Williams sermon on 'forgiveness'

Today at Canterbury Cathedral, the Archbishop of Canterbury will pay tribute and praise the families of Abigail Witchalls and Anthony Walker in the traditional Christmas sermon. The Archbishop will praise the way of Christian forgiveness was used against the attackers of violent crimes. (note:The Archbishop of Canterbury fills a unique position in the world-wide Anglican Communion)



Today in my home city, our Archbishop will be delievering his sermon which is mainly about how victims of violent crimes use Christian forgive. The Archbishop is also due to speak about the london bombings and call for peace in the middle east. (I shall try my best to attend this event, we could have a first "live at the scene" news on ATSNN)

But the Archbishop will also speak on the important of Christmas and this week he attacked the so called "PC style Christmas" that has appeared in certain parts of the UK and the USA. The Archbishop said

""If we ever do come to forget not just the Christmas story but what it made possible ... the arrival of a different humanity, there is enough, sadly, in our idle and self-obsessed hearts to let the ancient world begin to creep back a little more.""

Related News Links:
news.bbc.co.uk
today.reuters.co.uk
seattlepi.nwsource.com

[edit on 12-25-2005 by Valhall]

You know, I agree with the main gist of what he is saying. But one thing jumps out at me that I have a 'problem' with---why does he not say 'the attitude of forgiveness given by Christ?' Or some such more applicable, less exclusive, non-divisionary statement?

Forgiveness is not the domain of 'christians' alone--calling one's self after Christ does not make one Christ-like or walking in those particular footsteps. Many buddhists are far more Christ-like than many christians. Some people can forgive and some don't--unrelated to what they do otherwise and what they believe.

Christ is not divided. The world isn't divided except for the divisions man makes. And to say that christians are the forgivers only adds to the things that cause us to need to forgive. If there were no division, then there would be no war. And then no forgiveness needed for the things done in war.

The very same envy regarding God that caused Cain to kill his brother is the same kind that we kill our brothers with, this very day.

Envy is the opposite of love.