A proposed Declaration of Friendship between the Scottish Episcopal Church and the Conference of Bishops of the Catholic Church in Scotland will be put before General Synod in June this year.

The agreement, also to be known as the Saint Ninian Declaration, articulates and supports a deepening relationship between Episcopalians and Roman Catholics in Scotland. It affirms the possibilities for working more closely together while acknowledging that there are distinct differences between the two churches.

The Saint Ninian Declaration follows the Saint Andrew Declaration of 2021 between the Scottish Episcopal Church and the Church of Scotland, which outlined a series of acknowledgments and commitments between the churches intended to deepen their relationship, and looked at new ways of working together to serve the people of Scotland. The following year, the Conference of Bishops of the Catholic Church in Scotland agreed a declaration of friendship with the Church of Scotland, known as the Saint Margaret Declaration.

The Saint Ninian Declaration encourages joint worship and prayer, shared preparation for baptism and confirmation, common study of faith, co-operation in lay and ordained ministry, and shared witness to the world.

A draft of the Declaration has already gone before the Faith & Order Board, and after debate at that stage, a revised version was accepted by the Bishops’ Conference at a recent meeting with the College of Bishops. This revised draft will be available as part of the papers for the General Synod 2025, which will be published soon.

The Inter-Church Relations Committee will present the Declaration on the second day of General Synod this year, with the College and the Faith and Order Board commending it to General Synod, to the SEC dioceses, and to local congregations.

Image courtesy of Petko Marinov, Diocese of Glasgow & Galloway