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The Continuing Indaba and Mutual Listening Project

Posted On : May 6, 2009 10:20 PM | Posted By : Webmaster
ACNS: http://www.aco.org/acns/news.cfm/2009/5/6/ACNS4610
Related Categories: ACC

During the past few years the Anglican Communion has been developing a
'Listening Process'. The root of the process was in response to the
request of the bishops attending the Lambeth Conference in 1998 in
Resolution 1.10 to establish "a means of monitoring the work done on the
subject of human sexuality in the Communion" and to honour the process
of mutual listening, including "listening to the experience of
homosexual persons" and the experience of local churches around the
world in reflecting on these matters in the light of Scripture,
Tradition and Reason. The Anglican Consultative Council meeting in
Nottingham (ACC 13) encouraged such listening in each Province and
requested the Secretary General to collect and make available these
resources for use in the Communion.

The Listening Process has been looking at the questions facing the
Communion and how to move from mutual listening to common purpose. This
is not the first time the Communion has faced such questions. The use of
Biblical models of confronting difference was suggested at ACC-3 in
Trinidad in 1976.

"Christian partnership did not then mean that the partners, although
united in their missionary goals, were always in accord on how they were
to carry out his mission - witness the disagreement between Peter and
Paul in Galatians 2. Rather they were asked to face each other, and the
roots of their disagreement and agreement, so openly that both could go
forward in mutual love and respect into further creative activity."

The Listening Process played an important role at the Lambeth Conference
last year. Indaba - a Zulu word for the process of decision making by
consensus common in many African cultures and with parallels in other
no-western societies - was the designated term for this process. The
continuation of Indaba, building on the success of the Lambeth
Conference signifies that the work is ongoing. In African understanding
Indaba is intended to include all interested parties,bishops clergy and
laity in the process. It also results in a common decision

Canon Phil Groves the facilitator for the listening process in
presenting a report to ACC-14 announced a new development in the
listening process named, The Continuing Indaba and Mutual Listening
Project.

> The Continuing Indaba Project will seek to:

*  Develop theological resources to inform the process of seeking a
common mind around the world reflecting on Scripture, the traditions of
the church in the context of diverse cultures. There will be an emphasis
on non-western cultures and to publish information in culturally
appropriate forms.
*  Develop and publish training for the convening and facilitation of an
Anglican Indaba process.
*  Run five pilot conversations across the communion, focusing on
mission issues and addressing the difficult questions related to
sexuality, the authority of Scripture, faithfulness to tradition and the
respect for the dignity of all. The hope will be that the result of the
conversations will be a depth of agreement and the clarification of
disagreement resulting in positive missional relationships.
*  Create evaluation groups to see if the process is faithful to the
Anglican way, valuable in enabling mutual mission and replicable across
the Communion.

Funding has been secured from the Satcher Health Leadership Institute at
the Morehouse School of Medicine, initially until the end of 2011, for a
project of Continuing Indaba. Canon Phil Groves at the ACO and Canon
Flora Winfield at Lambeth Palace will jointly direct the project.

The Satcher Health Leadership Institute uses a method of consensus to
assist leaders with divergent viewpoints in building agreements on
controversial issues related to health policy regarding sexual health.
The aim of this project is to adapt the consensus method, by drawing
upon biblical models, the traditions of the church and cultural methods
from across the Communion.

The money will be used to pay the salaries, employ consultants, fund the
movement of people, pay expenses and to publish materials in culturally
appropriate ways.

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