Bishop Beckwith gives his reflections at the end of a gathering of Anglicans in South Africa in October 2011. Convened by the Chicago Consultation and the Ujamaa Centre of the University of KwaZulu-Natal, the purpose of the gathering was to strengthen mission and advocacy connections among Anglicans who are interested in the theology of human sexuality and justice. (Video by Rebecca Wilson.)
The Chicago Consultation, a group of Episcopal and Anglican bishops, clergy and lay people, supports the full inclusion of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Christians in the Episcopal Church and the worldwide Anglican Communion.
Formed in the late 1980's in response to apartheid in South Africa, the Ujamaa Centre serves as an interface between socially engaged biblical and theological scholars and the lived reality of marginalized communities.
Participating in the 3-day gathering were 15 Americans and 40 Africans, including theologians, bishops, church leaders, grassroots advocates for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and other people willing to engage in intensive conversations across cultural boundaries.
In a press release before the gathering, the participants stated, "We believe that deeper connections with each other will make it easier for us to work together in mission and to communicate productively when challenging Communion-wide issues arise."
