Consultation Talks Future of Latin American Church
Diocesan Press Service. February 8, 1966 [40-2]
The necessity for creating new ministerial, liturgical and sociological patterns for work in Latin America, if the church's mission there is to be at all effective, received much attention at the recent five-day Consultation on the Anglican Communion and Latin America in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Representatives from five Provinces of the Communion took part in the consultation which was called by the Rt. Rev. Ralph S. Dean, Executive Officer. The purpose was to define more clearly the role of the Anglican church in Latin America and to outline the necessary steps for its fulfillment.
A recurring theme throughout the consultation was that of ecumenicity. The participants expressed their deep appreciation for the work already accomplished in this field by the World Council of Churches and the recent Vatican Council. They further stated that all Anglican work in Latin America should be set in an ecumenical context and gave their enthusiastic support to cooperation at all levels with other Christian bodies.
Three ecumenical observers, representing the Roman Catholic Church, the World Council and the Commission for Evangelical Unity in Latin America, participated. On the last day, the Cardinal Archbishop of Sao Paulo paid the delegates an official and fraternal visit.
In the group's call for new forms of ministry, they said "This will involve the church in study of and sensitivity to the revolutionary atmosphere, the need and anguish, the hopes and fears of the society in which it is set."
In its Consultation report, the group noted that "until now responsibility for the Church in Latin America has rested almost entirely on English Chaplaincies, the (American) Episcopal Church and the South American Missionary Society (of England), the delegates expressed hope that the future would see wider Anglican participation in the task. Steps in this direction have been taken recently, as illustrated by the Canadian Church's willingness to involve itself in Venezuela and plans made by the Australian Church to begin work in Peru."
More than 30 delegates participated in the meeting Jan. 24-28 at the Seminary of the Brazilian Episcopal Church. Chairman was the Most Rev. Donald Coggan, Archbishop of York. Representatives from the Episcopal Church included the Rt. Rev. Stephen Bayne, director of Executive Council's Overseas Department; Walker Taylor, Jr. Mutual Responsibility executive officer; the Rt. Rev. David Richards, Bishop of Central America; the Rt. Rev. Heber Gooden, Bishop of Panama and the Canal Zone; the Rt. Rev. David Reed, Bishop of Colombia; and the Rev. Joseph Moore, Province IX planning officer. An earlier consultation was held two years ago in Cuernavaca, Mexico.