Why so little discussion of Lambeth?

[Tim Mathis]

A friend on Anglican, whether you like it or not on Facebook recently posted a question about the relevance of Lambeth, and the way it's being discussed internationally. It's been a curiosity for me why there's almost no discussion of Lambeth on this particular Anglimergent.ning network. I'm inclined to think that either a) it isn't seen as particularly relevant to those of a missional persuasion or b) we're trying to get along, so no one wants to broach the topic (how very Anglican). Thoughts?

[Tim Baer]

And notice that it has been four days and no one has replied.... that silence is like an echo of your question "Why so little discussion?" (I really laughed when I noticed that no one responded to your question).

I think Lambeth is very important as are the statements coming out of GAFCON. I would be happy to discuss these very important events and their significance, but I wonder if Anglimergent is the context for that discussion. I think most people on this network are very interested and no doubt opinionated on these events. But I see the purpose of this site as focused more on the emergent movement in the church rather than politics, which I fear a discussion on GAFCON or Lambeth could disintegrate into. Am I being a pessimist?

[Tim Mathis]

Hi Tim,

Thanks for the long awaited response :)! In the dialogue here I've seen unity addressed, and there's certainly an ecumenical ethos and a desire to adopt a spirit of Anglican (and Christian) unity in a spiritual/conceptual sense, but I haven't seen much in depth argument(s) for the way that should play out at an institutional level.

My sense is that ultimately all movements end up getting caught up in politics, and that's not a bad thing, because ultimately that's where the rubber hits the road. I see the emergent conversation as a whole doing some pretty good work teasing out the theological and conceptual implications of 'post-modernity' (if we can use that as the blanket term), but it has a hard time expressing an identifiable set of structures (a political theology?) that work out those implications pragmatically. I'm sure the seeds of those sorts of things have been appearing... I think part of the issue is that, as of yet, most of us really don't know what to do with Lambeth and the institutional structure. It's modernism and post-modernism coming into being in a very real-world situation, expressed in the mess of dialogue and conflict, and these big iconic representations of some amorphous 'church-unity'.

It's intriguing to me how the emerging ethos is going to interact with the church structure that is represented iconically by Lambeth. It's an exciting time we live in--heart-breaking and full of potential.

Tim

[Tim Baer]

"I think part of the issue is that, as of yet, most of us really don't know what to do with Lambeth and the institutional structure"

I agree that politics is necessary and not necissarily a bad thing. I think the emergent movement has a lot of potential for the church and it's future. I'm still trying to figure out exactly what that looks like in practice, particularly when it intersects the psuedo- hierarchical model of church that is in Anglicanism. Certainly in TEC we are less hierarchical, but still that legacy exists. I see a lot of potential for the emergent church on the local level right now, but it will take time for it to mature and soak into the larger church. As emergent thinking does develop within the Episcopal Church I'm sure political/structural changes will follow in time. But who knows what that will look like. We may not see it in our life times.

"It's an exciting time we live in--heart-breaking and full of potential"
I couldn't agree more. After the last General Convention some people said to me "It must be a hard time to be an Episcopalian." I always said no. This is a great time to be in the church. There is a movement that I sense particularly in the GenX, Millennial Generations that is growing in the church. I think Anglimergence will play a big role in that.

I too sensed a big push for church unity within the Anglimergent forum, and was wondering exactly what people meant by that and what it looked like. That is part of the reason I posted a blog on homosexuality in the emergent context. Political and theological divides (as well as cultureal) threaten our Communion, that much is obvious. What this means for the future of the church is hard to tell. Maybe a post-modern way to look at the Anglican Communion would be to say, who cares what bishops are in agreement or recognize each other, because Christians and Anglicans on the grassroots level will continue to have relationships and do important MDG/poverty causes on the ground. Bishops and provincial boundaries will not stop people from doing ministry and haveing relationships- regardless of their gender or orientation. Right now there are some people from my diocese on a mission trip to Uganda working with people in Bushenyi district that they met through the church. Our diocese had a 25 year relationship with the Diocese of West Ankole. Just because the Archbishop of Uganda and the Bishop of West Ankole said that we are no longer in relationship doesn't mean that those 25 year friendships don't exist. We are still glad to bring aid, health care, and money and our Ugandan Brothers and Sisters in Christ are still willing to host us...unofficially of course. So what can Lambeth or GAFCON possibly say to stop that kind of dedication to mission and church unity.

[Tim Mathis]

Hi Tim,

I don't know if I commented on the sexuality thread, but I do appreciate the way you framed the discussion there, and I've been tracking with interest.

I really love the suggestions in your last paragraph above--there's something excitingly hopeful, theologically accurate, and appropriately snarky about the idea of Anglicans within the formal structures offering protest against our leaders' inability to maintain communion by maintaining communion ourselves.

[Karen Ward]

I think it is significant for the Bishops to gather, as a sign of communion and for relationship building. It is just a gigantic 'cohort' meeting for the bishops. I wish we Anglimergents had a voice and presence there as visitors. We are so 'off radar' that none of us has been invited, but Brian McLaren has been invited to Lambeth, and I pray he will speak a word on our behalf, those of us who would hold and go to 'ALTAFCON' (Alternative Anglican Futures Conference) which would help us find unify and move forward beyond derision, within the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit. I'm hopeful as our member Bishops on this site will be there to carry an Anglimergent spirit.

[Becky Garrison]

Excellent points Karen - for what it's worth the Anglican Communion press releases haven't said anything about any fringe component to Lambeth. Given Rowan Williams' support of Fresh Expressions, I pray they have a viable presence in the Marketplace. I tried for a press pass and didn't get it - apparently this is a hot year for media requests and they have to accommodate journalists from around the world. While we have some very qualified religion journalists here in the US, media outlets are cutting back when it comes to hiring religion reporters. Hence, we tend to get coverage like what we saw in Texas where the bulk of reporters had no clue about Mormonism. My prayer is that those who are covering this event do their research so we don't end up with soundbites from extremists on both sides.

(as you can see my profile is working).

[Tim Mathis]

That old saint Desmond Tutu's been talking about the power of 'meeting' for quite some time. He said that the key thing that allowed the relatively peaceful South African leadership transition was "we meet", and I've heard him quoted in some venue or another as suggesting the same hope and method for the Anglican communion. There's certainly some truth there, which is part of what makes all of the boycotting and non-invitations so disconcerting. My sense is that we really can get past all of this stuff, if the old men in the big hats (I do say men here intentionally as the women with the big hats don't seem to have quite the same problems...) can swallow their pride across the board and learn to recognize the common humanity and common faith that we share.

The symbolism of Lambeth is quite an important thing. The Communion's a living, breathing thing that transcends institutionalism, but I really do think it's important that we seek to keep our institutions as in step with the spiritual and personal reality of Communion as possible. The Anglican experiment is a grand one in the catholic spirit, and the splitting breaks my ecumenical heart.

[Steve Hollinghurst]

well only just looked down this forum post....
but glad to see the subject ont he table. i have ahunch here that most folks in the emerging church universe are geared to being pracrticioners, and their focus is on what folks are doing ont he ground and sharing tips and expereinces and good that is too. some of us due to how we are wired or the jobs we do or the people we find oursleves relating to are actually more geared to the wider church issues and so are very keen for emerging church to inform and inspire the wider debate i just think we are a minority? or actually am i way wrong about that?

[Tim Mathis]

Hi Steve,

Interesting point. I've been interested in wider church issues primarily b/c I've traveled a bit and still feel tangibly connected to the Communion in both its NZ and US expressions. One thing I've found is that there is a generally strong impulse towards 'Communion building' among emerging types, in the sense that there's a strong desire and effort towards international connection, networking and cross-pollination. (My American self making the effort to communicate w/you is, I suppose, an example of that impulse...) I've also gotten the impression that emerging folks tend to sit somewhat uneasily within the traditional church structures in any case, and I think part of the lack of engagement w/Lambeth is reflective of a sort of strained engagement w/Anglican structures as a whole. I'm definitely keen to see Anglimergent types join the conversation though. Not sure what that would look like, and it might be starting to happen naturally as emergents are starting to invade the episcopate in the US and elsewhere.

[Karen Ward]

Tim, I check the Lambeth website about 6 times a day. I'm a curious hybrid, I question what i think is a misuse (mission deflating) use of power each and every day and joyfully work with what I feel are good (mission supportive) uses of power each day at the very same time.

I get so deflated with situations I find myself in re: certain modern oriented decisions of hierarchy that I feel are deeply damaging to missionary pioneers among us, and I protest this to the inth degree, just short (i often feel) of getting myself thrown out of a Communion, I'm still not legally 'in' (the irony of this is beyond my belief). Yet the hope I have can still can peel me up off the floor each day, albeit sometimes only barely, I kid you not... I'm sickened by moderninst Kryptonite style hierarchy, but I love Krypton and I continue to keep picking myself up because of the -altacon' vision I see of 'alternative Anglican futures' that are beginning, ever so slowly,to break forth.

I wish I could be at Lambeth. I have a lot I would say to the bishops. But we are mostly under the radar still, and not many Bishops know we exist, so Brian McLaren and +Greg and +Jeff and others will have to speak for us.

To me, Lambeth is a big cohort world meeting (but missing a clergy and laity track). Nevertheless, I think it is very important for our tribe and our future.

[Tim Baer]

Karen I wonder what the laity and clergy track for Lambeth would look like! That would be awesome. One of the best parts of General Convention for me is the relationship building and dialogue across the whole church- diocese to diocese and order to order (bishops-clergy-laity). I hadn't thought about Lambeth in that way, but I think that would be tremendous, expecially when looking at the ABC's focus this year on relationships in Communion across the ethnic and theological divide.

I too have been checking the Lambeth website as well as thinking anglicans and +Robinson's blog.

[Steve Hollinghurst]

good comments. the netwroking nature of emerging types does build relationships globally, which is why we are here. but yes i think the issue is about the voice getting through to the hierarchy.

Vis-a-Vis blogs this link takes you to an article that listed a whole raft of blogging bishops at lambeth
http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/lambeth_conference/blogging_bisho...