Archbishop Justin Welby has stated that most Anglican bishops recognise the Pope’s primacy, though with a different interpretation from that before the Reformation.
Speaking to French newspaper La Vie, Welby shared that, during a 2023 visit to South Sudan with the pope and the Moderator of the Church of Scotland, Francis was acknowledged as “first among equals”.
“But there was also no doubt that we would work together, not on a hierarchical basis, but collaboratively with him as the first among equals, the eldest among equals” said Welby, who as Archbishop of Canterbury is Primate of the worldwide Anglican Communion.
Unity is not unanimity
Welby emphasised that unity among Christians is a fundamental, albeit challenging, goal. He highlighted the importance of preserving relationships across denominations.
“However, unity is not unanimity: the greatest spiritual challenge is to love one another in our diversity. We must not believe that our own witness is the only one that counts and risk breaking with the other” explained the Archbishop.
Pope’s role redefined
In recent months, the Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity has taken steps to redefine the Pope’s role within ecumenism.
The new document, The Bishop of Rome, outlines perspectives that promote cooperative efforts across Christian denominations. Ecumenical communities have received it well for its openness to reinterpreting the papal office, formally established as a dogma during the First Vatican Council (1869–1870).
Earlier this year, senior Anglican bishops made their first pilgrimage to Rome. During a meeting with Pope Francis, the group discussed shared missions and differences within the church.
During the meeting, the pope emphasised the significance of mutual understanding and prayer.
“I realise” the Pope said, “that the role of the Bishop of Rome is still a controversial and divisive issue among Christians.”
Francis described the Bishop of Rome as the “servant of the servants of God”, emphasising the humility required of the Pope’s primacy.
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