However great is our sympathy, respect and admiration for the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams, we have to admit that recently we asked ourselves a few times the question whether we really are that happy with him as the spiritual leader of world
Anglicanism. There are such moments, though, when we have no doubts. It was so for instance a month ago, when we read the following story in
The Telegraph
.
A six-year-old girl from Scotland, Lulu, wrote a letter entitled: “To God, How did you get invented?” Lulu’s father sent her letter to various church leaders: the Church of Scotland (no reaction), The Scottish Episcopal Church (no reaction), and the Roman Catholics (who sent a theologically complex reply). He also sent it to the ABC, who replied with the following letter:
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
Honesty tells us to add that naturally also in Poland there are bishops who can get along with children. The best-known of them is Bishop Antoni Dlugosz, the author and performer of the famous hit “A Christian Dances”.
A Christian dances (4x)
Dance (4x) his legs
A Christian dances (4x)
Dance (4x) his arms
A Christian dances (4x)
Dances (4x) his head
A Christan dances (4x)
Dance (4x) his feet
A Christian dances (4x)
Dance (4x) his ears
A Christian dances (4x)
Dances (4x) his body
Would this mean great denominational chauvinism to say that we prefer the Archbishop of Canterbury?
