In December, Beverley and I will set out for our second term of overseas service within the Anglican Communion. From 1977-1982, we were a part of the Episcopal Church of Ecuador, and after almost 20 years back in Canada, we are preparing to serve as a part of the Anglican Diocese of West Kowloon, Parish of Tuen Mun, Hong Kong.

It is a very moving experience to see our Communion in other parts of our world. In fact, the greatest part of our Communion is in other parts of the world. Today, there are more Anglicans in Africa that in Great Britain and Canada combined. So this must mean that wherever one goes, the Anglican Church remains the same. This is not the case at all. The Church in Ecuador is unique. It is Ecuadorian. It is a part of the Anglican Communion, with very little of its history having to do with Great Britain. It sees itself more as a reformed catholic Church, and in places it is know among the people as "The Church with the married Padres". The Church in Africa is also African, with liturgies very much in tune with African life. And of course to visit the Church in England is to find a very English Church, while the American Church is very American.

In parts of the world, the Anglican Church is very conservative, and in others, it is very liberal. So just what holds it all together? A former article makes it clear that it is NOT held together by a figure of authority. Outside of England itself, the Monarch plays no role, and outside of the Province of Canterbury, the Archbishop of that Province is a person who moderates meetings of Bishops from all over the world.

What does hold the Communion together is mutual consent to a document, or better, two documents, which have become known as "The Lambeth Quadrilateral", and "The Chicago Quadrilateral". The main points of these two documents are:

1. Recognition of the Historic Episcopate: This idea is also known as ‘Apostolic Succession’, and simply realizes that there has been an unbroken succession of Bishops ever since the time of the Apostles. I hope to write more about this later, but if you have had he opportunity of attending the "ordination"or "consecration"of a Bishop, you will notice that the laying on of hands is always done by other Bishops. Careful records are also kept of who such Bishops are, and what there order of succession is. This recognizes that our Faith is not something which sort of ‘springs up’ from time to time in human history, but that it is a part of human history, going back some 20 centuries to the time of Jesus and the Apostles.

2. Recognition of Baptism and Holy Communion as the essential sacraments of the Christian Faith. This article is rather self explanatory, but calls all Anglicans to observe Baptism as the entry rite into the Christian Church, and the Holy Communion as a regular celebration of the great mysteries of the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. This article also recognizes that the elements for the Holy Communion will be grape wine, and wheat bread.

3. Recognition of the authority of the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament: There is not always clarity about what "authority" means throughout the Communion. Some parts have various views about this. But what does bind us together is agreement that the Scriptures contain all that is necessary for Salvation, and that they contain the essential elements of the faith.

4. Acceptance of the Ancient Creeds: This refers to the documents known as "The Apostles Creed", and "The Nicene Creed", as clear statements of the Christian Faith.

The Anglican Communion circles the globe. But it has never made the attempt to be "uniform". It rather gives room for local expressions of the Christian Faith, all within the framework of the Quadrilaterals.