Afro-Anglican Issues Conference Planned
Episcopal News Service. May 23, 1985 [85115]
NEW YORK (DPS, May 23) -- A conference entitled "Afro-Anglicanism: Present Issues, Future Tasks," will take place at Codrington College, Barbados, W.I., June 17-22, 1985. According to the Rt. Rev. Walter D. Dennis, bishop suffragan of New York and chairman of the Conference Planning Committee, "the purpose of the conference is to provide a forum for the sons and daughters of Africa in the Anglican Communion to share and reflect on the problems, challenges and opportunities of black Anglicanism. Through the presentation of scholarly papers, participation in workshops and plenary seminars, conferees will seek to develop, for the first time, an accurate history and theology of Anglicans of color."
The Conference will be a memorial to the late Canon Robert C. S. Powell, who, at the time of his death, was director of the Africa Desk of the National Council of Churches. The proceedings from the Conference will be used by the Anglican Consultative Council in the setting of the agenda for the 1988 Lambeth Conference.
The Conference will open with a service of Evensong at which the officiant will be the Rt. Rev. Drexel Gomez, bishop of Barbados, and at which the Rt. Rev. John T. Walker, bishop of Washington, will be preacher. The Most Rev. W. P. Khotso Makhulu, archbishop of Central Africa, will officiate at the closing Eucharist, at which the preacher will be the Rt. Rev. Neville DeSouza, bishop of Jamaica.
Speakers will include the Rev. Canon Burgess Carr, former secretary-general of the All-African Council of Churches; the Rev. Dr. Edmundo DeSueza of the Diocese of Costa Rica; the Rev. Dr. J. Carleton Hayden, chairman of the Department of History at Morgan State University; and Dr. John Pobee, of the World Council of Churches. In addition, workshops will be offered by other prominent black theologians from Africa, the West Indies, England and the United States. Several observers will also be present, including the Rt. Rev. Edward Haynsworth, executive for World Mission of the Episcopal Church Center.
Thanks to a grant from Trinity Parish, New York City, several bishops and theologians from Africa will be present at the Conference. Other funding sponsors include the Episcopal Commission for Black Ministries, the Coalition for Human Needs and World Mission in Church and Society, all of Executive Council of the Episcopal Church; the Anglican Church of Canada; the Episcopal Church Foundation and Trinity Institute.
Other members of the committee include the Rev. Canon Harold T. Lewis, secretary; the Rev. Canon Frederick B. Williams, treasurer; Veronica deFlowers; Dr. Charles Lawrence and the Rt. Rev. Michael Eldon. Honorary patrons of the Conference are Makhulu, Walker, and the Most Rev. Cuthbert Woodroffe, Archbishop of the West Indies.
Additional information can be obtained from the conference coordinator, Claudette R. Lewis, P.O. Box 2692, New Haven, CT 06515, (203) 397-2833.