Apostolicity and Unity

Book excerpt: We would like to recommend this book to all who are concerned about the Porvoo fellowship as well as those who are commited to visible unity -K G Hammar and David Hope Apostolicity and Unity explores the purpose and potential of the Porvoo Common Statement (PCS), a major ecumenical agreement between the Anglican churches in Great Britain and Ireland and the Lutheran churches in the Nordic and Baltic nations. First presented in 1992 and now affirmed by ten signatory churches, the PCS provides the basis for church fellowship for approximately fifty percent of the so-called Protestant Christians in Europe. Porvoo is the European parallel to the 'Called to Common Mission' statement arising out of the Episcopal-Lutheran dialogue in the United States. Written by church leaders and theologians who have long worked for the cause of church unity, this volume discusses key aspects of the PCS, including the nature of the church, the basic characteristics of church unity, and the church's mission in the world. Special emphasis is placed on the theological core of the PCS -- its understanding of apostolicity and apostolic continuity, and its proposal of how different signs of such continuity can be shared between the churches within the framework of communion. Critical contributions from members of other church traditions round out the volume by assessing the wider ecumenical significance of the PCS.