Peterborough Diocese Document

The Diocese of Peterborough
The Lambeth Conference Update Three: 5 August 2008
Bishop Ian reflects after his return from the Lambeth Conference. Lambeth 2008 I returned from the Lambeth Conference tired, enriched and encouraged. Tired, because the schedule was potentially exhausting even though I tried to pace myself carefully. But for those who stayed the full course there was something to attend from Morning Prayer at 6.30 am to Night Prayer at 9.45 in the evening. In between were Bible Studies in groups of eight, ‘Indaba’ sessions in groups of forty, numerous opportunities to discuss a wide variety of subjects in ‘self-select’ sessions and evening plenary sessions on Mission, the Environment, living in Covenant, etc from a wide variety of speakers as well as the Archbishop of Canterbury’s three Presidential addresses. The enrichment came from the deeply spiritual leadership of the Archbishop – in the opening addresses at the Retreat, as well as in his Presidential Addresses which helped us to face issues with honesty and openness. But it also came through the rich experience of bishops from across the world shared in different groups and private conversations throughout the Conference. Their perspective on faith and the life and mission of the Church has enriched us all, as we have found in our diocesan link. Friendships made at Lambeth will be valued for a long time. I was encouraged by the firm determination to stay together as a Communion and challenged to think more about what that means. The Communion matters to our brothers and sisters throughout the world. They listen seriously and intently to us; do we listen to them? They share our affection and esteem for Archbishop Rowan – the prolonged standing ovation he received at the end of the Conference testified to that – but they have a sense of what it means to be a communion which goes deeper than that. It is a covenant of faith, a commitment to each other which challenges our self-confident independence. We do not have a centralised structure, like some of our ecumenical partners, but if as I hope the final outcome of the Conference will be an Anglican Covenant, then that commits us to listen to each other, to walk together and not knowingly to act in ways which grieve our partners in faith and commitment to Christ. Many lessons will be learnt from the process of deeper engagement which we have started, but they will spring from that overwhelming sense that we belong together, and we matter to each other, because we matter to Christ. Bishop Ian Top
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The Lambeth Conference

Update Three: 5 August 2008

Bishop Ian reflects after his return from the Lambeth Conference.

Lambeth 2008

I returned from the Lambeth Conference tired, enriched and encouraged.

Tired, because the schedule was potentially exhausting even though I tried to pace myself carefully. But for those who stayed the full course there was something to attend from Morning Prayer at 6.30 am to Night Prayer at 9.45 in the evening.

In between were Bible Studies in groups of eight, ‘Indaba’ sessions in groups of forty, numerous opportunities to discuss a wide variety of subjects in ‘self-select’ sessions and evening plenary sessions on Mission, the Environment, living in Covenant, etc from a wide variety of speakers as well as the Archbishop of Canterbury’s three Presidential addresses.

The enrichment came from the deeply spiritual leadership of the Archbishop – in the opening addresses at the Retreat, as well as in his Presidential Addresses which helped us to face issues with honesty and openness.

But it also came through the rich experience of bishops from across the world shared in different groups and private conversations throughout the Conference. Their perspective on faith and the life and mission of the Church has enriched us all, as we have found in our diocesan link. Friendships made at Lambeth will be valued for a long time.

I was encouraged by the firm determination to stay together as a Communion and challenged to think more about what that means. The Communion matters to our brothers and sisters throughout the world. They listen seriously and intently to us; do we listen to them? They share our affection and esteem for Archbishop Rowan – the prolonged standing ovation he received at the end of the Conference testified to that – but they have a sense of what it means to be a communion which goes deeper than that.

It is a covenant of faith, a commitment to each other which challenges our self-confident independence. We do not have a centralised structure, like some of our ecumenical partners, but if as I hope the final outcome of the Conference will be an Anglican Covenant, then that commits us to listen to each other, to walk together and not knowingly to act in ways which grieve our partners in faith and commitment to Christ.

Many lessons will be learnt from the process of deeper engagement which we have started, but they will spring from that overwhelming sense that we belong together, and we matter to each other, because we matter to Christ.

Bishop Ian

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