More from my bishop

the Rt. Rev'd Thomas Ely in Canterbury Cathedral (photographer unknown; for more photos, go here)

Today my bishop is one of the two people commenting on the Lambeth Conference. Here's the news article and here's the video.

He also wrote another note to the Diocese of Vermont. [Go here for all the links.]

July 24, 2008

Dear people of Vermont

Thursday was “London Day” at the Lambeth Conference and it was a fun, rich and important/prophetic day. Fun, because we were treated to tea and all the pageantry that accompanies a visit to Buckingham Palace, rich because we were welcomed as guests to Lambeth Palace – home of the Archbishop of Canterbury, and important and prophetic because our day began with a “Walk of Witness” for the Millennium Development Goals, and our Anglican Communion commitment as faith leaders to the urgent need to hold the political leaders of the world accountable for the promises made to end extreme poverty through a shared commitment to the United Nations Millennium Development Goals.

Well over a thousand bishops, spouses and others persons of faith participated in the walk from Whitehall to Lambeth Palace. The route took us past #10 Downing Street, the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey, with supporters and tourists along the way offering encouragement and support. This was a walk of solidarity for the bishops of the Anglican Communion. With all the challenges to our unity and all the struggles to reconcile differences, this event stands out as a reminder of what really matters in our common mission – “To do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with our God.” When we arrived at Lambeth Palace, we heard inspiring speeches from the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Prime Minister, and Helen Wangusa, the Anglican Communion’s Observer to the United Nations.

Lunch at Lambeth Palace and then Tea at Buckingham Palace were wonderful social events – the sort of thing that you are pleased to say that you have done. The hospitality afforded us was gracious and the gardens and grounds of both venues were lovely indeed. Ann and I were close by one of the bishops selected to meet the Queen in the receiving reception and so we take home that fond memory. Unfortunately, cameras are not allowed inside Buckingham Palace and so we will rely on our memories and not our pictures as we recall this event. Ann did have one of the most attractive hats of all the spouses!

Meanwhile, back at the Lambeth Conference, the work of building trusting relationships and being in conversation with other bishops about our engagement in the missio dei continues. My Bible Study group continues to be a rich source of conversation as we engage one another using the various assigned texts from the John Gospel. Every day we go deeper and deeper in our conversations as trust is built up and the biblical text takes on meaning in terms of our common concerns for the mission and ministry of the Anglican Communion in our various contexts. Likewise, my Indaba group continues to be a place of holy conversation, as we have encountered one another these past couple of days around the themes of “Proclaiming the Good News – The Bishop and Evangelism” and “Transforming Society – The Bishop and Social Justice.” The challenge of the Indaba groups is not the content, nor the desire of bishops to engage one another, but the time constraints and some of the limitations of the facilities in which we are meeting. Even with those challenges we are doing well in trying to listen to one another across the many cultural realities that are part of the Anglican Communion.

One of the most difficult realities at the conference these past couple of days has been our struggle to receive and comprehend the public statement from the Bishops of the Province of Sudan regarding human sexuality and in particular the comments offered in a press conference by the Archbishop of Sudan in which he called for the resignation of Bishop Gene Robinson. I want to quickly point out that this was only one of two statements issued by the bishops of Sudan, but it is the one upon which the media has focused its attention. The other statement dealing with the ongoing struggle for peace in Sudan and in particular the conflict in Darfur has regrettably received far less media attention. I would be less than candid if I didn’t say that the verbal statements calling for Bishop Robinson’s resignation saddened and disturbed me. On the other hand, I think there is more about the motivation and meaning of that statement that needs to be considered and so I am suspending judgment on the statements regarding human sexuality and Bishop Robinson until there is the opportunity for deeper conversation with Sudanese bishops, particularly those whom I know best. There have been some conversations, but more are in the offing and I think it best to await the outcome of those conversations through which we might have a clearer understanding of the purpose and meaning behind these statements. In the meantime, I commend to you the more important statement concerning the need for peace making in Sudan. It is an important statement that I hope you will study and take to heart.

On Wednesday evening (July 23rd), we held the first of two receptions for bishops and spouses in which we offered an opportunity to meet and be in conversation with Bishop Robinson. There were over 100 who chose this opportunity from among the many offered that night and the evening proved to be a wonderful occasion for many bishops and spouses to meet Gene and to hear directly from him rather than about him. We hope that those who attended will encourage others to come next Wednesday night for the second reception and conversation.

Conversations about the Windsor Report and ongoing Windsor Process have begun and there is initial stirring about the Saint Andrew’s Draft Covenant for the Anglican Communion. Both these items are of major significance as we move forward in this conference. Many bishops I’ve talked to are quite concerned about section three of the Saint Andrew’s draft in which some of the most challenging ideas regarding the structures that might be in place through such a covenant are put forward. This will become more and more a matter of interest and concern as the conference progresses.

Ann and I continue to delight in meeting bishops and spouses from around the world and learning more about their unique ministry contexts, even as we share the story of ours. There is vast and wonderful tapestry of people and ministries around the world to which we are connected as part of the Anglican Communion. The strength of our numbers and common commitment to Christ’s reconciling mission in the world gives us the capacity to make the kind of statement we made today to the leaders of the world with regard to keeping the promises made to help end extreme poverty across the globe. There is something very important in that prophetic voice that makes fighting for the future of the Anglican Communion worth the effort.

Please continue to keep the work of this Lambeth Conference and all its participants in your hearts and in your prayers.

Faithfully,
+Thomas