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Lambeth Conference 2008 - Equipping Bishops to Fulfil Their Leadership Role in God’s Mission.
Conference aims - that all delegates will:
- be restored and refreshed spiritually
- gain deeper knowledge of each other
- become more aware of the spiritual and physical resources God has given them to meet missionary challenges in different parts of the world
- develop greater understanding and appreciation of life together in the Anglican Communion
- address conflict
- discover a new level of trust in common service to God
- gain greater understanding of the contribution Anglicanism can make to the worldwide church and the world
These will be fulfilled by delegates spending time together: in spiritual reflection, learning, sharing experiences and discerning their particular role in God’s mission for the world.
Conference Programme
The Full Conference Progrrame for all Bishops' and Spouses' is available here.
Daily Schedule
The day will start and end in worship. These services will be celebrated each day, including on retreat days, in communion with the Spouses Conference. They will be led by various provinces of the Communion.
Breakfast and evening meal will be served in accommodation dining halls. Lunch will be flexible: delegates can visit one of many food outlets on campus for a full meal, light snack or whatever they prefer.
On an 'ordinary day', conference business will run as follows:
- 9:30-11:00
- 11:30-13:00
- 14:45-18:30
- Evening
Bible study groups
At the start of each day, the same group of 8 bishops will gather for bible study.
These groups will be put together on the basis of:
- Language
- The need to represent the rich cultural variety in the Anglican Communion.
The bible study material will be based around Jesus' I AM statements in John's gospel.
Indaba groups
After bible study, bishops will gather in larger groups of about 40.
Indaba is a SiZulu word. It refers to a small group that gathers, without time pressures and constraints, to 'chew over' important issues. The word best describes what will happen in these sessions.
All Indaba groups will discuss the same material. This will relate to the day's theme and might be a DVD presentation, document or input from a speaker. The group will then be led in an activity or discussion that addresses the theme.
All group members will have the chance to contribute and different groups will be able to share their findings with one another.
Each group will remain the same throughout the Conference. Translation facilities will be available in these sessions.
Self-select sessions
Each afternoon, various activities will happen around the campus. Delegates will be able to choose which to attend.
Each workshop, seminar, discussion or other afternoon activity will focus on a particular conference theme. Many will take place more than once.
A variety of groups and individuals from around the Communion and outside it will be asked to resource these afternoon activities, some of which will also be run for the Spouses' Conference.
More details on these sessions will follow shortly.
Optional fringe events
By the end of a busy conference day, bishops may need some free time: few formal conference activities will take place after the evening meal.
For those who still have the energy for entertainment, fellowship and information, a range of fringe events will be staged each evening. These will include films, theatre, dinners and discussions.
Any delegate, group of delegates or external organisation that wants to stage a fringe event (such as a meal, drinks reception or performance) should contact fringe@lambethconference.org or call +44 (0)207 313 3928.
Evening plenaries
There will be a small number of evening plenary sessions, delivered by a high-profile speaker. These will be open to bishops and spouses.
Conference topics
The following subjects will be among those that the expanded group and self-selecting afternoon sessions during the conference:
- Biblical interpretation / Hermeneutics
- Ecumenical Management
- Anglican identity, the role of bishops
- Issues of Covenant
- Listening Process (within the Communion)
- Engagement with other faiths
- Evangelism and Mission
- Gender and Sexuality
- Relationships, Social and family relationships
- HIV/Aids
- Millennium Development Goals
The Conference Marketplace, filled with stalls and shops, will be open all day, every day, during the main conference. It will open on July 21 and close on August 2.
A quiet space for prayer will also be available at all times, and will be situated at the centre of the campus.
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