Lambeth Daily

I began the second of these plenary addresses with a reminder of the question, ‘What is Lambeth ’08 going to say?’ And I suggested that we also needed to ask ‘Where are we going to speak from?’ I hope that in recent days there has been some growing clarity about both of these questions and how we answer them

The Archbishop of Canterbury came to the Spouses’ Venue to bless the Vine which the spouses have been making throughout the Conference. He said: ‘On behalf of “the other Conference” we want to thank you for being here and for all you have said and done. You have reminded us of things we could have forgotten and thank you for anchoring us

The Spouses took the lead on Tuesday with a joint plenary with the bishops on the abuse of power. The session, called ‘Equal in God’s Sight: When power is abused’, was convened on behalf of the Spouses Conference by the Conference Bible Study team and led by Dr Jenny Te Paa, the Principal of St John’s Theological College, New Zealand.

‘What is Lambeth ’08 going to say?’ is the question looming larger all the time as this final week unfolds. But before trying out any thoughts on that, I want to touch on the prior question, a question that could be expressed as ‘Where is Lambeth ’08 going to speak from?’. I believe if we can answer that adequately, we shall have laid some firm foundations for whatever content there will be.

Documents: Windsor Continuation Group - Preliminary Observations to the Lambeth Conference (Parts 1, 2 and 3)

Kay Goldsworthy, Assistant Bishop of Perth, chaired a session in which both the science and the implications for moral leadership at a time when our very existence is under threat was considered. The principal speaker, Professor Chris Rapley OBE, currently Director of the Science Museum and well known expert on climate change, outlined some of the indisputable evidence:

The bishops of the Anglican Communion yesterday brought streets in central London to a standstill as they marched en masse in a Walk of Witness, accompanied by their spouses from Whitehall to Lambeth Palace. Up to 1,500 people walked, and many carried placards urging governments to keep their promise to meet the Millennium Development Goals.

The urgency to preach the Good News is as true today as it was two thousand years ago, said Cardinal Ivan Dias, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples in the Roman Catholic Church.

Evangelist Brian McLaren has praised the Lambeth Conference for highlighting the issue of evangelism or disciple formation saying this was a vital priority for the 21st Century. He was addressing a plenary session on Monday night on the subject of Changing contexts; breaking open our models for evangelism.

Today the Primate of the Anglican Church in Japan chose the Eucharist, during which Christians remember that they are part of the one body of Christ, to offer a prayer for reconciliation between Japan and Korea.

After three days of quiet reflection during their retreat, the bishops of the Anglican Communion today joined in the full spectacle of the service of the Eucharist for the Lambeth Conference in Canterbury Cathedral.

On day two of the bishops’ retreat, the benefits of the time of prayer and reflection have been felt by many.