“Reweaving the mat”
The inaugural in-person conference of the Fellowship of Anglican Scholars of Theology (FeAST), themed ‘Transformative Theologies: Rethinking Pedagogy, Praxis and Perspectives,’ was held in Colombo, Sri Lanka earlier this month. It brought together 30 scholars from nearly 20 countries across the Anglican Communion in fellowship, discussion and critical reflection.
With such a broad range of voices in the room, USPG Director of Global Mission, The Revd Canon Dr Peniel Rajkumar hoped to “reweave the mat” of Anglican theologies. To this end, scholars presented fresh perspectives on a variety of topics, addressing global challenges such as racial reconciliation, gender justice, anti-trafficking, and climate action. Through this, they highlighted the role of theology – both in theory and in practice – in addressing systemic injustices.
The event began on Sunday with a Eucharist service at St Mary’s Chapel, adorned with paintings of Biblical scenes reimagined in Sri Lankan design. We are deeply grateful to the Diocese of Colombo, Church of Ceylon for their warm hospitality and their bold witness of the Christian faith against a culturally and religiously diverse backdrop.
The artwork in the chapel depicts Biblical scenes such as the Woman at the Well (John 4)
“This is our everyday in my hometown. When I walk out the door, I’m doing interfaith dialogue and friendship. That’s why it’s been such an immersive and embodied conference, much more so than the average academic conference!” shared The Revd Luke Larner, a parish priest in Luton, one of the most ethnically and religious diverse parishes in the UK.
After a full day of presentations, delegates visited St Thomas’ College, a historic school founded with support from SPG, now USPG. Today, the school serves around 3,000 students from nursery to A-Level, offering instruction in Sinhala, Tamil, and English. This was the perfect location to discuss theological education, as presenters raised new de- and post-colonial perspectives that matched the innovation and cultural sensitivity of the school in which we were meeting.
Morning Service at St Thomas’ College
New friends The Revd Masango Warakula (Zimbabwe), Stephen Maerongo (Solomon Islands) and The Revd Stephen Obeng (Ghana)
Wednesday took the delegation to the Tulana Research Centre, led by Father Aloy Pieris, a pioneer in Asian Liberation Theology. Father Aloy Pieris, an inspiration to many in the room, shared about how his theology has been challenged and transformed by encounters and dialogues with Buddhist monks. It was interesting to explore and imagine how people of other faiths (or none) view Scripture, and what this can reveal or teach us.
On Thursday, the final presentations included contributions from online delegates in Ghana, the Philippines, and Fiji. The week then concluded with a Eucharist service held under a Banyan tree in the grounds of the Cathedral. This brought the week to a reflective and symbolic close – a “FeAST” in every sense of the word.
