Even as participants arrive in Birmingham for Winter Conference, the AMiA’s Anglican Studies course is wrapping up across town at Beeson Divinity School on the campus of Samford University. This unique learning opportunity has brought together clergy and lay students with Anglican Primates, scholars and other gifted teachers to discuss the future of Anglicanism. This intensive 5-day course, part of a larger program of study, benefited from the unusual gathering of leaders in Birmingham for the events of the Winter Conference, January 11-15.

“It’s been outstanding-- far exceeding expectations,” beamed the Rev. Dr. Joe Murphy, head of the Anglican Studies Program for the Anglican Mission. “We were really able to hear from great teachers, and especially to connect with the Primates of the Anglican Communion in a very personal way.”

Students heard from a wide variety of teachers throughout the five-day course, from authors, academics and leaders such as the Primates who are working directly with the current re-alignment in the global church. All of the learning was set into a pattern of prayer and worship with the backdrop of Beeson’s beautiful chapel.

”This has been most enlightening,” offered Barbara Gauthier, a layperson from Church of the Resurrection in Wheaton, Illinois. “I took the course for personal enrichment to catch a larger vision of what God is doing in the world. Hearing from the Primates directly has been very good,” she added.

A number of the students were Anglican Mission pastors and those preparing for ordination. “A lot has been shared that will stick with me,” reflected the Rev. Carlos Miranda of Miami, a newly ordained priest in the Anglican Mission. “Teachers raised some new perspectives for me—pointing out things that haven’t been talked about a lot. For instance, Dr. Rob Sander’s insight on using the creeds as a hermeneutic—that’s powerful.”

On Tuesday morning one of the lecturers was Archbishop Benjamin Nzimbi, Primate of the Anglican Church of Kenya. He began with his personal testimony and shared of work being done in his home province. As to the Communion, he challenged “we must humble ourselves, repent of our sin and look to the Lord Jesus Christ—then there will be happiness in the Communion.” He offered that the Church is gaining strength as it embraces growing diversity, but that Christian holiness and moral integrity must be at the foundation. The Archbishop noted that reconciliation is a major work of the church, but that “reconciliation requires a right relationship with God”.


Other teachers included Archbishop Malango of Central Africa, Bishop John Rucyahana of Rwanda, Dr. Lyle Dorsett of Beeson Divinity School, the Rev. Rick Richardson of Wheaton College, the Rev. Dick Seed of Kigali Episcopal Theological Seminary, the Rev. Dr. Stephen Noll and others ( click here for full listing).

Further classes in the AMiA’s Anglican Studies program will be offered this year. These graduate level courses provide important study as enrichment to ministry, supplement to previous theological training, or as part of the ordination track. For more information contact the Office of Clergy Credentialing at leadership@anglicanmissioninamerica.org, or visit their web page.

Back To Top

Print this pageSend to a Friend