Archbishop Interview

I thought this interview was full of wit and wisdom. Here's what Rowan Williams says about Christmas, in reference to our recent discussion:

"It's the old pagan thing, really. This is the midwinter festival and the Church, very early on, latched onto the idea that it was good to have a festival in midwinter, but that they had a better story to tell. And that's still true."

And here is another good quote, about the Church in general. I resonated with this strongly because I spent the morning talking about a church plant with one of our priests, and then rehashed an old argument all afternoon with J about whether church should adapt to culture or vice versa. Whatever...this puts things in perspective...although those arguments are important to have.

"The central things for me, what I want to witness to, that the Church doesn't exist because we've decided that it will, because we like the idea, because we get on with each other - it exists because of God. So everything in the church has to begin and end in the worship and praise of God.

Nothing, absolutely nothing, is more important than that.

And the most important form that takes for a Christian, is gratitude. Something extraordinary has happened to us, something has overtaken us, something we could never have expected. Back to Narnia again, really. What happens is a surprise. The winter breaks, the weather changes.

So, that's at the very heart of everything, and that, I think, ought to put a little bit into perspective our absolute passion for trying to get everything right at every point. We have to try. We make mistakes. And there is always a God great enough to pick up the pieces and give us a fresh start."