Anglican Communion & Lambeth Conference
The Anglican Communion has unveiled a new long-term strategic plan which would double its current budget to £5 million.
https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2019/10-may/news/world/anglican-communion-office-spending-to-double
Some new members elected to ACC standing committee, including the first new youth member
https://www.anglicannews.org/news/2019/05/anglican-consultative-councils-new-youth-member-elected-to-the-standing-committee.aspx
More coverage of GAFCON’s threatened boycott of Lambeth
https://www.christianpost.com/news/conservative-anglican-group-may-boycott-global-bishops-conference-over-gay-marriage.html
and
https://www.christiantoday.com/article/gafcon-calls-alternative-conference-of-worldwide-anglican-bishops/132367.htm
Episcopal Church
South Dakota elected their next bishop, Jonathan Folts
https://episcopalchurchsd.org/episcopal-search
A glowing response to newly consecrated bishop Phoebe Roaf of West Tennessee
https://www.blackpressusa.com/episcopal-bishop-breaks-race-gender-barriers/
Kind of a love letter to the Episcopal church from a (I think) Haitian man living in New York.
https://www.caribbeannewsnow.com/2019/05/08/commentary-the-episcopal-church-an-institution-built-with-the-whims-of-failing-man-but-solid-as-a-rock/
UK news
Archbishop Davies of the Church in Wales refers same sex marriage to Doctrinal Commission for further study but is also keen to offer some kind of blessing or affirmation service for couples in “committed, faithful, same-sex relationships”, and had asked the Liturgical Advisory Commission to suggest how this could happen.
https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2019/10-may/news/uk/church-in-wales-news-and-debates-from-the-welsh-governing-body-in-cardiff
Apparently as part of its ongoing response to sexual abuse, the CoE has a working group looking at confession and they’ve just released an interim statement that is long, but very thoughtful
https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2019-05/Interim%20Statement%20Seal%20of%20the%20Confessional%20May%202019_0.pdf
The Bishop and Mayor of London co-hosted an interfaith service at St Paul’s cathedral for Ramadan
https://www.premier.org.uk/News/UK/Bishop-of-London-and-Sadiq-Khan-host-interfaith-Ramadan-event-at-St-Paul-s-Cathedral
Other Items
L’Arche founder Jean Varnier has died
https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2019/10-may/news/world/jean-vanier-founder-of-l-arche-movement-dies-aged-90
Curious article from a Canadian Catholic paper vastly overselling the impact of the Ordinariate
https://bccatholic.ca/content/anglican-ordinariate-a-step-toward-christian-unity
An article form Sri Lanka on the Anglican bishop in response to the recent terror attacks
http://www.ft.lk/news/All-religious-leaders-should-unite-to-build-peace-says-Anglican-Bishop/56-677803
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited Lambeth Palace to join a discussion on religious freedom.
https://cruxnow.com/church-in-uk-and-ireland/2019/05/08/pompeo-says-religious-freedom-a-pillar-of-security-during-uk-visit/
image: Jean Vanier
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Thanks so much for the piece on Jean Vanier. Like Abraham Lincoln, Vanier belongs to the whole civilized world; but perhaps we Canadians may be forgiven for wanting to 'own' him, Order of Canada, Order of Quebec and all that. I spent a day with him, his troupe of dramatists, and members of the local L'Arche community at a local Catholic parish in Cape Breton (Atlantic Canada). Vanier incarnated compassion, empathy, and the supreme Christian value of love. He noted that living in community was a challenge that not everyone could meet. May he rest in peace and be raised in glory.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/jean-vanier-remembered-as-a-rare-gift-for-his-influence-in-atlantic-canada-1.5126570
I spent a day with him several years back in Rome. Remarkably unpretentious, unromantic, blunt, honest, yet full of joy. He warned about romaticising disability. RIP
Jean Varnier: Until May 7th a living saint, has joined the Communion Saints. L'Arche, which he founded, is his living testament to a living Gospel.