Religious at the Lambeth 2022 Conference

By Sr Sue Berry CSF:

I was privileged to be present when more than 650 bishops, and around 500 spouses from across the 165 countries of the world-wide Anglican communion met at the University of Kent in Canterbury from 26th July to 8th August 2022 for the fifteenth Lambeth Conference.  In addition to oblates and tertiaries of different Orders among the bishops and spouses, and among the staff and volunteers of the various support teams, there were also Religious participating in a variety of ways.   My colleague Christopher John, Minister General SSF, led an international  Pastoral Team, composed of Anglican Religious of different Orders, fluent in a range of languages, who were available to bishops, spouses, and everyone present.   My main role, with the Secretary of ARCiE (Anglican Religious Communities in England), and a few other Religious, was to staff a stall providing information about Religious Life throughout the Anglican Communion, and a contact point for those wanting to explore further.  

Some bishops wanted advice and information about starting a community in their diocese,  or about their role with an existing community.  Others particularly sought guidance over the role of a Bishop Visitor.  A fringe meeting held one evening towards the end of the conference for bishops interested in exploring these issues further was led by Bishop Philip North CMP, chair of the Church of England’s Bishops’ Advisory Council on  Religious Communities, with over 40 bishops from around the world attending.   Several Religious spoke briefly about their experience of Religious Life,  there were questions, small group discussions, and the meeting welcomed  news from Christopher John about the formation of an Anglican Religious Life Network, as one of the official Networks of the world-wide Anglican Communion.  The ARLYB (Anglican Religious Life Yearbook) website https://arlyb.org.uk giving details of all the Anglican Communities world-wide  was also welcomed. 

We had worthwhile contacts with bishops who had never encountered a Religious Community before.  We also had important conversations with some of the conference stewards, young adults from around the world, many of whom were on a vocational journey, and in some cases had not previously had an opportunity to consider Religious Life.   The Society of St Francis, and some other international congregations seized the opportunity to gather their Bishop Visitors from around the world to meet together.  The Community of St Anselm, founded by the Archbishop of Canterbury and normally based at Lambeth Palace, is an international ecumenical group of young adults, committed to living as a religious community for one or two years.  They  led Morning and Night Prayer, and were involved in the Conference in other ways also. 

The Conference Opening Eucharist in Canterbury Cathedral was beautiful and diverse, including many different languages,  musical traditions, and dance, with a brilliant and moving sermon on hospitality and generosity by The Right Rev’d Dr Vicentia Kgabe, Bishop of Lesotho,  one of around 100 female bishops participating in the Conference. The Bishops considered many important issues including  mission and evangelism,  safeguarding, peace and reconciliation, environment and sustainable development, discipleship, Christian unity and interfaith relationships, Anglican identity, human dignity, and the decade ahead.  They engaged in daily bible study in small groups, and regular corporate worship.  We experienced a friendly, open, collegial and often joyful atmosphere in such a large and diverse group of people,  with most extending respectful and prayerful attention to those whose life experience, and approach to various issues, not only questions of sexuality,  differs from their own.  Led by Archbishop Justin, most bishops were increasingly modelling what is to be in communion, to disagree well, and to find deeper points of union. 

Sue Berry, Minister General CSF.  Anglican Representative at the CoR Executive