Episcopal Divinity School to hold fall Lambeth Conference panel discussion
Episcopal News Service. August 11, 2008 [081108-01]
The Rev. Dr. Ian Douglas, Episcopal Divinity School (EDS) faculty and member of the Design Group for the 2008 Lambeth Conference, will facilitate a panel discussion on the Lambeth Conference on September 25, from 6-8 p.m., at the Cambridge, Massachusetts seminary.
The intent of the Lambeth Conference, held in Canterbury, England July 16-August 3, was for bishops to become more confident in their Anglican identity, to deepen their awareness of how bishops are responsible to and for each other; and to grow in energy and enthusiasms for their task of leading the work of mission in the Churches of the Anglican Communion.
All are welcome to join Douglas as he and the panel members answer questions evoked by the events at Lambeth: What was the tone, and what does it mean for the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion? What does it mean to be an Anglican today, and what is our covenant with each other and with the wider church?
A specific focus of both Lambeth, and now this review, is the Indaba Bible study format. Indaba is a Zulu word from South Africa that means "gathering for the purposeful discussion in community." It is a strategy for discerning and sharing struggles, but even more it is a strategy for deep listening. In the Indaba groups, bishops at Lambeth engaged common issues faced by the whole Anglican Communion. These issues included: Anglican identity, evangelism, social justice and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), ecumenism, safeguarding the integrity of creation, multi-faith issues, gender inequalities and violence, biblical authority, human sexuality, and the Anglican covenant and Windsor processes.
"Through a reflection on these study groups at Lambeth and an understanding of the Indaba Bible study method, we can ask many questions: What does it mean to be Anglican? What does it mean to be in covenant? What do we need from one another and what can we offer to aid one another," said the Rev. Liz Magill, program coordinator for EDS' Pastoral Excellence Program.
Though this event is intended as an informative discussion, it will also serve as a launch party for EDS' new study guide for adult groups: "Your Call, God's Mission: Bring Lambeth Home." This new resource brings the lesson plans used in the Indaba Bible study groups to dioceses, congregations, and other groups interested in Bible study. This resource presents a way to bring people together for a missiological, conversational, and prayerful approach to engaging some of the difficult issues in the Anglican Communion and the world.
For more information about this event, please contact Priscilla Burns at pburns@eds.edu or at 617-682-1506.