The Anglican–Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC) held a plenary meeting online on 5 October.

ARCIC is the principal theological dialogue between the Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church. It brings together theologians and Church leaders to deepen their shared understanding of Christian faith, with the goal of restoring full, visible unity.

The online meeting marked the conclusion of the second phase of the work of ARCIC III, which began in 2019. 

During the meeting, the members of the Commission approved the final draft of the Agreed Statement for this phase of their work, While They Were Talking and Discussing: Learning to Do Moral Discernment in Communion. An editorial sub-committee has worked since the Commission’s previous plenary meeting, in Melbourne, Australia in October 2025, to complete the Agreed Statement, sharing drafts of their work with the full commission for comment, in advance of circulating the final draft for approval.

The Agreed Statement consists of an Introduction and four chapters. 

Introduction ‘While they were talking and discussing’ (Lk 24:15): The Challenge of Doing Moral Discernment in Communion

Chapter 1 ‘Two of them were going to a village called Emmaus’ (Lk 24:13): The Way Already Travelled

Chapter 2 ‘The apostles and the elders met together’ (Acts 15:6): Sharing Moral Discernment in Communion

Chapter 3 ‘Their eyes were kept from recognising him’ (Lk 24:16): Case Studies in Moral Discernment and Ecclesial Wounds

Chapter 4 ‘You are witnesses of these things’ (Lk 24:48): Moral Theology for a Synodal Church

The Statement will be published in the coming months with an official Roman Catholic commentary. The document will also be reviewed by the Inter-Anglican Standing Commission on Unity, Faith and Order, with a view to its eventual commendation for reception at the next meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council, which will take place in India in 2029.

When published, this Agreed Statement will complement the first document published by ARCIC III, Walking Together on the Way: Learning to be the Church – Local, Regional and Universal (2018). With the finalisation of its second Agreed Statement, ARCIC III has now completed its work in response to the mandate it received from the late Pope Benedict XVI and Archbishop Rowan Williams, to study ‘the Church as Communion, local and universal, and how in communion the local and universal Church come to discern right ethical teaching.

Download the full Communiqué from the October meeting.