On Monday 13 November the Bishop of St Albans and the Bishop of Linkoping signed a covenant between the Diocese of St Albans and the Diocese of Linköping committing themselves to a covenant of partnership within the Porvoo Communion, and to giving practical expression to the provisions of the Porvoo Common Statement within the life of both dioceses.
The Covenant link between the Dioceses of St Albans and Linkoping was first established by Bishop Martin Lind and BIshop Christopher Herbert in 2007 and renewed in 2012 and 2018 both by Bishop Alan Smith and Bishop Martin Modeus. The global COVID-19 pandemic then intervened and delayed the renewal until November this year.
Both dioceses are uniquely positioned as Anglicans and Swedish Lutherans to develop and live this relationship because of the full interchangeability of ministries embedded in the Porvoo Covenant signed between many of the Nordic and Baltic Churches and the Anglican Church in the British Isles in 1992.
Fr. Simon Cutmore has worked hard on the text and outcomes of the renewed covenant alongside Rev’d Fredril Olofsson, taking seriously the desire of both Bishops to see this link more than a form of ecumenical tourism. Instead both dioceses are committing themselves intentionally to mission and ministry together undergirded by a commitment to prayer and experience.
