Anglican Communion News Service

The Archbishop's farewell Presidential Address to the Synod of the Diocese of Sydney

Archbishop Goodhew leaves a 'robust' and 'growing' Church, he claimed in his farewell address to the Synod of the Diocese of Sydney this afternoon. "There is so much to give thanks to God concerning the life of this Diocese. When others are experiencing decline we have, under God, seen growth," the Archbishop said.

Archbishop Goodhew said he is particularly grateful to God for the large numbers of high calibre people offering to train for ministry.

"A particular cause for praise is the increased numbers of people seeking serious theological education in Australia. This is a phenomenon that is apparent across a range of theological and Bible colleges. Moore College has a record number of students enrolled. Mary Andrews College finds a growing interest in the courses they offer for women in parishes... Whatever secularists may wish to say about Australia and its religious landscape, it cannot be denied that many Christian people want to know and understand Christ more fully and wish to make him known more effectively."

However the Archbishop also honestly admitted some of the difficulties he had faced in his role. He said a recent 4 Corners documentary on the Anglican Church, 'gave us some kind of mirror in which to take some sort of look at ourselves' and admitted he hears three descriptions of Sydney Anglicans: 'arrogant, polarising and aggressive'.

"When I was elected, the Synod spontaneously broke into singing "A new commandment I give unto you that you love one another as I have loved you," the Archbishop said. "I think my greatest sadness in relinquishing this office will be my sense of failure in doing anything significant towards the realisation of the prayerful song. I am all too conscious of my own contributions to that failure. I take it as a rebuke to me and all of us who have pastoral responsibilities, when I hear people say that they appreciate our teaching and our stand for the truth, but, what they deeply desire is that we really love them, and that we love them in a way they can recognise."

The Archbishop also said three ongoing issues would continue to 'test' the structures of the Church - church planting beyond the boundaries of Sydney Diocese, the consecration of women as bishops and the authorisation of lay people to conduct Holy Communion.

Assistance for two-thirds world

Fresh from recent visits to Kenya, Burundi and Nigeria, Archbishop Goodhew also called on Anglicans to give more to people in the two-thirds world, particularly those in Africa. He said we must note 'the awful dimensions of the problems they face with respect to HIV/AIDS and poverty', and said more could be done to remove the debt burden from impoverished countries.

"The issues are of monumental proportions. I hope this diocese will not forget Africa. In my judgement anything that can be done to relieve their burden of debt and secure the use of the funds thus released to assist those most in need, should be done," the Archbishop said. He backed this call by announcing that he has set up a new fund to assist Anglican dioceses in Africa.