The Communion’s big agenda must flow from the love of God and not omit the god-ward axis in Micah’s challenge to do justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly with God.
At the same time we should not underestimate the significance of developing our institutional life.
At a time when the hegemony of the Western World is giving way to a multi-polar world in which the cultures of Asia and Africa will rightly have an increasing voice it is time to develop our arrangements for conversation, cooperation and mutual accountability.
We should draw on the history and the thought of the whole Christian church in attempting to discern the fundamental principles which have shaped the Anglican engagement with God and neighbour thus far.
In this task we cannot do without the bishops who are not at this conference. Their absence is a real loss.
“the hegemony of the Western World ”
I do not like that phrase as it reduces all co-operation to the level of power. The West had moral authority at one time; its actions and purpose (mission) gave it that authority. Now, it has lost that authority but I am so glad that someone, somewhere in the world is able to pick it up.
“The hegemony of the Western World” is, and never was, any more important than the hegemony of the Soviet Union; merely the means to force.
Don