How depressing to listen to the leader of the Anglican Communion responding to questions on the LBC radio talk show yesterday morning.
Had the archbishop been a candidate for election to Parliament I doubt that we would have ever heard of him again.
Sitting on the fence for half an hour Welby said next to nothing spiritually worthwhile ('teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you' as in the Great Commission) that would encourage anyone to become a Christian.
No wonder traditional Anglicanism is on the rocks.
This is a very undeserved slap down of a good interview on challenging subjects, with thoughtful responses from the Archbishop. He is prepared to deal with a lot current issues and hot potatoes on mainstream radio-live and unscripted.
ReplyDeleteHe repeatedly brings in the teaching of Jesus, and emphasises that Jesus was an intensely political figure. He encourages us to get out there and talk to those who have different viewpoints.
Surely the church should be creating places for people to engage with society and real issues. The Archbishop encourages the church to make its resources and buildings available to allow open discussion of issues that are important to all of us. This is about faith being relevant and informing our beliefs, attitudes and behaviours.
He responded to questions on:
War
Mental health issues, including his own, those of his family and the impact of the support of the Dukes of Cambridge and Sussex.
Racism in the recent football matches in Bulgaria
Climate change- the response to the church in caring for creation.
The intolerance of the church through out the ages and today.
All of this is so very relevant to any thinking Christian. I am glad that your website has given some publicity to this diverse interview, even if that was an unintended consequence of your action.
Listen to it for yourselves, and broaden your outlook from the usual offerings of Ancient Briton. This could provoke us to think about our faith and its out workings- never a bad thing.
How peculiar for Welby not to bang on about the injustices of zero hours contracts again?
DeleteMight that be because he's done sweet Felicity Adams about the Church of England (ab)using them still?
So what, AB, would you have wanted him to say? He was responding to questions that he did not know in advance, he was trying to relate the Christian faith to people who would not have understood a word of erudite theological language and who may consider the CofE to be an irrelevant, corrupt, money-grabbing dinosaur, he had to recognise that, whether the Church is "established" or not (as it is in England but not in the rest of the UK) it is just one religious voice among many - and so on. He spoke clearly and well; I remember a disastrous interview with ++Rowan when newly enthroned in which he not only muttered and mumbled but gave the usual academic's reply of lengthily considering several views without coming down on one or another: this gave the impression that he was abstract, dithering and afraid to give definitive answers to questions. I appreciate that you aren't keen on ++Justin's churchmanship; I myself don't always agree with what he says but I think, on balance, he gave a pretty good account of himself in what must have been a very "hot" seat! And - I ask again - what answers would have satisfied you?
ReplyDeleteHe seems to say all the right things, but from outside the faith - as if an observer rather than someone with zeal. At no point does he invoke the Lord's Prayer, talk about sin or temptation, the mystery and power of God. He talks about LGBT without getting anywhere near saying whether its right or wrong, saying only we must tolerate one another and other blandishments. Will he ever insist on his faith - and lead?
ReplyDeleteLW
"Sitting on the fence for half an hour" - that sounds like a politician to me.
ReplyDeleteToday is decision day at Westminster (maybe?) so the 650 will have to get down on one side or the other of the proverbial fence.