Bishop Peter [Price]’s subject was The Church of England: the next 25 years in the context of the Anglican Communion, the world wide Church and other faiths.
He said: “As we look ahead into the next 25 years most of what will happen to us will be formed by things that are external to the church. The crises that will face humanity in 2034 for example are already in embryo with us now.”
He referred to the predicted demise of fossil fuels, a population explosion among the world’s poorest people, water shortage brought about by climate change, increased nationalism and the risk of germ and nuclear warfare that could kill millions of people.
Bishop Peter said: “How religions respond with openness, respect and a common concern for humanity and the planet, will in many ways be the key to whether they will have any part to play in a world that has all too often learned to do without them.