Yesterday our time with the Archbishop of Canterbury was more brief than we had anticipated. He had some scheduling conflicts and had to move some things around. Even with the abbreviated visit we had an opportunity to tour Lambeth Palace.

In the afternoon we meet with staff from the Anglican Consultative Council. The Council itself meets every three years and relates to the whole of the Anglican Communion. The staff keep the Communion connected globally both on social concerns and ecumenical cooperation. The parallel in the Lutheran Church is the Lutheran World Federation.

We spent all of today(Friday) with ecumenical leaders for the Church of England. In the grand scheme the Church of England is one of the members of the Anglican Communion just as the ELCA is one member of the Lutheran World Federation. With these leaders we explored the state of ecumenical relations from the Anglican perspective. If I had to sum it up I would say the Church of England is experiencing many of the same issues the ELCA faces.

Like us their fastest growing churches reside in Africa. These churches hold fundamental differences theologically and socially. They wrestle with sexuality and the role of women in the church (not something we share). They face future challenges ecumenically and within their own communion just as we do, as all of us interpret scripture and how we will live out the faith.

The highlight of the London stop was a tour of Westminster Abbey and Evensong.