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THE BRITISH COUNCIL OF CHURCHES
INTER-CHURCH HOUSE, 35-41 LOWER MARSH, LONDON SE1 7RL
© SAID, in conultation with
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Rt Hon John Major MP NEWAD Secretary of State
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FED
FID
President Vice-Presidents
Moderator, Executive
Committee General Secretary Honorary Treasurer
Foreign and Commonwealth Office London SWIA 2AH
Nibar Foreign Secretary
Tel: 01-620 4444 Telex: 916504 CHRAID G
THE ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY
MRS ROSALIND GOODFELLOW
THE RT. REVD SAMUEL POYNTZ THE REVD JAMES ROGERS
THE REVD BERNARD G. THOROGOOD
·-THE-REVD DR PHILIP MORGAN
MR ROBERT J. M. CAFFYN M.A. F.C.A.
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RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
23 JAN 1990
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
PA
27th July 1989
REGISTRY
Action Taken
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Mr Stine
29 May I on behalf of the British Council of Churches offer
you our congratulations on your recent appointment and our good wishes for your onerous new responsibilities. The Council has been grateful for the willingness of your predecessors to meet our representatives from time to time. and to discuss different aspects of government policy and the concerns of the churches. We would welcome the opportunity of developing a similarly helpful relationship with you. Your junior ministerial colleagues and officials have also been most gracious in the help they have given.
The British Council of Churches, with the Archbishop of Canterbury as active President, represents the chief traditions of Christianity in Britain and Ireland, Anglican, Baptist, Methodist, Orthodox, Reformed, the Society of Friends and the Salvation Army and a number of Afro Caribbean and African churches, the notable exception being the Roman Catholic church. Next year however the Council will be restructured and subsequently the Bishops Conferences of the Ror n Catholic church in England and Wales and in Scotland will become fully participating members and the Bish ps Conference of the Roman Catholic church in Ireland will become an observer.
Our concern with international affairs is inevitable and unavoidable since Christian faith and practice as understood by all the churches is essentially incarnational, concerned with the nature and being of this world as the only context in which we have immediate knowledge of God's purpose and activity. Whilst not claiming the expertise of professional diplomats our involvement through a local Christian presence in virtually every country does give us an insight and commitment of some significance.
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An Associated Council of the World Council of Churches