A powerful response has been seen this week towards plans to renew links between the Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church.

|PIC1|In particular, evangelicals within the Church of England had spoken out strongly against any formal union with the Catholic Church in the near future, although others have welcomed the news, the Church of England newspaper has reported.

A 42-page report entitled 'Growing Together in Unity and Mission', produced by the International Anglican Roman Catholic Commission for Unity and Mission (IARCCUM), has been created to bring about a deeper ecumenical communion between Anglicans and Roman Catholics.

The publication has come about following the group's meeting last year, which gathered as a successor to the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC).

The report has immediately been distributed to the Joint Standing Committee of the Primates and the Anglican Consultative Council and to the Anglican Primates, currently meeting in Tanzania, explains the Church of England newspaper. Already it has been alleged that the report is backed by several senior bishops in both Churches, according to The Times, but its publication is awaiting a Roman Catholic commentary to accompany the Anglican commentary which has already been produced.

However, Church Society has said that the report reflects a "shift in understanding of essential Anglican doctrines as summarised in the historic 39 Articles", the Church of England newspaper reports.

David Phillips, General Secretary of the Church Society, said: "What they are proposing is ducking the issue, which is the fundamental difference between Roman Catholicism and what the Church of England should be standing for."

"One problem is that what the Church of England should stand for and what it does stand for is not the same thing," he said according to the Church of England newspaper.

He added: "Far too many of those in positions of leadership in the Anglican Church don't really hold to the historic teaching of the Church of England."

He highlighted Article 37: "The bishop of Rome hath no jurisdiction in this realm of England."

The Rev Rod Thomas of Reform, who according to the Church of England newspaper said: "The issue is all about faithfulness - that is what is causing the present anxiety in the Church of England. The great thing about the Church of England is that it recognises its overriding authority from the Bible."

On the other hand, however. the Rt Rev Mark Santer, former Bishop of Birmingham told how important it was that unity was sought between the Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church. He told the Church of England newspaper: "What I do think is that the Anglican Church is committed to the search of Christian unity. One thing that is clear in the New Testament is that the unity of the Church is something that is required."