African, Canadian bishops engage in theological dialogue
Episcopal News Service. March 12, 2010 [031210-06]
Matthew Davies
A group of six African and five Canadian bishops, who for more than a year have engaged in theological dialogue on matters relating to human sexuality and to mission, have issued a communiqué following a recent meeting at the Anglican Communion Office in London.
The bishops noted that their conversations had been "grounded by common prayer and eucharistic celebration" and focused on "local experiences of mission and the challenges facing the church in our diverse contexts."
"Though the initial exchange of papers had been related in most cases to matters of human sexuality and homosexuality in particular, our face-to-face theological conversation necessarily deepened to explore the relationships between the Gospel and the many particular cultural realities in which the church is called to mission."
The dialogue emerged from relationships established during the Bible study and Indaba groups at the 2008 Lambeth Conference of bishops. Indaba, a Zulu word meaning purposeful discussion, formed the basis for groups of around 40 bishops that met each day during that conference.
The Rev. Canon Phil Groves, facilitator of the Anglican Communion Listening Process, told ENS he was "delighted" by the dialogue. "This initiative of the Anglican Church of Canada is a direct response to the call of ACC 13 for participation in mutual listening," he said, referring to Resolution 12 passed by the 13th meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council, the communion's main policy-making body.
Speaking about the meeting of African and Canadian bishops, Groves said: "It was a privilege for me to be invited to participate in their final day and to hear of their common commitment to mission in the way of Christ. Such dialogues build up trust and are a source of hope for the future of the communion."
Groves said that he presented to the group the development of the Continuing Indaba Project, the second phase of the Listening Process which launched in 2009 with the help of a $1.5 million grant. The project is intended to enable clergy and laity to share their experiences of listening to homosexual Christians and to offer the opportunity for Episcopalians to hear stories of mission in contexts far removed from their own.
Groves said he would be seeking to incorporate the insights of the Canadian and African bishops "as we develop the project over the coming years."
In their communiqué, the bishops acknowledged that "dialogue cannot be about trying to make someone change their position, but is about working together better to understand the fullness of our stories, affirmations and commitments. To do so requires that we meet, that we converse, that we commit to this holy listening and honest, respectful speech with openness and prayerful thanksgiving for the gift that is the other. This is the gift of communion we share in Christ: that we are one, in his body."
The bishops said that they hope to meet again "and to plan other ways in which our dioceses might deepen relationship one with another. It is our hope that the process and the fruits of our theological discernment may link with the Continuing Indaba process of the Anglican Communion."
The full text of the communiqué follows.
March 11, 2010
February 24-26, 2010
St. Andrew's House, London, England
For a little over a year, five Canadian and six African dioceses have engaged in diocese-to-diocese theological dialogue on matters relating to human sexuality and to mission. With one exception, each diocese has established a theological working group to prepare papers and responses which were shared with their partner diocese on the opposite continent (see below for list of participants). Ontario and Botswana exchanged documents related to sustainability in the context of mission. These dialogues have emerged from, and are a deepening of, relationships established during the Indaba and Bible Study processes at the Lambeth Conference of 2008.
From February 24 to 26, the bishops of these dioceses met at the Anglican Communion Office, St. Andrew's House in London, England. In a context grounded by common prayer and eucharistic celebration we reflected together on our local experiences of mission and the challenges facing the Church in our diverse contexts. Though the initial exchange of papers had been related in most cases to matters of human sexuality and homosexuality in particular, our face-to-face theological conversation necessarily deepened to explore the relationships between the Gospel and the many particular cultural realities in which the Church is called to mission.
Over these days, we met in plenary sessions and in our dialogue pairs. On Friday February 26 we met at Lambeth Palace, where we prayed together in the Crypt Chapel and met with the Rev. Dr. Philip Groves, who spoke with us about the Continuing Indaba project of the Communion. We were honored with a visit from the Archbishop of Canterbury who spoke of his hopes for the Continuing Indaba process and listened as we shared insights from our time of dialogue.
Ours was an experience of holy listening as we engaged together in prayerful attentiveness to God and to each other in Christ. There is much that we celebrate from this experience of dialogue-in-community. In spite of differences, we strongly affirm our commitment to each other as brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ and as members in the Anglican Communion. As we continue to learn about each other's mission contexts, cultures, values and languages, each of us grows in deeper mutual understanding of theological and ethical positions -- both our own and those of our partners.
We affirm together that dialogue cannot be about trying to make someone change their position, but is about working together better to understand the fullness of our stories, affirmations and commitments. To do so requires that we meet, that we converse, that we commit to this holy listening and honest, respectful speech with openness and prayerful thanksgiving for the gift that is the other. This is the gift of communion we share in Christ: that we are one, in his body. We are empowered by our mutual listening and learning to carry on, to deepen our existing bonds of affection, and to serve God's mission with renewed hope.
It is the desire of this group to continue to meet again, and to plan other ways in which our dioceses might deepen relationship one with another. It is our hope that the process and the fruits of our theological discernment may link with the Continuing Indaba process of the Anglican Communion.
We are grateful to the staff of St. Andrew's House for their hospitality, especially to the Rev. Dr. Phil Groves and Ms. Angharad Parry-Jones; to the staff of Lambeth Palace, especially to the Rev. Canon Flora Winfield; to the Rev. Dr. Eileen Scully who served as our chaplain and recording secretary. Very special thanks are due to our facilitator, the Rev. Dr. Isaac Kawuki-Mukasa, whose untiring work helped to bring this initiative into being, and who continues to nurture our work with skill and wisdom.
Participants
- Botswana: The Rt. Rev. Trevor Mwamba
- Ontario: The Rt. Rev. George Bruce
- Central Tanganyika: The Rt. Rev. Mdimi Mhogolo
- Niagara: The Rt. Rev. Michael Bird
- Mombasa: The Rt. Rev. Julius Kalu
- Ottawa: The Rt. Rev. John Chapman
- Southern Malawi: The Rt. Rev. James Tengatenga, represented by the Rev. Stephen Sikoti
- New Westminster: The Rt. Rev. Michael Ingham
- Tanga: The Rt. Rev. Philip Baji
- Toronto: The Most Rev. Colin Johnson
- Cape Town: The Rt. Rev. Garth Counsell