Lambeth Conference Plans Move Forward

Decision-makers in the Anglican Communion met last week to continue the formation of progress plans for the Lambeth Conference 2008.

The conference 'design group' appointed by the Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams spent five days working on the conference structures, purposes, issues and programme.

The group, which draws its members from across the communion, is chaired by the Archbishop of Melanesia, Sir Ellison Pogo.

He said: "We feel excited as we prepare through prayer and meditation on the time
the bishops will spend together in July 2008.

"Perhaps most important will be the many opportunities for encounter, fellowship and conversation that gathering provides."

He has written on behalf of the group to all Anglican Communion bishops, informing them of plans so far and asking them to pray.

The Lambeth Conference 2008 will give bishops the opportunity to discern and share their Anglican identity and become better equipped as leaders in God's mission.

Archbishop Ellison said: "We hope that at the conference, bishops will be refreshed, gain deeper knowledge of each other, become more aware of the resources God has given them to meet missionary challenges around the world, continue to address the internal conflicts of recent years, discover a new level of trust and have greater understanding of the special contribution Anglicanism can make to the Church and the world."

The Lambeth Conference in 2008 will take on a different structure, relinquishing the previous parliamentary debating chamber style in favour of more time and space for spiritual reflection, learning, sharing and discerning. This means that there will be no resolutions.

Among the topics it will address are the Millennium Development Goals, HIV and Aids, ethical and green living, Anglican identity and covenant, the listening process and relationships with people of other faiths.

A fuller programme will be made available on the web site www.lambethconference.org in the near future.