Fracture. Schism. Realignment. Denouncement. Acronyms. There is no shortage of bleak news about the state of the church. Those who feel a call to ordained ministry in Christ’s church have new reasons seemingly every day to wonder whether or not pursuing such a call will be worth it. This is particularly true in the Anglican Tradition, where schism, theological disagreement, and broken fellowship have riven the world’s third largest ecclesial body. Shifts in the global balance of power, unilateral moves by individual provinces, and an ecclesiology that is being reconceived with seemingly each passing day pose serious questions to those considering ordination in the Anglican Tradition, perhaps especially in the North American context. In the midst of all of this uncertainty, how can we hear God’s voice? Where can we come together for discernment, prayer, worship, and mutual encouragement? How can we take counsel together for the present and future of the Church?
RADVO is a conference shaped with all of these questions in mind. Hosted by Church of the Incarnation in the heart of Dallas, TX and sponsored by the Communion Partners, RADVO (short for “Radical Vocation”) seeks to bring together traditionally-minded Anglicans from across the Anglican Communion and around the world for discernment and encouragement about the radical vocation of Holy Orders. At RADVO, current and future leaders, ministers, deacons, and priests in the Anglican Tradition and beyond can meet to think and pray together with some of the church’s best working theologians about God’s future for the Church.
Beyond the excellent speakers and rich worship that characterize the conference, RADVO remains one of the few places left in the Anglican Communion dedicated to building bridges of collegiality and fellowship between clergy and laity in the ACNA and the Episcopal Church. We believe that the current ecclesial moment in the Anglican Communion requires reasoning together, imaginative thinking, and the fostering of relationships across institutional and ecclesial boundaries for the good of Christ’s Church. Working for institutional renewal and following the fresh movement of the Spirit need not be at odds. Indeed, they ought to go together as much as possible for the health of the Anglican Church in the West and across the world. Our partner institutions and sponsors at Nashotah House, Wycliffe College, and the Anglican Episcopal House of Studies at Duke Divinity School share this conviction. RADVO aims to build up leaders with both the skills and the networks to navigate rapidly changing ecclesial realities with wisdom, tact, and faithfulness to the gospel.
This year’s conference theme is “One Body: The Witness of Unity,” featuring keynotes from John Behr, Tish Harrison Warren, Jeremy Begbie, and Christopher Beeley, among others. We are also committed to platforming and supporting scholars who will provide the next generation of theological leadership to traditionalist Anglicans in the West, such as Wesley Hill and Amy Peeler.
Unity in difference will be more than just a talking point. Bishops from both the ACNA, the Episcopal
Church, and the Anglican Church of Canada will be in attendance, as well as Secretary General of the Anglican Communion Bp. Anthony Poggo, and other bishops from the Global South. RADVO is one of the few places left where such a gathering for worship, prayer, and substantive theological and ecclesiological conversation remains possible.
Over the course of the two previous conferences, RADVO has brought together over 800 people from around the Anglican world to Dallas, and we anticipate our largest crowd yet for this year’s offering. We would love for you to join us, whether you are a part of the Anglican Tradition or not, to worship, pray, and think about the future of the Church catholic, and to seek the will of Christ for his body and its current and future leaders.
RADVO will take place September 21-23, 2023 at Church of the Incarnation in Dallas, TX.
Tickets are available at https://radvoco.org/, and will continue to be sold until the start of the conference. Get your tickets soon!