The British Prime Minister today joined an Anglican-led demonstration urging world leaders to halve global poverty levels in the coming years.
Mr Gordon Brown called the march of more than 500 bishops one of Britain's "greatest public demonstrations of faith".
He addressed the religious leaders after they had marched through central London to Lambeth palace, dressed in full ceremonial garb, to call for greater efforts to achieve the UN's millennium development goals.
Chief among these aims, set in 2000, is an ambition to cut global poverty by half by 2015.
Today's rally saw most of the 670 Anglican bishops attending the ongoing Lambeth Conference, led by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, file past Downing Street and the Houses of Parliament carrying banners saying "Keep the promise".
Speaking to the assembled bishops, who were joined by hundreds of other faith leaders, politicians and charity heads, in a courtyard at Lambeth palace on the south bank of the Thames, Mr Brown praised the event.
"This is one of the greatest public demonstrations of faith that this country has ever seen," he said.
"You have sent a symbol, a very clear message with rising force that poverty can be eradicated, poverty must be eradicated and if we all work together for change poverty will be eradicated."
Full story:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/jul/24/religion.unitednations
The Episcopal News Service's report:
http://www.episcopalchurch.org/79901_99313_ENG_HTM.htm
Joanna Sugden in the London Times:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article4390732.ece
The London Independent:
Meanwhile, the London Times has asked a panel of bishops for their views on Lambeth to date:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article4385838.ece
And Ruth Gledhill, religion correspondent for the London Times, gives her take on the bishops' march:
http://timescolumns.typepad.com/gledhill/2008/07/the-lambeth-wal.html
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