Anglican Primates' Meeting - Briefing #4

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> Primates' Meeting - Briefing #4

Posted On : January 29, 2011 8:44 PM | Posted By : Webmaster
ACNS: http://www.aco.org/acns/news.cfm/2011/1/29/ACNS4683
Related Categories: ACO - Primates Meeting

> Day 5

Today's meeting moved from the work of reflecting on the exercise of
primacy and the purpose and nature of the Primates' Meeting, to
considering the role, purpose and composition of the Standing Committee
of the Primates. In addition to attending the Anglican Consultative
Council (ACC) and the Standing Committee, other roles suggested for the
committee by Primates included "holding" the life, vision and spirit of
the meeting between the Primates' Meetings; helping to shape their
future meetings; and acting as a consultative group for the Archbishop
of Canterbury. Several groups also suggested that the Primates' Standing
Committee might have an ongoing bridging role between the Primate's
Meeting and the regions from where the Primates come.

The second session comprised three moving presentations on the issue of
gender-based violence. The Primates responded to each report with a
moment of silent reflection and prayer. Archbishop Bernard - presenting
a report that Archbishop Henry Isingoma (Province de L'Eglise anglicane
du Congo) had hoped to give - explained how rape and sexual abuse was
being used as a weapon of conflict and terror in the Democratic Republic
of Congo and across the Great Lakes Region. This, he said, was
devastating individuals and communities. Among the work churches are
undertaking to respond to such violence is to assist women who have been
assaulted to reach health centres as soon as possible and to reintegrate
into their communities by empowering them through education and
micro-finance projects.

Archbishop Barry Morgan (Wales) then shared shocking statistics about
the scale of gender-based violence in the United Kingdom. He told the
meeting that there were one million female victims of domestic abuse
reported last year, with 300,000 sexually assaulted and 60,000 raped
each year. He explained that a conservative estimate of women trafficked
into the United Kingdom was 5,000 a year. He said that gender-based
violence was deeply engrained in societies and even in some faith
traditions. Archbishop Barry concluded by saying that the churches in
the United Kingdom and Ireland needed to work together to address
violence against women and girls in a better way.

The Revd Terrie Robinson, Anglican Communion Networks Co-ordinator and
Women's Desk Officer, explained the ways in which some of the Networks,
including the International Anglican Family Network, the International
Anglican Women's Network and the Anglican Indigenous Network, and other
groups of the Anglican Communion had already raised the urgency of
working against gender-based violence. She said Primates' Meetings had
not yet spoken on the issue, and suggested that this meeting consider
committing themselves to speaking and acting in solidarity with those
leading the elimination of such violence at the grassroots in the
Communion. She proposed that they might also ensure appropriate training
for clergy and lay people, and promote existing or commission new
theological and other resources on the issue of gender-based violence.

The rest of the day was spent by Primates working in small drafting
groups preparing documents on a range of issues of international
concern.

A final press conference will be held tomorrow (Sunday) afternoon and a
podcast of the conference will be placed on the website tomorrow
evening.

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