Anglican Communion News Service

‘The Bible in the Life of the Church’ is a major project being undertaken over three years by the Anglican Communion, mandated by the Anglican Consultative Council at its Jamaica meeting in May 2009. It is seeking to discover how Anglican Christians read the Bible, recognising the very diverse contexts we inevitably bring to this reading. With the support of the Anglican Communion Department of Theological Studies, the work of this Bible project will largely take place in a number of Regional Groups based around theological education institutions in Kenya, Southern Africa, South East Asia, Oceania, North America and Britain.

The Archbishop of Canterbury has given a message of support to the people of Haiti affected by the devastation caused by Tuesday's earthquake..."I am profoundly shocked and concerned to hear about the devastating earthquake in Haiti. As the news comes through, we are learning more about the tragic loss of life, injury suffered and terrible damage to the country.

The following resolution was passed by the Standing Committee of the Anglican Communion meeting in London on 15-18 December, and approved for public distribution.

The election of Mary Glasspool by the Diocese of Los Angeles as suffragan bishop elect raises very serious questions not just for the Episcopal Church and its place in the Anglican Communion, but for the Communion as a whole.

A recent review of communications in the Anglican Communion emphasised the need for effective mechanisms to enable the current life of the Anglican Communion to be communicated internally within the Communion, to the wider Christian Community and to society in general. This includes engagement with communicators in the Provinces of the Anglican Communion as well as collaboration with colleagues at the Anglican Communion Office and elsewhere. The Secretary General intends to appoint a Director for Communications to implement this vision.

Following the resolution passed at ACC-14 (14.05) 'The Bible in the Life of the Church' a Steering Group has been appointed to take the work forward. It meets for the first time with the Chair, Archbishop David Moxon, Bishop of Waikato, New Zealand at the Anglican Communion Office from November 30th to December 3rd, 2009. The work of the project will be undertaken in six regional groups hosted, in the main, by theological colleges within the Communion and a number of 'user groups' who will test out the work of the regional groups.

Following the meeting between Pope Benedict XVI and the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, at the Vatican on 21 November 2009, at which they reaffirmed their desire to strengthen ecumenical relations between Anglicans and Roman Catholics, a preparatory committee met on 23 November 2009 to prepare the third phase of the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC).

People on very low incomes in the developing world may soon be able to access health insurance thanks to the Anglican Health Network (AHN). Based in Geneva, AHN announced 6 October that it will establish a new pilot project to test the concept of providing a ‘micro health insurance plan’ in an African setting.

In preparation for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference Of Parties (COP) Meetings to be held in Copenhagen, Denmark in December, the Anglican Communion Environmental Network (ACEN) has issued a statement to Anglicans Worldwide, to COP Delegates, Faith Community Representatives, Observer Organizations, and Friends of Creation.

On the evening of Friday 18th September 2009, former Archbishop of the Episcopal Church of the Sudan and Bishop of Juba, Dr. Joseph Marona, passed away at a relative's home in Khartoum, Sudan.

The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) has elected Nicholas Orogodo Okoh as its fourth Primate in succession to the Most Revd Peter Akinola. The announcement was made on 15 September.

The Bible Studies used at the 2008 Lambeth Conference of bishops and spouses, which explored the ‘I am’ sayings of the Gospel of John, have now been published by SPCK. The book of Bible Studies, given the title In the Beginning was the Word, also includes a set of seven Studies on the ‘Signs’ in the Gospel.

The Secretary General, Canon Kenneth Kearon, has announced the appointment of Canon Dr Alyson Barnett-Cowan as Director for Unity, Faith and Order at the Anglican Communion Office. The post is a new one in the Communion, and arose after some restructuring following the election of Canon Gregory Cameron, formally Director of Ecumenical Affairs and Deputy Secretary General, as Bishop of St Asaph in the Church in Wales.

Anglicans around the world are expressing concern for, and solidarity with, fellow-Christians in Pakistan, particularly in view of the recent violence in the area of the Diocese of Faisalbad. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, issued a statement on August 4 2009.

The Archbishop of Canterbury and the Secretary General of the Anglican Communion have announced the membership of an important new commission, following extensive consultation with the Provinces of the Communion around the world. The Chair is the Most Revd Bernard Ntahoturi, Primate of the Anglican Church of Burundi.

The text of the Ridley Cambridge Draft of the Covenant received strong support at the recent ACC meeting in Jamaica. However concern was expressed that Section 4 had not received the same degree of Provincial consideration that Sections 1-3 had. ACC-14 proposed that Provinces be given time to consider Section 4, that a small Working Group be set up to consider adjustment to Section 4...

Canon Kenneth Kearon, Secretary General of the Anglican Communion has announced that the ACO is seeking to appoint a Director for Unity Faith and Order. The Inter Anglican Standing Commission for Unity, Faith and Order (IASCUFO) was mandated by the Joint Standing Committee last November and will absorb the work undertaken by the previous Theological and Doctrinal Commission and The Inter Anglican Standing Commission on Ecumenical Relations.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams reminds Christians that belief in God is about living in the reality of faith and the unselfish life, and not about opinions or philosophical proofs. In his Easter sermon delivered at Canterbury Cathedral, Dr Williams identifies St Paul as an early example of someone living the brave reality of faith, putting his life at risk for the sake of his belief and witness to the resurrection:

The Covenant Design Group (CDG) met under the chairmanship of the Most Revd Drexel Gomez, former Primate of the Church in the Province of the West Indies, between 29th March and 2nd April, 2009, in Ridley Hall, Cambridge, at the invitation of the Principal, the Revd Canon Andrew Norman, former Representative of the Archbishop of Canterbury to the Covenant Design Group. We are grateful for the warm welcome received.

Following the Report of the Windsor Continuation Group to the Archbishop of Canterbury (which was published at the Primates Meeting in Alexandria, Egypt, in February 2009) the initial group of Pastoral Visitors called for by the Windsor Continuation Group in their Report and commended by the Primates Meeting in their Communiqué (para 15) met for a briefing session at Virginia Theological Seminary from 25-28 February.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams and The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, have launched a joint appeal to help counter the humanitarian crisis and deteriorating political situation in Zimbabwe. The Archbishops’ appeal for Zimbabwe highlights the support needed by churches, which are struggling to feed the hungry and heal the sick, and are suffering alongside their communities.

The Secretary General of the Anglican Communion Canon Kenneth Kearon writes: ‘I want to bring to your attention the request of the Primates and Moderators of the Anglican Communion, at their recent meeting in Alexandria, Egypt, that Anglican Churches world-wide observe 25th February, Ash Wednesday, as a day of prayer and solidarity with the people of Zimbabwe.

The Archbishop of Canterbury yesterday awarded Deirdre Martin and Canon James Rosenthal the Cross of St Augustine at a reception at Lambeth Palace. This award has historically been awarded to clergy and lay people of foreign churches who have contributed conspicuously to advancing friendly relations with the churches of the Anglican Communion.

The International Anglican Women's Network (IAWN) will conduct its first formal meeting Feb. 22-27, 2009, at the Tutu Center at General Theological Seminary in New York City. Building on the strong presence of the IAWN during the 2008 Lambeth Conference, women representing 26 of the 38 Anglican provinces are expected.

The Revd Canon Gregory Cameron, 49, who is Deputy Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, was chosen by members of the Electoral College of the Church in Wales meeting on Jan 5th at St Asaph Cathedral to succeed Bishop John Davies as Bishop of St Asaph.The announcement was made by the Archbishop of Wales, Dr Barry Morgan, at the west door of the cathedral on the first day of the meeting.

It’s always a relief to have a bit of space after the busyness of Christmas to relax at home and mull over the past 12 months and the hopes and possibilities of the year ahead. The prospect of this coming year, though, is one that produces a lot of anxiety and insecurity for countless people. There are fears about disappearing savings, lost jobs, house repossessions and worse. While the headlines are often about the big figures, it’s the human cost that makes it real for us.

In his Christmas sermon at Canterbury Cathedral, the Archbishop of Canterbury says that one of the lessons of the coming of Christ is that people shouldn't waste time waiting for larger-than-life heroes to bring comprehensive and total solutions to the ills of the world.

It was Christmas Eve and they kept coming, a steady flow, mostly young and obviously many were from far away places. There was no room for me, well, not in the inn, but rather, no room in the Collegiate Church of St Peter, Westminster, known lovingly as Westminster Abbey. They were standing everywhere. It was a stupendous vision of humanity - incarnation! 

The Joint Committee, which is composed of a delegation from the Anglican Communion and from Al Azhar Al Sharif held its seventh annual meeting in Cairo on 18-19 November 2008 corresponding to 20-21 Dhu Al-Qa'da 1429. This was held in accord with the agreement signed at Lambeth Palace on 30 January 2002 by the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Grand Imam of Al Azhar.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams has recorded a video message to mark the 20th annual World AIDS day on December 1st 2008. The video sees the Archbishop talk about the Church’s worldwide involvement in care and education surrounding HIV and AIDS, and calls for faith leaders to ‘encourage and support’ what is being done by listening to those who work on the front lines