CHRISTIAN CHURCHES
Anglicans: the “Lambeth Conference” beginsMany of the Anglican bishops attending the “Lambeth Conference” on July 16-31, have already reached England. The encounter, held every 10 years in Canterbury, historical seat of the archbishop of Canterbury, brings together all world Anglican Primates. This year’s conference is being held in a very delicate moment, only few days after a ‘parallel’ conference held in Jerusalem on June 23-29, and attended by some 300 Anglican bishops who dissent with Canterbury, a week after the General Synod of the Church of England decided to undertake procedures admitting women to episcopacy. On July 10-15, 650 expected bishops will be hosted by the 75 Anglican dioceses in England, Wales and Scotland. “It’s an extraordinary opportunity to give hospitality to our sister churches in the world”, said Reverend Mark Rodel, in charge of the initiative’s organisation. The diocese of Portsmouth is hosting 11 bishops from Ghana and from the United States with their wives. The “Lambeth Conference” will be officially opened on Wednesday 16 with a plenary welcoming session. The following day, at 2.30 p.m., the archbishop of Canterbury will deliver his first address to participants in the Assembly. On July 19th, the bishops will deliver a note of welcome to the “ecumenical guests”: the 75 representatives of the major Christian Churches and communities. These include card. Walter Kasper, President of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity. On Tuesday July 22nd, – the day devoted to evangelisation and to the proclamation of the Word of God – Cardinal Ivan Dias, Prefect of the Congregation for Evangelisation of Peoples, will deliver a keynote speech. On the afternoon of Thursday 24, the bishops of the “Lambeth Conference”, led by archbishop Rowan Williams, will be received by the Her Majesty the Queen in Buckingham Palace. During the different plenary meetings, the bishops will address several issues which include “Anglican Identity”, mission, social justice and the environment. The last day will focus on a hot issue, human sexuality, which was the object of controversial debate by the dissident bishops in Jerusalem due to opposition to the stands taken by Episcopalian Churches in Canada and in the Unites States favouring the admission the blessing of same-sex unions by homosexual-declared bishops. The Lambeth Conference will equally devote a session to inter-religious dialogue. Great Britain’s Chief Rabbi, Jonathan Sacks, will take the floor on Monday 28. Ecumenical patriarchate: a victory in Strasbourg The European Court on Human Rights found in the favour of the ecumenical Patriarchate that in August 2007 had filed a report against Turkish authorities. The bone of contention was the property right of a Greek-Orthodox orphanage in Priggipos, located in Büyükada island. The European Court ruling, which was also signed by a Turkish judge, acknowledges that the property right of the Ecumenical Patriarchate was violated. The European Parliament also intervened on this subject, since in 2003 it asked Turkish authorities “to immediately put an end to all discriminations and obstacles against religious minorities” and “as relates to property rights” it demanded to recant threats regarding the seizure of the Greek-Orthodox orphanage of Priggipos and the recognition of property rights to the legitimate owner. The orphanage is the largest wooden building in the world. France: a new delegate for ecumenism Pastor Etienne Vion was appointed the director of the Ecumenical service of France’s Protestant Federation. He took office on July 1st, also in the capacities as co-secretary of the Council of Christian Churches in France. “A very open-minded person – is stated in a statement issued by the Federation – Etienne Vion established many cordial and fraternal relations with the members of different Christian Churches. It was therefore natural to choose him to accompany the ecumenical reflection within the Protestant Federation”. Rev. Vion is succeeding Pastor Gill Duadé.
