Press Releases28 Jul 08

Interviews from Lambeth: The Bishop of Derry & Raphoe

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

In the fifth in a series of Lambeth Conference interviews to Church of Ireland Press Officer, Paul Harron, the Bishop of Derry & Raphoe, the Rt Revd Ken Good, gives his thoughts on the second week.

PH: After your retreat days, how has the first main week of the Conference been going?

BKG: There have been some feel-good factors which certainly have helped the atmosphere and have made the more difficult aspect of the Conference less difficult. It’s warm and sunny, and bright weather always helps people’s mood. The worship has an impressively international and multi-lingual flavour, and draws people together. Canterbury and its Cathedral provide a very attractive backdrop to our work. The food is very acceptable and plentiful. There are two or three different eating venues to choose between on the university campus, so the inevitable queuing provides ample opportunities for conversations, and with people from so many different nationalities, cultures and backgrounds the atmosphere is stimulating and interesting.

The London Day on Thursday provided us with a remarkable day to remember. The Walk of Witness, which concluded at Lambeth Palace, and then the Garden Party in the afternoon at Buckingham Palace were highly memorable experiences. At Lambeth Palace, Prime Minister Gordon Brown gave a truly inspirational speech. As a son of the manse, he seemed to be tapping into his Christian roots and spoke more like a fiery Scottish preacher, than a staid politician!

The conference programme has been well structured overall, even though overly full if you try to go to everything. The first three days of retreat enabled us to slow down, to be quiet and to reflect, with opportunity for silence. That retreat time and our bible studies have set a helpful spiritual and biblical tone and context right at the outset, and have meant that we didn’t jump straight into controversial issues right away. A level of trust has developed in the bible studies and in the ‘indaba’ sessions.

Having said all that, despite the feel-good factors, there is an inevitable awareness of some disquiet not far from the surface. Much of the focus of that tension relates to the church in North America, as we know. Particularly since the first Hearing session from the Windsor Continuation Group (Wednesday 23rd), at which there were several heart-felt speeches, reflecting all shades of opinion, I have been aware of some impatience with North American bishops (USA and Canada) for their apparent unwillingness to acknowledge more fully the serious consequences of their actions.

A range of views, of course, is being expressed by the North American bishops. Some (even a growing number?) admit to a sense of embarrassment and regret about the damage that they have caused to the Communion. Others have spoken about the considerable pain and suffering they are experiencing because of legal and other disputes over property and issues to do with episcopal oversight, while others seem in denial that there is any real problem at all!

However, I am hopeful that our ‘indaba’ groups will face some of these issues more fully in the time we have left, with the trust that has been established over the past week enabling us to be frank and honest with one another.

PH: Can you pin-point what is at the heart of the disquiet you perceive?

BKG: One of the issues at the heart of the disquiet is a difference of opinion about the notion of ‘inclusion’. By that I mean that some now seem to want to promote ‘inclusion’ so strongly as a gospel value to the extent that it virtually becomes the gospel itself, whereas others (and I count myself among them) prefer to emphasise the transforming gospel of Jesus Christ - which calls for repentance and life-change - though offering it in a way that is inclusive and open to all.

The disquiet also manifests itself in a sensitivity about ‘boundaries’. There is a perception that some bishops, are prepared, with apparent ease, to cross biblical, theological or historically acknowledged ethical boundaries in the reworking of the gospel, but become greatly disturbed when their colleagues cross geographical, territorial and diocesan boundaries, whereas other bishops become exercised about precisely the reverse!

PH: Can you tell me more about your own bible study group?

BKG: I am leading a bible-study group each morning from 9.15-10.30am, and I feel that we all greatly value the time we spend together. Our group of eight (plus a Korean interpreter) is made up of one bishop from Myanmar (Burma), one from Bangladesh, two from Korea, one from the USA, and two from South Africa, (one being the Primate).

We use the provided bible study notes on the ‘I am’ sayings from John’s gospel, (which the spouses are also using). Our group has chosen to conclude each morning’s study by focussing on a different member of the of the group each day, who is given time to tell us their story – about their family life, their call, their ministry and the issues they face in their diocese, and then we pray for them.

It is fascinating and humbling to hear the accounts of each person’s experiences. For example, we are hearing about life in Myanmar under the strict political regime and within a Buddhist country and have been given some insight into the poverty and reluctance to accept international aid, following the recent devastating cyclone. From South Africa, we’ve heard stories about the experience of apartheid.

PH: Final thoughts?

BKG: I believe that the Lord is with us in all this, and I am constantly reminding myself that this is his church, not really ours. I trust that he will lead us through these difficulties and I want to play my part constructively and faithfully in all the challenging discussions that may lie ahead of us this week. I am very thankful for the large number of people praying for us, and I urge them to continue to pray.