Global Anglican Scholars Take a Seat at the Table in Recife
For the third year running, the Fellowship of Anglican Scholars of Theology (FeAST) gathered for a fun time of fellowship and to exchange fresh theological thinking and research. Scholars from New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Brazil, El Salvador, South Africa and Palestine, came together in Recife at a timely moment following the historic Brazilian presidential election.
“We meet in a city of beauty, energy and faith, but also in a world marked by deep inequality. Wealth rises beside want; some voices carry power while others struggle to be heard. Into that world, and into ours, Jesus speaks of love.” said the Rt Revd Dr Anderson Jeremiah, Bishop of Edmonton, at the opening service.
FeAST offers a platform for the vast theological wealth of global Anglicanism to be shared equally. It is an outworking of USPG and our partners, SPCK and the Episcopal Divinity School’s, commitment to rethinking mission and addressing the historic imbalances in global theological scholarship, which have too often treated European theologies and practices as the norm and all others as inferior.
The conference was split into six sessions, with all participants presenting on a research topic of their choice, including; theology amidst violence, inhabiting a fragile world, resisting domination and belonging without domination, competing futures within the Anglican Communion, and practices of repair, and repair without forgetting.
“I was struck by the incredible knowledge and the depths of the insights shared by each participant.” said Matt Anns, Senior Communications & Engagement Manager, USPG.
“Coming from the UK, the sessions made me reflect on how little the education system has taught me about the harsh realities of the British empire – or any empire for that matter. It is only by putting ourselves in the shoes of those who have faced oppression that we can begin to understand the scar that colonialism has left on the world. The first step to solving a problem is to recognise that there is one, and it is heartening to see that King Charles III and the Prime Minister are now open to a formal apology around the UK’s role in the transatlantic slave trade.”
Over the week, we were honoured to hear from Sam Richardson, CEO of SPCK, Father Marcelo Barros, a Brazilian Benedictine monk, and the Most Revd Marinez Rosa dos Santos Bassotto, Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Amazonia and Primate of Igreja Episcopal Anglicana do Brasil.
Dr Thandi Gamedze, South African educator, theologian, and poet, said:
“Something I’ve really appreciated about FeAST is that it feels like there is an underlying commitment to liberation, thinking about what liberation for all of us would mean. If that is something which you are concerned about or want to dig into with other people who are concerned about this from across the Communion, I would really encourage you to sign up and become part of FeAST.”
Outside of the sessions, the participants also had the opportunity to visit the neighbouring coastal city of Olinda, a UNESCO World Heritage Site designated for its well-preserved 16th and 18th-century colonial architecture. The group also enjoyed a tour of Recife by boat, seeing famous monuments such as the Parque de Esculturas Francisco Brennand and harbouring under a bridge to escape a heavy rainstorm!
Start your journey today: uspg.org.uk/feast
