Listening Process a
‘gift’ to the church
L
istening to the experiences of gay and lesbian
Christians may have been commonplace in some
dioceses and congregations for decades, but no official Anglican Communion-wide effort got underway
until just over three years ago.
A second phase of the process, called the Continuing
Indaba and Mutual Listening Project, now is launching with the help of a $1.5 million grant. It will allow
clergy and laity to share their experience of listening to From left, the Rev. Debbie Royals, the Rev. Canon Phil Groves, the Very Rev. Victor Attahomosexual Christians and offer the opportunity for Baffoe and the Rev. Ian Douglas discuss the Anglican Communion Listening Process during a
booksigning at the 76th General Convention in Anaheim, California.
Episcopalians to hear stories of mission in contexts far
removed from their own, says the Rev. Canon Phil Groves, who
of the world other mission issues come to the fore, such as war,
will facilitate the project. “The vision of the project is to make
extreme poverty, HIV/AIDS.
mutual responsibility a reality, hard though that may be.”
“We cannot say to the people of Burundi that listening to gay
The Anglican Communion Listening Process is essential to
people is more important than averting potential genocide. So
continuing “to open up conversations that we’ve really not had,”
when we come together we will want to respect the vulnerable
said Bishop John Chane of the Diocese of Washington. “Before
and engage in conversations where an issue is not forced on to
you can get into changing hearts and minds, you need to come
another church, but both share in the responsibility for mission
to the table for conversation. That’s the gift it can present to the
in the other’s context.”
church.”
The first steps, Groves said, will be to compile theological
Requests to listen to gay and lesbian Christians have been made
resources and identify dioceses “where there is going to be the
intermittently since the bishops at the 1978 Lambeth Conference
strength to speak out of conviction across differences and how we
recognized “the need for pastoral concern for those who are hoassist one another in mission.”
mosexual” and encouraged “dialogue with them.”
Calling the process a “biblical imperative,” Groves said he’d enBut not until 2005 did the Anglican Consultative Council
gage with indigenous theologians from Africa, America, Asia and
(ACC), the communion’s main policy-making body, call for “muthe Pacific in compiling resources. “In recent years some people
tual listening” and request that adequate resources be allocated so
in the communion have come to realize that the Western style
that “study, discussion and reflection” could commence “within
of combative democracy might not be the only way in which
each member church of the communion.”
conflict can be addressed,” he said. “Indigenous theologians need
Groves, a team vicar in England and a former missionary in
to be involved to ensure the Continuing Indaba project reflects
Tanzania, was appointed process facilitator in January 2006. He
their wisdom.”
attended General Convention in July to network with bishops,
During General Convention, Groves said that he had received
deputies and international visitors and to help them understand
“nothing but total enthusiasm” for the Listening Process “because
the process and what is involved in its next phase, supported by
we’re not determining an outcome, but we’re trying to engage
funding from the Satcher Health Leadership Institute in Atlanta.
people in talking to one another from a common basis for respect
The phase will run five “pilot conversations” around the comfor Scripture and the Christian tradition.”
munion, with each expected to involve three different dioceses.
Groves said he wouldn’t expect the pilot projects to commence
The conversations will center on mutual listening and sharing in
until 2010 and possibly 2011. “We need to make sure there’s
one another’s contexts, says Groves.
no manipulation and ensure that there’s confidence and a safe
“Mission contexts in places such as Niagara and San Francisco,
ground so that people can come knowing that they will be heard
as well as London and Edinburgh, demand that gay unions are
and listened to.”
part of the reality of life and they have to be addressed by the
—Matthew Davis is international correspondent for Episcopal
church there for mission to continue,” he said. “In other parts
News Service.
Photo/Matthew Davies
By Matthew Davies