Porto Alegre, Brazil - 19 February, 2006
Challenging the gathered churches with a new vision for Christian identity in the light of religious plurality, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Revd Rowan Williams, visited the World Council of Churches 9th General Assembly in Porto Alegre, Brazil on 17 February and was the keynote speaker at the day's plenary session.
Archbishop Williams began the day with an open discussion for Anglicans attending the Assembly, where he talked about the life of the Anglican Communion generally, and laid out his vision for the way that we can move forward together as a world-wide group of Christians. He described how, in his view, neither of the two polarised positions taken by some in the Communion represent a good way forward, and described this by saying: 'I would be very sad to see Anglicanism becoming either the Church of a western liberal elite or the Church of anti-intellectual post-missionary society. I am putting it very bluntly here, and I think the dangers that we face in the Communion very serious.'
He concluded by saying: 'who knows what God has in store for the Anglican Communion? When I try to look into the future of the Anglican Communion eighteen months forward, I have no idea what might happen. But if God has a purpose for us in the Communion, then we can relax. I do not mean to say we can stop, and do nothing. I mean we can stop at least being so desperately and bitterly anxious. So often our Anglican world gives off in the media a sense of bitterness and anxiety. Well that is the last thing we want to share with the world. We need to be honest. We need to work. We need to recognise there are no short answers. We need to do all that because we believe God has something to say to us, and with us, in the context of the World Church, which is why we are here in this Assembly. That is, because we believe God is faithful to his calling and his promise.'
The Archbishop then attended a session of the Assembly where the gathered delegates and observers were addressed by the President of Brazil, Luiz Incio Lula da Silva. He then took part in a discussion about economic justice with Peggy Mekel, a young economics professor from Indonesia. Archbishop Williams stressed the role that the churches much play in persuading industry and national governments to move towards a worldwide economic system that allows all to have an equal footing, and added that 'we are challenging the idea that the only value in an advanced society is acquisition.' A question was raised about the participation of young people in the church, and the archbishop admitted that the church misses opportunities to engage with those who are very interested in issues such as economic justice and reminded the audience that 'young people who get involved in the church do so because Jesus Christ tells us that change is possible, both in individual lives and in the world at large.'
In the afternoon, Archbishop Williams addressed the delegates in the main plenary session of the day, speaking on the topic 'Christian Identity and Religious Plurality.' In his address, he first reminded the delegates that, as Christians, we identify ourselves by belonging 'in a place that Jesus defines for us' and that this place defined by Jesus shows us that 'the claim of Christian belief is not first and foremost that it offers the only accurate system of thought, as against all other competitors; it is that, by standing in the place of Christ, it is possible to live in such intimacy with God that no fear or failure can ever break God's commitment to us, and to live in such a degree of mutual gift and understanding that no human conflict or division need bring us to uncontrollable violence and mutual damage. From here, you can see what you need to see to be at peace with God and with God's creation; and also what you need to be at peace with yourself, acknowledging your need of mercy and re-creation.' He also spoke about the role of Christ as the anointed king who gives us the power to accomplish what he asks of us and tied this to his point about our identity in Christ by adding: 'It can be put most forcefully, even shockingly, if we say that Christians identify themselves not only as servants of the anointed king but as Christ. Their place in the world is his place. By allowing themselves to be caught up into his witness and doing what his authority makes possible for them, in work and worship, they stand where he stands. The Christian Scriptures say that believers bear the name of Christ, that this name is written on their foreheads, that their life together is a material 'body' for the anointed king on earth.'
The Archbishop then went on to explore what it means to be a Christian in a pluralistic society on the ground in the real world, especially in places around the world where Christian minorities are persecuted daily and concluded that 'the question of Christian identity in a world of plural perspectives and convictions cannot be answered in cliches about the tolerant co-existence of different opinions. It is rather that the nature of our conviction as Christians puts us irrevocably in a certain place, which is both promising and deeply risky, the place where we are called to show utter commitment to the God who is revealed in Jesus and to all those to whom his invitation is addressed. Our very identity obliges us to active faithfulness of this double kind. We are not called to win competitions or arguments in favour of our 'product' in some religious marketplace. If we are, in the words of Olivier Clement, to take our dialogue beyond the encounter of ideologies, we have to be ready to witness, in life and word, to what is made possible by being in the place of Jesus the anointed - 'our reasons for living, for loving less badly and dying less badly.'
The presence of Archbishop Williams was greatly appreciated by many. The Very Reverend Cynthia Black, Dean of the Cathedral of Christ the King in Kalamazoo, MI, USA, said 'what an honour it was to have an archbishop of such wisdom among us and leading us.'
Christina Takatsu-Winnischofer, General Secretary of the Anglican Church of Brazil, said 'I was very glad to have Dr. Williams visit us here in Brazil and I hope that he has another opportunity to come and spend some more time in our province.'
For others, having the archbishop attending the Assembly was important for personal reasons. Vicki Terrell, a participant through the Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network and an Anglican from the province of New Zealand, said that Archbishop William's visit 'was a great experience to have as I begin my training for ordination.'
In the evening, Archbishop Williams officiated at traditional Anglican Evening Prayer. The service included voices from around the Anglican Communion, and the languages included were French, Spanish, Oshingonga (a dialect of the Oshiwambo language in Namibia), Portuguese, English, Japanese, and even Welsh responses sung by the Archbishop himself.
The Archbishop had the opportunity to meet privately with representatives of all Anglican dialogue partners, including both Dr. Samel Kobia, Secretary General of the WCC and with His Holiness Aram I, Moderator of the WCC. Canon Gregory Cameron, Deputy Secretary General of the Anglican Communion said, 'The feedback received from the Archbishop of Canterbury's address indicates that many different denominations drew inspiration from what he had to say.' One person spoke of how 'proud' she was to be an Anglican following the Archbishop's visit.
Ends
By Jamie McMahon, ACNS Special Report
Related News Entries