The Kirk has reached out to the Episcopalians on the eve of a landmark speech at a Church of England summit.
The critical faction has been extended the hand of friendship by Church of Scotland Moderator, the Rt Rev Dr Angus Morrison, ahead of his speech to the Synod of the Church of England today.
The Scottish Episcopal Church has been concerned about a groundbreaking pact with the Church of Scotland. If approved, it will see the organisations speaking together more frequently on wide-ranging national and international issues such as gay marriage.
Dr Morrison, above, who is thought to be the first serving Moderator to speak at the Synod, said: "I am greatly looking forward to the privilege of joining our sisters and brothers in Christ at the General Synod of the Church of England.
"It is an honour to have been invited, as Moderator, to address the Synod.
"I believe we are faced with a significant, and historic, opportunity to affirm one another within the unity of the one church of Jesus Christ.
"The time is ripe for the Church of Scotland to build relationships with the Church of England, as also with the Scottish Episcopal Church."
He added: "The watching world is impressed only when our mission is seen to be a meaningful reflection of the unity we share in Christ.
"A significant opportunity for the advance of the Gospel now lies before us.
"I hope and pray that we will grasp it."
The Synod itself is to create history as it considers the proposed Columba Declaration, which the Kirk hopes will mark the first formal agreement between the Church of Scotland and the Church of England.
Dr Morrison and his wife Marion Morrison will be staying at Lambeth Palace in London with the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, below, and his wife Caroline.
Dr Morrison said: “By formally recognising the long ecumenical partnership between our churches, I believe we will advance our shared mission of spreading the Christian message of the Gospels."
The declaration, which has been six years in the making, builds on ecumenical work underway for more than a decade. The proposed agreement lays out a path forward for closer cooperation between the two “national” churches.
The document focuses on shared Christian beliefs and emphasises the importance of continuing to nurture relationships with other Christian denominations, according to the Kirk.
The Bishop of Chester will propose that the Synod accepts the proposed pact and it will be discussed by the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in May.
However, The Most Rev David Chillingworth, below, Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church, has said he is worried about the "potential involvement of the Church of England in the ecclesiastical life of Scotland", adding: "The Church of England is not a Scottish Church nor does it have any jurisdiction in Scotland."
But the Scottish Episcopal Church said it had only recently received the detailed examination of the inter-faith report that included the declaration, and the extra information "now provides an opportunity to build on the warm relations which the Scottish Episcopal Church already enjoys with the Church of Scotland and very much looks forward to continuing discussions."
The Episcopalians said its Faith and Order Board is looking forward to strengthening relationships with the Church of England.
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