Time and patience rather than impulsive action is needed to protect the unity of the worldwide Anglican Church following this year’s Lambeth Conference.

That was the message the Archbishop of Wales gave to members of the Church in Wales Governing Body today. Dr Barry Morgan said that the conversations begun at Lambeth between bishops from all over the world now needed to continue in order to build bridges of understanding and prevent division.

During his Presidential address, Dr Morgan described the Conference of the Anglican Communion as being about process, rather than results.
 
He said, “This Conference enabled Bishops, many for the first time, to experience the reality of what it is to belong to the Communion and to appreciate what it is in the words of Archbishop Rowan to have ‘new habits of respect, patience and understanding’. 

“For my own part, I believe this Conference has shown us the way forward.  The real value of the Communion lies in deepening person to person relationships, diocesan partnerships and a sense of mutual affection.

“I wish that we could now sit still and do nothing.  The Bishops who were at Lambeth 2008 need time to let the nature of that conference sink into their bones.  Sometimes in the Church of God, we want to rush into making decisions.  We would do well just to stop and reflect.

“For many people there is no point in having a conference if there are no decisions. 
My sense is that most people want a Communion and want to make it work.  If however we decide things too quickly and attempt to force Provinces to make decisions, to decide where they stand on various matters when they are not ready to decide, it will all end in tears.  We just need at the moment to live with matters being unresolved.  Relationship building has to be the way forward.”

Describing discussions at the Conference on Anglican identity, the Archbishop said he did not think sexuality should be a Communion-breaking issue.

“Why is it that as far as Anglicanism is concerned, we do not interpret the Scriptures literally when it comes to issues such as usury or marriage and divorce to name but two, but insist on a literal interpretation of texts that allegedly deal with homosexuality? It is difficult to believe that we have boxed ourselves into this particular corner.  Allegorical, symbolical and mythical interpretations are allowed and have been allowed from the time of the early church Fathers to the present day for every part of the Bible, except for those that deal with homosexuality and one is also left wondering why there cannot be diversity on this issue as on so many other moral issues.

“We need to remember that one of the glories of Anglicanism has been about being held together by our beliefs as contained in historic creeds and formulas but not by agreement to particular statements about that faith in each generation.  That is the difference between belonging to a Communion rather than a confession.”

The Archbishop also highlighted the Bishops’ march of witness through central London during the Lambeth Conference to draw attention to the Millennium Development Goals to tackle world poverty.

“These Millennium Goals are not just secular goals, but are based on firm theological foundations on Jesus’ manifesto in the synagogue at Nazareth at the beginning of his ministry in Luke’s Gospel, with his commitment to the poor marginalised and exploited. The Bishops were addressed by the Prime Minister who said that it was one of the greatest public demonstrations of faith that London had ever seen.  I have never heard the Prime Minister make such an impassioned speech.  He acknowledged that the eradication of world poverty is not down to lack of resources but of global political will, a matter to be addressed in September by the United Nations in New York.  The Millennium Development Goals seek to eliminate poverty;  achieve universal primary education;  promote gender equality; improve maternal health;  reduce child mortality;  combat HIV/Aids and ensure environmental sustainability.” 

The Governing Body of the Church in Wales has 144 members, made up of bishops and elected clerics and lay people. It is meeting at the University of Wales, Lampeter, today and tomorrow.

For the full text of the Archbishop’s address, visit:
http://www.churchinwales.org.uk/structure/bishops/sermonsb/b33.html
Welsh: http://www.churchinwales.org.uk/strwythur/esgobion/sermonsb/bc13.html

For more information, please contact:
Anna Morrell
Archbishop's Media Officer / Swyddog y Cyfryngau i'r Archesgob
Tel: 02920 348208; mobile: 07 91 91 587 94
39 Cathedral Rd, Cardiff / 39 Heol y Gadeirlan, Caerdydd
CF11 9XF
http://www.churchinwales.org.uk