Bishop Parsley's Page
May 2008
In 1867 the Archbishop of Canterbury invited the 144 bishops of the Churches in communion with the Church of England to meet together for the first time in what would come to be known as the Lambeth Conference. The 2nd Bishop of Alabama, Richard Hooker Wilmer, was in attendance. Bishop Sloan and I will attend the 13th Lambeth Conference this summer, July 16-August 3, in Canterbury, England. Some 600 bishops are expected to be present, along with many spouses.
Interestingly enough, it was the bishops of the Church of Canada who requested this first meeting of the bishops of what would come to be called the Anglican Communion. In 1867 Archbishop Longley was careful not to describe the conference of bishops as a synod or decision- making body for the Churches. The autonomy of the Churches in communion with England was highly valued, as well as the catholicity of the faith. It was understood to be imperative that decision-making synods include other clergy and laity in addition to bishops.
| Lambeth Conference Prayer Pour down upon us, O God, the gifts of your Holy Spirit, that those who prepare for the Lambeth Conference may be filled with wisdom and understanding. May they know at work within them that creative energy and vision which belong to our humanity, made in your image and redeemed by your love, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. |
The Archbishop wrote, "It should be distinctly understood that at this meeting no declaration of faith shall be made, and no decision come to which shall effect generally the interests of the church, but that we shall meet together for brotherly counsel and encouragement. . . . Such a meeting would not be competent to make declaration or lay down definitions on points of doctrine. But united worship and common counsels would greatly tend to maintain practically the unity of the faith: whilst they would bind us in straiter bonds of peace and brotherly charity." These descriptions have remained the DNA of the Lambeth Conference, valuing at once the common counsel of bishops, the autonomy of each local Church and its Dioceses, and the interdependence we share as members of the one holy catholic and apostolic Church. In the midst of the Lambeth Conferences there have always been issues and controversies. In 1867 it was the matter of Bishop Colenso of Natal in Southern Africa who had been deposed by Natal for controversial teaching. In succeeding years issues such as divorce, contraception, polygamy, war and peace, the ministry of women, ecumenism, temperance, faith and modern thought, the administration of Holy Communion, racism, and of course in recent days some issues of human sexuality. These have been addressed by the bishops at Lambeth through reports, resolutions, and letters to the Churches, all having moral and spiritual weight but not central synodical authority.
The present Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, has emphasized that this Lambeth Conference will not focus on resolutions but on spiritual fellowship, worship, and mutual encouragement in our roles as bishops in the 21st century. He wishes us to strengthen our sense of a shared Anglican identity and help equip bishops for their role as leaders in mission. There will be a two-day retreat in Canterbury Cathedral and a festive opening service there. Each conference day will include Bible study following the Gospel of John, three worship services, each sponsored by one of the 38 provinces in its own language and liturgy, and discussion on a variety of topics.
One of the important matters to be considered will be the draft of a proposed Anglican Covenant, which the bishops will discuss and offer feedback on to the drafting committee. The covenant represents an attempt to provide greater unity to the Anglican Communion while respecting the diversity of our Churches and cultures. Some of the concerns it addresses were at play in the very first Lambeth, as Anglicans have long sought to be a communion that values unity in diversity. Such a covenant's value would be in clarifying our Anglican identity and how we consult with one another. Its danger would be an overcentralization of the Communion and the role of primates.
The draft covenant is available at http://www.aco.org/commission/covenant, along with a study guide prepared by the Executive Council of our Church. Kee and I will be most grateful for your studying it and using the feedback form to give us your thoughts. Any such covenant could not be adopted by Lambeth. It would have to be accepted by the Anglican Consultative Council, meeting next in 2009, and then adopted by each of the 38 provinces over a period of years.
As always in our day there will be many voices commenting on the Lambeth Conference in the coming months. I urge you to use the official communication Web sites of the Anglican Communion, http://www.anglicancommunion.org, and the Episcopal Church, http://www.episcopalchurch.org, to follow the run-up to and news from the conference. Given the geopolitical complexities in the Communion at present it will be important, as Ephesians says, not to be "tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine, by people's trickery . . . but speaking the truth in love we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ."Your bishops will make every attempt to keep you informed in a faithful and objective manner.
We ask your earnest prayers for the Lambeth Conference that God will use this important time to renew the bishops of the Anglican Communion in unity, mutual affection, and zeal for the mission of God.
Your servant in Christ,
The Rt. Rev. Henry N. Parsley Jr.
Archive:
- Apostle Column 05/08
- Address to the 2008 Diocesan Convention (Read) (Listen)
- Apostle Column 02/08 (Read)
- House of Bishop's Meeting 9/27/07 (Read)
