"Anglicans from around the Communion took part in a 12-day pilgrimage to the Holy Land in June [2017], with the theme of 'walking together'. Five primates as well as the Anglican Communion Secretary General, Archbishop Josiah Idowu-Fearon, accompanied the pilgrims. Among the highlights of the tour were visits to Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Nazareth, Capernaum and the Sea of Gallilee. Archbishop Josiah shares his thoughts on the pilgrimage -- and below, there is a reflection from first-time pilgrim Alice Wu from Hong Kong" (p. 20).
From Archbishop Josiah: "The Sunday morning visit in the company of Primate Suhail [sic i.e. Suheil] Dawani to the Temple Mount/al Aqsa Mosque was also very moving for me. That visit was a showcase of the deep and friendly relationship between the Jewish, Christian and Muslim communities in the Holy Land. We had the minister responsible for this holy place accompany us all through and unlike the tourists, we had a guided tour of both mosques. I was so moved that I spent a significant time praying for these three religious communities and our Communion for reconciliation with respect for differences" (p. 20-21).
From Alice Wu: "The experience of standing on Holy ground -- each and every one of those sites on the itinerary -- was overwhelming" (p. 22). "At the holiest of sites, I felt awestruck by both the close proximity to the Divine and how far we are from being true pilgrims. The shoving, pushing, and invasion of space at The Church of the Holy Sepulchre made me realise how easily we, whether we are pilgrims on the Holy Land, or more importantly, lifelong pilgrims following Christ's footsteps in our lives and in our communities, fall into the trap of monopolising God, and in the process, push, ostracise, reject and hurt those travelling on the same path" (p. 22).
At head of cover title: Anglican Consultative Council X, Panama City".
"Published for the Anglican Communion by Morehouse Publishing".
"This report captures the essence of the multi-faceted, multicultural Anglican Communion through the sermons, hearings, reports, and resolutions from the 10th Meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council held in Panama City in October 1996. There the Council wrestled with the key issues that must be addressed by the Anglican Communion as it faces the challenges of mission, human sexuality, fundamentalism, Islam, crises, morality, evangelism, liturgy, ecumenical relations, and structure in the twenty-first century. Includes the complete text of 'The Virginia Report' on church structure, 'The Dublin Report' on liturgy, and an address by the Archbishop of Canterbury that discusses the possibility of an Anglican Congress in the near future and the topics set for the 1998 Lambeth Conference". -- back cover.
Contains NO index although listed in Table of Contents.
Contents: Acknowledgements -- Member Churches of the Anglican Consultative Council -- Preface / Richard Harries -- Introduction / James M. Rosenthal -- Sermons and Addresses -- Sermon at the Opening Eucharist / Samir Kafity -- "Looking to the Future": Presidential Address / George Carey -- Opening Remarks / Colin Craston -- Opening Remarks / Simon Chiwanga -- Address / John L. Peterson -- Sermon at the Gimnasio Nuevo / George Carey -- Sermon at the Closing Eucharist / Colin Craston -- The Hearings -- On Plans for the Millennium in Bethlehem / John L. Peterson -- On Jerusalem / Samir Kafity -- On Human Sexuality / Richard Harries -- On Islam / Alexander Malik -- The Reports -- Address on The Virginia Report / Robin Eames -- On Mission: The First Report from Missio / Roger Chung Po Chuen -- On Mission: Report on the Mid-Point of the Decade of Evangelism / Cyril Okorocha -- On Guidelines for Membership by New Provinces / John Rees -- On Liturgy / Paul Gibson -- On Ecumenical Affairs / Donald Anderson -- On Communications / James Rosenthal -- On the United Nations / James Ottley -- On Rwanda / David Birney -- Section Reports -- Section 1: Looking to the Future in Worship -- Section 2: Looking to the Future in Ministry -- Section 3: Looking to the Future in Relating to Society -- Section 4: Looking to the Future in Communicating Our Belief in God -- The Resolutions of the Conference -- General Business -- Officers and members of the ACC Participants and Staff at ACC-10 -- Budget for the ACC -- Appendices -- The Virginia Report -- Renewing the Anglican Eucharist: The Dublin Report -- Statement of the Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem November 1994 -- The Porvoo Declaration -- WCC Petition on Climate Change -- A Final Thought / The Editors..
The author, primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, describes a recent visit to Jerusalem and walking the Way of the Cross which culminates with a brief time at Station XIV -- the empty tomb in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. "In that tomb, I have been reminded that death had no dominion over Christ, and that in him we have the sure hope of a resurrection to eternal life". "I am delighted that, by resolution of the General Synod in 2013, our church has designated the Seventh Sunday of Easter (June 1, this year [2014]) as Jerusalem Sunday". "Indeed, while Canterbury is the cherished see of our unity in the spirit and tradition we call Anglican, Jerusalem is truly the mother of all who call themselves Christian, indeed all who call themselves Jew and Muslim. As Bishop Suheil Dawani of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem has said, 'There is room for everyone in Jerusalem'."
Image showing large sculpture of Jesus' first fall on the Way of the Cross at top of page with inset paragraph below and text: "Jesus Falls. Tradition says the condemned Jesus fell three times on Jerusalem's Via Dolorosa as, flogged, he carried his cross along the 'Way of Suffering' to his crucifixion. Some link Jesus' falling to humankind's fall with Adam and Eve. The above depicts Jesus' first fall on the path from Jerusalem to Calvary. A feature in our May [2014] issue will highlight the holy city of Jerusalem". [Text of entire article.]
The tenth meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council took as its theme "Witnessing as Anglicans in the Third Millennium". The work of the Council [was looking] to the future in worship, looking to the future in Ministry, looking to the future in communicating our beliefs.
In his remarks, the Secretary General John Peterson, announced two new programmes for the Communion: 1) the Anglican Investment Agency, a unit trust mutual fund which would allow Anglicans to make ethical investments; and 2) the Anglican Communion Friends Programme, which would encourage support from individuals and congregations.
The meeting examined a draft version of provocative "The Virginia Report", produced by the Inter Anglican Theological and Doctrinal Commission, which "calls for major changes in communion operations and looks at new ways for the Church to work as it faces the future. Archbishop predicted that the 1998 Lambeth Conference would be a defining moment in Anglicanism and urged a greater voice for the laity.
The Council also voted to participate in the Bethlehem 2000 Project. "The churches involvement would help alleviate the problem that many tourists and pilgrims come to Bethlehem, Jerusalem and Nazareth and never meet the indigenous Christian population."
Bishop Simon Chiwanga, Bishop of Mpwapwa, Tanzania, was elected Chairman of the Council, and Bishop John Paterson, of Auckland, New Zealand, was elected Vice Chairman.
Council also heard a report on homosexuality from Bishop Richard Harries, of Oxford, who reviewed the debates on the subject throughout the Communion.
The Bishop of Lahore, the Rt. Rev. Alexander Malik, of the Church of Pakistan, chaired the hearing on Islam.
The Council also passed a resolution which declared vacant the sees in Rwanda whose bishops had fled the country and refused to return even after repeated visits from officials including Bishop David Birney, the Archbishop of Canterbury's special envoy. The Anglican Church of Canada was thanked for the help they provided in response to the crisis.
Bishop Samir Kafity called for the Council to "work for peace and reconciliation as Christians and Moslems seek their rightful place in Jerusalem, the Holy City, sacred to Christians and Moslems as well as the Jews".
The Council passed fewer resolutions than usual but these included the call for a Anglican Congress, perhaps in 2001, as a major celebration of our Anglican heritage and also affirmed the observance of 1997 as "The Year of Uprooted Peoples" and the work of the Anglican Refugee Network.
Description of the author's attendance at the Pentecost service held in the Anglican St. George's Cathedral, Jerusalem, which is regularly attended by Anglicans from all over the Communion, many of them taking courses at St. George's College.