Sustaining common life in the Anglican Communion
A demanding aspect of the Archbishop's role as focus of unity is his capacity to encourage conversation and resolution where there is disagreement between different parts of the Communion. A central feature of this is currently the deep-rooted dispute over human sexuality and the appropriate limits of diversity within the Anglican Communion. This controversial area and its outworking through the 2004 Windsor Report have been very much to the fore over recent years. With a view to strengthening the ways in which the Communion's member churches relate to each other, the Archbishop has given strong support to the proposal (emerging from the Windsor Report) for an Anglican Covenant. After much work and consideration across the Anglican Communion, the Anglican Consultative Council has now finalized the text and offered the Covenant for adoption to the member churches.
Alongside this, the Archbishop supports the Continuing Indaba project, a biblically-based and mission-focused project designed to develop and intensify relationships within the Anglican Communion by drawing on cultural models of consensus building for mutual creative action. For more information on Continuing Indaba, see here.
Recent items relating to Anglican Covenant, Windsor Process and Continuing Indaba are shown below:
December 2007
The Archbishop's Advent Letter to Primates, 2007
14 December 2007
Letter sent to Primates of the Anglican Communion & Moderators of the United Churches, 14 December 2007.
September 2007
Bishop of Uyo, Nigeria - briefing note from Lambeth Palace
20 September 2007
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has spoken of his relief at receiving assurances over…
June 2007
Time Magazine Interview
18 June 2007
The Archbishop of Canterbury is on the front cover of the European and African editions of Time Magazine.…
March 2007
Church Must Be Safe Place for Gay and Lesbian People
28 March 2007
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has said that the churches of the Anglican Communion…
Anglican Communion Challenges Require 'Generosity and Patience' - Archbishop's Letter to Primates
5 March 2007
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has said that generosity and patience will be required…
February 2007
Why the Anglican Communion Matters
23 February 2007
The following article appeared in the Daily Telegraph on Friday 23rd February, 2007. It followed on from…
Final Press Conference at Tanzania Primates' Meeting
20 February 2007
The Archbishop of Canterbury made the following remarks at a press conference at the close of the Anglican…
January 2007
Archbishop announces Covenant Design Group members
7 January 2007
The Archbishop of Canterbury today announced the members of the Covenant Design Group that he has appointed…
December 2006
Cautious Welcome for TEC Proposals
1 December 2006
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has given a cautious welcome to proposals outlined by…
September 2006
Prayers for the 'Ordinary People of God' as Covenant Plans Progress: Letter to Primates and Presiding Bishops
15 September 2006
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has spoken today of his prayers for ordinary churchgoers…