Lambeth Post-Mortem

This is a post-mortem in the sense that the Lambeth Conference for 2008 is most certainly over; fortunately, it is not a post-mortem in the sense that the Anglican Communion did not die.

In fact, the most curious thing about the Conference is that it is difficult to determine what was accomplished. No resolutions were passed. A summary statement of various reflections was published that was so amorphous that almost any point of view could find support in it. The Archbishop of Canterbury and the Presiding Bishop each published reports about how much listening and dialogue went on. Few nasty remarks were uttered outside the executive sessions of the bishops. Indeed, secrecy was the order of the day: the London Times religion correspondent was barred from a seminar on how always to be open to the press! No firm figures were even available for the cost of the conference for 600 bishops and spouses (and numerous advisers and experts), though it seems to have been well over $12,000,000, and there will have to be fund-raising to pay for unbudgeted expenses.

Of course, the Communion didn't die, and for that we may be grateful. Moreover, by the Grace of God, the bishops won't have to meet again for another ten years. --J. Douglas Ousley