After an
intense, busy but fascinating few days in Argentina, I've finally found space
to write my first blog update, so here goes.
After
recovering from the 13 hour flight we spent the first full day learning about
the history of Argentina, the present financial and political climate, and the
Anglican Church. There will be much to
share about the political and financial situation and its impact on daily life
when I return. Suffice to say there's much anxiety and fear about levels of
crime and violence. But the people of
Argentina are resilient and optimistic and I experienced that in the people I
have met.
90% of
population still have some vestiges of faith, enough not to abandon it.
The
dominant church is RC and this impacts enormously on how society thinks and
disables other churches in their mission and evangelism including Anglicans.
The Anglican Church in Argentina is asking serious questions about how it
engages with a changing context and culture and there are many similarities
with the issues we face in Sheffield.
They're focusing on mission shaped church, being salt and light to the
community and a Holy Spirit filled people of God. I'll be speaking about this at their Synod
next Sunday.
Anglicanism
is two centuries old and respected. For a long time Anglicanism meant
British. It developed in the first
instance as a chaplaincy to those who came to work in Argentina particularly on
the railways. Although some churches
reflect a more traditional model of Anglicanism, they have over the past thirty
years become more Spanish speaking, and the services more reflective of their
culture. There's still great respect for
the British and for the Diocesan Link.
As we
address pastoral re-organization in the diocese and the need for parishes to
work together more fully across traditions and cultures, we might be mindful of
the example of the church in Argentina.
On Saturday I made a ninety minute flight from Buenos Aires to Mendoza
accompanied by Hernan, the parish priest of Belgrano. Hernan makes this trip every month to be with
the local congregation, to lead them in worship and study and work with the lay
ministers who lead the church in the intervening weeks. I heard stories of other clergy making long
journeys to support mission in other parts of the country, released and
supported by their own congregations in the belief and conviction that it's
important to grow the church and make disciples everywhere. I witnessed Christians traveling many miles
to worship, unfazed by distance and time because worshipping God is more
important than the often self imposed boundaries we make for ourselves. The church and clergy appear to work well
together across boundaries and traditions though there are latent tensions and challenges to be addressed.
On Saturday
and Sunday Mike Reeder, Jane and myself were given a very warm welcome by the
local congregation in Mendoza. I spoke to them about how to develop ministry
and mission in a pluralist society and many found this challenging. Mike spoke about his role in hospice
chaplaincy which was powerful and moving.
On Sunday we shared in worship and after my sermon Mike and I prayed for
healing with individuals. We have been
involved in a number of pastoral situations and have learnt a little about some
social outreach projects such as that addressing the needs of the wives and
families of prisoners in what must rate as one of the worst prisons I have ever
seen.
Overall,
there's a real sense of expectancy about what is happening in the Anglican
Church in Argentina, hope for the future and a sense of God's presence, but they
have many deep and searching questions to ask and face honestly. They mustn't avoid them or be distracted by
the present political and financial climate.
I hope my reflections and
presence will, in some small way, give them an opportunity to begin addressing
them. Please support our friends in your
prayers as we continue our visit praying
especially that God will give them strength to face the changes and
challenge ahead.
Bishop Greg's home
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