Advisory Council for Religious Communities

For listings of organisations by country, see the relevant subpage of the Directory of Anglican Communities’ website

Aim
The aim of this group is to advise and inform the Bishops’ Conference of the Anglican Church on the Religious Life as lived in the communities and by individuals in Australia. Members of religious communities and individuals living the Religious Life may receive from the Bishops’ Conference both advice and direction on the role of the Religious Life in the Anglican Church.

Membership
The Advisory Council consists of:

• A chair from among the members of the Bishops’ Conference appointed by the Primate of the Anglican Church in Australia
• A bishop and two other persons appointed by the Bishop’s Conference, after consultation with the Advisory Council (appointment is for 5 years and is renewable)
• Leaders of religious communities recognised by the Advisory Council
• Leaders of Anglican Religious Communities outside Australia may be invited to share in the work of the Advisory Council

Observers

• A member from the Australian Conference of Leaders of Religious Institutes may be invited to attend meetings of the Council
• The Advisory Council may invite representatives from communities in formation to attend its meetings

Objectives
1.     To advise the Bishops:

a.    in their oversight of religious communities and individual religious by providing them with procedures for the accrediting and recognition of new expressions of religious life.

b.    on the protocol for receiving religious vows.

c.    on any other matters referred to it by a Bishop.

2.    To be a clearing house for the receiving, promoting and distributing of information about the religious life.

3.    To encourage relationships with those following other forms and expressions of Christian community living.

4.    To sponsor and organise religious life conferences which embrace religious communities, individuals in vows, other interested parties in the church, and religious groups from other churches.

5.     To encourage relationships with people living the religious life in other communions.

6.     To assist in the nurturing of those who are living the religious life.

7.     To raise the awareness of the church that the religious life is an inherent part of the normal life of the church.

8.     To keep a record of communities and individuals recognised by the Advisory Council.

9.     To encourage relationships with other such Advisory Councils within the Anglican Communion.

For more information about the Advisory Council, contact the Brothers.