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ACNS 3688     |     ANGLICAN COMMUNION	   |	 25 NOVEMBER 2003 

Theological Education a priority for the life of the Anglican Communion

Theological Education for the Anglican Communion (TEAC), a working group
established by the Anglican Primates, held a meeting, involving its core
members at All Saints Pastoral Centre, London Colney, England, 10-14
November 2003. The group, which is committed to delivering its final
report to the Primates and the Anglican Consultative Council by
2006-2007, in time for the next Lambeth Conference, has as the aims of
its work:

. to deliver a well-focused challenge to be a Communion of Christians
who read the Bible together in the fullest awareness of who, when and
where we are;
. to strengthen the sense of why we are Anglicans and what sort of
Church we want to be;
. to make clear suggestions as to how theological education can be
delivered with appropriate professionalism and ecumenical alertness;
. to create a culture of teaching and learning in the faith community;

The work of TEAC will range widely across several key areas for
theological education, looking at education for Bishops, for Priests,
for Permanent Deacons and Lay Leaders, and for the Laity as a whole. It
will also include a special focus on what is called 'The Anglican Way' -
asking what it means to be Anglican and how this can be effectively
incorporated into Theological education at all levels.

The membership of TEAC is drawn from most of the Provinces of the
Anglican Communion, and will be consulting widely as it engages in its
task during the next few years.

At this meeting, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, who
will act as a consultant to TEAC, addressed the group. He underlined
that theological education was a particular priority for his
archiepiscopate, and set out what he regarded as key lines of enquiry
for TEAC. Challenged as to why we should be spending resources on
theological education in a world in which many lack adequate food and
healthcare, he spoke of the essential place of theological education in
ensuring we are a Communion of Christians whose energies are
appropriately channelled. Reminding TEAC of the words of Ephesians 4,
'to equip the saints for the work of ministry, until all of us come to
the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God' he
pointed out that theological education was important for mission because
it is only when we properly understand our faith that we can share with
others the good news of what is different and new.

This meeting of TEAC established the pattern of working and briefs for
the five sub-groups. Reinforcing the commitment of its membership to
view theological education holistically, it adopted the following
prayer, written by the Revd Canon Colleen O' Reilly (a TEAC member from
Australia) as a Collect for the work of the group.

Christ our Teacher,
you alone are the way, the truth and the life:
so lead the Theological Education group in its work,
building trust and understanding,
that, in sharing our stories, vision and resources,
all your people may grow in faith
and your whole Church built up in love,
in the power of the Holy Spirit
and to the glory of the Father.
Amen.

For more information contact:

Clare Amos (Coordinator, TEAC)
Anglican Communion office
Partnership House
157 Waterloo Road
London SE1 8UT

Email: clare.amos@anglicancommunion.org

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