Transcript of the Bishops' Interview

Bishop Lane's and Bishop Knudsen's conversation in which they reflected on the Lambeth Conference lasted for about 30 minutes. Only excepts are presented in the videos below. To read a transcript of the entire conversation, click here.

Back home, Maine bishops reflect on the Lambeth Conference

Ten days after returning from England and the once-every-ten-year gathering of Anglican bishops from across the world, Maine bishops, Chilton Knudsen and Stephen Lane, talk about what happened there and what's to come.

Bishop Chilton's Martin Luther place

Bishop Chilton Knudsen of the Episcopal Diocese of Maine on how the decisions of women to pursue their calling to ordination informs her perspectives on current issues of sexuality in the Church.

Lambeth Last Day: the ups, the downs, and heading home

After more than 7,000 video views over the past 19 days, Bishop Stephen and Bishop Chilton offer their reflections on the 2008 Lambeth Conference. Keep both of them and Gretchen and Mike in your prayers as they return home tomorrow.



From Bishop Chilton
It's our last night at Canterbury, and I sense that we are all ready to go home. Bishop Steve and I will prepare some further reflections on the entire Lambeth experience to share with our diocesan community, AFTER we have had some rest.

Three items of note today

1. Members of my "indaba group" said farewell today. The group of about 40 bishops meets every day after our smaller (8 bishops) Bible Study groups. Ours has been a wonderful indaba group, honest about our differences, mutually supportive all they way.

2. The Melanesian Brothers (featured at the end of the video above) played music before our concluding plenary at 4 p.m. today (Sunday). The Melanesian Brothers are a monastic community, rooted in the West Pacific/Indian Ocean area, whose special vocation is peace-making. To symbolize their commitment, they go to places of violent conflict and make camp, pitching their tents between enemies. A number of them were slaughtered on such a mission, and we remembered them tonight at the closing Eucharist as their names were added to the "Saints and Martyrs of our Day" roll at Canterbury Cathedral.

3. The video below document the huge amount of our time queuing up for everything from buses to meals to entry into protected venues. The aggregate hours spent q'ing surely amount to more than a program day's length! We DO get to do some visiting whilst q'ing, and tonight I found the Lanes "in q" for the final service at the cathedral. They are with their neighbor (in Darwin Courts housing here), Bishop Linda Nicholls of Toronto.

I can hardly wait to set my feet on Maine soil. Thank you all, so much, for praying for us, for your email greetings and for being the holy people you are. God is so good to us.

Always in Christ,
+CHILTON



Links of interest as the Lambeth Conference Concludes

The final text of a "reflections document," developed by 16 "listeners" selected from the Indaba groups at the 2008 Lambeth Conference is available here.

The Archbishop of Canterbury's concluding presidential address is available here.

Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori's statement on Lambeth is available here.

Sadness and Hope

I confess to feeling some sadness tonight. At Evening Prayer we said farewell to the music team that has led us for two and a half weeks. The worship and music remain for me among the real highlights of the Lambeth Conference. Day after day we were treated to new and exciting music, much of it very singable, which I hope to bring home to share. We also said farewell to the incredible variety of worship styles and languages that has characterized our daily worship: English, French, Arabic, Urdu, Swahili, Malaysian... our worship experience has been very, very rich.

We also began saying good bye to new friends and colleagues with whom we have engaged in very deep conversation. The very best part of this Lambeth for me has been learning about the cultures and ministries of the members of my Bible Study and Indaba group. I have learned about the passions and concerns of the Church in India, New Zealand, England, Australia, Chile, South Africa, Canada, Melanesia, and Sri Lanka. In every place there are faithful Christians, passionate about the Gospel, laboring to bring good news to the people, often at great personal sacrifice. I will miss their newly familiar faces.

I think, as my new friend, George, has said, the story line we've been given for this Lambeth is actually the wrong story line. The story line we've been given is that there are two sides locked in combat here at Lambeth. The two sides may be described as progressive or liberal and traditional or conservative, and they are said to extend throughout the Communion. But a truer narrative is that there a many "sides" and that in many places passionate Christians are proclaiming the Gospel. They may have opinions about the issues that divide us, but they are not focused on them and not willing to spend all their time talking about them. Attempts to resolve the conflict do not speak to their situations or their needs.

But the "two sides" story line is very strong, and the Lambeth reflection paper will reinforce it. There are many people who hope the existing moratoria will continue and that a Pastoral Forum will be established to deal with conflicts. And while some folk express deep skepticism about the need for and viability of a covenant, others hope work will go forward. The good news hidden in these matters is the now nearly universal recognition that nothing will work unless ways can be found to continue in genuine conversation. Good relationships are the key to resolving conflicts.

For now, there have been no legislative changes. The reflection paper is advisory and the matters raised will need to be addressed by the Synods or Conventions of each Province. The Covenant process may well go through several more iterations before Provinces will be asked to decide. And in several Provinces, constitutional and canonical issues will further slow consideration. So numerous opportunities for conversation lie before us.

In the meantime, I think we've been inspired to reinvigorate our ministries, especially those related to the poor, the voiceless, and the oppressed. The Good News of Jesus Christ needs to be proclaimed now more than ever, and sometimes, as St. Francis said, with words. Sharing in those ministries is another way we can strengthen our relationships.

I want to thank all of you for your prayers, for your interest, for your comments. We have felt uplifted and supported across all these miles. We are eager to see you and be home again among you.

A final post tomorrow night.

Peace,
+Steve

Walking from Canterbury and thoughts on Day 17

Two Canterbury pilgrims, Bishop Stephen and Gretchen Lane, lead us from the City Centre to the University of Kent.



Bishop Stephen reflects on how the bishops at the Lambeth Conference seek to celebrate that which unites them...and all of us as Anglicans.

Our blogging bishops

Bishop Chilton and Bishop Steve catch Diocese of Michigan's newspaper editor Herb Gunn in their sights. Thanks for the photos, Herb!

Bishop Chilton on the miracle of Pentecost

Each of us bishops was, on registration, assigned to a Bible Study Group. We meet every day for 90 minutes to study portions of the Gospel of John. Some of you in Maine are studying and praying with that Gospel along with us here at Lambeth, using the study book I gave to all the clergy at our June Clergy Day.

Thank you so much for praying along with us! We have achieved a strong level of trust in our group and the sharing is candid and warm. I will miss these brothers when Lambeth is over, but I bet we will stay in touch. I'm still connected to some brother bishops around the globe from my '98 Lambeth Bible Study group.

I'm continually reminded that we are a GLOBAL family in the Anglican Communion. This means that we must make a special effort to communicate across differences of culture and language. The earphones and transmitter are in my tote bag for every Lambeth event. God bless the translation team; they have been patient and skillful.

Our conversations together from now until the end of the conference are increasingly delicate and important. Our challenge is to hear one another, even when that is hard going. So far, we are receiving the Holy Spirit's gift of hearing one another (see the miracle of Pentecost!). Bless you all for your prayers. We feel them and appreciate your support.

Love to you all in Christ, +CHILTON

A Small Explosion

As the end of the Lambeth Conference approaches, anxieties are rising and there are more and more frequent expressions of concern that Lambeth isn't going to do anything. Many folks are saying that Lambeth needs to say something robust or definitive.

This morning there was a small explosion in my Indaba group. What exploded was widespread frustration that all the talk about our disagreements distracts from mission and undermines the Communion's credibility. The real issues, the real priorities of the Anglican Communion, need to be poverty, hunger, HIV/AIDS, the oppression of women and children, the oppression of the Dalits in India, war, refugees, care for creation, etc. (Indeed, if there is a consensus at this Lambeth it is that global warming is the most important matter facing humankind and that care for creation must be a first priority for the Church.) Most of the members of my group shared in some part of this frustration.

Like most explosions , however, this one was unfocused and it soon spread into chastising the Episcopal Church for creating all the disagreement in the Anglican Communion and keeping it going. The Episcopal Church was repeatedly charged with not responding to the Windsor process. The actions of our General Convention 2006 in responding to Windsor are not well known and are often received as new information.

The Episcopal bishops in my Indaba received this critique in respectful silence, without defensiveness, and responses actually came from other churches. The gist of the responses was that all of us are shaped in our ministries by the people and culture of our communities. Each of us is struggling to be faithful as God has given us the light. So there were voices of support, but it was a long session.

At hearings and other meetings today, there were calls to reaffirm Lambeth 1:10 or to state that the Windsor moratoria must continue. The Archbishop of Canterbury has said that there will be no voting or legislation. Rather the work of the Indaba groups will be drawn into a final statement that will be refined by an ongoing process of review in our groups and in hearings. Other processes, such as the Windsor Continuation process and the Anglican Covenant process will continue beyond this meeting. For me, the best part of this Lambeth has been the frank, respectful, and sometimes profound conversations of the Bible Study and Indaba groups. I hope we'll find ways to continue these conversations without forcing a decision now.

For all this, the work of building relationships continues. And daily worship refreshes and strengthens. Tonight the Church of Aoroatea, New Zealand and Polynesia led us in Night Prayer according to the New Zealand Prayerbook. The words and hymns fell like healing rain on a tired congregation of bishops and spouses.

Peace,
+Steve

Difficult Conversations

I'm just back from the reception that several bishops of Province I hosted to introduce the Bishop of New Hampshire. About 20 bishops from around the church, including several from England, Australia, Latin America and India, attended. The reception began with hors d'ouvres in an outdoor courtyard. The program moved indoors for a brief presentation by three bishops about the process of electing, confirming and consecrating bishops in the Episcopal Church. Then two bishops spoke about why they voted for and against Bishop Robinson's consecration. There followed a brief DVD introduction by the Diocese of New Hampshire, and then Gene spoke. After his talk, people asked questions or made statements. Bishop Robinson was his usual warm, passionate and articulate self. Two of our guests spoke about how difficult this matter is in their context, and Gene empathized with their concerns and shared their hopes. The gathering ended with prayer.

Both my Bible Study and Indaba group began to have more searching conversations today. It's taken us two weeks to get to the point where there is sufficient trust to talk frankly. There is a great deal of misunderstanding about decision-making in the Episcopal Church. People expressed anger that the Episcopal Church has not respected decisions of the 1998 Lambeth Conference and has forced the whole Communion to deal with our issues. It is hard to convey that it's not only our process that's democratic, but our culture as well. Matters of sexual orientation are on the table because gay and lesbian persons are baptized members of the church and, in our church, every member has a voice. For us it's not an "issue," it's people - faithful members of the body of Christ and leaders of our congregations. We are trying to keep faith with people in our own church. Yet in this era of instant communication, people far away suddenly feel drawn into the conversation.

The good news in these difficult conversations is that we may all be learning that the context for our ministries is crucial. Quite frankly, in a number of places issues of sexual orientation have no traction and will not be discussed. In those places, issues of hunger, human trafficking, HIV/AIDS, relations with other religions, and the education of women and children occupy the agenda. Yet I think folks are hearing that in our context issues of sexual orientation are matters of membership and justice. The hope is that we can find room for one another and the capacity to remain in relationship as try to reach a common mind.

Peace,
+Steve


+Gene and +Steve - who served together as Canons to the Ordinary in the Dioceses of New Hampshire and Rochester prior to their elections - share a light moment before +Steve's consecration in Maine on May 3, 2008.
(photo by Shawn Patrick Ouellette)

A packed 24 hours with Bishop Stephen Lane

Bishop Stephen's video reflection on the many doings of the 14th day of the Lambeth Conference.

Seventy-two hours with Bishop Chilton

Sunday I was "fetched" early and driven from Canterbury to Guildford (about 20 miles south of London) to preach at the Cathedral there. What a hospitable welcome they extended! One of the gifts presented was (unbeknownst to them) a book I have long wanted to own: LOVE'S REDEEMING WORK: THE ANGLICAN QUEST FOR HOLINESS (Oxford, 2003). It's a thick collection of writings of Anglican mystics and theologians from the late 15th century onwards to the present. It's on my "retirement reading" pile!

After returning from Guildford in the afternoon, the rest of Sunday was quiet: doing the laundry, reading/preparation for the upcoming week, answering some email. The pace of this Lambeth Conference is grueling and the quieter time was a blessing.

Monday, a typical Lambeth day: Out of bed 6:00 AM, showering in the "pocket" shower attached to my room (I'm fortunate: some of my colleagues share one shower with 10 other people!). Walk to the worship center (20 minute walk from our housing) for Eucharist, celebrated by bishops of the Province of the Indian Ocean. Then breakfast followed by 90 minute Bible Study (many of you are following along with our study -- so you know it was John 10: 1- 10 today).

My Bible Study group includes two bishops from the Sudan, one bishop fromTanzania, one bishop from Japan, two bishops from Jamaica/the Caymans, one bishop from Scotland and two of us from the Episcopal Church. The trust and depth of sharing in our group continues to deepen. After Bible Study was our Indaba group (a larger group of approx 40), which it's my job to facilitate. We work very hard discussing the topic of interfaith relations. Many stories about the tensions between Christians and Muslims, especially from the Sudan. I felt humble as I heard the stories of persecution and martyrdom. Monday afternoon we reviewed the latest report from the Windsor Continuation Group, and offered our feedback (from a rich variety of perspectives). Monday evening, a lovely dinner for all woman bishops in the precincts of Canterbury Cathedral with leaders of WATCH (Women and the Church), a British group advocating for the ministries of all women, lay and ordained.

Tuesday brought a different morning format with a lengthy plenary, as bishops and spouses met together to talk about Power and the Abuse of Power. It was well-done, with a combination of drama, group discussions and Bible Study. Following the afternoon meeting of our own Episcopal Church bishops, Evening Prayer was offered by the Church of Myanmar. They showed videos of the relief work Myanmar Anglicans have been doing following the cyclone. Let us hold them all in special prayer. We in Maine are blessed that one of Maine's own, The Rev. Kitty Babson, is an appointed missionary to Myanmar (she would love to come to your church and offer a program).

After dinner in Canterbury at a middle-eastern restaurant with my "class" of 1998, I am at my desk, sending you love and prayers. Keep your prayers flowing: the next few days may bring some particularly difficult discussions forward. I can't tell you how important it is to know of your prayers and support. Bless you all.

Sending love in Christ,
+CHILTON

22%

Of the approximately 670 bishops present here, there are about 145 Episcopalians. (Only two or three active Episcopal bishops are not here.) That means that Episcopal bishops make up about 22% of the bishops. In every group and every place I go, I have colleagues from the Episcopal Church.

We're all here because we were encouraged by the Presiding Bishop and others to come, to listen to the wider church, and to tell our story. And I think we're trying to do that. Episcopal bishops show up in large numbers for the hearings, for the self-select groups, for worship and for plenary gatherings.

But our relatively large number is both a blessing and a curse. The blessing is that we are taking part in all the opportunities for dialogue. Whether in formal settings or the many informal opportunities, Episcopal bishops are present. The story of the Episcopal Church is being told.

The curse is that we are also being accused by some of dominating the Conference. And domination by Americans is something much of the world is unhappy about.

So we're walking a bit of a tight rope - trying to be present and attentive, but also leaving room for others to speak. We really want to make it clear that we are a part of the Anglican Communion, partners with the other Provinces in sharing Christ's ministry to the world.

+Steve

Saturday at Lambeth: the big bishop photo shoot and our Mainers lift their voices in song

Six hundred and seventy bishops from across the Anglican Communion got their picture made on Saturday. Our bishops were there to tell the story.



The Diocese of Maine is well-represented in the Episcopal Church's Bishops and Spouses Choir with Mike Knudsen, Bishop Stephen and Gretchen Lane as members. Bishop Chilton is the flipographer. Worship services at Lambeth have been organized by various provinces and on Saturday the service of Evensong was conducted by the Episcopal Church.

A Little Respite

The pace of the last two days has been a bit more relaxed. Saturday, after Bible Study and Indaba groups, the Bishops had their Lambeth picture taken. It was quite an exercise on a hot, humid, but mercifully cloudy, day. It took about 45 minutes to get all 670 of us on very tall, narrow risers and another 15 minutes to take our pictures. Then we carefully exited the risers, one narrow section at a time. Thankfully, there were no accidents. (We have a little bit of video from the picture taking that will be posted soon.)

Following the picture taking, the Episcopal Church hosted a reception for bishops from the Church of the Sudan and the Congo. There was a good turnout and good conversation in many small groups. The Presiding Bishop, the Archbishop of Sudan and several other bishops briefly greeted the gathering.

Saturday afternoon the Episcopal Church led Evening Prayer. The bulletin was printed in three languages - English, Spanish and French - to indicate the three primary languages of the Episcopal Church. Donna Scaife signed the service in ASL. Bishop Gayle Harris presided. The Bishop and Spouses choir sang several pieces before and after the service to the great delight of the congregation. Gretchen and I and Mike Knudsen all sang in the choir and, despite only a very brief time for rehearsals, I think we did well. (We'll also post a little video of the service.)

The evening was given over to various "fringe" events. "Fringe" in an English context means associated, not "official," events. Gretchen and I went to Canterbury Cathedral for a candlelit tour and Compline.

Today, Sunday, was a complete Sabbath from the Conference. Many bishops preached around England. Bishop Chilton preached today in Guilford. The rest of us went to various services around Canterbury, especially at Canterbury Cathedral. And time was given over to sight seeing, walking, going to pubs and restaurants for meals, doing the laundry, etc., etc.

Tomorrow the schedule resumes in earnest with Indaba discussions about the proposed Anglican Covenant and an afternoon hearing on the Windsor Continuation process.

The highlight for me, of the last few days, has been the close attention paid to the role of the Church in relation to Climate Change. There was a major presentation on climate change Friday night and then discussion in the Indaba groups on Saturday. There are a number of self-select study sessions concerning aspects of climate change throughout the Conference. It's very clear that climate change is affecting everyone, everywhere. The impact is greatest in poor countries. The Church has a theology of the stewardship of creation that give us a platform from which to speak to the issue, and as churches in both rich and poor countries, we have important things to say both as contributors to the crisis and victims. Care for creation is one of the Millennium Development Goals. Expect the Anglican bishops to come home ready to speak "green."

Blessings on your sabbath...

+Steve

Bishops and spouses walk to raise awareness for the MDGs

Bishop Knudsen introduces a video about yesterday's walk in London to raise awareness about the Millennium Development Goals to halve extreme poverty by 2015.

Complex Relationships

Recently the Church of the Sudan issued a strong statement about its understandings of homosexuality and Christian faith. In that statement, it suggested that the Bishop of New Hampshire should resign for the benefit of the whole Anglican Communion. At the same time, the Sudanese are being very clear they want their companion relationships with several dioceses of the Episcopal Church to continue. Some folks have wondered how these two realities can be held together.

It's important to say here that nothing new has been said about the issue of homosexuality either by the Church of the Sudan or by the Lambeth Conference. The position of the Church of the Sudan is one it has stated before. And the Lambeth Conference has yet to issue any statements on any matters.

It's also the case that the Lambeth Conference has asked us to engage one another honestly about the issues and to do so frankly and directly. In its statement, the Church of the Sudan has been clear about its position.

The Lambeth Conference has further asked us to consider the ways we can disagree and remain in relationship. The Church of the Sudan is clear that it wants to remain in relationship with the Episcopal Church and wants to find ways for us to work together. Today a number of bishops from the Episcopal Church and the Church of the Sudan met together to affirm their companion relationships. And tomorrow the Episcopal Church will host a reception for Sudan and the Congo to foster further relationships.

We in the Episcopal Church remain fully committed to our decision-making processes and to the ministries of our all gay and lesbian members. We, too, are looking for ways to connect with others around the world. This past Wednesday some of the bishops of Province I hosted a reception where bishops and spouses could learn about Episcopal Church polity and meet the Bishop of New Hampshire. The reception was well attended and well received, and we have heard how helpful it was for those who attended.

So our relationships with other Anglican churches are complex. The important thing is to be ourselves with integrity and to keep talking. The conversations continue with the Church of the Sudan and with many other churches around the Communion.

+Steve

Day Nine in London

Here is Bishop Stephen's video reflection on the bishops' day in London walking to raise awareness for the Millennium Development Goals, lunch at Lambeth Palace, and onto tea at Buckingham Palace.

We'll post a video of the MDG walk later today - once Bishop Chilton gets her camera back from the overzealous security forces at Buckingham Palace.

Day Eight:: in the lee of Canterbury Cathedral

Bishop Stephen offers this video reflection on Day Eight of the Lambeth Conference.

Day Seven: more lightning in the arm than thunder in the mouth

Bishop Stephen's video reflection on Day Seven of the Lambeth Conference.

Also, we're pleased to report that the bishops' videos were picked up in two separate stories today on the Episcopal Cafe's news blog, The Lead.

But who's counting.