We Are 'Dependent on Christ': Message to World Council of Churches

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has sent a greeting to the opening of the 9th World Council of Churches Assembly, which formally begins in Porto Alegre, Brazil, tomorrow [14th February 2006]. The message is to be read by the Bishop of Southwark, the Rt Revd Tom Butler. Dr Williams will travel to Brazil in time for Friday's group of sessions.

In his message, Dr Williams urges the churches gathered together to learn from their dependence on Christ:

"We must ... draw strength and clarity of purpose from our utter dependence on the One whom we know to be 'full of grace and truth'. In Christ too, we can find renewed impetus in our painstaking quest for theological convergence, in the knowledge that this also will be used by God, in his grace, to transform the world, opening up, as it does, new possibilities for common mission as divisions are healed and we deepen our fellowship together."

The Archbishop is to deliver a keynote address to the Assembly this Friday [17th February 2006]. He will speak on Christian Identity and Religious Plurality at a plenary session

Whilst at the WCC Assembly, Dr Williams will attend a lecture given by the President of Brazil, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, lead a service of Evening Prayer organised by the Anglican Delegation to the WCC and attend a plenary session on ecumenical conversations.

Dr Williams will also meet senior church leaders and representatives from the WCC.