Oecumenically, They Walked. By Uncle Monty.

Oecumenically, They Walked
Story & Photos By Uncle Monty
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Across the Lambeth Bridge they walked by
several hundreds of clerics and representatives of
many faiths to Lambeth Palace with many of them
coming directly from the ongoing Lambeth Conference
as presiding archbishops and bishops of their religious
domains within The Anglican Communion. They walked
quietly, yet with determination, against the prevailing
conditon of world poverty and their demands to do justice
and mercy for all on what was a very hot summer's day
at England's multicultural, multiethnic, and multiracial
capital city of London. I was there to witness with them.
Along with my cameras to snap away at taking some
150+ images of what was called "The Walk of Witness."
It was a powerful and just encounter with good.
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Some bishops and guests at Lambeth Palace
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Walking Tall ...
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Women Anglican bishops walked, too.
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Happy, happy are they ...

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From around the world they came ...

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Anglican to the core, except the cardinal.

Britain’s shambolic and wobbly New Labour prime

minister Gordon Brown, the son himself of a Scottish
Presbyterian Church minister, welcomed and hailed the

archbishops, cardinals, rabbis, diplomats, interfaith leaders,

and national charity representatives, has they gathered

to hear him speak like he’d been given an early morning

douche. Led by His Grace, the Archbishop of Canterbury,

The Most Rev’d Rowan Williams, many of walkers were

all set to meet the Queen herself after the talking walk.

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Over 650+ Anglican bishops attending the ongoing 2008

Lambeth Conference participated in "The Walk of Witness,"

along with His Eminence, Cardinal Cormac Murphy O’Conner,
Archbishop of Westminster; Dr. Jonathan Sachs, Chief Rabbi

of Great Britain, and Islamic, Eastern Orthodox, and Lutheran

delegates. Some 4,000 ordinary people also walked the walk.
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Parting Shot of London's "Walk of Witness."

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Guess who is this American bishop?

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The gathering of so many, so oecumenically and

ecumenically, was a very rare event and sight to

see and to photograph. Never before had I seen

so many faith leaders all together in one place at

Lambeth Palace, which is the official residence

of the Archbishop of Canterbury and head of the

worldwide Anglican Communion's 80 million flock

in 45 countries around the globe. This year's 2oo8

Lambeth Conference, by the way, is the 14th

since the first one took place in 1867.

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As for "The Walk of Witness," I am doubtful it will

impact much on the problem of global poverty or

in bringing the world to closer justice and peace

in our ever fragmented framework of politics and

division by so many governments of the world.

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Poverty is a paralysis of human making at the
personal, political, economic, and governmental

levels. To rid of poverty, all of those four elements

must work in unison to combat its global scourge.

Promises to do that are futile. Therefore, concerted

action is needed and not more empty promises. The

Church and the people must play even more of a vital

role to reduce poverty not only around the world, but

right at their own doorsteps. Charity begins at home

first and then the rest may be taken care of.

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Walking the walk may have symbolic and testimonial

value for those who did their strut to Lambeth Palace in

all their clerical and eye-catching refinery, but at the end

of the day nothing has changed for the victims of poverty

no matter what is said for public consumption and

political correctness by such well-meaning talking

heads who seem to be always so well-fed ... And,

who have never suffered poverty of the belly.

Nor will they in future, I guess.

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Faithfully, Uncle Monty.

+The 10th Day of The
Lambeth Conference, 2oo8.

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An African Cardinal is interviewed on live TV

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