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TRINITY WALL STREET CONVENES AFRICA/US PARTNERSHIP CONSULTATION
News Analysis
By David W. Virtue
www.virtueonline.org
7/24/2007
Trinity Wall Street Episcopal Church, the single wealthiest Church in the world, is convening a joint meeting of bishops of the Anglican provinces of Africa along with their mission partners in the U.S Episcopal Church in Spain in what it calls a "Walking to Emmaus Consultation." Ten of the twelve African provinces are represented. The participants include bishops from 22 dioceses in the US and 29 dioceses in Africa.
The consultation is being hosted by Iglesia Episcopal Reformada de España, which is a constituent member of the Anglican Communion. When VOL inquired as to which African bishops were attending, we were told, "At this time we don't have the permission of the participants to release their names." VOL was also told that the gathering is not open to the media.
A statement from the Rt. Rev. Carlos Lozano Lopez, bishop of the Reformed Episcopal Church of Spain, in Madrid's Iglesia Episcopal de España (not to be confused with the REC in the US), welcomed the consultation and named the primates of Burundi, Central Africa, Congo, and Southern Africa, as well as the primate of Brazil as attendees. It is not known who the remaining African bishops present are. It is noted that of this group only Burundi, Central Africa and the Congo are orthodox in faith and morals. Southern Africa and Brazil are solidly liberal and represent the pluriform mindset of the U.S. Episcopal Church and draw heavily from its coffers.
"Discovering New Mission Perspectives in Changing Times" is the theme of the consultation. "Mission flourishes best through collaboration," noted the Reverend Canon James G. Callaway, Jr., Deputy for Faith Formation and Development at Trinity Church Wall Street. "This gathering provides an opportunity for people of shared faith and mutual responsibility to come together to further develop partnerships that address important needs in the world."
The Reverend Dr. James H. Cooper, the rector of Trinity Church-St. Paul's Chapel, stated, "Trinity Church is an active partner in the global south, especially strengthening the Church in Africa by facilitating the ability of its leaders to take control of factors that influence their lives. Diocesan partnerships are a vital route to achieving important goals both locally and globally. We look forward this week to challenging conversations, inspired thinking, and renewed commitments to partnership and mission."
The consultation will be rooted in prayer and breaking bread together; using different liturgies from the Provinces of the Anglican Communion to enrich the experience of the participants according to Cooper.
The Rev. Canon James Callaway, deputy for faith formation and development at Trinity Church, said: "The consultation is offering partners in faith and mission a communal space to further existing partnerships and find commonalities on which to build new relationships. This week, as bishops share their hopes and vision for mission as Anglicans in today's world, we look forward to a stronger communion committed to providing important resources to those in need around the world."
However, it should be observed that there are now two very distinct and opposing views of "mission" in the Anglican Communion. First World Anglican leaders represent the first with the emphasis on world salvation through Millennium Development Goals. The other, mainly focused in the Global South, focuses on evangelism, discipleship and the fulfillment of the Great Commission.
The consultation continues through July 26, 2007.
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