Research on Anglican – Lutheran Issues
The History of the Porvoo Research Network – PoReNe
A research network was established by a group of Nordic and British scholars working on Anglican-Lutheran issues, mainly within the Porvoo Communion of churches at an ecumenical conference held in Tallin, Estonia, February 24-26 2005. The network is called The Porvoo Research Network, or PoReNe.
The aim of the Network has been to strengthen Anglican-Lutheran theological research, e.g. on questions related to the Anglican-Lutheran Porvoo Common statement and common ecumenical processes within the Porvoo Communion of Churches.
The Network brings together researchers and scholars from different universities and research institutions, mainly in Europe, to share their findings and research themes with each other. Thus the Network acts as a platform for scholars and researchers to strengthen Anglican-Lutheran studies and supports academic study programmes and research projects. Special attention is paid to younger scholars.
The Network will spread information about ongoing research projects and funding possibilities. The Network works in close cooperation with several academic instititutions and also with the Porvoo Communion of Churches Contact Group and the International Anglican – Lutheran Society.
The second research conference for younger scholars was held October 16-18 2008 at Åkersberg, in Höör, Sweden, on “Together in Mission and Ministry”. The presentations held at the conference are published in 2012 in Nordisk ekumenisk skriftserie.
The third research conference was held at Dragör outside Copenhagen, Denmark, September 2-4, 2011 on “Ecclesiology and Missiology in contemporary Europe.” As at previous conferences the third conference included presentations and discussions on current research conducted at different Universities and institutions, not only in the Nordic region. Papers are awailable online.
The fourth conference is being planned and will be held in Britain in 2013.
The Porvoo Research Network is administered by an ecumenical steering group which organizes special research events. The members of the steering group are:
- Ms Gunnel Borgegård, until recently at Ecumenism for the Nordic region, Stockholm, Sweden
- The Rev. Dr. Christopher Meakin, Secretariat for Theology and Ecumenism, Church of Sweden, Sweden
- Dr. Jeremy Morris, Cambridge University, England
- Dr. Jaakko Rusama, Helsinki University, Finland
- The Rev. Lennart Sjöström, Uppsala Universtiy, Sweden
(Dr. Jaakko Rusama)