Message
from the Bishops
May 23, 2007
Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
Yesterday, invitations were issued to bishops for the 2008 Lambeth
Conference, to be held in Canterbury next summer. As you
know,
the gathering brings bishops from the 38 provinces of the Anglican
Communion together with ecumenical and other invited guests every 10
years. The 2008 conference will include nearly three weeks of
shared retreat, common worship, study and discussion.
You may have heard that Bishop Gene Robinson did not receive an
invitation at this time. While this is an issue of concern
and
much discussion among the bishops, we are not issuing any type of joint
statement at present. Rather, we are following the guidance
of
our presiding bishop, Katharine Jefferts Schori, who issued a brief
message to members of the House of Bishops yesterday, urging a calm
approach to the announcement and reminding us that “it is
possible that aspects of this matter may change in the next 14
months.” We will be discussing this in the weeks
and months
to come, and praying for a productive resolution that will be a message
of our ongoing desire for inclusion and mutual dialogue in our
communion.
We are reminded of the collect that is part of the ordination liturgy
in The Book of Common Prayer:
O God of unchangeable power and eternal light: Look favorably
on
your whole Church, that wonderful and sacred mystery; by the effectual
working of your providence, carry out in tranquility the plan of
salvation; let the whole world see and know that things which were cast
down are being raised up, and things which had grown old are being made
new, and that all things are being brought to their perfection by him
through whom all things were made, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord; who
lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God,
for ever and ever. Amen.
Yours in Christ,
/s/
M. Thomas Shaw, SSJE
Bud Cederholm
Gayle E. Harris
Please see today’s Episcopal News Service coverage at
Episcopal
Life Online, which contains links to the Archbishop of
Canterbury’s letter and related documents: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/79901_86240_ENG_HTM.htm
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