ACO TEAM: Unity, Faith and Order
Strengthening the Anglican Communion and Fostering Christian Unity
The Unity, Faith and Order team serves two vital and complementary missions at the heart of the Anglican Communion. The team works to deepen the bonds of faith in the Anglican Communion, and to address differences and divisions between Christians in the Anglican Communion and with other denominations.
Dr. Christopher Wells
Director for Unity, Faith and Order
The ACO convenes theological conversations that deepen Anglican identity and build bridges toward the full visible unity of all Christians.
The Approach
Strengthening bonds of the Anglican family, and pursuing Christian unity with our neighbours are are essential to the life and witness of the Anglican tradition.
“Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” Ephesians 4: 3-6
Strengthening The Communion
The ACO is committed to nurturing the unity, faith and order of the Anglican Communion. This work helps our 42 autonomous member churches walk closer together in a common life and mission, even amidst disagreement. Work is guided by the Inter-Anglican Standing Commission on Unity, Faith and Order (IASCUFO).
As the Communion’s only standing theological commission, IASCUFO advises the Instruments of Communion on matters of doctrine and church life, helping articulate a shared Anglican identity for today. A vital example of this work is The Nairobi-Cairo Proposals. Commissioned by the Anglican Consultative Council, these proposals are exploring how the Communion’s structures can be renewed to reflect its global nature and help navigate differences faithfully.
This work is not merely theoretical; it directly shapes how Anglicans understand themselves and their relationship to one another, ensuring the Communion remains a vibrant and cohesive global family.
Building Christian Unity
Fulfilling Christ’s prayer for unity (John 17:21), the Anglican Communion has a historic commitment to seeking the full visible unity of the Church. It lives out this ecumenical vocation through formal dialogues with other global Christian traditions, including the Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Lutheran, and Methodist Churches.
These dialogues are built on patient scholarship and prayerful relationship, seeking to find common ground and overcome historic divisions in the faith we share.
The work builds friendships that transform mission on the ground. For example, through the International Anglican-Roman Catholic Commission for Unity and Mission (IARCCUM), pairs of Anglican and Roman Catholic bishops from around the world meet regularly to pray, collaborate in outreach, and deepen the bonds of friendship between their churches. This living story of reconciliation shows how global conversations can inspire powerful local witness.
Walking Together:
The Nairobi Cairo Proposals
An important focus in the area of Unity, Faith and Order, is The Nairobi-Cairo Proposals. This theological resource is explores how to renew Anglican structures and broaden leadership of the Communion to strengthen our shared life for the decades ahead.
The work has been shaped by IASCUFO (the Inter-Anglican Standing Commission on Unity, Faith and Order). The work seeks to foster unity, and assist Anglican churches navigate differences.
Building Christian Unity:
Ecumenical Dialogues
During the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, in January 2024, participants in IARCCUM (the Inter Anglican Roman Catholic Commission for Unity and Mission) met together for pilgrimage, prayer and dialogue. An initiative that pairs Anglican and Roman Catholic bishops, the group spent time visiting places of spiritual significance in both Rome and Canterbury.
Through this vital ecumenical programme, bishops are able to builds friendships, benefit from peer support and exchange ideas on how their churches are pursuing mission in their context.
Join the Conversation
The ACO’s work for Christian unity is advanced through scholarly dialogue, shared prayer, and the publication of key theological resources. Explore outcomes and resources from recent conversations and find materials to deepen your understanding.
Latest news:
- Anglican–Methodist International Coordinating Committee issues communiqué following London meeting5 Mar 2026
- IASCUFO shares learnings and supplement to The Nairobi-Cairo Proposals in preparation for ACC-192 Mar 2026
- ‘Called to One Hope’: Anglican Consultative Council will gather Anglicans from around the world to meet in Belfast, June-July 202619 Feb 2026
- The Inter Anglican Standing Commission on Unity, Faith and Order share Communiqué after Rome meeting12 Dec 2025
- Catholic and Orthodox leaders share a joint declaration during ecumenical pilgrimage4 Dec 2025
- The Secretary General of the Anglican Communion shares a pastoral letter17 Oct 2025
In depth theological reports:
- Guidance FAQ: The Nairobi-Cairo Proposals (Lent 2026)2 Mar 2026
- Supplement to The Nairobi-Cairo Proposals (Rome, 2025)2 Mar 2026
- The Nairobi-Cairo Proposals: Renewing the Instruments of the Anglican Communion (Advent 2024)5 Dec 2024
- IARCCUM Ecumenical Summit Highlights Report: Growing Together (Rome and Canterbury 2024)18 Nov 2024
- Our Common Witness, Calling and Commitment: The IARCCUM Bishops’ Call (Growing Together, Rome and Canterbury, 22–29 January 2024)1 Feb 2024
- Walking Together on the Way: Learning to Be the Church—Local, Regional, Universal (ARCIC III Agreed Statement)28 Feb 2019
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