Affirmation
WE ARE fellow-workers with God (1 Corinthians 3.9) called to protect the gift of human life and the dignity of all human beings. As Jesus washed the feet of both his denier and betrayer, we are called to follow his example (John 13.12–17, 34–35). We are called to love one another.
It is the mind of the Anglican Communion that acts and attitudes against the dignity of God’s children are sin. The legacies of colonialism, the transatlantic slave trade, and other abuses of power continue to impact our communities. Some have been enriched and some impoverished. International economic systems, built upon unjust structures of exploitation, have created dehumanising conditions. The deep inequalities in access to land, health, and education, exploitation of the young, unjust labour practices, mistreatment of ethnic minorities, migrants, and refugees, the inhumanity of human trafficking, religious persecution, pressures on those guided by their freedom of conscience, oppression of LGBTQ persons, gender-based violence, war, and sexual violence in conflict, in part, reveal such sin. Hospitality to all and faithfulness to each are key marks of a godly community (1 Peter 4.8–10).
God intends life-giving intercultural community. Local missionary effort and contextual theology attest to a deep reception, contestation, adoption, and adaptation of the gospel of Jesus Christ within and across cultures. However, international Anglicanism often emerged in the context of colonialism. We acknowledge the existence and ongoing impact of an imperialist Anglicanism involved in dehumanising practices predicated upon cultural and racial supremacy. Any Christian commitment to human dignity must celebrate the rich diversities of contextual theologies and take account of Anglicanism’s complicity in brutal and extractive colonialisms.
Unjust economic systems unfairly disadvantage the world’s poorest communities. Progress had been made in combating poverty. However, a global pandemic, rising inflation, and war has seen unprecedented reversals in the reduction of poverty. The ongoing climate emergency (seen in, for example, increased global temperature, rising sea levels, and ocean acidification) creates further instability and food insecurity challenging efforts to eradicate poverty and create sustainable development now and in the future. In 2020, an additional 120-124 million people were driven back into extreme poverty. In 2022, it is estimated that between 657 million and 676 million people will live in extreme poverty. We lament these figures and the ways such poverty disproportionately impacts women and girls. A commitment to human dignity means the Church stands in solidarity with the poor and the marginalised, and stands in witness against injustice as the poor and the marginalised.
Prejudice on the basis of gender or sexuality threatens human dignity. Given Anglican polity, and especially the autonomy of Provinces, there is disagreement and a plurality of views on the relationship between human dignity and human sexuality. Yet we experience the safeguarding of dignity in deepening dialogue. It is the mind of the Anglican Communion as a whole that “all baptised, believing and faithful persons, regardless of sexual orientation are full members of the Body of Christ” and to be welcomed, cared for, and treated with respect (1.10, 1998). Many Provinces continue to affirm that same-gender marriage is not permissible. Lambeth Resolution 1.10 (1998) states that the “legitimising or blessing of same sex unions” cannot be advised. Other Provinces have blessed and welcomed same-sex union/marriage after careful theological reflection and a process of reception. As Bishops we remain committed to listening and walking together to the maximum possible degree, despite our deep disagreement on these issues.
Calls
The scriptures witness to the inherent dignity and equality of all human beings because all are made in the image of God. In the great ethnic and cultural diversities of the Anglican Communion all are made in the image of God. All are equal. Indeed, it is God’s intent to curate the richness of the world’s cultures in the final and full revelation of God’s glorious redemption (Revelation 21.24). Therefore, the bishops gathered at the Lambeth Conference 2022 call on the Church to protect the dignity of all creation, cultures, and human beings.
We call the Communion to:
Support the establishment of an Archbishop’s Commission for Redemptive Action (ACRA).
This work will have, at least, four foci. First, the Archbishop of Canterbury should convene the ACRA as a group of theologians in the Communion, under the chairmanship of a majority-world theologian (we have in view here a leader from a community that experienced colonialism and slavery). The ACRA will study the reports and forensic accounting being produced by the Church Commissioners for England into the Church’s historic links to transatlantic chattel slavery.
Second, the ACRA will establish and publish holistic theologies of redemptive action and reparation, grounded in the great scriptural traditions of God’s redemption in Christ, and the Church’s call to the ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5.17-19). We call upon the Archbishop of Canterbury (as chair of the Church Commissioners’ Board of Governors) to ensure that this theology shapes the Church Commissioners’ response to the church’s links to colonialism and slavery.
Third, the ACRA, in consultation with the work of the Church Commissioners, will identify criteria, communities, and programmes that would serve a Communion-wide witness to redemptive action.
Fourth, the ACRA chairperson will present an initial plan of action to ACC-18. The ACRA will provide quarterly progress reports to the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Standing Committee of the Anglican Consultative Council.
Act for funded social protection measures across the Anglican Communion.
Such action will mean, where possible, lobbying governments for social protection measures. It will also mean the Anglican Communion acting for social protection.
First, in consultation with relevant sources and experts, at the next Primates meeting the Primates should explore together the meaning and implications of social protection in their contexts. The Primates will take the lead in witnessing to the life-changing potential of social protection schemes while equipping their bishops and dioceses to do the same in local contexts.
Second, because poverty is “a multifaceted problem that requires a multifaceted and integrated approach”, resources that are economic, political, social, environmental, institutional, and spiritual need to be mobilised. In a bid to deepen spiritual and imaginative approaches to the eradication of poverty, and especially youth poverty, we call the ACC to establish an Anglican Innovation Fund (AIF). This fund will disperse financial support for young people (18-30 years old) that establish projects or businesses that combat poverty through special attention to social protection. In reference to [the first call], this initiative may find ongoing funding as an outworking of the ACRA and the Church Commissioners response to the historic injustice of slavery.
Extend the work of the Anglican Communion Office to Promote Human Dignity with Attention to Sexuality as well as Gender. We call on the ACC (informed by relevant networks and departments of the ACO and informed by Lambeth 1998 Resolution I.10), to examine whether its work on gender justice should be expanded to promote provincial and inter-provincial vision and practices toward human dignity with attention not only to gender but also sexuality. The ACC should explore this possibility at the ACC-18 meeting in 2023. At ACC-19 provincial and inter-provincial reports should be received and further recommendations made.
‘Truth and unity must be held together’
IN opening remarks at the session at which the Call was discussed, Archbishop Welby said that people on both sides of the debate about sexuality were “vulnerable”, writes Pat Ashworth.
“For the large majority of the Anglican Communion the traditional understanding of marriage is something that is understood, accepted and without question, not only by Bishops but their entire Church, and the societies in which they live,” he said. “For them, to question this teaching is unthinkable, and in many countries would make the church a victim of derision, contempt and even attack. For many churches to change traditional teaching challenges their very existence.
“For a minority, we can say almost the same. They have not arrived lightly at their ideas that traditional teaching needs to change. They are not careless about scripture. They do not reject Christ. But they have come to a different view on sexuality after long prayer, deep study and reflection on understandings of human nature. For them, to question this different teaching is unthinkable, and in many countries is making the church a victim of derision, contempt and even attack. For these churches not to change traditional teaching challenges their very existence.
“So let us not treat each other lightly or carelessly. We are deeply divided. That will not end soon. We are called by Christ himself both to truth and unity.”
The Call did not attempt to change people’s minds, he emphasised.
“It states as a fact that the vast majority of Anglicans in the large majority of provinces and dioceses do not believe that a change in teaching is right. Therefore, it is the case that the whole of Lambeth 1.10 1998 still exists. This Call does not in any way question the validity of that resolution.
“The Call states that many Provinces — and I say again, I think we need to acknowledge it’s the majority — continue to affirm that same-gender marriage is not permissible. The Call also states that other provinces have blessed and welcomed same sex union or marriage, after careful theological reflection and a process of reception.”
As he had stated in a letter to bishops that day, he said: “There is no mention of sanctions, or exclusion, in 1.10 1998.”
Archbishop Welby concluded by saying that his “priority” was to be “a focus of unity”.
“Truth and unity must be held together, but church history also says that this sometimes takes a very long time to reach a point where different teaching is rejected or received. I neither have, nor do I seek, the authority to discipline or exclude a Church of the Anglican Communion. I will not do so. I may comment in public on occasions, but that is all. We are a Communion of Churches, not a single Church.”