The Church of Denmark agrees to sign the Porvoo Agreement


My arrival in Copenhagen coincided with the news that the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Denmark (ELCD) has decided to join the Porvoo Communion of Churches. A press release from the Church of Denmark has gone to all the constituencies of that Church and to the general public in Denmark, announcing this landmark decision by the state Church. Arrangements for the public signing of the Porvoo Declaration are still to be settled. The ELCD was a full participant in the theological discussions leading to the Porvoo Common Statement in the 1990s, but in the end did not sign the agreement, so the news today is a major ecumenical breakthrough. Once signed the agreement will extend the Porvoo Communion of Churches to embrace the 12 dioceses and over 2000 parishes in Denmark.

Comments

  1. Anonymous12 December 2009 at 15:09

    This is really very significant and is good news indeed.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous12 December 2009 at 17:53

    Is there are any information as to how the ELCD will receive the sign of the historic episcopal succession?

    Viriato da Silva

    ReplyDelete
  3. David Hamid12 December 2009 at 22:11

    As they are already written into the Porvoo Declaration, their signing on will be an accession to what, in a sense, they have already agreed theologically. So with regard to the sign of the historic succession, according to the Porvoo Agreement, it will mean that they will embrace what the agreement says in commitment (vi) "to invite one another's bishops normally to participate in the laying on of hands at the ordination of bishops as a sign of the unity and continuity of the Church". Can't say more than that at this stage.

    ReplyDelete
  4. bathmate26 December 2009 at 16:58

    Impressive and attractive posting. I enjoyed it. I think others will like it & find it useful for them. Good luck with your work. ;-)

    Bathmate

    ReplyDelete
  5. bathmate26 December 2009 at 16:59

    Impressive and attractive posting. I enjoyed it. I think others will like it & find it useful for them. Good luck with your work. ;-)

    Bathmate

    ReplyDelete
  6. cbmilne335 January 2010 at 04:06

    Great idea.Now lets roll out the Porvoo Communion/Declaration throughout the entire Anglican Communion and Lutheran World Federation(including the expected new member Lutheran Orthodox Church)plus the rest of the other Apostolic Sucessionist Traditional Churches-Roman Catholic,Eastern and Oriental Orthodox,etc.This could help set up a common set of ecumenical dialogue tools and rule book.

    ReplyDelete
  7. David Hamid5 January 2010 at 11:14

    It is what many in the ecumenical movement would hope for. What is the Lutheran Orthodox Church, by the way?

    ReplyDelete
  8. cbmilne337 January 2010 at 05:37

    The website of the Lutheran Orthodox Church is
    http://www.lutheranorthodox.com
    hope that would be of help.By the way you may also stick the websites of the Anglican Communion,World Council of Churches,etc on your linkspage.They have a good linksfarm type function plus news,etc information.

    ReplyDelete
  9. David Hamid7 January 2010 at 14:26

    cbmilne33: Thanks for the link for the Lutheran Orthodox Church, which appears to be an interesting body. We have similar bodies which have cropped up within wider "Anglicanism" from time to time as well. As for the websites of the WCC and the Anglican Communion etc, Apart from my own quite subjective links, I have decided only to put in official links that are not easily found elsewhere, or which have a direct bearing, historically or through partnership to our diocese. USPG and Christian Aid would be in the latter category. The link to the Conference of European Churches is an exception, but it is European. Most of our folk should know of the WCC and the Anglican Communion and how to find them easily. I am open to your suggestion however, and might put in some official links, then some more subjective ones. Thanks for keeping my ideas going!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous6 February 2010 at 20:32

    Hello, the correct link for the Lutheran Orthodox Church is www.lutheranorthodoxchurch.org
    The older sites are outdated.
    Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  11. David Hamid7 February 2010 at 00:46

    Thanks for the correction

    ReplyDelete

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