Press Releases24 Jul 08

Interviews from Lambeth: The Archbishop of Dublin

Interviews from Lambeth: a series of interviews with the Church of Ireland bishops attending the conference

The Archbishop of Dublin, the Most Revd Dr John Neill

The Archbishop of Dublin, the Most Revd Dr John Neill, gives the second in a series of Lambeth Conference interviews to Church of Ireland Press Officer, Paul Harron.

PH: Archbishop, you issued a statement yesterday (23/7/08) which referred to the prevailing atmosphere of ‘listening’ and ‘journeying together’ at the conference now that it is in ‘full swing’ – can you expand on that?

AJN: I have found our ‘indaba’ group sessions very positive. We are not here to make resolutions but to get the feel of where things are going within the Communion – to get an overall picture. My group benefits from an excellent rapporteur (a young priest from Portsmouth) who listens attentively and captures the nuances of discussions. My group is also led by Bishop Victoria Matthews who brings with her experience from her last year within the setting of a theological college but also her time as Bishop of Edmonton, Canada. She is, incidentally, about to cross to the other side of the world to become Bishop of Christchurch, New Zealand. She, too, is a good listener and represents what I would consider to be a very ‘central’ Anglican position.

PH: Part of the value of the conference must come from the variety of people you encounter…

AJN: Yes – all sorts of interesting people. My own bible study group – which has also been a very helpful experience – is mainly made up of Western bishops. This means that we share a common language, which helps, of course, but we also have an extra ecumenical presence within it: a Seventh Day Adventist senior development minister, who has brought another dimension. I have also enjoyed meeting bishops from Liberia, as well as from Tanzania who are here in force, which I find encouraging, bringing with them a wide ecumenical experience. I would say, too, that the ‘conservative’ voice is very present. I realise that I am also re-engaging with people whom I’ve met in other contexts such as world mission.

I recall a phrase from a great Anglican congress in Canada of 1963 which went along the lines of articulating our need for ‘mutual responsibility and interdependence within the body of Christ’. I feel that our responsibility towards each other is coming out again strongly.

Another noteworthy ‘voice’ was that of the Bishop of Colombo, Sri Lanka, whose sermon last Sunday was remarkable. The American Brian McLaren, author of the book ‘Generous Orthodoxy’, has been brilliant and perceptive in his talk to us on evangelism.

My wife (Mrs Betty Neill) – for whom this is a third Lambeth Conference experience – is also encountering a diverse range of people through the parallel spouses’ programme of meetings. She has heard the stories – and there is much profound story-telling – of wives of bishops in the developing world, some of whom have made huge personal sacrifices, for example giving up good careers and even ministries because of cultural circumstances.

PH: What of your work on the Anglican Covenant?

AJN: This was introduced on Sunday but we haven’t as yet had our meetings on it. We are due to have five sessions and I will be speaking to the issues of Anglican identity and particularly on the Appendix to it – which will be challenging on the detail.

PH: Have there been any conference highlights so far?

AJN: The worship has been very powerful. In the mornings (despite sermons before breakfast!) there has been marvellous singing, with about, I’d say, 60-70% attendance, including spouses. Even when the Eucharist liturgy is not in English, it doesn’t impede participation and is all the more varied for it.

PH: Finally, have any new ideas come to you out of the conference yet?

AJN: I realise that our sense of Communion is very much expressed through both mission agencies and companion link dioceses. While linking with an urban diocese such as Dublin has its challenges, I do think that the idea of a companion link diocese for us is something worth looking at afresh.