A Message from the St Augustine's Seminar, 2006 - Lambeth Conference Press Release No. 4

As agreed by the Seminar on Friday 10 November at Lambeth Palace, London:

At the invitation of the Archbishop of Canterbury and in the context of prayer and worship, we, the members of the St Augustine's Seminar gathered to prepare an agenda for consideration by the Design Group of the Lambeth Conference. We met in a spirit of openness where the views and opinions of each participant could be sympathetically heard.

In addressing the seminar, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Revd and Rt Hon Rowan Williams, expressed his hope that the Lambeth Conference would lead to a recovery of structural self confidence in the Anglican Communion to make it a more effective agent of God's mission.

We see the Lambeth Conference 2008 as a great opportunity where bishops of the Anglican Communion gather to celebrate their fellowship in Jesus Christ. We see it as an occasion when the bishops can listen to and discuss the challenges that are facing the Communion. By respectfully listening to each other in the spirit of reconciling love, bishops will be enabled to address controversial issues.

We pray that through the open sharing of their experiences and concerns, the bishops will return to their dioceses better informed and equipped for their role as leaders of the Church for God's mission to the world, and with a clearer understanding of the Communion today. the rest