Statement on Lambeth Calls

The Archbishop of Canterbury invited bishops to the Lambeth Conference to listen, pray and discern together. It is an opportunity to listen to one another as Christians, sometimes across deeply-held differences.

Over recent days we have listened carefully to the responses of bishops to Lambeth Calls: Guidance and Study Documents that was released last week – and especially in relation to the draft Call on Human Dignity. The drafting group for the Call on Human Dignity will be making some revisions to the Call. This will be published as part of Lambeth Calls – which will be the texts that will be discussed by bishops at the conference. This will be released as soon as it is available.

It can also be announced that bishops will now be given a third option for responding to the Lambeth Calls when they are discussed during the conference – bishops will now be able to clearly state their opposition to a particular Call. The options will be:

  • ‘This Call speaks for me. I add my voice to it and commit myself to take the action I can to implement it.’
  • ‘This Call requires further discernment. I commit my voice to the ongoing process.’
  • ‘This Call does not speak for me. I do not add my voice to this Call.’

Please continue to pray for all the bishops attending the Lambeth Conference – that we may continue to listen, walk and witness together to the love of Jesus Christ.

Bishop Tim Thornton, Chair of the Lambeth Calls Subgroup
The Lambeth Conference

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