My Dear Friends,
Argumentative Children
Who’d
be an archbishop? For the Most
Reverend & Right Honourable Rowan Williams, it is difficult to do anything
right. He has recently come under
attack for caring too much for the
unity of the Church!
However, what is sometimes a screamingly obvious truth to those passionately
involved in a squabble can be rather less obvious to those observing from the
sidelines - ask any parent trying to referee the wrestling of wills taking place
between infant siblings. Stepping
in to sort out an argument between a pair of enraged and red-faced infants who
are both passionately convinced ‘but it is
my turn!’ is a fearful thing to do!
Each child will no doubt be persuaded of the universal justice of their
cause and wholly unbending toward their erstwhile playmate and kin.
The objective, just and loving parent, meanwhile, might be quite right in
thinking that an argument to the death as to whose turn it is on the trampoline
is just disproportionate!
In his
Easter sermon, Lord Harries, formerly Bishop of Oxford, said the Church of
England can sometimes feel like ‘a bunch of squabbling interest groups
. .
. one longs for a much
greater sense of belonging together.’
I did smile to myself at reading those words.
Sometimes as rural dean I can feel like I am being asked to express a
formal theological or canonical opinion in matters of similar relative import.
The parent in me wants to say to an argumentative vicar and their
parishioner ‘If you don’t stop arguing now,
no-one is going to play on the
trampoline!’
But if
parents, rural deans and archbishops can feel like that, one can only imagine
God’s perspective. Perhaps that is
why, when Jesus taught his disciples to pray, he taught us to be engaged
constantly in both seeking and offering forgiveness in equal quantity.
Someone with whom I had recently wrestled theologically and politically came and
said to me, ‘I want us to be reconciled.
I may not think you’re right, but I do want to put our division behind
us.’ It was a wonderfully mature,
marvellously gracious and deeply Christian act.
I can imagine our Father in heaven’s great approval and His assurance we
can both have cake for tea! Whilst
ever such grace is to be found amongst Christians, there is hope for the Church
yet. If such grace could be found
in humanity, there would be more hope for the world too.
‘Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ
. .
. that there be no divisions
among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and the
same judgement.' I Corinthians 1:
10
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