History, theology meet in missionary forum

The Anglican diocese is preparing to host a world gathering of the Anglican and Episcopalian Archbishops as the 318-year-old high church missionary group that founded Codrington College meets here next week.

The primates, or their designates, are set to arrive for a week-long consultation of the United Society of Partners in the Gospel (USPG), scheduled to begin Sunday with a service at the Cathedral of St Michael and All Angels.

The diocese is partnering with the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. to facilitate certain aspects of the consultation, including several island tours, Anglican Bishop the Right Reverend Michael Maxwell told journalists.

It was the bequest of land by prominent slaveowner Christopher Codrington on his death in 1710 that supported the USPG, formed in 1701 as the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, to establish a religious college at the Codrington in St John.

Formed in. 1745, Codrington College became the first such Anglican theological college in the Americas, attaining university status in 1830, several years before the Church of England established its own theological college in England.

The bequest also established Society plantation, so named for the SPG, and the Codrington grammar school that later became The Lodge School.

After a 100-year lease of The Lodge School’s lands to Government expired, the Society transferred legal control of the Codrington lands to a local trust.

Principal of Codrington College Reverend Dr Michael Clarke who is coordinating the event, told reporters that a number of activities were scheduled to take place during the week, including meetings and tours of places of interest, including Codrington College.

The delegates are to stay at Radisson Grand Barbados at Engineer’s Pier, where the meetings are also to take place.

Bishop Maxwell said: “These Archbishops are coming to our island and they would be able to go back as well and share the word that beautiful Barbados is out there.

“But it is really about sharing what God is about in term’s of his mission. We believe of course that any mission we are on is God’s mission, so by us sharing with each other again.

“We believe that God is speaking to us through this consultation to guide and direct us in terms of what we need to do, and where he wants us to go in terms of our direction and his ministry.”

The major group of clerics arrives on a British Airways flight from London on Friday afternoon, the principal said. (AH)