A global gathering of hope
As disasters increase in scale and frequency, the Anglican Communion is coming together to respond with faith, compassion and shared strength. In September 2025, Anglican bishops, church leaders and agency partners from every region gathered at Christ Church, Jebel Ali, Dubai, for a landmark consultation on disaster resilience and response.
Convened by the Anglican Alliance, the meeting drew together more than thirty participants from Africa, Asia, the Pacific, the Middle East and the Americas. Their shared conviction was clear: when one part of the Body suffers, every part suffers with it – and when one part rejoices, all rejoice together (1 Corinthians 12:26).
When we act together as one body with many parts, our response becomes faster, wiser and more deeply rooted in love.
Building on shared experience
The consultation built on many years of Anglican and ecumenical collaboration in disaster management – from community-based resilience and response to anticipatory action and accompaniment. Participants reflected on what has already been achieved through different initiatives and affirmed the need for a more united, Communion-wide approach.
Through prayer, study and planning side by side, churches and agencies shaped a shared framework for the whole disaster management cycle – preparedness, response, recovery and long-term resilience. It recognises that the local church’s presence and relationships on the ground, together with the technical expertise and resources of Anglican and ecumenical agencies, form a powerful partnership for change. As Rob Dawes, Executive Director of the Anglican Alliance said, “If you wanted to design a system to bring positive change into local communities with reach across the whole world, you’d probably come up with something that looks very much like the Church.”
Theological underpinning
Humanitarian interventions will always be shaped, consciously or unconsciously, by underlying mindsets and assumptions. To respond well, there is need to surface and explore these attitudes – and challenge and change them where needed. Led by the Anglican Alliance’s theological adviser, Paulo Ueti, participants explored a “life-giving, dancing and decolonial theological framework” to inform Anglican humanitarian praxis. This calls for a shift from transactional “giving” to relational “sharing,” emphasizing accompaniment over intervention, shared governance over hierarchy, and kinship with creation over extractive stewardship.
“The contrast between giving and sharing is not merely semantic”, Paulo argued. “Giving easily inhabits a logic of transaction, performance and closure relationships. It constructs subjects as both benefactors and beneficiaries and tends to stabilise asymmetries and inequalities of status, voices and agency. Sharing, by contrast, names a relational economy in which dignity is received and offered as mutual recognition…. Reframing assistance around sharing displaces charitable paternalism with collaborative responsibility”.
The way ahead
During the week, participants developed a shared vision: for every church in the Anglican Communion to be connected, supported and equipped to effectively manage disasters, acting in love and solidarity for resilient and flourishing communities.
At the close of the gathering, participants agreed to work together as churches and agencies through the platform of the Anglican Alliance to deliver the vision, connecting, coordinating and collaborating across regions, and catalysing collective action. Specific actions and priorities include:
- Expanding training across the whole disaster management cycle and integrating disaster management into theological education.
- Building unified coordination and compliance mechanisms.
- Enhancing storytelling, communication, and advocacy to mobilize global solidarity.
- Mapping and sharing resources across provinces.
- Advocating for recognition of churches’ leadership within the humanitarian system.
A road map was developed, which is being turned into a work plan to be delivered by four working groups.
Walking together into a resilient future
The Dubai gathering marks a new chapter for the Anglican Communion. Through the Anglican Alliance, churches and agencies are committing to walk together – acting before crises strike, responding with compassion when they do and rebuilding with hope afterwards.
As one body with many parts, we are stronger together.
- Please pray for this work and consider supporting it through our Solidarity Fund.
- Find out more about our disaster response and resilience work here.
- The full report of the consultation will be available shortly.
- We are very grateful to Fr Jim Young and all at Christ Church, Jebel Ali, for their warm hospitality.
