www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Archbishop Rowan Willisms and the East

For those of you who have access to BBC Radio 4, tomorrow at 9.10am, the station will be broadcasting the Archbishop of Canterbury's Easter message. As both the Eastern and Western Easters collide this year, he will be reflecting on how the Orthodox Church, with its imagery and symbolism might help transform the vision of today's Western Church.

Anton

Thanks for that info Anton - will have to see if I can get it later on as I will be at Mass then.

For those that want to try the URL is
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/

After you click on Radio 4 there is also a box on the righthand side with options of some Programmes for later hearing [ marked as 'Hear it again' ]

The only sad fact is that you have to use Real Player for the Beeb

A Blessed Pascha to you

Anhelyna

Archbishop Rowan Williams is truly a great scholar and a very devout theologian. He truly is a blessing for the Anglicans. He has a hard time keeping the communion together, and although I do not agree with him on many points, I find he is still doing them a great service.

I have read, and continue to read, many of his books. He has a profound love for the East. Strangely, and sadly, I find that he takes many of the Orthodox theologians (like Bulgakov) more seriously than the Orthodox do themselves.

The Right Reverend Williams may appreciate the beauty of the East; Anglicans have long been great aesthetes. Until he stands up for historic Christian truth and ceases to tolerate apostate bishops and the promotion of immorality in his sister churches I cannot see how he is serving his communion well.

The Pope, the Patriarch of Constantinople, the Archbishop of Canterbury, or just about any Bishop, has the role of being a pastor. As pastor, they are to be concerned with all who are in their flock, including "wayward" souls who are in positions of authority.

It always becomes a difficult pastoral position to be in, when something wrong and schisms are quite possible based upon any decision you make. The pastor, being concerned, will try to work it out with everyone -- the best they can. Being patient, with love, and trying to work it out -- this is the model which all pastors should follow. Knee-jerk reactions usually cause more harm than help.

We should remember, within the Catholic Church, and all the homosexuals who have been ordained to the priesthood -- we too have this problem in our midst. The Bishops are trying hard, and it is a difficult situation. The easy answer is "kick them out." But even St Cyril of Alexandria, known for his harsh, cruel policies against his enemies, gave Nestorius several chances.

A pastor is a shepherd, and a shepherd's first duty is to guard his flock. The Anglecan communion has long tolerated heresy among its hierarchs and has long been on the road to apostasy. I fear it has finally arrived at its destination.
The true pastors -shepherds- in the Anglican communion are those African bishops and other traditionalists who are speaking out against the American apostasy.
Note that I am not only speaking of the Reverend Robinson's consecration but of bishops denying the Virgin Birth and Resurrection of Our Lord and that denomination's longstanding support for abortion.