History

Anglican - Orthodox dialogue began in 1973, when the Anglican-Orthodox Joint Doctrinal Discussions (A/OJDD) held its first meeting in Oxford. The first phase of the dialogue was concluded by the publication of The Moscow Agreed Statement in 1976. The publication of The Dublin Agreed Statement in 1984 brought its second phase to a conclusion. Both statements recorded a measure of agreement on a range of specific topics, while acknowledging continuing divergence on others.

The third phase of the dialogue began in 1989, when the commission was re-constituted as The International Commission for Anglican - Orthodox Theological Dialogue (ICAOTD) under the chairmanship of Metropolitan John of Pergamon and Bishop Henry Hill (succeeded in 1990 by Bishop Mark Dyer) and drawing together senior clergy and theologians from across the Eastern Orthodox Churches and the Anglican Communion. Its task has been to consider the doctrine of the Church in the light of the doctrine of the Trinity, and to examine the doctrine of the ordained ministry of the Church. Particular attention has been given to the question of who may be ordained to the presbyterate and episcopate. This third phase of the dialogue has given further consideration to ecclesiological issues discussed in earlier phases, and to aspects of Trinitarian doctrine