Anglicans say hospitality is the key to effective Christian service
-02/11/06
Though t
Anglicans say hospitality is the key to effective Christian service
-02/11/06
Though the Anglican Communion remains damaged by recent disagreements and what many observers regard as some pretty inhospitable attitudes towards others, its key mission advisers have come together to look at how the art and theology of hospitality can make a positive difference to the way the faith is practiced and perceived.
ìIt is through this hospitable listening that our mission takes direction and responds to the challenges and opportunities expressed Ö as we participate in Godís own missionî, declared Bishop James Tengatenga of Southern Malawi, opening the World Mission Conference on Monday 30 October 2006.
The event has been taking place at the Hayes Conference Centre, Swanwick Derbyshire. Nearly 200 representatives from the global Anglican community attended the opening session of the annual event, which has been expanded since 2004 to incorporate global issues as well as companion relationships between dioceses.
Besides guests from UK, Partnership for World Mission (PWM) ñ the body which links the voluntary mission societies of the Church of England to its official structures ñ is welcoming to this yearís gathering delegates from Botswana, Canada, Estonia, Kenya, India, Ireland, Malawi, Malaysia, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Uganda, USA, South Africa, Tanzania and Zambia.
It is intended that the diversity of the conference will aid the discussion and further understanding the universal nature of hospitality as well as the cultural differences that can either enrich or divide Christians.
Bishop Tengatenga noted in the first keynote address (Hospitality that Listens): ìWhen hospitality has opened doors for listening we all get a chance to hear the other’s story as it is.î
This is certainly an attitude which lesbian and gay Christians in different parts of the world will want to endorse. But it is unlikely that all those at Swanwick would wish to see them as beneficiaries of a more dialogical stance.
Over its four days the conference has been exploring practical ways of sharing experiences of giving and receiving hospitality in the context of mission, both as guests and as hosts.
The issue is far from academic in the life of the Communion. In May 2006 the Anglican Bishop of Chelmsford, the Rt Revd John Gladwin, had a private tour of Kenyan churches abruptly curtailed by the Archbishop of Kenya, Benjamin Nzimbi, after news spread of his sympathy towards lesbian and gay people.
This years’ World Mission Conference was designed to allow participants to take time out to reflect and listen to the reaction of others to the key speakers in small groups ñ uniting process and content.
For the first time this year the conference has been extended to include a meeting of the World Development Advisers Network. Fifteen different workshops focusing not just on hospitality but the issues of slavery in today’s world, hospitality in a war zone and trade justice took place on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The Partnership for World Mission website can be found at: http://www.pwm-web.org.uk/
Anglicans say hospitality is the key to effective Christian service
-02/11/06
Though the Anglican Communion remains damaged by recent disagreements and what many observers regard as some pretty inhospitable attitudes towards others, its key mission advisers have come together to look at how the art and theology of hospitality can make a positive difference to the way the faith is practiced and perceived.
ìIt is through this hospitable listening that our mission takes direction and responds to the challenges and opportunities expressed Ö as we participate in Godís own missionî, declared Bishop James Tengatenga of Southern Malawi, opening the World Mission Conference on Monday 30 October 2006.
The event has been taking place at the Hayes Conference Centre, Swanwick Derbyshire. Nearly 200 representatives from the global Anglican community attended the opening session of the annual event, which has been expanded since 2004 to incorporate global issues as well as companion relationships between dioceses.
Besides guests from UK, Partnership for World Mission (PWM) ñ the body which links the voluntary mission societies of the Church of England to its official structures ñ is welcoming to this yearís gathering delegates from Botswana, Canada, Estonia, Kenya, India, Ireland, Malawi, Malaysia, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Uganda, USA, South Africa, Tanzania and Zambia.
It is intended that the diversity of the conference will aid the discussion and further understanding the universal nature of hospitality as well as the cultural differences that can either enrich or divide Christians.
Bishop Tengatenga noted in the first keynote address (Hospitality that Listens): ìWhen hospitality has opened doors for listening we all get a chance to hear the other’s story as it is.î
This is certainly an attitude which lesbian and gay Christians in different parts of the world will want to endorse. But it is unlikely that all those at Swanwick would wish to see them as beneficiaries of a more dialogical stance.
Over its four days the conference has been exploring practical ways of sharing experiences of giving and receiving hospitality in the context of mission, both as guests and as hosts.
The issue is far from academic in the life of the Communion. In May 2006 the Anglican Bishop of Chelmsford, the Rt Revd John Gladwin, had a private tour of Kenyan churches abruptly curtailed by the Archbishop of Kenya, Benjamin Nzimbi, after news spread of his sympathy towards lesbian and gay people.
This years’ World Mission Conference was designed to allow participants to take time out to reflect and listen to the reaction of others to the key speakers in small groups ñ uniting process and content.
For the first time this year the conference has been extended to include a meeting of the World Development Advisers Network. Fifteen different workshops focusing not just on hospitality but the issues of slavery in today’s world, hospitality in a war zone and trade justice took place on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The Partnership for World Mission website can be found at: http://www.pwm-web.org.uk/