By Queen’s students Rachel Douse and Jonathan Pincher.
In the autumn we were invited along with ordinands from across the country, to participate in study and worship at the Bossey Ecumenical Institute, Geneva. We enjoyed a week of light-hearted fellowship with people from across the globe, privileged moments of visible unity, and a shared lament at the realisation of the work still to be done before we “…may all be one” (John 17:21).
Worshipping alongside international students was insightful, and listening to scripture and prayers in unfamiliar languages helped us recognise the geographical breath of what is sometimes wrongly characterised as a western religion. This experience has also helped us appreciate the ecumenical worship we enjoy at Queen’s and how it both blesses and encourages us to work across denominational difference.
Set within the beautiful surroundings of Bossey, we embraced the context as a backdrop for fostering relationships with fellow UK ordinands, were graciously welcomed by international students and staff, and regarded it as a joy to represent the diversity of those presenting themselves for ordination. Each time we gathered as a group, our introductions and reflections developed, culminating in a communal sense of call to ecumenical relations, within both the UK and the worldwide context.
For one of our group sessions, it was wonderful to meet with theological students from around the world, and from many different denominations, to hear a response to the recent 6th Faith and Order conference in Egypt featuring our very own Queen’s tutor Rev Dr Carlton Turner!
To find out more about Church of England ordination training at Queen’s, visit our Church of England Training page or contact us at angadmissions@queens.ac.uk.
