The Third Anglican Global South to South Encounter has come to an end in Egypt, after five days of close consultation and deliberation between conservative members of the Anglican Communion.
A total of 103 delegates from 20 provinces in the Global South, comprising Africa, South and South East Asia, West Indies and South America, met for the Encounter at Ain El-Sukhna by the Red Sea in Egypt.The theme of the gathering, also briefly attended by the Archbishop of Canterbury on Friday, was “One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church: Being a Faithful Church For Such A Time As This”.
“The world of the Global South is riddled with the pain of political conflict, tribal warfare and bloodshed. The moral and ethical foundations of several of our societies are being shaken."
“Many of our nations are beset by problems of poverty, ignorance and sickness, particularly the HIV and AIDS that threaten millions, especially in Africa,” read a statement by representatives of the Global South Encounter.
The gathered delegates offered their prayers to the thousands of people who have suffered from severe drought in Africa, earthquakes in South Asia, and the hurricanes in the Americas, before proceeding to address the problems facing the Anglican Communion.
“Apart from the world condition, our own Anglican Communion sadly continues to be weakened by unchecked revisionist teaching and practices which undermine the divine authority of the Holy Scripture."
“The Anglican Communion is severely wounded by the witness of errant principles of faith and practice which in many parts of our Communion have adversely affected our efforts to take the Gospel to those in need of God’s redeeming and saving love,” read the statement.
A spiritual focus also permeated the meeting near the Red Sea, with the region being a deliberate choice by the Global South owing to Egypt’s biblical prominence.
Research papers were presented at the Encounter on the context of worship, prayer, Bible Study and mutual sharing.
The delegates at the Encounter focused on the four 'marks' of the church: 'One',‘Holy’, ‘Catholic’, and ‘Apostolic’, reaffirming unity in the love of Jesus Christ and the commission of the Church to minister, mission and serve.The Anglican Communion is severely wounded by the witness of errant principles of faith and practice which in many parts of our Communion have adversely affected our efforts to take the Gospel to those in need of God’s redeeming and saving love.
Statement by representatives of the Global South Encounter
The members of the Global South recommitted to the authority of the Word of God and their endorsement of the concept of and formulation of an Anglican Covenant ‘rooted in the Windsor Report'.
