Learning From Indaba: Some Lessons For Post-Pilling Conversations

Abstract

Abstract The Church of England’s Pilling Report recommends a series of ‘facilitated conversations at a national and diocesan level’ on the subject of human sexuality, similar to the Continuing Indaba Project in the Anglican Communion. In this article Goddard and Bridger, who were members of an independent ecumenical team that observed at first hand the work of Continuing Indaba over a period of three years, trace the history and working of the project. They offer a critical assessment of its strengths and weaknesses, drawing upon conflict resolution theories and setting indaba in the context of these. They argue that although indaba undoubtedly offers valuable insights and practices, it must learn from a wider body of knowledge and resolution approaches, and must be complemented by methodologies that give a sufficient place to theology. This is necessary in order to address fundamental questions involved in dealing with theological and cultural diversity. They conclude that only this will offer an adequate basis for the post-Pilling process to move forward.