Jean Mayland
Jean is pictured here at the MCU stall at the Lambeth Conference
This is how I would describe the state of the Anglican Communion in the light of the summary of the Archbishop of Canterbury’s final address and the extracts from the final reflections given in the Church Times of 8 August. The Church Times also gave some space to the blogs of some bishops and the spoken views of others. On the whole they reported favourably on the Conference although some expressed the view that they did not really know exactly what had been decided.
How did it all feel from the point of view of MCU? It was MCU’s first experience of being at Lambeth with a stall and a fringe event. For me personally this was the third Lambeth conference, which I had attended in one capacity or another. The greatest difference was the lack of openness and the security. The press were not allowed to go to worship or plenaries, which is most unusual at international gatherings. We had to go to endless trouble to obtain passes. These were deemed essential for safety but when we arrived and not all were ready we were told that we did not really need them and they were too expensive to do more as they cost £4 each! I stood my ground and insisted we had them. People actually needed them if they wished to eat in the one restaurant where we were allowed to go. I am convinced that the passes had nothing at all to do with Islamic terrorists but were aimed at keeping gay people, women and yes- liberal theologians away from bishops!
There were lively fringe events and presentations but sadly few bishops came. Last time I remember fringe events of all kinds being full. We had been warned by security that we could not go to each others events and had even obliged to supply lists of approved helpers with the official passes. In the event no one checked up on us and we all went to each other’s events and enjoyed them and learnt a lot. It is a great pity the bishops did not do the same. We did rather better at the MCU event than did many others. We had over 60 people present and quite a number of bishops. We were well supported by Wales and Scotland. John Saxbee, our President made a good speech and there was some interesting conversation.
In the ‘Church Times’ the Bishop of Winchester complained about ‘well funded lobby groups.’ I had part in 3 of the stalls within the Inclusive Church grouping- WATCH, Changing Attitude and Modern Churchperson's Union. For 6-7 hours day for weeks before the Conference I sat at my computer contacting volunteers, working out rotas, planning fringe events and dealing with security issues. I am 72. I did so because I care about those on edge and open Anglican theology.
The groups had their centre not in luxury but in a church hall rented for the purpose where media work was carried out, meetings held and evening meals cooked by volunteers. As these were eaten at 6.30 I could never participate as the stalls did not close until 7pm and then we had to cash up. I then drove to Canterbury's other university and put my Sainsbury's ready meal in the oven- something I never do at home! I shared the kitchen with Chinese language students, music students and a Sudanese Moslem woman who had come to make sure her son worked for his finals! Other volunteers shared student houses, made their own sandwiches and avoided the expensive food on campus. People gave up holidays and paid their own expenses. One set of volunteers worked late into the night to prepare the give away paper 'Lambeth Witness' and another and another set got up early to try to distribute it in the face of every possible obstacle put in our path. Jonathan Clatworthy had some excellent articles and reflections in a number of editions.
The ‘market place’ was housed partly in a sports hall and partly in a kind of egg box like tent attached to it. We were in that bit which was very humid and hot .As the hot humid atmosphere in the market place rose so the camaraderie increased and gay people chatted with hard line groups who wanted to 'heal' them. The most popular stall in the whole place was that of 'The Episcopal Church' (TEC) who gave away hundreds of free fans!
Sometimes the ‘market place’ was quiet and we could walk around and visit other stalls and go into the posher cool bit to refresh ourselves. Then bishops and spouses would swarm in and we would try to accost them and speak with them. Our ploy was to invite them to our reception and then try to engage them in conversation. With the invitation we gave them one of our fliers. We soon found that the one headed liberal theology seemed to terrify many of them and so we changed and gave away the one about interpreting the Bible today! Jonathan also went ‘visiting’ some of the other stallholders and had useful conversations with them. Towards the end of the first week we were glad to welcome representatives of the Student Christian Movement to help on our stall and sell some of their literature and badges. They certainly brought down our average age and gave us renewed hope for the future of liberal theology. Another welcome assistant was a schoolboy from Canterbury who spent hours helping on our stall and was a tower of strength. Near the end of the fortnight, when our energy was flagging, Richard Truss et al turned up with new ideas for the stall and Elizabeth and Richard Darlington came with new energy and a new technique once the ‘Reception’ was over.
We soon stopped trying to sell our booklets and gave them away. We had pictures of our recent conference, which Joan Dorrell brought and ‘print offs’ from some of the talks, which John Plant had produced. These proved very popular. Clare Nicholson and Stephen Cox were our stalwarts at photocopying them. Jonathan did not sell as many of his books as he hoped but in the face of all the competition he did really well. The ‘Times’ reported that only one of the Archbishop of Canterbury’s books sold while Gene Robinson sold 50. Jonathan sold 14 and gave 2 away- one to the press and one to a person who had been so helpful with accommodation.
From our viewpoint the bishops talked in secret little groups in their ‘big top’ surrounded by a ring of police and only emerged once to go to London to tell society how wicked it was not to do more about the debt. Many of us had worked in or visited Africa and experienced the poverty. We do all we can to press for justice and support the aid agencies but we also know about violence against women in Africa and the persecution of gay people. They are the real victims and scapegoats in this whole process.
Now we can read the results of Lambeth – in my case with great depression. We are told the Communion held together (for the moment at least) but it is not going anywhere. There are no plans or processes to facilitate moving forward together but in different ways according to our culture and mission. There is the threat of a covenant, which is a thoroughly un-Anglican concept, and a promise of a moratorium on gay blessings and consecrations but no mention of a time limit. We are threatened with a Communion based on fundamentalist interpretations of scripture to please the Africans and a hierarchical system of control to please the Roman Catholics. We want neither for neither are Anglican. It seems to me that a vital role for the MCU is to continue to keep an eye on the Covenant process and maintain steady flow of good theologically based critical comment.
Many people in our parishes are blissfully ignorant of all this and just go on in their own sweet way. Others are deeply disturbed. Just to mention two e-mails I have received since I came home. The first was from someone with whom I used to work at CTBI -'I thought of you a lot during Lambeth. There was one Sunday morning that I listened to Sunday programme, then just couldn’t go to the C of E church, bishop and all for confirmation. I feel more and more at home with the Quakers, but if I become a Quaker, I really don’t want it to be because I’m taking refuge from the Anglicans! '
Another person wrote, 'As a gay and partnered Anglican looking to a civil partnership and blessing next year and as a man wanting to exercise gifts and training in LLM, I am nearly exploding with frustration as nothing seems to have moved forward, in fact I feel that things are more entrenched if anything... I know you have been there and still journeying with women's ministry issues, how do you do it and still remain faithful to a church, which does not seem to want to know?
The answer lies in developing a spirituality for a long haul and getting practised at lifting oneself up from blow after blow.
At the beginning of the Conference, Gene Robinson and some other American Bishops, who had panted up the hill carrying their robes after a two hour marathon in the Cathedral, joined us in a Eucharist in field outside the city walls by a simple wooden cross. In a very real way Christ was there. We trust that in the struggles ahead God will be with us and all who suffer on the fringes.
How did it all feel from the point of view of MCU? It was MCU’s first experience of being at Lambeth with a stall and a fringe event. For me personally this was the third Lambeth conference, which I had attended in one capacity or another. The greatest difference was the lack of openness and the security. The press were not allowed to go to worship or plenaries, which is most unusual at international gatherings. We had to go to endless trouble to obtain passes. These were deemed essential for safety but when we arrived and not all were ready we were told that we did not really need them and they were too expensive to do more as they cost £4 each! I stood my ground and insisted we had them. People actually needed them if they wished to eat in the one restaurant where we were allowed to go. I am convinced that the passes had nothing at all to do with Islamic terrorists but were aimed at keeping gay people, women and yes- liberal theologians away from bishops!
There were lively fringe events and presentations but sadly few bishops came. Last time I remember fringe events of all kinds being full. We had been warned by security that we could not go to each others events and had even obliged to supply lists of approved helpers with the official passes. In the event no one checked up on us and we all went to each other’s events and enjoyed them and learnt a lot. It is a great pity the bishops did not do the same. We did rather better at the MCU event than did many others. We had over 60 people present and quite a number of bishops. We were well supported by Wales and Scotland. John Saxbee, our President made a good speech and there was some interesting conversation.
In the ‘Church Times’ the Bishop of Winchester complained about ‘well funded lobby groups.’ I had part in 3 of the stalls within the Inclusive Church grouping- WATCH, Changing Attitude and Modern Churchperson's Union. For 6-7 hours day for weeks before the Conference I sat at my computer contacting volunteers, working out rotas, planning fringe events and dealing with security issues. I am 72. I did so because I care about those on edge and open Anglican theology.
The groups had their centre not in luxury but in a church hall rented for the purpose where media work was carried out, meetings held and evening meals cooked by volunteers. As these were eaten at 6.30 I could never participate as the stalls did not close until 7pm and then we had to cash up. I then drove to Canterbury's other university and put my Sainsbury's ready meal in the oven- something I never do at home! I shared the kitchen with Chinese language students, music students and a Sudanese Moslem woman who had come to make sure her son worked for his finals! Other volunteers shared student houses, made their own sandwiches and avoided the expensive food on campus. People gave up holidays and paid their own expenses. One set of volunteers worked late into the night to prepare the give away paper 'Lambeth Witness' and another and another set got up early to try to distribute it in the face of every possible obstacle put in our path. Jonathan Clatworthy had some excellent articles and reflections in a number of editions.
The ‘market place’ was housed partly in a sports hall and partly in a kind of egg box like tent attached to it. We were in that bit which was very humid and hot .As the hot humid atmosphere in the market place rose so the camaraderie increased and gay people chatted with hard line groups who wanted to 'heal' them. The most popular stall in the whole place was that of 'The Episcopal Church' (TEC) who gave away hundreds of free fans!
Sometimes the ‘market place’ was quiet and we could walk around and visit other stalls and go into the posher cool bit to refresh ourselves. Then bishops and spouses would swarm in and we would try to accost them and speak with them. Our ploy was to invite them to our reception and then try to engage them in conversation. With the invitation we gave them one of our fliers. We soon found that the one headed liberal theology seemed to terrify many of them and so we changed and gave away the one about interpreting the Bible today! Jonathan also went ‘visiting’ some of the other stallholders and had useful conversations with them. Towards the end of the first week we were glad to welcome representatives of the Student Christian Movement to help on our stall and sell some of their literature and badges. They certainly brought down our average age and gave us renewed hope for the future of liberal theology. Another welcome assistant was a schoolboy from Canterbury who spent hours helping on our stall and was a tower of strength. Near the end of the fortnight, when our energy was flagging, Richard Truss et al turned up with new ideas for the stall and Elizabeth and Richard Darlington came with new energy and a new technique once the ‘Reception’ was over.
We soon stopped trying to sell our booklets and gave them away. We had pictures of our recent conference, which Joan Dorrell brought and ‘print offs’ from some of the talks, which John Plant had produced. These proved very popular. Clare Nicholson and Stephen Cox were our stalwarts at photocopying them. Jonathan did not sell as many of his books as he hoped but in the face of all the competition he did really well. The ‘Times’ reported that only one of the Archbishop of Canterbury’s books sold while Gene Robinson sold 50. Jonathan sold 14 and gave 2 away- one to the press and one to a person who had been so helpful with accommodation.
From our viewpoint the bishops talked in secret little groups in their ‘big top’ surrounded by a ring of police and only emerged once to go to London to tell society how wicked it was not to do more about the debt. Many of us had worked in or visited Africa and experienced the poverty. We do all we can to press for justice and support the aid agencies but we also know about violence against women in Africa and the persecution of gay people. They are the real victims and scapegoats in this whole process.
Now we can read the results of Lambeth – in my case with great depression. We are told the Communion held together (for the moment at least) but it is not going anywhere. There are no plans or processes to facilitate moving forward together but in different ways according to our culture and mission. There is the threat of a covenant, which is a thoroughly un-Anglican concept, and a promise of a moratorium on gay blessings and consecrations but no mention of a time limit. We are threatened with a Communion based on fundamentalist interpretations of scripture to please the Africans and a hierarchical system of control to please the Roman Catholics. We want neither for neither are Anglican. It seems to me that a vital role for the MCU is to continue to keep an eye on the Covenant process and maintain steady flow of good theologically based critical comment.
Many people in our parishes are blissfully ignorant of all this and just go on in their own sweet way. Others are deeply disturbed. Just to mention two e-mails I have received since I came home. The first was from someone with whom I used to work at CTBI -'I thought of you a lot during Lambeth. There was one Sunday morning that I listened to Sunday programme, then just couldn’t go to the C of E church, bishop and all for confirmation. I feel more and more at home with the Quakers, but if I become a Quaker, I really don’t want it to be because I’m taking refuge from the Anglicans! '
Another person wrote, 'As a gay and partnered Anglican looking to a civil partnership and blessing next year and as a man wanting to exercise gifts and training in LLM, I am nearly exploding with frustration as nothing seems to have moved forward, in fact I feel that things are more entrenched if anything... I know you have been there and still journeying with women's ministry issues, how do you do it and still remain faithful to a church, which does not seem to want to know?
The answer lies in developing a spirituality for a long haul and getting practised at lifting oneself up from blow after blow.
At the beginning of the Conference, Gene Robinson and some other American Bishops, who had panted up the hill carrying their robes after a two hour marathon in the Cathedral, joined us in a Eucharist in field outside the city walls by a simple wooden cross. In a very real way Christ was there. We trust that in the struggles ahead God will be with us and all who suffer on the fringes.
5 comments:
This is a very good piece of writing that gives a real insight into the Lambeth event - of bishops shut away and no one else really matters and of decisions to change Anglicanism into something else. It is well worth taking the whole of this entry into other arenas for reading. I will do a link myself. It gives a real flavour of the event.
I too shall link to this post, as it's a very clear analysis of what was going on at Lambeth from the lay point of view. I'm an American, member of TEC from a liberal diocese, but I'm currently vacationing in England.
Last Sunday I attended services at an inclusive parish in London and was cheered to see how "un-thing" everyone was about the post-Lambeth period. They welcomed everyone, showed a whole spectrum of different faces in the pews, and simply got on with the business of being and doing church.
In my own little mission parish, we get on with it too - with several gay families, let alone couples and singles. But then, we're known as "the gay church" locally. I'll send a link to this post to several of my fellow members, who will no doubt enjoy it.
Jean,
You probably won't remember me - or if you do, not necessarily with much pleasure. But I remember you and your estimable husband Ralph, when he was priest in charge at Brancepeth.
Anyway, I applaud your fiestiness and defiance. Many C of E people do.
All best,
John Moles.
Thank you Jean. I wish your comments could be read more widely to coutner the 'spin'
My response was to join the MCU and to steel myself for the coming months of witness. Una.
Jean, it was wonderful to get to meet you at Lambeth. I especially appreciate your point about needing to develop a spirituality spurring us on and holding us up for the long haul.
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