Category Archives: Anglican Communion

The Archbishop of Canterbury’s New Year Message

Posted on January 5, 2012 | Leave a comment


Here are the concluding thoughts of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, in his New Year message for 2012:

One of the unique things in the Christian faith, one of its great contributions to our moral vision, is the way it has spoken about children and young people. Whether it’s Jesus blessing children, or St. Paul encouraging a young church leader, saying, ‘Don’t let people look down on you because you’re young,’ or St. Benedict in his rule for monks saying that you need to pay attention to the youngest as well as the oldest – Christian faith has underlined the essential importance of giving young people the respect they deserve.

Of course they’re not infallible; of course they have a lot to learn. So do we all. But being grown-up doesn’t mean forgetting about the young. And a good New Year’s Resolution might be to think what you can do locally to support facilities for young people, to support opportunities for counselling and learning and enjoyment in a safe environment. And above all, perhaps we should just be asking how we make friends with our younger fellow citizens – for the sake of our happiness as well as theirs. A very happy and blessed New Year to you all.

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Posted in Anglican Communion, Children

The Queen’s Christmas Day Message for 2011

Posted on December 27, 2011 | Leave a comment


Here are the concluding thoughts of a woman of great faith, Queen Elizabeth II, in her Christmas Day message for 2011:

Finding hope in adversity is one of the themes of Christmas. Jesus was born into a world full of fear. The angels came to frightened shepherds with hope in their voices: “Fear not,” they urged, “we bring you tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Saviour who is Christ the Lord.”

Although we are capable of great acts of kindness, history teaches us that we sometimes need saving from ourselves – from our recklessness or our greed.

God sent into the world a unique person – neither a philosopher nor a general, important though they are, but a Saviour, with the power to forgive.

Forgiveness lies at the heart of the Christian faith. It can heal broken families, it can restore friendships and it can reconcile divided communities. It is in forgiveness that we feel the power of God’s love.

In the last verse of this beautiful carol, O Little Town of Bethlehem, there’s a prayer:

O Holy Child of Bethlehem,
Descend to us we pray.
Cast out our sin
And enter in.
Be born in us today.

It is my prayer that on this Christmas Day we might all find room in our lives for the message of the angels and for the love of God through Christ our Lord.

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Posted in Anglican Communion, Christmas, Forgiveness, Jesus, Scripture

The Episcopal Church: Scripture, Tradition & Reason

Posted on November 6, 2011 | Leave a comment

Last spring there was a wonderful thread of comments in response to a post on Osler’s Razor about the pros and cons of the Episcopal Church. At the end of that thread, I added something that I called “Haiku for the Anglican Way,” which is:

What makes sense of things:
scripture, tradition, reason,
intertwined with love.

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Posted in Anglican Communion, Episcopal Church, Scripture, St. Stephen's, Theology

The Archbishop of Canterbury Remembers 9/11

Posted on September 9, 2011 | Leave a comment

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Posted in Anglican Communion, Children, Episcopal Church, Prayer, Suffering

The Archbishop of Canterbury on Recent Riots

Posted on August 11, 2011 | Leave a comment

People have been shocked at the riots that have taken place in England over the previous five days, starting in London before spreading to other cities. Earlier this week, the British Prime Minister announced a recall of Parliament to discuss this disturbing series of events. Parliament includes not only the House of Commons but also the House of Lords, and it was in that latter body that the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, spoke today:

Seeking explanations, it is worth remembering, is not the same as seeking excuses, and in an intelligent and critical society, we do seek explanations so that we may be able to respond with greater intelligence and greater generosity. My Lords, one of the most troubling features, as I think all would agree, of recent days, has been the spectacle of not only young people, but even children of school age, children as young as 7 taking part in the events we have seen. And surely, high on our priorities as we respond to these circumstances must be the question of what we are to do in terms not only of rebuilding the skills of parenting in some of our communities, but in rebuilding education itself.

Over the last two decades, many would agree that our educational philosophy at every level has been more and more dominated by an instrumentalist model; less and less concerned with a building of virtue, character and citizenship – ‘civic excellence’ as we might say.  And a good educational system in a healthy society is one that builds character, that builds virtue.

In the wake of the financial crisis a few years ago, we began to hear more discussion than we’d heard for a very long time about the need for a recovery of the virtues. The need for a recovery of the sense of how character was to be built in our society, because character my Lords, involves an awareness not only of the connection between cause and effect in my own acts, but a sense, a deepened sense of empathy with others, a deepened sense of our involvement together in a social project in which we all have to participate.

There are indeed, as we’ve been reminded, no quick answers here. And I believe one of the most significant questions that we ought to be addressing in the wake of these deplorable events, is what kind of education we are interested in, for what kind of a society. Are we prepared to think not only about discipline in classrooms, but also about the content and ethos of our educational institutions – asking can we once again build a society which takes seriously the task of educating citizens, not consumers, not cogs in an economic system, but citizens.

You can read the full transcript of this speech here or listen to it here:

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Posted in Anglican Communion, Children, Civility

The Royal Wedding: Silly and Serious Highlights

Posted on April 30, 2011 | Leave a comment

The first highlight is a reflection on the theological presence of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, who solemnized the marriage. The second one is another reflection that also tackles the cynicism and snarkiness of so many about this event and that includes this memorable photograph from Buckingham Palace of a three-year-old bridesmaid on the balcony as the newlyweds kissed.

There were what-some-have-described-as-hats adorning the heads of dozens of the invited guests, who heard a thoughtful sermon by the Bishop of London, Richard Chartres. His remarks included these words that were addressed not merely to the bride and groom or those seated in Westminster Abbey but also to everyone watching the royal wedding far beyond London or the British Isles:

As the reality of God has faded from so many lives in the West, there has been a corresponding inflation of expectations that personal relations alone will supply meaning and happiness in life. This is to load our partner with too great a burden. We are all incomplete: we all need the love which is secure, rather than oppressive, we need mutual forgiveness, to thrive.

As we move towards our partner in love, following the example of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit is quickened within us and can increasingly fill our lives with light. This leads to a family life which offers the best conditions in which the next generation can practise and exchange those gifts which can overcome fear and division and incubate the coming world of the Spirit, whose fruits are love and joy and peace.

Last but certainly not least comes this video of a verger, taken after the ceremony had ended, showing a kind of joy and delight that’s too often lacking in the world:

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Posted in Anglican Communion, Ecclesiastical History

The Royal Wedding: Silly and Serious Business

Posted on April 28, 2011 | Leave a comment

Earlier this month I posted exclusive footage of the royal wedding rehearsal that was leaked to the BBC by an unnamed source inside Buckingham Palace. On the eve of the “big day,” however, its seems appropriate to share a couple of serious reflections, one the marriage itself by the Archbishop of Canterbury and another on it’s setting by the Dean of Westminster Abbey. Also, the Official Programme, including the full Order of Service, can be downloaded here as a PDF document.

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Posted in Anglican Communion, Ecclesiastical History