The Archbishop\u00a0of Canterbury has announced that the next Lambeth Conference will be in the summer of 2022, following the postponement of this year\u2019s scheduled event because of the coronavirus epidemic and global restrictions on travel and mass gatherings.<\/p>\n
When postponement of this year\u2019s gathering in Canterbury was announced in March, it was expected that the event would be rescheduled for the summer of 2021. That timetable has been revised by putting the conference back by a further 12 months.<\/p>\n
This decision follows extensive consultation with various parties including\u00a0the Anglican Primates.<\/p>\n
The Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church was part of that consultation and supports this decision.<\/p>\n
Bishop Mark Strange said today: \u201cThe conference should only take place when we are confident that the majority of Provinces will be able to attend.”<\/p>\n
Announcing the decision today, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, who is convener of the Conference, said: \u201cAs with most large-scale events and conferences of this nature, planning in such an unstable climate is difficult. As an international gathering there are a significant number of uncertainties that make preparations for a 2021 meeting challenging.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhilst some lock down measures are starting to ease in some countries, social distancing measures, travel restrictions and quarantine measures could impede logistics and delegates\u2019 travel planning for the foreseeable future.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are also the risks of a potential second wave of the virus and the reality that there are different phases in how the pandemic is spreading around the world \u2013 with no vaccine yet available that is something we have to take very seriously. The safety and health of conference delegates is of utmost priority.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Archbishop also indicated that there\u00a0will be opportunities\u00a0for conversations and debates to take place digitally\u00a0in the lead up to the Conference.\u00a0Bishop Mark supported that plan, saying: \u201cThe Scottish Episcopal Church will fully participate\u00a0in the preliminary\u00a0work of the bishops, just as we will enter into the life\u00a0of the conference itself.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Lambeth Conference invites bishops from over 165 countries. The decennial meeting of bishops from all parts of the Anglican Communion was last held in 2008, and this year\u2019s hosting had already been delayed by two years in a bid to maximise attendance.<\/p>\n
All six members of the College of Bishops had been expected to represent the Scottish Episcopal Church at this year\u2019s conference, which was expected to the biggest gathering in the event\u2019s 153-year history.<\/p>\n