The Reverend Philip Banks writes:

The Anglican vision

A curious thing is to be found in the Vicarage loo!

Because my arrival in Coggeshall coincided with a ‘vacancy-in-see’ (ie, before a new Bishop of Chelmsford had arrived), my appointment as priest here came via the Crown to Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury. The Crown Warrant, now hanging in our cloakroom, in quaint ecclesiastical legal language, reads: “….To the Most Reverend Father in God, our right trusty and well beloved Counsellor, Rowan, by Divine Providence Lord Archbishop of Canterbury…. to whom all manner of spiritual and ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the See of Chelmsford (the said See being now vacant) doth belong: Greeting. We present unto you, by these Presents, our beloved in Christ, Philip Charles Banks…..”.

So, with this – and Paul White’s ordination by Rowan Williams last month – perhaps we can say that Coggeshall has a personal connection with our archbishop! And, surely, archbishop Rowan is indeed a man who we too can think of as “right trusty and well beloved”. Although I am writing this before the Lambeth Conference has started (and you will be reading it well after it has ended!), Rowan Williams has brought a great wisdom and theological insight to all the debates in the church at present. His faith, patience, generosity of spirit and holiness of life shine out in all that he does - despite a sometimes difficult national media - and is an example to all, especially church members, those in Christian ministry and those in positions of authority in the church.

The question of what holds together the autonomous Churches of the Anglican Communion, and how we can rediscover the sense of a shared Anglican identity, is one which will continue to be much debated. For me, one of the most important and precious marks of Anglicanism lies in the open Christian tolerance and respect, which has always valued and included people of different theological and ecclesiastical traditions. I believe that this ability, shown over the centuries, to accommodate difference of opinion, has a powerful message for our nation and for a troubled and divided world. What message of hope can we possibly give to warring peoples, if amongst Christians we cannot sometimes ‘agree to disagree’?

My prayer is that Rowan Williams, indeed a man right trusty and well beloved, receives all the support and strength he needs to keep alive our precious inheritance of faith, based on scripture, reason and tradition, and as he continues to seek to reconcile different views – all for the health, unity and mission of Christ’s church.

This comes with my love and prayers,

Fr Philip Banks

Picture: Speaking to the media: the Most Rev’d and Rt Hon Rowan Williams. © www.archbishopofcanterbury.org

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