From Primates 2016:
Vanier, 86, is a Roman Catholic philosopher and social innovator who founded the L’Arche Communities – where people with and without learning disabilities share life together, living and working in community – in 1964.
The movement began with Vanier’s own commitment to living in community with people who have learning disabilities in Trosly-Breuil, France, where he still lives.
…
Archbishop Justin … “Every time one meets Jean, one has a sense of new horizons opening up, of a new vision opening before one’s eyes of what it is to be human and of what it is to be in a community.” …
“I give thanks that the Spirit of God is using Jean Vanier’s life and ministry so powerfully to challenge those inside and outside the church to think about how they relate to those around them.”
Jean Vanier speaks on The Big Questions:
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Reprise: It is always a good thing to hear from Jean Vainer. I had an opportunity to attend a liturgy conducted by a L’Arche group at which Vanier spoke. He is wonderful.
However, one of the politcal considerations in any framework for problem solving is who gets a seat at the table and who does not, who gets a voice and who remains an absent topic of conversation by the powers that be. There are gay/lesbian bishops in The Communion. There are openly gay priests, some of whom are married, in The Church of England. Yet there is no opportunity for them to be in conversation with the hierarchy even though the meeting turns on their very existence. No amount of pre-meeting public relations announcements about guest speakers or broadening of the agenda can distract from this fact. Conflict resolution that does not include all stake holders seldom gets very far.
So far, the meeting of Primates looks nothing like a negotiation but a lot like high noon.
Reprise:it is always good to hear from Jean Vanier. I had an opportunity to attend a liturgy conducted by a L’Arche group and at which Vanier spoke. He is wonderful.
However, one of the politcal considerations in any negotiation to resolve a conflict is who gets a seat at the table and who doesn’t, who gets to speak and who is merely an absent topic of conversation by the power brokers. Successful conflict resolution rarely occurs in any context without including all stake holders. Besides, it is a lot easier to objectify people who are not present.
There are gay/lesbian bishops in The Communion, there are openly gay priests in The Communion including married ones in The Church of England. The fact that there will be no conversation opportunities for them at this gathering of the hierarchy where the meeting turns on their very existence speaks volumes about the nature of the meeting and likely hood of its success. No amount of public relations efforts about other guest speakers or broadening of the agenda should distract from that fact.
So far, this looks nothing like a negotiation and a lot like high noon.
He may be a beautiful soul and a saint. But let’s not hope for too much.
According to the Templeton Prize website, Vanier included a foot-washing liturgy at the 1998 Lambeth Conference.
And we all know the results of that meeting.
I had a lovely lunch with him in Rome at the Gregorian. I was surprised by his very direct and unromantic account of his vocation. He told a hilarious story about Henri Nouwen, who had been my colleague at Yale.
Jean Vanier is a beautiful soul (I confess, I didn’t know he was still alive!). Prayers he can be a “still small voice” for calm, amongst all the Primatial egos…