The LambethDaily ISSUE No.3 TUESDAY JULY 21 1998 OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE 1998 LAMBETH CONFERENCE Prayers asked TODAY’S KEY EVENTS 7.15am Eucharist FRENCH CONNECTION How the mail 9.30 - 11.00am Morning Prayer and Bible Studies Reporter who covered three in wake of 11.30 - 1.00pm Plenary Presentation ‘The Bible, the World and the Church’ gets through tidal wave 3.00 - 4.00pm Spouses Workshops Lambeth Conferences 3.30 - 5.30pm Sections Page 3 5.45pm Evening Prayer Page 3 Page 4 8.15 - 9.00pm Sections Planners offer activities as ‘gift’ Conference rises to Presidential Address Spouses open Programme of study, worship Dr Carey calls by David Skidmore Church to Renewal nderscoring the hope that Utheir gathering will be an by David Skidmore opportunity for deepening faith commitments, Mrs Eileen Carey rchbishop George Carey welcomed more than 600 bishops’ Abrought the Lambeth Confer- spouses to Sunday evening’s open- ence to its feet with a call for “a ing service for the Spouses’ Pro- more radical discipleship shaped by gramme. God’s transforming power” in his “I pray that each one of us will presidential address Monday before find that our Christian commitment over 1,000 bishops and spouses. is deepened by the experience of In his hour-long address, Carey being together and sharing with one stressed the need for renewal in the another,”said Mrs Carey,whose hus- communion’s vision; its faith and band is Archbishop of Canter- order; its mission; and in the bish- bury George Carey. ops’ understanding of their voca- The spouses’ programme, tion as church leaders. It is a daunt- featuring four plenary ses- ing call, he admitted, in an era sions, daily Bible study groups assailed by political persecution and While it is important to share and a series of workshops, social traumas. But when the the stories of our struggles as a seminars and presentations, is church stays true to its mission, it communion and seek solace with intended “as a gift from God,” prevails. In the wake of the last each other, it falls short of what the Mrs Carey said, adding that Lambeth Conference, the Berlin conference is about as a witnessing “those of us who have wall came down, apartheid was dis- community, stressed Carey. “Even planned the programme pre- mantled, and the Anglican Com- when evil seems to prevail in so sent it as a gift to you.” BIshops’ spouses listen (right)—one with munion launched the Decade of many places, and in so many ways, Study topics cover translation headset—as Mrs Eileen Carey Evangelism bringing millions of the challenge before us is to bring range of concerns opens Programme. Photos by David Skidmore new Christians into the church, he to the world an authoritative vision Among the topics to be covered are said. of the God of love and justice who health and social issues, mission and dealing with the Church of Eng- But with blessings come more is the beginning and end of all evangelism, spirituality, poverty and land, who will speak on “Harassed challenges, he noted, such as in things.” environmental concerns, parenting, Heroines and Healing Centers” Rwanda where civil war spawned a marriage, children at risk, and cop- August 4. genocide claiming 800,000 lives, The vision of the Anglican ing with stress. Presenters include Dr Other offerings include a musi- and in Sudan where continuing civil church as a witnessing community Jean F. O’Barr, director of Women’s cal presentation, “Crowning Glory,” war has displaced hundreds of thou- should be driven not by the issues Studies at Duke University, North written and produced by Veronica sands, and sown a new crop of wid- on its plate but by an Irenaean the- Carolina, who will lead a dialogue Bennetts, wife of Bishop Colin Ben- ows and orphans.AIDS has become ology that stresses God’s goodness on “Women in Leadership” July 23; netts of the Diocese of Coventry in a pandemic in Africa, and mounting and generosity. Solutions to the Archbishop David Gitari of Kenya the Church of England.The musical, debt has bequeathed a lifetime of host of issues before the commu- who will speak on “A Christian which will feature bishops’ spouses poverty to millions in the Third nion “will only emerge from a real Challenge Towards a Healthy singing in chorus, performing mime only the events and activities which World. Despite these problems,“this encounter in gratitude with our Future;” Dr Carey, who will speak and dancing, will be staged August 6 interest them.“Make space for your- is our world,”said Carey.“This is the living God.” on the Vocation of the Anglican for the Feast of the Transfiguration. self and attend what you feel is right world in which we live and work; Communion in the 21st Century Mrs Carey stressed that the pro- for you,” she said, but also encour- the world in which we are called to For excerpts of Dr Carey’s July 27; and Susan Howatch, author gramme is meant to be flexible. aged the spouses to take full serve and witness.” address, please see page 2. of the acclaimed series of novels Spouses should feel free to attend Please see Planners page 3 Sections Daily Scripture is focus for today’s plenary “The Bible, the World, and the Church” is the focus for the Conference’s SECTION ONE SECTION TWO SECTION THREE first plenary session set for today at 11.30am in the Sports Centre meeting halls.All participating in the Conference are invited to attend. Faith calls for living Good News cause Issues call for The plenary will help to establish the central role scripture will play in the across differences for celebration accountability in talks conference, planners say. by Margaret Rodgers by Doug Tindall by Sarah Moore The Bible should “receive a quite prominent place fairly early in the con- ference,” so that “interpretation of the Bible is integrated with the delibera- want to explore how we can e are very clear that the he issues we’re dealing with tions of the conference on its key topics,” notes Dr David Ford, Regius Pro- “Ilive respectfully, lovingly and “Wwork of this section “Tare not only from the bish- fessor of Divinity at Cambridge University and coordinator for the plenary. creatively across our differences,” should be an occasion of celebra- ops but from people across the The plenary will feature video interviews with bishops and spouses com- Professor Denise Ackermann said tion,” Bishop Rowan Williams Anglican Communion,” Bishop menting on 2 Corinthians, which is the focus of their daily Bible studies. It also in her theological paper to Section (Monmouth,Wales) said in conven- Frederick Borsch (Los Angeles), will include a theatrical interpretation of Jacob’s encounter with God by the One participants yesterday. ing Section Two,‘Called to Live and Riding Lights Theatre Company, followed by an address by Dr Ford. Section reports continue on page 4 2 The LambethDaily TUESDAY JULY 21 1998 Daily Voices Excerpts from the Presidential Address by the Archbishop of Canterbury ‘Transformation and Renewal’ or many months now there has based on justice and freedom for all. the sake both of God’s Church and, bishops, here with us today,who spoke Photo: Skidmore David Fbeen only one biblical image in Poverty and starvation stalk too still more importantly, of the world. of the problem of preaching the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr George Carey my mind that I have wanted to share many of the lands where Anglicans As well as a renewal of our vision Gospel in the refugee camps outside with you. It is the penultimate chap- serve; the AIDS virus is a curse in too we must determine to seek a renewal Khartoum, which my wife and I were Daily Quote ter of the Revelation of St John where many countries and blights the lives of of our Church. Here we need, I visiting with him: ‘You see, Archbish- John describes the Christian vision of millions. Ignorance and lack of edu- believe, to begin with a glad acknowl- op,’ he said hesitantly,‘We have a say- “Ours is to be a ministry God in the midst of his people with cational opportunities hold back mil- edgement of, and deep gratitude for, ing, “Empty stomachs have no ears.”’ of service, following the pattern the triumphant cry,‘Behold, I make all lions of young people. the goodness of the Church and the That kind of compassion is central to of our Lord washing his things new!’ We are told by the President of the grace of God brought to us through any vision of the mission of a trans- disciples’ feet.” There is an extraordinary irony World Bank that ‘three billion people her. formed Church. Dr George Carey about it that we can all recognise and live under $2 a day.One billion, three We have a firm hold on a historic But evangelism must not be avoid- appreciate.There is John on the island hundred million live on $1 a day. One credal faith, earthed in Holy Scripture. ed either, even if, as Anglicans,we have of Patmos, surrounded by an uncross- hundred million go hungry every day. This is primary and pivotal and there often found it quite difficult in the Daily Letters able sea—at least for him, in enforced One hundred and fifty million never are boundaries to our faith and morals past.We are called to be evangelists in About the Church of Pakistan exile—given such visions of the get the chance to go to school’.