Earlier this month, clergy, lay leaders and members of the wider Anglican community gathered at St Saviour’s Cathedral in Goulburn for a Service of Praise and Thanksgiving for the Right Reverend Dr Mark Short, Primate of the Anglican Church of Australia.
During the service, a Season of Prayer was launched for the Anglican Church of Australia, as it navigates both challenges and opportunities in a rapidly changing world.
The recent appointment of Right Reverend Sarah Mullally as Archbishop of Canterbury—the first woman to hold the position—has highlighted challenges within the Anglican Communion, in both Australia and abroad. Bishop Mark reflected on these dynamics and their impact on relationships within the Australian Anglican community, during a recent interview on ABC’s The Religion and Ethics Report.
“Like all relationships, it has its moments of challenge. It has its time when we need to speak honestly and openly about areas of disagreement as well as agreement. And I am hoping we will have that kind of relationship going forward”, he said.
Bishop Mark emphasised that his hope for the future of the Anglican Church in Australia is grounded in the deep commonalities that continue to bind us together. He also noted that his calling as Primate goes beyond simply guarding unity.
“If we end up seeing ourselves primarily as a manager of difference we’ll end up failing in that particular calling and perhaps missing out on much more important ones”, he said.
He went on to describe the foundation of his ministry:
“My lodestar for my particular role…is to go back to the ordinal, which talks about bearing witness to Christ’s resurrection, proclaiming the truth of the gospel, discerning the mind of Christ, commitment to the scriptures. And, yes that needs to work itself out in relationships—but my view is that as we speak the truth in love, we’ll be in a much better position to do so.”
Anglicare Board Chair Mark Brandon Baker, Anglicare CEO Trevor Ament, and Anglicare Chaplain, Rev’d Sue Robertson were among those who attended the service at St Saviours. Reflecting on the experience, Rev’d Sue shared:
“The service held a spirit of unity and expectation as we prayed for Bishop Mark’s leadership and for the Church’s witness in a changing world. As the Season of Prayer begins, I am left with a renewed sense of hope, encouraged by the reminder that our shared mission is grounded in God’s faithfulness and carried forward through the prayerful commitment of God’s people.”
Speaking to the significance of this moment for the Church more broadly, Bishop Mark offered these words:
“May this season draw us deeper into God’s mission, strengthened by prayer, encouraged by hope, and united in Christ.”
Click to listen to Bishop Mark on The Religion and Ethics Report.
