On August 8, Bishop Gutiérrez will head to the Holy Land for 11 days at the invitation of the Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, The Most Rev. Dr. Josiah Idowu-Fearon. Bishop Gutiérrez will represent The Episcopal Church in a special pilgrimage that is the prelude to the Lambeth Conference in 2020. Archbishops and bishops from across the Anglican Communion, including those from Africa, Asia, North and South America, Europe and Oceania, will also be represented.
The theme of the pilgrimage is “Equipping the Church: Living with Differences.” The participants will stop to pray and contemplate at a variety of biblical sites, reflecting on the four themes of the upcoming Lambeth Conference.
“I am grateful to Archbishop Josiah for the invitation and the opportunity to participate in this pilgrimage with archbishops and bishops from across the Communion,” said Gutiérrez. “I look forward to establishing deep relationships across the Communion and I am honored to represent the Diocese of Pennsylvania and the Episcopal Church as we share our voice and prayers across the wider Church.”
The Lambeth Conference dates back to 1867. Fourteen Lambeth Conferences have met since, about every 10 years, with breaks during the two World Wars. Despite having no official powers, Lambeth Conferences gradually gained respect and influence and have always focused on the theme of Christian unity.
