| THE ORGANISERS of GAFCON said on Tuesday that just over 1200 people were in attendance, 200 more than expected.
They are made up of 303 bishops, mostly serving ones, though with a few retired; bishops’ wives; church representatives, clerical and lay; and a motley crowd of advocates, supporters, and media.
Seven Primates are present: Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, the Southern Cone, Tanzania, Uganda, and West Africa. Two bishops have come from England: the Bishop of Rochester and the Area Bishop of Lewes.
The 1072 participants are called pilgrims, since GAFCON is billed as a conference and pilgrimage, in order to appease the Bishop in Jerusalem, the Rt Revd Suheil Dawani, who objected to something that might foment division in a region that was already deeply divided.
An earlier plan to conduct the business section of GAFCON in Jordan was aborted, when the Archbishop of Nigeria, the Most Revd Peter Akinola, was turned away at the airport after four hours of questioning, which centred on his use of a diplomatic passport. He said later that what had been a humiliating experience had turned out to be a “huge blessing”, since it had enabled the organisers to spend more time preparing for the conference in Jerusalem.
The conference programme is full, beginning with communion at 6.30 a.m. in the various hotels, and continuing with worship and biblical exposition at 8.30, followed by workshops until lunchtime. Plenaries and optional tours fill the afternoon and evenings.
But there is a pilgrimage feel, too, especially as many of the participants, particularly among the African bishops, have not been to the Holy Land before. Monday morning was spent on the Mount of Olives; there are tours of the Old City throughout the week; and Saturday will be taken up with a visit to Bethlehem and Galilee.
GAFCON is costing £2.5 million in all, the organisers report. Archbishop Akinola said on Sunday that £600,000 had been raised in Nigeria in three weeks, £450,000 from one individual.
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