The LambethDaily ISSUE No.13 WEDNESDAY AUGUST 5 1998 OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE 1998 LAMBETH CONFERENCE TODAY’S KEY EVENTS 7.15am Eucharist Mothers’ Union Staff front up 9.30 - 11.00am Morning Prayer and Bible Studies Spirit of Michael 11.30 - 1.00pm Plenary Session in full colour 1.30 - 3.00pm Spouses’: Rehearsal for ‘Crowning Glory’ alive and kicking 3.30 - 5.30pm Plenary Session Ramsey lives on 5.45pm Evening Prayer Page 4 7.30pm Spouses’: Evening at the Old Palace Page 3 Page 4 7.45 - 10.00pm Spouses’: Rehearsal for ‘Crowning Glory’ Telling it how it is in Swahili, Japanese, French... ‘Credible witness requires that Christians be united’ Man of many tongues Spirit of unity descends by Carol Barnwell on ecumenical plenary ne and a half hours of sponta- by Susie Erdey Oneous interpretation leaves menical vocation in a spirit of humil- the Rev Daniel Mwailu exhausted. he first Conference plenary to ity,patience and loving tolerance.” “You have to translate not only Tconsider debatable resolutions Bishop Bryce noted three main the words but the expression of the proceeded with such a remarkable themes in the report, identified words and anticipate what is com- spirit of consensus yesterday after- from regional responses and from ing next,” Mr Mwailu says. noon that bishops completed their direct experience of contemporary scheduled work on resolutions ecumenical engagement. from Section Four (“Called to be • The first theme “reviewed the One”) and moved on to the reports complex economic scene with its and resolutions of Section Two. mixture of signs of hope on the one The material from Section Four hand and setbacks on the other. Do Their aim: never to dealt with ecumenical relations Anglicans still share a common between the Anglican Communion commitment to visible unity and is and other churches throughout the there behind the many ecumenical be stuck for a word world. endeavours a shared vision of that Bishop Jabez Bryce (Polynesia), unity which is God’s gift to us and Daniel Mwailu by Carol Barnwell the moderator of Section Four, our vocation to play our part in Forty-one interpreters are introduced the section report by bringing into being?” working in Japanese, Arabic, Por- eams of interpreters spent their stating: “We affirm...that every • The second theme reviewed tuguese, French, Spanish, Swahili T“free weekend” working Lambeth Conference has had a “the progress made in bilateral and and English, says Donata Coleman, through the small hours to inter- deep concern for unity both of the multilateral conversations at inter- who spent two-and-a-half years pret resolutions into French, Span- Church and the unity of human national and national levels and gathering the group. ish and Japanese, says Donata Cole- community. reflected on some of the issues con- During an impromptu conversa- man, coordinator of the 41-strong “Section Four hopes that the cerning coherence, common tion at breakfast, Mr Mwailu shared team assembled for the Lambeth ‘Heroes’ at work. Photo:Anglican World/Anne Wetzel provinces of the Anglican Commu- vision, response and reception.” his experiences as one of the Conference. voting.” nion will in the next 10 years respond • The third theme “took the Swahili translators. Her calm demeanour never “We are relying on the chairper- with fresh enthusiasm to our ecu- Please see Unity page 3 Translating into Swahili presents wavers as nine people rush into her sons to take it slowly,” Mrs Cole- unique problems because it is not tiny office to drop off or pick up man says, explaining that bishops “a technical language,” he said. “It more papers. Many accents make using interpreters will be voting on does not have a word for something enquiries in English, then are gone the previous question if the process Busy day with two plenaries like ‘intercollegiate’ but focuses as rapidly as they arrived, to finish moves too rapidly. more on daily life.” their assigned tasks. The pacing of business is impor- n one of the heaviest business • Resolution II.7 on “Urbanisa- Sometimes it takes five words to With discussions and debate ris- tant to minimise confusion for the Idays for the Conference, bishops tion”emphasises mission in cities,calls explain one. Additionally, time is ing on the interpreters’ horizons more than 100 bishops using the will take part in two plenary ses- for support of the Anglican Urban perceived very differently. Six this week, one concern becomes translation services. sions today. Network,and for the establishment of Please see Translators page 3 apparent: the pace of business and Please see Interpreters page 3 Morning Plenary a “Faith in the Urban World” com- The 11.30am plenary session will mission. Bishop Roger Sainsbury ‘Sabbath principle continue to consider the draft report (Barking, England) will respond. Lambeth section report on and resolutions submitted by Section • Resolution II.8 on “Youth” is a life principle’ Two on the topic “Called to Live proposes several measures to “give sexuality charts middle course and Proclaim the Good News.” more attention to the furtherance Church should by David Skidmore When action on Section Two items of ministry” to young people. concludes, discussion of Section Bishop Ben Kwashi (Jos, Nigeria) lead on ecology, fter two weeks of closed-door Sexuality resolution: One,“Called to Full Humanity,”will will respond. Adiscussions, sexuality moves to begin, with consideration of human- The plenary also will consider bishop says the public forum of a full Lambeth back to original text sexuality topics reserved for the resolutions submitted by Oceania Conference plenary this afternoon as afternoon plenary. (Resolution 14), South Asia/Mid- by Nicola Currie the bishops consider the draft report by David Skidmore Archbishop Robert Okine, of dle East (Resolution 19), and the he Sabbath principle is and resolutions of Section One. he human-sexuality resolu- West Africa, will chair the morning Middle East/South Asia (Resolu- “Tmore than just a religious The two debatable resolutions from Ttion originally published in plenary.Prime Bishop Ignacio Soliba tion 20) regions. principle; it is a life principle,” says the section address sexuality (I.10) and the Conference’s blue ‘Proposed (Philippines) will be vice-chair. Section One Plenary Bishop George Browning (Canber- euthanasia (I.14). The plenary also is Resolutions’ booklet is the text Bishop Rowan Williams (Mon- At 3.30pm the bishops will begin ra and Goulburn, Australia) who is scheduled to consider resolution IV.26 to come before bishops in this mouth, Wales), chair of Section by considering the resolution sub- heading the subsection on environ- from Section Four, which also deals afternoon’s plenary. Two, will speak to his section’s mitted by the Section One subsec- mental issues. with sexuality. Confusion about which reso- report. Debate will follow on the tion on human sexuality.The plenary “Built into the whole created At two pages—the shortest of any lution to bring to the plenary section’s three resolutions: also will consider resolutions on sex- order is the principle of rest and of the six subsections in the 36-page sparked protests during the clos- • Resolution II.6 on “Future Pri- uality submitted by other sections. refreshment-the land needs it, main report from Section One—the ing moments of the Conference’s orities in Mission” urges the Church Archbishop Robin Eames of plants need it...We are appealing to sexuality report stakes out a middle- first business plenary yesterday to emphasise mission and evangelism Armagh, Primate of All Ireland, the Church to appropriately ground position, affirming past Lam- afternoon. in various ways. Bishop John Senta- will chair the plenary. Bishop John reclaim that principle,” Bishop beth Conference statements on the mu (Stepney, England) will respond Takeda of Tokyo, Primate of Nip- Please see Resolution page 4 Please see Ecology page 2 Please see Sexuality page 4 to points raised in the debate. pon Sei Ko Kai, will be vice-chair. 2 The LambethDaily WEDNESDAY AUGUST 5 1998 Ecology Continued from page 1 sure of the immediate is so great Ecological issues are spiritual and recycling rubbish he finds on ecological restraints. But this advo- that we have to focus on what issues, he says. “That’s why increas- his daily morning run, as well as his cacy role is essential for the Browning says. appear to be the critical issues and ingly a number of people outside household waste. He admits that Church, Bishop Browning says. Resolutions on the environment they are almost always humanity- the Church are looking to us to using a bicycle instead of a car poses The subsection’s report provides (in Section One) are not scheduled based. take a lead, and sadly we are not problems for a 300km journey. a theological statement showing for debate, and ecology is not dom- “The last Conference focused on responding.” how environmental concerns are a inating the Conference agenda. But women’s ordination, this one on debt Bishop Browning outlines four “in the environmental issue core part of the Gospel, and the Bishop Browning warns that when and sexuality, human dignity and ways in which the Communion subsection hopes this will provide it does top the agenda, it may be human rights. But at the heart of the could work in this area: we do have a foundation for the impetus for people in the too late. matter we need to relate to the whole First, convince the Church: Church to move on to practical “I think the Church is mirroring created order—we need to relate to The subsection report provides a evangelism, for teaching and programmes in their own nations world governments where the pres- the world that God has made.” theological statement which is both for renewal.