The Living Church Dr. Ian Douglas: Communion Has Never Been Stronger
11/16/2006
The Rev. Ian Douglas believes this is an exciting time to be an Anglican.
“I never would have imagined that the hottest ticket at General Convention last summer would be the hearing on the Anglican Communion,” said Prof. Douglas, a member of the national Executive Council and professor of world mission at Episcopal Divinity School.
“I take that as a positive sign. We are discovering a deeper understanding of communion. God has given us such an opportunity to serve. Of course, the Devil is going to try and pull us apart.”
Dr. Douglas spoke during the time the council met in Chicago Nov. 12-15. He is also a member of the Lambeth Design Team, so he was able to tell council members about plans for the 2008 Lambeth Conference of Bishops that were developed at a recent design team meeting in London.
The conference theme is "Equipping Bishops for Mission," and the format will differ in a number of respects from those held over the previous two decades, he said, but it would be naïve to assume that there won’t be discussion on human sexuality at multiple levels.
“We are not papering over our differences,” he said. “The discussion was very positive, hopeful and honest. There was genuine good will for bishops, to try and help equip them.
“Look at where the Anglican Communion has been at its best, helping end apartheid in South Africa, working for debt relief legislation, the Decade of Evangelism, and now holding governments accountable to the U.N. Millennium Development Goals. I think Executive Council definitely shares that excitement.”
Steve Waring
http://www.livingchurch.org/publishertlc/viewarticle.asp?ID=2767
Isn't leading people to the saving grace of Jesus Christ the best thing the Anglican Church is doing? Look at the growth of God's people throughout LAtin America, Africa and Asia? I would have thought he'd list that as the single most important effort.
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