The International Commission for the Anglican-Orthodox Theological Dialogue met in Canterbury, England, on October 10-17, 2019, and examined issues related to the ecology and the end of human life.
The Commission attended Divine Liturgy on Sunday at the Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of Christ at Canterbury, and the Holy Communion was offered by Metropolitan Athinagoras of Belgium at the Greek Orthodox Church of the Archangel Michael in Margate.
On this occasion, Archbishop Nikitas of Thyateira and Great Britain paid his first visit to the parish and wished the members of the Commission much success in their work.
During the working sessions, there were visits to historic sites in the area, including the Monastery of St. Augustine, the ancient Church of St. Martin, the archives and library of the Canterbury Cathedral and the Eastbridge Hospital. The nightly pilgrimage to the Canterbury Cathedral was a special visit, led by the Head of the Temple, which ended up at the spot of St. Thomas Becket’s martyrdom.
The Commission has concluded its work on the environmental and ecological issues in line with the principles of the Buffalo Statement entitled “The Image and Likeness of God: A Hope-Filled Anthropology, Buffalo 2015.”
Further consideration was given to the issue of the end of human life with the provisional title “Dying in Peace: A Christian Approach to Life and Death.” The Commission’s work on this topic will be the main subject at its next meeting in October 2020 which will be hosted by the Church of Greece.