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Protests as Archbishop of Canterbury delivers Easter Message

The Archbishop of Canterbury used his Easter sermon to warn that “comforts and luxuries” which were taken for granted could not be sustained for ever, as church leaders around the country attacked selfishness and greed in society, reports Dan Wooding, founder of ASSIST Ministries.

According to James Meikle, writing in the British Guardian newspaper, “Rowan Williams, whose address was delayed by protesters, urged Christians to prepare for death by striving to let go �?selfish, controlling, greedy habits.’

“Two men with placards bearing the words �?Support the persecuted church’ and �?No to sharia law’ stood in front of the pulpit at Canterbury Cathedral as Williams began to speak, but were swiftly removed by officers.

“Williams said that death was considered too painful to manage in today's culture.”

Meikle went on to say that the Archbishop said that whether it was individuals “grabbing the things of this world” or “the greed of societies that assume there will always be enough to meet their desires - enough oil, enough power, enough territory - the same fantasy is at work. We shan't really die. We ... can't contemplate an end to our acquiring, and we as a culture can't imagine that this civilization, like all others, will collapse and what we take for granted ... simply can't be sustained indefinitely.”

Other British leaders also delivered strong Easter messages to their congregations, including the Pakistan-born Bishop of Rochester, Michael Nazir-Ali, who said, “To all this, the Church says, somberly, don't be deceived: night must fall.”

He went on to urge high earners to share their wealth more generously.

The Bishop of Lichfield, the Right Rev Jonathan Gledhill, said: “The brave new world where everyone is meant to have choices has proved unworkable without values that come from somewhere.”

Speaking in Rome, Pope Benedict called for “solutions that will safeguard peace and the common good”, citing African regions such as Darfur and Somalia, the “tormented Middle East, especially the Holy Land,” Iraq, Lebanon and Tibet.

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[03/25/2008]

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