Don’t get depressed, Dr Williams tells Church of England
THE Archbishop of Canterbury said this morning that many in the
Church were feeling "profoundly frustrated" with its
"structures".
In a sermon preached at York Minster, Dr Williams
said that people were feeling "frustrated with each other",
"profoundly frustrated with the bishops", and "with the structures
of the Church, and are feeling that the way in which we do our
business is, at the moment, preventing us from doing what we
actually want to do as a Church."
Frustration, Dr Williams said, "leads to anger and indignation.
And, of course, for well-brought-up Christians, anger and
indignation are normally internalised as depression. And the last
thing our society or our world needs is a depressed Church. That is
something which I trust we shall bear in mind and heart in the days
ahead . . .
"Instead of simply allowing our frustration to turn inwards into
anger and unhappiness, let us at least remember that we are brought
up against the reality of a humanity - rich, mysterious, exciting,
enduring, and worth the very life of the Son of God himself. 'My
grace is enough.'" Dr Williams said that "there is no power that
can force the human heart. . . we cannot force our neighbours to be
with us any more than God can force his creation to be with
him."
Dr Williams said that people might not let Christ "do what he
really wants, but Christ - subtle and secret as ever - slips behind
our defences and, just wryly smiling, touches a few people into
life, perhaps whispering to them 'Get on with it.' With that wry
smile before us, perhaps we can remember that we as a Church may
yet be a place where he lays his hand and heals."