A year on from the Lambeth Conference
“This time, last year the University of Kent’s campus was awash with bishops and their spouses …
Despite a third of the bishops boycotting the event, there were more than 600 bishops present from about 165 countries. So much could have been achieved, but the organisers of the Lambeth Conference could not risk public dissent so there were no resolutions and no votes …
the Archbishop of Canterbury announced that matters of human sexuality were now matters indifferent, the ultimate adiaphora…”
– At Christian Today, Susie Leafe, Director of Anglican Futures, reminds us that the Lambeth Conference was worse than a monumental exercise in futility – it had catastrophic consequences for the Anglican Communion.
Link via Anglican Mainstream.
Post-Truth Post-Lambeth
“In August 2022, Archbishop Justin Welby told the assembled bishops of the Anglican Communion at the Lambeth Conference that,
‘I neither have, nor do I seek, the authority to discipline or exclude a church of the Anglican Communion. I will not do so. I may comment in public on occasions, but that is all.’
I was astonished by this. Because it is simply not true. …”
Church Society Director Dr Lee Gatiss spoke at their AGM on 31st August 2022.
Anglican Unscripted 753 — Archbishop Foley Beach Interview
At Anglican Unscripted Kevin Kallsen speaks with GAFCON Chairman Archbishop Foley Beach.
They speak about Lambeth, the Anglican Communion and hopes for the future, including the relationship between GAFCON and the Global South.
(The Pastor’s Heart comes in for honourable mention!)
Orthodox Bishops reaffirm Biblical teaching at ‘partial’ Lambeth
“The Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches has reaffirmed a landmark agreement on marriage and sexuality, calling for a ‘resetting’ of the Anglican Communion back to its biblical roots.
The statement came at the end of a meeting in Lambeth called by the English Archbishop Justin Welby. The Archbishop of Canterbury has traditionally called a meeting of Anglican bishops from around the world every 10 years.
However, the last full meeting of bishops was in 1998, when the Lambeth Conference passed what is known as Resolution 1.10. …”
– Russell Powell provides a handy summary of Lambeth 22, at SydneyAnglicans.net
Photo: Archbishops Tito Zavala and Justin Badi at the Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches, 5th August 2022. Canterbury. Photo by J. Trickey, GSFA.
A response to Lambeth from the Chairman of GAFCON
“Sadly, rather than being a source of healing and unity, the Lambeth Conference compounded the problems. The Lambeth Conference was filled with confusion, and what that means for global Anglicanism has just begun to be felt. The Canterbury Communion is broken, not just metaphorically, but literally …
We are living in a unique moment in which, by the grace of God, global Anglicanism can be genuinely reformed by Biblical repentance and renewal. This will be the focus of the Gafcon IV Conference next April when we gather in Kigali, Rwanda. The world needs the transformation that comes from hearing and responding to an unambiguous, saving faith in Jesus Christ.”
– Archbishop Dr Foley Beach, Chairman of the GAFCON Primates Council, has written a letter to members of the GAFCON family. He both laments the failure of Lambeth and sees the opportunities that lie ahead for global Anglicanism.
Peter Jensen on Lambeth — Repentance is needed
From The Pastor’s Heart:
“The Anglican Communion is broken and needs to repent.
Provinces of the Anglican Communion are now free to develop their own teaching on sexuality, according to the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby.
There will be no contending for the faith (cf Jude 1:3) or withdrawing fellowship from the sexually immoral.
Archbishop of Canterbury Archbishop Justin Welby arranged the Lambeth Conference so that delegates didn’t get to vote on the most contentious issue of the day – sexuality.
Rather he wrote to delegates announcing that Lambeth 1:10 still applied, but there would be no consequences for ignoring it.
Former Archbishop of Sydney and former General Secretary of Gafcon Peter Jensen joins us to review the confusion in global Anglicanism in the wake of Lambeth22.”
– Watch or listen here. A fascinating and encouraging discussion. Do watch right to the end.
Clarity out of Confusion: Lambeth 2022
“Later in the afternoon, we sat for the final Lambeth press conference … It was an opportunity for Archbishop Welby and other leaders to share the accomplishments and unfinished business of this conference, along with answering any unanswered questions and tying up loose ends.
One of the topics that came up was the Communique of Orthodox Bishops of the Global South (5 August 2022), which states unequivocally that these bishops are not walking together with those who will not abide by Lambeth Resolution 1.10 (1998): ‘Our willingness as orthodox bishops to attend this conference does not mean that we have agreed to “walk together” with the revisionist primates and bishops in the Anglican Communion.’ (para. 5.5)
And yet, the closing words of Archbishop Welby’s letter to the bishops on Lambeth Resolution 1.10 (1998) and the message from Lambeth that ‘the bishops are walking together despite deeply held differences’ were repeated every day, at every opportunity, including this final press conference.
I took the opportunity to challenge that narrative by posing the following question to Archbishop Welby. …”
– On Saturday the American Anglican Council’s Canon Phil Ashey wrote these reflections.
See also:
Lambeth 2022: Clarity out of Confusion – an Interview with Abp James Wong.
Orthodox Bishops at The Lambeth Conference Reaffirm Lambeth I.10 as Anglican Teaching on Marriage and Sexuality
“Orthodox bishops attending the Lambeth Conference have reaffirmed Lambeth 1.10 as the ‘official teaching of the Anglican Communion on marriage and sexuality’, and now a process will be initiated by the Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches (GSFA) to allow Primates and bishops who did not attend this Lambeth Conference to do so. …”
– Press Release from the Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches.
And a ‘thank you’ video from Archbishop Justin Badi.
Authentic and Orthodox Discipleship
“In the Lambeth Conference 2022 Plenary Session and Press Briefing on Discipleship, there was not much talk about actual discipleship.
The three speakers were Bp. Eleanor Sanderson, Abp. Michael Curry, and retired Bishop Moon Hing. There was much talk around the term ‘intentional discipleship’, but the only point made was that people will rarely turn into disciples unless you’re intentional about making them. Other than that, there was no further practical information given despite questions about the content, vision, and means for making disciples.
Orthodox Anglicans may be left wondering what, exactly, is meant by ‘discipleship’ when it’s spoken by leaders who promote pluriform truth and accept sexual immorality as a new norm that can be affirmed. …”
– As Lambeth 2022 draws to a close, the American Anglican Council’s Canon Phil Ashey shares his thoughts about what discipleship means when there is fundamental disagreement on the basics.
Communique by Orthodox Bishops Presented by GSFA Primates Steering Committee present at Lambeth Conference 2022
Communique by Orthodox Bishops – Presented by: GSFA Primates Steering Committee present at Lambeth Conference 2022
“We grieve at the continued tear in the life of the Communion occasioned by those Primates and Provinces who declined to follow the guidance offered by Resolution I.10, and the consequent absence of significant numbers of orthodox Bishops from our assembly both in 2008 and now. The unchecked spread of revisionism has necessitated the new structure of the Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches (GSFA) since 2019 for enhanced ecclesial responsibility across orthodox Provinces, and the movement impetus of the Global Anglican Future Conference (Gafcon) since 2008 for reform, renewal and proclamation of the Gospel. …”
– Read the full Communique (PDF file) at the Lambeth ’22 Resource Group website.
See also:
Orthodox Bishops Map Out a Robust Future & Hopeful of a Re-Setting of The Anglican Communion – Issued by the Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches (PDF file).
Global South Primates reset the Anglican Communion
“So, together with those who painfully and in good conscience decided not to come, we want to register our collective ownership and stewardship of a Communion that in God’s grace has become worldwide.” – Communique of Orthodox Bishops (par 5.10)
“The Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches (GSFA) steering committee presented their Communique of Orthodox Bishops Present at Lambeth Conference 2022.
Considering the Archbishop of Canterbury’s statement that he will not under any circumstances discipline or sanction a church that refuses to abide by Lambeth Resolution 1.10 (1998), it seems he has allowed these orthodox bishops to provide a blueprint for resetting the Anglican Communion.
This reset would be based on a shared confession of faith in genuine communion with interdependence and covenants of mutual accountability. Anglican identity is doctrinal, grounded in the Holy Scriptures, the ancient Fathers, the Book of Common Prayer 1662, and its ordinal which is reiterated in the document.
It is striking to note that it does not make Anglican identity a product of relationship to the See of Canterbury or any other sociological or historical anchor. Moreover, in contrast to the Abp. of Canterbury’s statement during the session on the Human Dignity Call, the orthodox bishops of the GFSA state unequivocally that if Anglican identity and unity are rooted in common doctrine, then we cannot be a communion with a plurality of beliefs. …”
– This Special report by the American Anglican Council’s Canon Phil Ashey gets to the heart of the matter.
In his closing remarks, he writes,
“Since many, if not most, of the Global South bishops here are also members of GAFCON, how can these two bodies collaborate more intensively in healing the wounds to the Anglican Communion? As I wrote in my reflections on what the face of this emerging communion may look like, is it possible that GAFCON and the Global South could collaborate as a mission society and a Mother Church in the same way Paul and Peter collaborated in the Book of Acts?”
See also:
Lambeth 2022 Diary: Hope and a Future – Thursday 4th August.
“Yesterday the Lambeth Conference of Bishops travelled by bus to Lambeth Palace for a day of planting one tree and discussing the proposal to create a worldwide “Anglican Communion forest.” I find it remarkable that the issue of the authority of the Scriptures, over which our Anglican Communion is divided, was given only two hours on Tuesday in contrast to an entire day to plant a tree and address climate change. That fact alone speaks volumes about the dysfunction in the Lambeth-driven Anglican Communion, but there have also been hopeful moments that help pivot us from all that is wrong with the Anglican Communion towards what a post-Lambeth Communion could look like in the days ahead. …”
GSFA Press Conference photo: J Trickey / GSFA.
At Lambeth Palace, bishops and spouses celebrate launch of Anglican Communion forest initiative
“With the launch of the Anglican Communion Forest, Anglican and Episcopal bishops from across the world are seeking to make tangible their shared commitment of the Fifth Mark of Mission, to strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the Earth.
Climate change ‘is an absolutely enormous emergency for literally billions of the world’s population,’ Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby said during an Aug. 3 press conference held in the Lambeth Palace Library. …”
– Story from The Episcopal News Service. Photo: Lambeth Conference.
By contrast:
“At this conference, we are being asked to look at the needs of our broken the world, and to offer hope. But we cannot mend a broken world when the Anglican Church is so broken and fractured.”
– Archbishop James Wong, Archbishop of the Province of Indian Ocean, from the Lambeth ’22 Resource Group on Facebook.
Lambeth 2022 Diary: Bad News and Good News
“In the Lambeth Conference of Bishops 2022, Tuesday August 2 was to have been a critical moment of reflection and decision on the divisions that have rent the fabric of the Communion asunder.
Tuesday was to have been the day when the Bishops discussed whether to reaffirm Lambeth Resolution 1.10 (1998) and its teaching on the authority of scripture, creation, human sexuality, marriage and leadership in the Church. …”
– The American Anglican Council’s President, Canon Phil Ashey, shares his observations for Tuesday – quite an eye-opening day at Lambeth.
See also:
What Then has happened to Lambeth Resolution 1.10 (1998) at LC2022? – American Anglican Council.
Archbishop James Wong explains how bishops at Lambeth can support the GSFA Resolution
In this video from Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches and EFAC, Archbishop James Wong, Primate of the Indian Ocean, explains how bishops of Lambeth can express their support for the Resolution affirming Lambeth 1.10.
The Global South move apparently has been necessitated by the reluctance of the Lambeth organisers and the Archbishop of Canterbury to allow this issue to be discussed on the floor of the conference.
Anglican Unscripted 747 and 748 – Revolts at Lambeth
On today’s “Anglican Unscripted 747 – The Lambeth Revolt”, Kevin Kallsen and George Conger discuss the latest developments at Lambeth.
George Conger has several interesting observations about the transparency of the Lambeth organisers and the Lambeth media office, as well as the identity of some of the bishops attending.
See also “Anglican Unscripted 748 – Who will kiss Pope Justin’s Ring?” with Susie Leafe, discussing quite a day at Lambeth.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…