STATEMENT from the
ANGLICAN
CHURCH
OF
BURUNDI
on the Anglican Communion
The
House of Bishops of the Anglican Church of Burundi received and
discussed the Archbishop of Canterbury’s reflection “The
Challenge and Hope of Being Anglican Today” in which he sets
out his thinking concerning the future of the Anglican
Communion. The Anglican Church of Burundi wishes to commend it
as a working document in the process of pastoral care within the
Communion so that channels for constructive dialogue and
fellowship with Provinces of the Anglican Communion may be
maintained in the future.
The
Anglican Church of Burundi remains committed to the Anglican
Communion and to endeavouring to work with all the Primates who
have been entrusted with leadership of its Provinces. We are
committed to the Gospel imperative to maintain unity and
communion that is rooted in truth and love. We are called to be
a "one, holy, catholic and apostolic" church and to
affirm loyalty to the authority of Scripture and the traditional
teachings of the Church. Though we recognise the principle of
unity in diversity, Scripture should remain our guide in all
matters of doctrine, ethics and decision making. As has become
apparent, we ignore Biblical teaching, the Apostolic Faith, and
Church practice at our peril, and compromise our unity,
fellowship, and communion. We must pray that we shall find ways
to move forward with renewed commitment to “keep the unity of
the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Eph.4v3)
We
recognise the interdependence of Provinces and the
responsibilities that we have towards one another. We regret,
however, that decisions taken by some Provinces have led to a
fracturing of the unity of the Church to such an extent that it
has threatened the future of the Anglican Communion as a
communion.
It
is regrettable that these decisions also threaten our
relationships with other denominations, and the mission and
witness of the Church in a world that is already confused in
areas of sexuality, morality and theology.
We
recommend therefore that our relationships should be guided by
the decisions of the 1998 Lambeth Conference Resolution
I
.10 and Resolution
III
:2(e),
the Windsor Report recommendations, and the Dromantine requests.
As
those called to fulfill the Great Commission of Christ, we need
to find ways to join together under God’s grace and, with
repentance and faith, encourage one another in the work of the
Kingdom. We need to continue to prayerfully encourage
understanding and dialogue and re-assess structures and ways of
drawing closer to each other rather than walking apart. Such
should be the spirit of our communion.
We
support the idea of an Anglican Covenant and trust that it will,
as the recent Kigali Communiqué states, “demonstrate
to the world that it is possible to be a truly global communion
where differences are not affirmed at the expense of faith and
truth but within the framework of a common confession of faith
and mutual accountability”.
Finally,
we believe that hope for the Anglican Communion is dependent on
the Church worldwide earnestly seeking a deep work of the Holy
Spirit that will lead to repentance, forgiveness, revival, and
healing. We should work for a Church characterised by justice
and compassion that strives to be a sanctuary of care where the
truth can be told with love. Only then will we be able to meet
the challenge to walk together in a way that honours the name of
Christ whom we seek to serve, and witness to his reconciling
love in a hurting and fragmented world.
Issued:
Bujumbura
October 2006
The Most Rev. Bernard NTAHOTURI
Archbishop of
Burundi
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