Queen Elizabeth penned a letter to the bishops attending the 15th Lambeth Conference in which she highlighted the “great need of God” following the COVID-19 pandemic.
The conference was supposed to take place in 2020 but has been postponed to 2022 because of the pandemic. The Lambeth Conference is a once-a-decade gathering of Anglican bishops from around the world to discuss issues from across the 46-church communion; more than 650 bishops from 165 countries attended the 2022 gathering. The original date in 2020 would have represented the completion of 100 years of the gathering of Anglican bishops after the First World War in order to handle issues relating to unity and peace, which the Queen says are “”perhaps even more important today.”
The letter also addresses environmental issues, which further highlights the Queen’s role as a passionate environmentalist. Premier Christian News reports:
As the head of the Church of England, the Queen has sent a message to those attending the Lambeth Conference, reminding bishops of the “great need of God – in love and deed” following the pandemic.
The 15th Lambeth Conference was originally due to be held in 2020, but was pushed back by two years due to the emergence of the coronavirus and the various lockdowns.
The original date would have marked 100 years since the Anglican bishops gathered at the end of the First World War, to tackle issues of peace and unity – issues, Her Majesty states, that are “perhaps even more important today.”The monarch has chosen to release her open letter today as issues surrounding climate change are top of the agenda. Her Majesty is a proud environmentalist; the passion is echoed by the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Cambridge.
The Queen’s letter says:
“It is with great pleasure that I send my warm greetings as you continue your meeting in the fifteenth Lambeth Conference.
“As we all emerge from the pandemic, I know that the Conference is taking place at a time of great need for the love of God – both in word and deed.
“I am reminded that this gathering was necessarily postponed two years ago, when you had hoped to mark the centenary of the Lambeth Conference that took place in 1920, in the aftermath of the First World War.
“Then, the bishops of the Anglican Communion set out a path for an ongoing commitment towards Christian unity in a changing world; a task that is, perhaps, even more important today, as together you look to the future and explore the role of the church in responding to the needs of the present age.
“Now, as so often in the past, you have convened during a period of immense challenge for bishops, clergy and lay people around the world, with many of you serving in places of suffering, conflict and trauma.
“It is of comfort to me that you do so in the strength of God.
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