The Archbishop of Perth in the Western Province of Australia, the Most Revd Kay Goldsworthy, will be part of a webinar panel on the Lambeth Call on Human Dignity in November. She spoke to the ACO about the Lambeth Call and the importance of Anglicans holding hard conversations in a manner that upholds human dignity.
As I look at the Lambeth Call on Human Dignity, it challenges me. It reminds me of how vital it is that we Anglicans have hard conversations about major issues in church and world affairs. It also reminds me that our conversations, while robust, must at the same time build us up in the unity of God’s church and the gospel work of respect for human dignity.
The Anglican Communion is one part of the Body of Christ. We have some particular and, I think, ideally suited ways of understanding ourselves and how we can live within the Christian tradition. We are in relationship because of God’s gift to us in Jesus Christ.
At many points in our history, Anglicans have had to work out how to hold good conversations on important matters of our time. Through synodical processes, and the unifying influence of the Instruments of Communion, Anglican conversations have birthed things like the Five Marks of Mission, strengthening our life in the Communion, calling Anglicans around the world to a common purpose and mission, and lived out in a multitude of cultures and communities.
As we wrestle with some of the big issues, these conversations have been sharp, weighty and uncomfortable. We have needed to seek God’s grace to pray, study, talk and listen well to each other. Some of these topics – referenced in the Lambeth Call – include slavery, race, gender or sexuality – amongst others. We must, once again, find ways to listen and learn from one another and dialogue well.
How can the Church respond to the horrific legacy of the slave trade in a post-colonial era and how do we tackle modern-day slavery? How should we approach the issue of polygamy? How do we discuss the fact that in some places, the church does not recognise the role of women to exercise leadership as deacons, priests or bishops?
How can we have conversations about different perspectives on human sexuality, in such a manner that the human dignity of the people of whom we are speaking is upheld? With such care that it does not cause further pain and disrespect to those in the LGBTQI community? It seems to me that many LGBTQI Anglicans, and those of diverse expressions of human sexuality, intrinsic to who they are, made in God’s image, are bearing the highest cost in this ongoing conversation.
All our conversations around these and other matters have us wrestling with issues like how we read and interpret biblical text, and how we witness the Love of Christ to a world in which human dignity isn’t assured. Thank God that in all our talking and listening, all that is needed is to see and welcome our common humanity. We can bring scripture, tradition, reason and experience to these conversations, weaving new patterns for our life together as Anglicans.
The Lambeth Call on Human Dignity is clear that there are differences and divisions in our Communion. But it also solidly affirms and calls us to the need to go deeper, to seek to listen to one another and to be led by God’s call to love as Jesus loves. It may be deeply uncomfortable and difficult – yet absolutely necessary, as we seek to be God’s Church for God’s World.
As we meet in November, to explore this Lambeth Call, I hope we’ll appreciate more deeply how we treat each other in the church, and that how we understand differences in the church, speaks loudly to the world. May our conversations be not only of goodwill among people inside the Church, but also a sign of Good News for people outside the church.