The Witness of Rowan Williams
I have been an admirer of Rowan Williams for quite some time (and it’s not just because we pysically resemble one another, albeit he has the more distinguished eyebrows). By quite some time, I mean for perhaps last five years or so.
The story has recently broke of Alex Renton and his daughter Lulu. Alex Renton writes for The Times, and sends his six-year old daughter Lulu to a Scottish primary school (of a Christian confession). Apparently, while there Lulu was encouraged by one of her teachers to write the following letter: “To God. How did you get invented?”
The Renton family is not religious, but were a bit taken aback by the letter nonetheless. Lulu’s father got the idea to ship it off to the Scottish Episcopal Church. No reply had come by the time the story broke. He then sent the letter to the Presbyterian Church of Scotland (I presume of Scotland), but no reply was received. Sending the letter, then, to the Scottish Catholic Church, Alex Renton got a response which The Telegraph‘s Damian Thompson describes as “nice” but “theologically complex.” I interpret this as meaning that the letter was perhaps a little beyond the six-year old.
Here’s where the story gets fun: Alex Renton also sent Lulu’s letter to Lambeth, where Archbishop Rowan Williams of Canterbury is stationed. The Archbishop’s response has since been made available by the Renton family:
Dear Lulu,
Your dad has sent on your letter and asked if I have any answers. It’s a difficult one! But I think God might reply a bit like this—-
‘Dear Lulu — nobody invented me —- but lots of people discovered me and were quite surprised. They discovered me when they looked round at the world and thought it was really beautiful or really mysterious and wondered where it came from. They discovered me when they were very very quiet on their own and felt a sort of peace and love they hadn’t expected.
Then they invented ideas about me —some of them sensible and some of them not very sensible. From time to time I sent them some hints — specially in the life of Jesus —- to help them get closer to what I’m really like.
But there was nothing and nobody around before me to invent me. Rather like somebody who writes a story in a book. I started making up the story of the world and eventually invented human beings like you who could ask me awkward questions!’
And then he’d send you lots of love and sign off.
I know he doesn’t usually write letters, so I have to do the best I can on his behalf. Lots of love from me too.
+ Archbishop Rowan
This is most definately the hand of the Archbishop (rather than a secretary of his), and the care he has taken to respond, and that he has responded with something so meaningful, has deeply impressed the Renton family.
The previous pope, John Paul II, once observed that the contemporary person listens more willingly to a witness than to a teacher. Through his own concern for another, Archbishop Rowan has powerfully witnessed to the love of Christ in his own life. Three cheers…
K.
Kelly Wilson is a Seminarian for the Archdiocese of Winnipeg (Manitoba). Besides Vox Nova, he writes at his blog Musings.
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Lovely.
Perhaps we can also highlight Pope Benedict’s witness as well: Here.
Hi Kimberley, this seems as good a place as any to highlight Benedict. Thanks for the link. Happy Easter…
Nice happy talk Kelly, now may I suggest something a little more substantial on Rowan Williams
Here read this article from Virtue on Line that paints a true picture of Rowan Williams role and actually gives the reader some substance to what he has achieved or should we say hasn’t achieved…
Yes, Kelly. Please give us more angry talk, especially on Holy Saturday. Whitened sepulchres, anyone?
Lovely post. More ‘happy talk,’ please.
Thanks Mark. Happy Easter…
Hi Gregory, this post has as its motivation the very singular act of the Archbishop reaching out as a person of love, and I maintain that it is to moments like these (moments of witness to what Christ has done in a person’s life), that the contemporary person is most willingly drawn. I think that this conclusion stands however one assesses his contributions as head of the Church of England. I’m sure you agree. Best wishes for a Happy Easter.
Wow, the same column unfavorably describes the Pope as a “theologian and bureaucrat”, and if anything screams for more embrace of gray matters over black-and-white approaches. One wonders if the column was read carefully for anything other than its critique that might tangentially be lobbed here.
Happy Easter indeed.
Goodness, Gregory, buy yourself a mirror.
Ok people.
Let’s move on…
Thanks for this post. Always good to hear from other Roman Catholic admirers of Archbishop Rowan Williams.
I really enjoyed that Kelly. What a great example that letter is.