is yet to be ratified north of the border. If passed, the Columba Declaration would allow clergy to minister in the other's churches, and would formalise an agreement to move "towards fuller communion".

The former moderator of the Church of Scotland, Angus Morrison, said he was "confident" the Assembly would pass the Declaration.

"In itself the Declaration is largely of a symbolic nature but it does pave the way for our further growth in fellowship and for extending partnership in mission as sister and national churches who share many common roots, challenges and opportunities," he said.

"We wish this to happen in the closest possible fellowship with other sister churches in the United Kingdom as we seek together to address the challenges of mission in our country today."

However the move is not without controversy. Although the Church of Scotland is the national Church of Scotland, as the CofE is in England, the CofE has existing links with another Scottish Church, the Scottish Episcopal Church (SEC).

The SEC is already linked to the CofE in the Anglican Communion and is unhappy with the new agreement. A rift emerged after the SEC withdrew from discussions between the three Churches over the Declaration.

related articles
Online baptisms won\'t happen, says Church of Scotland
Online baptisms won't happen, says Church of Scotland

Online baptisms won't happen, says Church of Scotland

Church of Scotland to vote on priests in gay marriages

Church of Scotland to vote on priests in gay marriages

Church of Scotland votes in favour of ministers in gay marriages
Church of Scotland votes in favour of ministers in gay marriages

Church of Scotland votes in favour of ministers in gay marriages

Why the Church of Scotland\'s same-sex marriage fudge won\'t work
Why the Church of Scotland's same-sex marriage fudge won't work

Why the Church of Scotland's same-sex marriage fudge won't work

Church of Scotland reaffirms support of EU

Church of Scotland reaffirms support of EU

News
Buddhism declines worldwide as ageing and disaffiliation take their toll, Pew study finds
Buddhism declines worldwide as ageing and disaffiliation take their toll, Pew study finds

Buddhism was the only major world faith to record a decline between 2010 and 2020.

Scotland: Eleventh hour plea to MSPs to reject assisted suicide
Scotland: Eleventh hour plea to MSPs to reject assisted suicide

Bishop John Keenan, President of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland, is urging members of the Scottish Parliament to think of the vulnerable and vote against assisted suicide. 

Archbishop of Canterbury to embark on historic six-day pilgrimage
Archbishop of Canterbury to embark on historic six-day pilgrimage

The Archbishop of Canterbury will undertake a six-day pilgrimage before she is installed as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury later this month. 

Baptist seminary provides refuge to people displaced in Lebanon
Baptist seminary provides refuge to people displaced in Lebanon

The Arab Baptist Theological Seminary near Beirut is sheltering displaced people who fled their homes as fighting between Israel and Hezbollah forces hundreds of thousands of civilians across Lebanon to seek refuge.