[Diocese of St Albans] The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Revd Rowan Williams, will give a keynote address at a major conference on Christian Unity, being held at St Albans Abbey, Hertfordshire, on Saturday 17 May.

More than 800 delegates will take part in the conference, entitled 'May they all be one...but how?', with people travelling from across the UK and Ireland for the event.

Dr Williams, who was enthroned as Archbishop of Canterbury in February, will be making his first visit to St Albans in his new role.

The other keynote speakers are Cardinal Walter Kasper, President of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity and a leading Catholic theologian; and the Revd Elizabeth Welch, Moderator of the General Assembly of the United Reformed Church 2001/2 and a former member of the Central Committee of the World Council of Churches.

Other speakers will be: Elaine Appelbee, Director of the Bradford Health Action Zone, formerly Bishop of Bradford's Officer for Church in Society and member of The Church of England's General Synod; Fr Timothy Radcliffe, Master of the Dominican Order, 1992 to 2001; and Bishop Joe Aldred, Director of the Centre for Black and White Christian Partnership at the University of Birmingham and a Bishop of the Church of God of Prophecy. Bishop Aldred will also preach at an ecumenical service at the end of the conference.

Canon Iain Lane, Director of the St Albans Centre for Christian Studies, said, "The conference draws together a range of distinguished speakers to explore a vision of Christian unity for the next generation. Everyone is happy to affirm that Christian unity is important, but in reality progress is slow and often churches seem to have become focused only on the theological and institutional issues.

"There is a need for renewed energy in all aspects of the search for unity, and a new emphasis on a shared experience of prayer, social action, engagement with the Bible and the expression of the gospel in and through the creative arts.

"The conference aims to stimulate, encourage and inspire a renewed commitment to discover a form of unity which is practical and achievable in the next generation."

The conference is jointly organised by: The Newman Association, the Catholic organisation promoting an informed laity; The Society for Ecumenical Studies, an organisation committed to the search for Christian unity through dialogue, study, and mutual understanding; and the St Albans Centre for Christian Studies, an ecumenical centre for Christian learning based at St Albans Cathedral.

For full information please visit: www.stalbanscathedral.org.uk