The 14th General Synod of the Anglican Church of Australia was held in Canberra, against a backdrop of a number of important circumstances. Within the Anglican Church, the Appellate Tribunal had determined by a 4 to 3 majority that there was nothing in the Constitution to prevent a woman becoming a diocesan bishop. Within Australia, there were issues of drought and climate. Within the Anglican Communion, there was the ongoing international turmoil over human sexuality.

The twentieth Annual Congress of the European Consortium for Church and State Research was held in Järvenpää in Finland, on the subject of Religion in Criminal Law. It was held at the Training College of the Evangelical-Lutheran Church, hosted by and ceremonially opened by Matti Repo, Bishop of the Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Finland, Joni Hiitola from the Ministry of Education and Professor Sophie van Bijsterveld, President of the European Consortium.