On many occasions I have suggeted that the Anglican Communion is a peculiar form of ecumenical community, one in which the partners are more closely aligned by bonds of affection and historical circumstance than is usual.At this Lambeth Conference there are seventy-five ecumenical participants. They are not observers but participants. That means that the actual number of participants is not 650 more or less, but more like 725 persons. It means that one in ten particpants is an ecumenical partner. That combined with the fact that many of the partner churches in the Anglican Communion are in partial communion, sharing common sacraments but not common ministry (a matter of the ordination of women as either priests or bishops) yiealds a community in which ecumenical nicities are of utmost importance. Read about the ecumenical presence at Lambeth HERE.
Great picture, yes?
(from Anglican Communion News Service).
Great picture? Yes.
ReplyDeleteBut no way I'll go visit ENS' coverage of this or any event. They no longer have any journalists on their staff, as far I can see. Propagandists? Sure. Sometime early this year, ENS gave up any pretense of committing journalism.
Yes, inspiring in fact (and quite reassuring I just noted)...Thank you.
ReplyDeleteIt is a lovely picture.
ReplyDeleteI recently wrote on my blog about my respect for, and work with, The Catholic Worker. One commenter noted that we lay folks seem to work across boundaries a lot better than others in the church, and I suspect that is largely true.
I think that regarding "the Anglican Communion as a ...form of Ecumenical Communion" is a helpful insight.
ReplyDeleteIt gives space for peaceful dialogue. Thankyou, Mark
The Rev'd Canon Alyson Barnett-Cowan, who is providing staff assistance to ecumenical participants at Lambeth 08, has an interesting article on this very point at:
ReplyDeletehttp://www2.anglican.ca/faith/identity/abc20080715.htm