Global South Anglican

“My own prayer and hope for the Conference is not that after two weeks we will find a solution to all our problems but we shall as I have written more than once in some sense find the trust in God and one another that will give us the energy to change in the way God wants us to change. That is the most important thing we can pray for, the energy to change as God wants us to change individually and as a Communion.”
The Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams opens the Lambeth Conference

The Archbishop of Canterbury has admitted that the crises in the “wounded” church will not be ended by the gathering of Anglican bishops which began this week. Dr Rowan Williams said at the start of the ten-yearly Lambeth Conference that he felt “great grief” that one in four church leaders are boycotting it because of deep divisions over homosexuality and women bishops. But he added that he still respected the conservatives who are staying away, and urged delegates at the first session of the meeting in Canterbury on Wednesday night to “mend relations that have been hurt”.
Archbishop of Canterbury: Lambeth Conference won’t solve church’s problems: UK Telegraph

Speaking to the some 600 bishops and their spouses at the opening session on the evening of July 16, Dr Williams outlined his vision for the conference around the theme of “building relationships.” “Forming personal relations among the college of the Anglican Communion’s bishops by itself will not settle the disputes of doctrine and discipline, he acknowledged, but “it is certain that without the building of relationships the challenges will never be resolved,” he said according to bishops present at the opening session.” George Conger reports at Religious Intelligence

“For the next two days, the bishops will follow perhaps the most common model for retreats. The Archbishop of Canterbury will give several addresses to the bishops. After each address, considerable time will be set aside for silent prayer and reflection. This time is intended to kindle the Holy Spirit in the hearts and minds of the bishops as they begin the decennial Lambeth Conference.”
Bishops’ Retreat - Lambeth Daily

Photos from Lambeth Conference website can be viewed here

Boycott lays bare rift in Anglican Church - Strait Times, Singapore

“If the work of the Lambeth Conference is in fact to strengthen rather than weaken the Communion in the days and years to come, we are firmly convinced that the bishops there assembled must find ways to address in a constructive manner several key issues.”
ACI: Lambeth Conference, The Episcopal Church, and The Anglican Communion

“Moreover, a bishop from Canada has said freely that once Lambeth is over the Canadian church will be moving forward apace with same-sex blessings etc. This gives substance to the observation that there is denial in what looks to be a potentially schizophrenic conference. Everyone knows that the North American lobbies are determined to have their agenda affirmed. However, all the processes of the conference in plenary addresses and small discussion groups mean that there is no place for the whole conference to hear itself think and address this elephant in the room.”
Anglican Mainstream--Today at Lambeth: Thursday 17th July 2008