Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury

27th International Ecumenical Conference on Orthodox Spirituality
CALLED TO LIFE IN CHRIST
In the Church, in the world, in the present time
Monastery of Bose, 4-6 September 2019

in collaboration with the Orthodox Churches

JUSTIN WELBY, Archbishop of Canterbury

Canterbury, 23 july 2019

A Message from the Archbishop of Canterbury to my brothers:
founder Enzo, President of the Scientific Committee,
and Prior Luciano
and the Community of the Monastery of Bose
and to all attending the Twenty-Seventh International Ecumenical Conference on Orthodox Spirituality  4-6 September 2019

It is my pleasure to send greetings to you, brother Prior, to your Community of the Monastery of Bose and to your guests assembled for the annual conference on Orthodox Spirituality. I am grateful to my brother bishop John, Bishop of Warwick, for delivering this greeting.

'Follow me' was the call that our Lord Jesus made to the first disciples (see Mark 1. 17) and they left everything and followed him. Those first disciples moved on to a new life, a life and with Christ. The call to follow Jesus is heard afresh by each disciple and, in the sacraments of the Church and in the life and mission of the people of God we live in Christ and Christ lives in us.

Yet there remain divisions between us. We are called to life in Christ but express this differently. In 1993 the Anglican - Roman Catholic International Commission published its document on Morals, Communion and the Church under the title 'Life in Christ'. In the preface the co-chairs wrote 'Those who share one faith in Christ will share one life in Christ.' As we are united in our profession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ so he calls us to be pilgrims together, to learn from one another and to seek together to grow in holiness and in service to the world.

As you meet together I pray that the Lord would bless your work and your fellowship.

+ Justin Welby
Archbishop of Canterbury