INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE
Anglicans: “Lambeth conference” 2008650 Anglican bishops from around the world have gathered in Canterbury to attend the 14th 2008 Lambeth Conference, which officially opened the 16th July in the afternoon with the first plenary welcome session. According to a note published by the Anglican Communion information service, “more than 75% of all Anglican bishops in the world have registered for the Conference, representing 36 out of the 38 provinces which form the Anglican Communion worldwide”. In 1998, at the last Lambeth conference which was presided over by Archbishop George Carey, 749 bishops participated. At the same time as the bishops’ conference, the gathering of “wives” will take place as well: as usual, they will be greeted by the Archbishop’s wife, Jane William. The unprecedented thing will be that, amongst the 550 spouses participating this year, there will be also 10 husbands, which means that an equal number of women-bishops will be attending, who have been admitted to the episcopacy in a number of provinces of the Anglican Communion. Ten years ago, during the last Lambeth Conference in 1998, there were 11 women-bishops. The Episcopal ordination of women (after the latest green light given by the Church of England) and of openly gay bishops and the blessing of same-sex unions: these issues risk causing a schism in the Anglican world, also following an “alternative” Conference which took place in Jerusalem last June. “This year’s Lambeth Conference – the note reads – has two chief aims: for bishops to become more confident in their Anglican identity, by deepening their awareness of how they are responsible to and for each other; and second, that they grow in energy and enthusiasm for their task of leading the work of mission in the Anglican Church”. This note clearly indicates that Lambeth Conference’s main aim, according to Archbishop William Rowan’s approach, is to enhance the sense of “communion amongst the bishops” by favoring a “greater knowledge and appreciation of life”, as it is lived in the Anglican Communion and amongst the bishops. The Conference will start with a three-day retreat; then work will start in both plenary and small group meetings. Madrid: an inter-religious conference An important inter-religious Conference took place in Madrid where some 200 Muslim, Jewish and Christian religious representatives convened on July 14-18. The conference, promoted by the World Muslim League, on the initiative of King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, was attended also by Cardinal Jean Louis Tauran, President of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue, who conveyed the “blessing” of pope Benedict XVI regarding the initiative. “The Pope – His Eminence declared – believes that dialogue based on love and truth among the followers of Judaism, Christianity and Islam is the best way to contribute to transforming all world Peoples into one single family”. “Jews, Christians and Muslims share a common heritage, even though in the past there have been chapters of their common history marked by misunderstandings, polemics, persecutions and even armed conflicts. But today we can state that the dialogue between Abrahamitic religions does exist. Indeed, the future of Europe, of the Middle East and of the entire world in the forthcoming years will largely depend on the capacity of Jews, Christians and Muslims to live together as brothers”. Islam: R.Willians responds to the 138 muslimsThe Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, also responds to the 138 religious leaders and Muslim theologians writing the letter “A common Word”, sent to all the highest religious authorities in the world last October. The “answer” by Williams – it is written in a note made known by the press office of the Archbishop of Canterbury, with the title “A common word for the common good” – “arrived after a long period of world consultation within the Anglican Communion”. As for the “response” to be given to Muslim leaders, the Archbishop of Canterbury also consulted experts and scholars in London last month. Then, Williams announced that, “in collaboration with the University of Cambridge, he would invite a group of Christian and Muslim leaders to take part in a Conference in October, which would mark the anniversary of the publication of ‘A common word’. In a context of cultural commitment, the meeting will try to start a programme of practical goals to delve into mutual understanding, action and friendship”. In the letter, Williams wrote that he “appreciated” the initiative taken by Muslim leaders, because it represented “a meaningful development in the relationships between Christians and Muslims”, as well as a “platform” through which Christians and Muslims could pledge to meet the “deepest needs of our world and our common humanity”.
