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| Churches of Scotland and England reach first formal pact | Churches of Scotland and England reach first formal pact |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| An "historic" agreement has been reached between The Church of England and The Church of Scotland - marking their first formal working arrangement. | An "historic" agreement has been reached between The Church of England and The Church of Scotland - marking their first formal working arrangement. |
| A document - the Columba Declaration - will be debated by the ruling bodies of both churches next year. | A document - the Columba Declaration - will be debated by the ruling bodies of both churches next year. |
| It commits the churches to "grow together in communion and to strengthen their partnership in mission". | It commits the churches to "grow together in communion and to strengthen their partnership in mission". |
| Founded in two different branches of Protestantism, England's church is Anglican and Scotland's Presbyterian. | Founded in two different branches of Protestantism, England's church is Anglican and Scotland's Presbyterian. |
| The declaration has been authored by Kirk minister the Reverend John McPake, and the Church of England's Bishop of Chester, Peter Forster. | |
| 'Common reality' | 'Common reality' |
| They say the agreement will allow clergy and lay people from each church to be welcomed into the other when they move across the border. | They say the agreement will allow clergy and lay people from each church to be welcomed into the other when they move across the border. |
| The pact also recognises that the two churches have constitutional responsibilities in separate parts of the UK. | The pact also recognises that the two churches have constitutional responsibilities in separate parts of the UK. |
| "We face the common reality that constitutional change could have a significant impact on our own identity and relationships," the 15-page declaration says. | "We face the common reality that constitutional change could have a significant impact on our own identity and relationships," the 15-page declaration says. |
| In a joint statement from both authors they said they hoped the pact would "affirm and strengthen our relationship at a time when it is likely to be particularly critical in the life of the UK". | In a joint statement from both authors they said they hoped the pact would "affirm and strengthen our relationship at a time when it is likely to be particularly critical in the life of the UK". |
| They also said they wanted it to: "Enable us to speak and act together more effectively in the face of the missionary challenges of our generation." | They also said they wanted it to: "Enable us to speak and act together more effectively in the face of the missionary challenges of our generation." |
| The Church of England's ruling body - the General Synod - will discuss the document in February, while the Church of Scotland's General Assembly will go through the same process in May. | The Church of England's ruling body - the General Synod - will discuss the document in February, while the Church of Scotland's General Assembly will go through the same process in May. |
| Both churches were formed separately during the Reformation - which began in 1517 and focused on ways to reform the Catholic Church. | Both churches were formed separately during the Reformation - which began in 1517 and focused on ways to reform the Catholic Church. |
| The new agreement is the first between the churches - which both describe themselves as part of "one holy catholic and apostolic church" - but have significant ecclesiological differences. | The new agreement is the first between the churches - which both describe themselves as part of "one holy catholic and apostolic church" - but have significant ecclesiological differences. |
| The Church of England retained more vestiges of Catholicism, has Catholic and evangelical wings, and is governed by bishops. | |
| Meanwhile, the Church of Scotland is Presbyterian in structure and has no bishops or cathedrals. | |
| This year the two churches established the Churches' Mutual Credit Union as a response to concerns that low-income families needed access to low-cost banking and loans. | This year the two churches established the Churches' Mutual Credit Union as a response to concerns that low-income families needed access to low-cost banking and loans. |