Press Releases23 Jul 08

Archbishop of Dublin praises 'inspired leadership' at Lambeth

Statement by the Archbishop of Dublin, the Most Revd Dr John Neill on Progress to Date at the Lambeth Conference

The Archbishop of Dublin, the Most Revd Dr John Neill

The Lambeth Conference is now in full swing. It is my third conference and after one week I can say that the atmosphere is as good and even better than that of 1988 , and streets ahead of the ghastly atmosphere which was abroad in 1998. In 1988, we had contentious issues to address and we did so not by trying to resolve the issues themselves, but by listening carefully to each other, and seeking to allow space for different opinions. We concentrated then on staying together when we were deeply divided on the issue of women bishops on Biblical, Theological and Sociological grounds. In 1998 in contrast, we tried to bully a minority to accept one of the most divisive statements on human sexuality that has ever emerged, even though a clear majority assented to it.

I believe that we are now engaged at Lambeth not in solving an issue, but in staying together for the sake of Christ, the church and above all the world which he calls upon us to serve. How has this happened? It has not happened because anybody is trying to impose a liberal agenda. Liberals and conservatives should not attempt to demonize one another, we need both, but we need more, we need to be together. This spirit is abroad because of the inspired leadership of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, who led us in three days of retreat where we learnt a little more to listen to God’s call to us each to an apostolic ministry in which we journey together.

This spirit was gloriously captured in the great Eucharist in Canterbury Cathedral, where the preacher preaching on the Gospel of the day, the parable of the Wheat and Tares, was able to remind us that the Lord does not ask us to judge one another, but rather to remain together until the harvest – only then will we really know which are wheat and which are tares. Our Bible Studies from St.John’s Gospel are telling us the same. I ask the people of the Churches not to listen to negative voices, but to realize that God’s will can prevail and save this Anglican Communion from fragmentation.