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["Anglican Communion News Service" <acnslist@anglicancommunion.org>]

ACNS 3293     |     ACO     |	  6 FEBRUARY 2003

Communiqui from Caribbean Phase of Anglican-Baptist International
Conversations (ABIC)

A Caribbean phase of international conversations between Anglicans and
Baptists was held in Nassau from 26-28 January 2003. This regional meeting
follows four previous phases held in Norwich (for Europe) in 2000, Yangon
(for Asia/Pacific) in 2001, Nairobi (for Africa), in 2002, and Santiago,
Chile (for Latin America) earlier in January 2003. Participants came from
Bahamas, Barbados, Haiti, Jamaica, and Trinidad & Tobago, representing their
respective Churches and joined the members of the "continuation committee"
which is conducting these regional gatherings on behalf of the Baptist World
Alliance and the Anglican Communion.

On the first evening, the Most Revd Drexel Wellington Gomez, Archbishop of
Nassau and Primate of the Church of the Province of the West Indies and The
Revd Dr Peter Pinder, Baptist Regional Secretary for the Caribbean welcomed
the delegates on behalf of the local churches.

The Anglican and Baptist representatives gave an overview of the life of
their respective communions in the Caribbean. Eight substantial papers were
presented on Anglican Life in the Caribbean, Baptist Life in the Caribbean,
Colonization, Liberation and the Mission of the Church in the Caribbean
(Baptist and Anglican), Eucharistic Theology (Baptist & Anglican), Anglican
Identity, and Baptist Identity.

The plenary discussion drew together rich insights from the Caribbean
context and related them to the themes emerging from previous regional
conversations, namely: continuity and story; recognition and acceptance;
contextual mission and ministry; baptism and Christian initiation;
membership and community; oversight and episcope; and confessing the faith.
Many common concerns from Baptists and Anglicans were shared with regard to
the "Caribbeanization" of witness and worship. In reflecting on the story of
Baptist and Anglican life in the Caribbean, many perspectives were shared on
the ways to choose which external influences to welcome and which to resist.
The meeting included shared prayer and devotions conducted by Baptist and
Anglicans and also Holy Communion in Holy Trinity Anglican Church. The
meeting was hosted by the Diocese of Bahamas and Holy Trinity Anglican
Church, Nassau. The participants were guests for dinner at the home of
Archbishop and Mrs Gomez and also at the home of Mrs Ruby Nottage and Mr
Kendall Nottage.

The ABIC is the official instrument of the Churches of the Anglican
Communion and the Baptist World Alliance engaged in theological discussions
which have the following objectives:

1 To enable Anglican/Baptists to learn from each other and to deepen
understanding of relationships between our two communions in the light of
their histories.

2 To share with each other how we understand the Christian faith and to work
toward a common confession of the Apostolic Faith.

3 To identify issues of doctrine and the nature of the church to be explored
further in possible future conversations.

4 To look for ways to cooperate in mission and community activities and
increase our fellowship and common witness to the Gospel.

The next phase will be held in September 2003 in North America. There is a
continuing committee consisting of four Anglicans and four Baptists who will
draft a report following the regional meetings to be submitted to the
Anglican Consultative Council and the Baptist World Alliance by 2005.

The following persons participated in the Nairobi meeting:

Anglicans:

Continuation Committee:
Bruce Matthews (Co-Chair), Canada
John Baycroft (Co-Secretary), Anglican Communion Office
Paul Avis, England

Caribbean Representatives:
Ranfurly Brown, Bahamas
Burnet Cherisol, Haiti
Knolly Clarke, Trinidad & Tobago
Drexel Gomez, Bahamas
Sehon Goodridge, Windward Islands
Rubie Nottage, Bahamas
Monrielle Williams, Barbados

Baptists:

Continuation Committee:
Paul Fiddes, (Co-Chair), England
Tony Cupit, (Co-Secretary), Baptist World Alliance
Ken Manley, Australia

Caribbean Representatives:
Cawley Bolt, Jamaica
Neville Callam, Jamaica
Beth Stewart, Bahamas
Peter Pinder, Bahamas
William Thompson, Bahamas
(Timothy Stewart, Bahamas)

For more information see http://www.anglicancommunion.org/ecumenical/

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