"Churches within the Anglican Communion view themselves as being part of the "one Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church", and Anglicanism's via media has enabled it to be viewed as a focus for ecumenism. Recent innovations with regard to ordained ministry may, however, have compromised both the claim to catholicity and its ecumenical usefulness. In this book, Noel Cox - a scholar priest with experience of ministry in several Anglican provinces world-wide - examines the historical, theological, and legal aspects of these developments and their consequences, with particular attention to Ordained Local Ministry. His analysis and conclusions deserve careful and prayerful consideration." --The Reverend Professor Thomas Glyn Watkin QC "Noel Cox has provided the church with a very thorough review and analysis of a number of profound ontological and ecclesial issues as he considers the validity and scope of Ordained Local Ministry within the Anglican Communion. Cox's coverage of the issues within the Anglican Roman Catholic dialogue alone are very thorough. His conclusion that more provisions can be made for a more explicit 'catholic' status for Local shared ministry priests in the Anglican Church in Aotearoa New Zealand and Polynesia is worth considering carefully. Cox wrote within a province of the Anglican Communion which has determined to fully embrace the ordination of women and to respect their vocation as universally applicable and recognizable from this part of the Body of Christ.

The same can be said to apply for those who are duly selected and appropriately trained with local Ordained Ministry licenses." --Archbishop Sir David Moxon, Archbishop Emeritus, The Anglican Church in Aotearoa , New Zealand and Polynesia.