Category Archives: Anglican Communion

While many Americans have been narrowly focused on domestic issues this week and a potential shutdown of the federal government, it seems like a good time to be reminded of other events that are unfolding on the international scene. The world doesn’t revolve around our own needs exclusively, which is why it’s been so refreshing to see increased media coverage of preparations for the royal wedding between His Royal Highness Prince William of Wales (a.k.a. William Arthur Philip Louis Windsor) and Miss Catherine Elizabeth “Kate” Middleton.

Hmmm . . . it seems that one half of this dynamic duo is entitled to a little more verbal bling than the other half. I’ve always wondered how Prince William as a student managed to fill out those circles on standardized tests in order to provide his formal name. Perhaps a servant was allowed to use his #2 pencil to do that on his behalf. Hopefully he’s at least memorized it, lest awkwardness ensue when asked by the Archbishop of Canterbury to repeat these words at his wedding: “I, William Arthur Philip Louis, take thee, Catherine Elizabeth . . .”

Poor Kate, however, will have to spit out: “I, Catherine Elizabeth, take thee, William Arthur Philip Louis . . .” Somewhere in the kingdom there must be a voice coach, akin to the movie character of Lionel Logue in The King’s Speech, who will be able to prepare her for that moment, which will be broadcast live to millions of people around the globe from Westminster Abbey on April 29.

The BBC is reporting that an unnamed source inside Buckingham Palace has confirmed that a rehearsal for the royal wedding took place earlier today:

Have you ever heard of St. George’s Anglican Church in Baghdad? Didn’t think so. The current building was built by the British military in 1936, but the history of the congregation goes back to 1864. St. George’s is currently the only Anglican congregation in Iraq and welcomes hundreds and hundreds of Iraqi Christians, most of whom are not Anglican, each week for Sunday services. There is also a dental and medical clinic at St. George’s with staff members from the three Abrahamic traditions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Iraqis receive free treatment at the clinic, regardless of their religious or ethnic background.

A little over a month ago, The New York Time’s blog “At War: Notes from the Front Line” featured a post entitled “St. George’s and the tree.” It includes a picture of the church interior and describes a day in the life of this congregation that could have ended even worse than it did. Windows were blown out and the clinic was severely damaged by suicide bomb blasts on a Sunday morning. Fortunately, Sunday services and related activities were not scheduled until later in the afternoon. The attacks were aimed at nearby government buildings and resulted in the deaths of more than 150 people, including children.

The picture of St. George’s that remains ingrained in my memory is one that I first saw on the homepage of Anglicans Online soon after the March 2003 invasion of Iraq. It’s actually a satellite image that had been taken more than 5 months earlier, which I have included at the end of this post with the gracious permission of DigitalGlobe.com. Note how the church buildings seem so insignificant in the shadow of Saddam Hussein’s Ministry of Information, which was headed at the time by Mohammed Saeed al-Sahhaf (a.k.a., “Baghdad Bob”). Looking at this satellite image always makes me think of Jesus standing before the Roman Governor, Pontius Pilate, and being asked the question, “What is truth?”