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In
his Presidential address to the Church in Wales' Governing Body,
the Archbishop spoke from the perspective of one who was within
a few hundred yards of the World Trade Center in New York when
the terrorist attacks took place. He called on all to consider
the nature of power and helplessness and to remember that the
only certainty is that "a faithful God holds us firmly in
life and death alike."
"No
'Star Wars' shield of missile defence could have averted last
Tuesday's atrocities. No intensive campaign to search and destroy
in Afghanistan will guarantee that it will never happen again.
If we fear and loathe terrorism, we have to think harder. Indiscriminate
terror is the weapon of the weak, not the strong; it's commonly
what the 'strong' aren't expecting, which is why they are vulnerable
to it. It is the weapon of those who have nothing to lose. If
we want it not to happen, we have to be asking what it means that
the world has so many people in it who believe they have nothing
to lose."
He
also said, "Anger always blurs the real human features of
those we're angry with. Frustration requires that we don't allow
ourselves to imagine what it's like to be the other... The two
fears, the two angers, don't connect."
The
address ends by his stressing the importance of faith in our understanding
and acceptance of death, "The Church is supposed to be a
community of people you'd be glad to die with…and if that is true
about the Church, then faith becomes the one wholly inflexible
ground for resistance to violence, precisely because it teaches
us how to face death - not in excited expectation of reward, but
in the sober letting-go of our fantasies in the sure hope that
a faithful God hold us firmly in life and death alike. Only if
we are learning in this way how to die and to love, can anything
we say have any way in weight in a violent world."
News
of his appointment to the historic See of Canterbury has brought
a plethora of responses and good wishes from around the Anglican
Communion:
Speaking
from Ireland, the Archbishop of Armagh, the Most Revd Robin Eames,
said, "I believe that Rowan Williams will bring to the leadership
of the Anglican Communion: scholarship; integrity; and sensitivity.
His deep spirituality will provide a firm foundation for the many
diverse issues which will confront us in the years to come. As
senior primate I welcome him to his new office and wish him God's
richest blessings."
On
hearing the news, the Most Revd Njongonkulu Ndungane, Archbishop
of Cape Town, said, "We thank God for the gift of a man who
has great depth of spirituality, an incisive mind and a pastoral
heart. He makes Anglican history as the first archbishop of Canterbury
who comes from outside the traditional ranks and it bodes well
for the bonds of affection that bind our global communion, as
does his track record for leadership on issues of our day."
The
Presiding Bishop and Primate of the ECUSA, the Most Revd Frank
T Griswold, also issued a statement to ACNS, "I am very pleased
with the appointment of Rowan Williams to be the next Archbishop
of Canterbury. He is well known and highly respected across the
Anglican Communion, in ecumenical circles, and here in the United
States. The combination of a keen mind and a contemplative heart,
together with an ability to relate classical Christian tradition
to the needs and struggles of our world, make him eminently qualified
to take up this important and challenging ministry of service."
Vice-Chairman
of the Anglican Consultative Council, Presiding Bishop John C
Paterson, told ACNS, "I look forward to working with the
new Archbishop, who is already well known and highly respected
in many parts of the Anglican Communion for his scholarship, for
his commitment to the service of our Lord and for his already
proven gifts of leadership in the Church. This is undoubtedly
the right appointment from the perspective of the Anglican Communion
at this critical time in its development."
The
Rt Revd Leo Frade, Bishop of Southeast Florida, spoke of his personal
encounter with Dr Williams during the Lambeth Conference 1998.
He said, "I had the pleasure of meeting Archbishop Rowan
Williams during Lambeth '98 as we dealt with World Debt issues.
"I
believe that he carries a vision that not only will be a blessing
for the church in the British Isles but for Anglicans in all continents
of this planet. I am assured that Archbishop Williams will be
a voice that will effectively and unashamedly proclaim the love
and justice of our Lord Jesus Christ and will make our church
relevant in this new century."
Dean
Ross Jones of St George's College, Jerusalem, told ACNS, "The
Church in Jerusalem is excited by the selection of Archbishop
Rowan Williams as the next Archbishop of Canterbury. God has provided
the right man at the right time. Thanks be to God!"
Clergy
from the Church of England have responded warmly to the news of
the appointment. Father Philip Chester, St Matthew's, Westminster,
London, home of Affirming Catholicism, expressed great joy of
the news. Fr Chester said, "I warmly welcome the appointment
of Dr Rowan Williams. His vision, holiness and humility are the
greatest encouragement to parish clergy who pray that the Church
of England will open its windows to the world and discover a new
spring time of God's grace."
"We
are friends and Christian brothers, " said Archbishop Peter
Akinola of Nigeria speaking of the Archbishop-designate. "I
wish him well. My hope is that he will prove his detractors wrong.
I respect him, he is a well learned man of God and I look forward
to sharing in his ministry for us all." the archbishop concluded.
For
photos see: www.anglicancommunion.org/acns/special/abc104/index.html
Canon
James Rosenthal - Director of Communications for the Anglican
Communion
Anglican Communion Office • Partnership House • 157 Waterloo Road
• London SE1 8UT
Tel: [44] (0)207 620-1110 • Fax: [44] (0)207 620-1070
aco@anglicancommunion.org
• www.anglicancommunion.org
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