Lambeth Report Canterbury: July 26th, 2008

From www.forwardinfaith.com

FiF International News
Lambeth Conference - 8
Jul 27, 2008

"The Body of God"

Bp. George Browning of the Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn in Australia, chair of the Anglican Communion Environmental Network led off today's press conference as the bishops took up the topic, "Safeguarding Creation: The Bishop and the Environment".

Some, Bp. Browning observed, wondered why the church was so concerned about environmental issues when its work is saving souls. But the care of the total environment, he countered, is a fundamental part of the Christian tradition, "the Biblical base on which we stand". For that reason, the church has "no option but to take up" environmental issues.

Bp. Browning stated that he is "absolutely convinced by the moral argument of climate change", and believes that engagement with it as a moral issue is key to progress, since political and economic arguments will not drive it sufficiently. The church, he said, "must lend its weight".

Many political leaders, the Bishop stated, have become hesitant to take environmental steps because of their concern with present economic pressures. But God gives His gifts within a timescale of opportunity: some choices that are now available will not be available later on. "The present generation", he declared, "has no right to steal [the next's] inheritance".

Bp. Browning noted that Australia has the highest carbon footprint of the world's nations. Its government has set targets for reducing it, but in his opinion they are not high enough.

Responding to questions, Bp. Browning commented that the church is strongest locally, and weakest nationally and internationally. He therefore suggested that the church could best reach outside itself by trying to resource local congregations in both the developed and developing worlds.

The Bishop noted that a significant number of bishops are pressing to issue a statement on the environment, which he hopes might be available next week.

The Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church

Katherine Jefferts-Schoori, the Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church and formerly a scientist, began her presentation on the environment by listing the various parts of the world outside North America in which her church has dioceses of that church. The Episcopal Church is an international church, she said, so that the very context of her ministry reminds her that "we are all interconnected".

The Presiding Bishop spoke of "creation as the body of God": not just human beings, she said, but the whole of creation, reflects God.

"Climate change is of ultimate importance", Dr. Jefferts-Schoori said, and the poor, such as those in the South Pacific islanders whose island homes are sinking and refugee in the Sudan who return home only to find their land become desert, are suffering most from it. Inattention to the health of all creation, she declared, will render issues of no importance in the face of "this looming disaster, this disaster already begun".

"Salvation", the Presiding Bishop concluded, "is about healing and wholeness and holiness" - each word comes from the same root. Not to engage all three is "not to engage our Christian duty".


Asked how the primates could collaborate in working with government and industry to fulfill the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs), the Presiding Bishop stated that each primate is responsible for advocacy with government and industry in his or her own nation, and that the primates were working collectively on the international level, for instance to address the world leaders who will gather to discuss progress on the MDGs in New York in September.

"Issues of life and death are most significant" for most dioceses represented at the Lambeth Conference, the Presiding Bishop stated. She neither confirmed nor denied rumours that a compromise on sexuality might be sought in order provide unified moral leadership on larger issues: such issues, she said, "seem to override" other concerns.

The Presiding Bishop said that, while she had not been present, she had heard that women at the 1998 Lambeth Conference had been called names, avoided, and subjected to "quite rude behaviour". She said that she has seen nothing of that sort of behaviour at Lambeth 2008.

Asked about the injustice of allowing bishops who represent the Old Catholic churches, which ordain gay and lesbian persons and bless their relationships, to participate fully in the Conference, while Bp. Robinson of New Hampshire is excluded, Dr. Jefferts-Schoori responded that this was "an awareness that is not widely shared", noting that the Swedish Lutheran Church, which is likewise represented here, does the same.

When asked if she would ask Bp. Robinson to resign in order to unify the church, the Presiding Bishop responded, "that's certainly not within my purview", stating that it is a matter between him and his diocese.

In response to a question about disinformation (both about global warming and about TEC) from the religious right, Dr. Jefferts-Schoori responded that "personal contact is absolutely essential". Jesus worked face-to-face: "that is the way the Gospel spreads". "It's a conversation, she said: the US bishops are being heard, as are others.

Asked how the "interconnectedness" of creation related to discussions on sexuality, the Presiding Bishop noted that "these discussions are still at a very early stage", with fuller discussion scheduled next week. The concept of interconnectedness, she said, grows out of the Pauline theology of the Body of Christ: as with the church, so with creation, every part is affected by the other parts, and they all need to work in harmony for the body to be whole.

The Presiding Bishop said she had not seen the recent Common Cause Partnership statement regarding the creation of a North American province by GAFCON. Neither had she seen any proposals that an Anglican `faith and order commission' be set up as a clearinghouse for the Communion.

A `Green' Lambeth Conference

The Conference's communicator, Archbp. Aspinall, noted that questions had arisen about how `green' the Lambeth Conference is. One indaba group, for instance, has asked for recycling bins. A "lack has been noted" by bishops and their spouses, and "some initiatives are underway".

Bp. Browning passed on an Indian bishop's comment, that whatever Americans or Englishmen may think, from his perspective "the menus here are five-star". He also noted that yesterday those taking part in the Conference had been asked to contribute to offset the carbon footprint of their travel, which for Australians would come to about UK£ 25, and expressed the hope that contributions would exceed a mere offset.

Dr. Schoori added that people here are walking a great deal, and that there are recycling receptacles in the housing unit kitchens.

Lambeth Bishops: Smile Please!

The Lambeth bishops had their picture taken just after the press conference.

In 1998, in deference to those who could not recognize women as bishops, those present dressed in the cassock, a cleric's historic street dress, rather than in the white rochet, red chimere, and black scarf which serve as choir dress for the order of bishops. This time, the bishops were asked to wear choir dress.

Two of the Church of England's Provincial Episcopal Visitors, however, appeared for the picture in cassocks, in order to witness to their understanding of the nature of the Apostolic ministry. However, they were not the only bishops to be photographed out of uniform: some bishops' regalia were lost in transit, and at least one other's were accidentally taken home by his wife.

Archbp. Aspinall had earlier reported that some bishops who did not wish to publicize their presence at Lambeth for various reasons (including complications with hostile governments) had chosen not to be photographed.

List of Bishops

The long-awaited list of those bishops willing to have their presence known to the press has not been distributed. It is not terribly useful, in that it seems to list them by indaba groups, does not include their first names, and sometimes does not give, or cuts off, the name of the bishop's diocese. Who, one might ask, is "Duncan,II - TEC"?

A considerable number of names were blacked out. Some bishops have remarked that others had asked not to be listed in solidarity with bishops who could not let their names be listed publicly.

Although Archbp. Aspinall had promised to provide the number of those not included because they were absent from their indaba groups at the time consent was requested and the number who were unwilling to be listed, those data were not provided.

Sunday Schedule

The bishops have no working sessions scheduled tomorrow. They will be visiting churches around the Canterbury diocese in the morning, and then attend a civic reception at St. Augustine's Abbey in the afternoon.

The next press conference will be held on Monday afternoon.