Canterbury
by E.T. Malone, Jr.
Lambeth Conference Communications
Fire from a paschal candle lit one small taper, and the light spread from that to another, and yet another, until the gloom in the darkened hall was brightened by their glow. And the rising smoke of incense, billowing high in the air, became a light-reflecting cloud that lit all below it.
Thus began the Lambeth Conference's Monday night service of light, an Ecumenical Vespers in which leaders of the Anglican Communion introduced a wide variety of representatives from the Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Lutheran, Methodist, Reformed, and Baptist denominations and from world and regional Christian associations.
Vatican official Cardinal Edward Cassidy addressed the Conference in a homily in which he praised the concept of Christian unity, but voiced the concern of the Roman church that deviations in theological practice among local churches present a grave obstacle to reunion.
He did not specify any particular situations difficult to the Roman Catholic Church, making no mention of ordination of women as priests and bishops within the Anglican Communion and only a general reference to controversies over questions of human sexuality-issues that for the past two decades have at times thrown a damper over Roman-Anglican dialogues, just as they have drawn attention to the problem of collegiality itself.
"The theological practice of the local church must be compatible with the theological practice of the universal church," he insisted. The question of authority must be addressed, he noted, declaring that, otherwise, theological chaos ensues.
"Is not some form of universal authority necessary even while Christians are on the way to universal union?" he asked. "As we go into the third millennium, the risen Lord still calls us to go and make disciples in the nations." But, he added, the divisions within Christianity are a detriment to evangelism.
Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey thanked Cardinal Cassidy for his reflections, commenting, "This is a homily on which we will ponder most carefully."
Songs, hymns, and litanies in the service reinforced the theme of Christian unity and Anglican diversity. Patrice Njojo, Archbishop of the Congo, reading in French, led a Litany of Thanksgiving. Mrs. Gladys Chiwanga, wife of the Bishop of Mpwapwa, Tanzania, read the Epistle in Swahili. The Gospel was read in Greek by Bishop Jabez Bryce of the Diocese of Polynesia, the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand, and Polynesia, chairman of the Ecumenical Advisory Group of the Anglican Communion and chairman of Section 1, "Called to be One." Following the homily, Orthodox Metropolitan John of Pergamon led the participants in saying the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed. And following the introduction of ecumenical guests, Carlo Lopez-Lozano, the Bishop of the Spanish Reformed Episcopal Church, led a litany of intercessions.
The Archbishop of Canterbury briefly thanked the ecumenical guests for their participation. A primate or bishop extended greeting to particular groups of guests, as follows:
The Most Rev. Frank Griswold, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church USA, introduced representatives of the Roman Catholic Church - Cardinal Edward Cassidy, Archbishop Alex Brunett, Bishop Philip Pargeter, Bishop Pierre Duprey, and Father Tim Galligan. Presiding Bishop Griswold talked of the commitment toward unity that is "already in the mind and imagination of God."
The Archbishop of York, the Most Rev. and Rt. Hon. David Hope, introduced the Ecumenical Patriarchate: Metropolitan John of Pergamon, Archbishop Gregorios of Thyateira and Great Britain; the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria: Archimandrite Serafim Kykkotis; the Patriarchate of Antioch: Father Samir Gholam; the Patriarchate of Moscow: Metropolitan Vladimir of St. Petersburg and Ladoga, Archdeacon Andrei Chighov; the Patriarchate of Romania: Bishop Nifon of Slobozia and Calarasi; and the Church of Cyprus: Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Kition.
The Presiding Bishop of Jerusalem and the Middle East, Ghais Abdel Malik, in welcoming the representatives of the Oriental Orthodox churches, said, "We praise God for the cooperation we have with them in the Middle East, praying as well that God will lead us to true unity in Christ Jesus." They included, from the Armenian Orthodox Church, Catholicosate of Etchmiadzin: Archbishop Vatche Hovsepian; the Armenian Orthodox Church, Catholicosate of Cilicia: the Very Rev. Nareg Alemezian; the Coptic Orthodox Church: Metropolitan Bishoi of Damiette; the Syrian Orthodox Church: Archbishop Mor Gregorios Yohanna Ibrahim of Aleppo; the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church of the East: His Grace Geevarghese Mar Ivanios; the Malabar Independent Syrian Church: the Most Rev. Joseph Mar Koorilose; and the Assyrian Church of the East: Bishop Mar Odisho Oraham and the Rev. Yonan Youil Yonan.
The Bishop of Hong Kong and Macao, Peter Kwong, introduced, from the Lutheran World Federation: the Rev. Dr. Ishmael Noko, the Rev. Sven Oppegaard, and the Rev. Richard Stetson.
The Deputy Moderator of the Church of North India introduced, from the World Methodist Council: Bishop William B. Oden and Dr. Geoffrey Wainwright; the World Alliance of Reformed Churches: the Rev. Dr. Jana Opecenska; and the Baptist World Alliance: the Rev. David Coffey and the Rev. Chris Ellis.
The Archbishop of Central Africa, W. P. Khotso Makhulu, introduced, from the World Council of Churches: the Rev. Dr. John Pobee and the Rev. Dr. Thomas FitzGerald; the Christian World Communion: the Rev. Su De-Ci and the Rev. Bao Jia-Yuan; the Council of Churches for Britain and Ireland: the Rev. John Reardon; and the Evangelical Alliance: the Rev. Joel Edwards.