Secularism an issue as Archbishop prepares to meet Pope in Rome

-13/11/06

The Archbish


Secularism an issue as Archbishop prepares to meet Pope in Rome

-13/11/06

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, spiritual head of the 77 million Anglican Communion, and Pope Benedict XVI, leader of the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics, will have their first meeting together later this month (November 2006).

Among the issues they are likely to discuss is the rising tide of secularism within Europe, an issue which the Archbishop will address directly in one of his lectures while in Rome.

The two, both former university professors, met briefly following the Popeís Inauguration Mass in 2005. Though Anglicanism is numerically insignificant compared to Roman Catholicism, the history of the church deeply impinges on the development of relations between Protestants and Catholics.

The private Papal Audience, on Thursday 23 November, will be the centrepiece of Dr Williamsí visit to Rome, which will run from 21-26 November. The visit coincides with the 40th anniversary of the historic meeting between Pope Paul VI and Archbishop Michael Ramsey in 1966.

In addition to a number of private meetings in the Vatican, Dr Williams will also take part in the celebrations marking 40 years since the founding of the Anglican Centre in Rome in 1966.

The Archbishop will lead worship for Romeís Anglican congregations and deliver two keynote lectures – ëSt Benedict and the Future of Europeí and ëSecularity, Freedom and Faithí, and will also meet with the Santí Egidio Community.

Dr Williams’ speech on secularity and faith will be eagerly awaited. He has in the past affirmed a secular settlement which enables religious and non-religious people to live side-by-side.

But recently he has also criticised secularism, and has backed a report from the Bible Society’s initiative Theos, which calls for a significant recognition for Christians within the social order – something described as “triumphalism” by a number of commentators and by the National Secular Society.

The Christian think tank Ekklesia has called for a radically different approach, based on a recognition that the Christendom model of church aligned with ruling institutions damages the integrity of faith as well as fitting ill with a plural society.

It says that Christianity has to be redeemed of its domineering tendencies if its is to recover a ground-up vocation of “costly witness” to peace and justice, and form constructive relations with those of other outlooks.


Secularism an issue as Archbishop prepares to meet Pope in Rome

-13/11/06

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, spiritual head of the 77 million Anglican Communion, and Pope Benedict XVI, leader of the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics, will have their first meeting together later this month (November 2006).

Among the issues they are likely to discuss is the rising tide of secularism within Europe, an issue which the Archbishop will address directly in one of his lectures while in Rome.

The two, both former university professors, met briefly following the Popeís Inauguration Mass in 2005. Though Anglicanism is numerically insignificant compared to Roman Catholicism, the history of the church deeply impinges on the development of relations between Protestants and Catholics.

The private Papal Audience, on Thursday 23 November, will be the centrepiece of Dr Williamsí visit to Rome, which will run from 21-26 November. The visit coincides with the 40th anniversary of the historic meeting between Pope Paul VI and Archbishop Michael Ramsey in 1966.

In addition to a number of private meetings in the Vatican, Dr Williams will also take part in the celebrations marking 40 years since the founding of the Anglican Centre in Rome in 1966.

The Archbishop will lead worship for Romeís Anglican congregations and deliver two keynote lectures – ëSt Benedict and the Future of Europeí and ëSecularity, Freedom and Faithí, and will also meet with the Santí Egidio Community.

Dr Williams’ speech on secularity and faith will be eagerly awaited. He has in the past affirmed a secular settlement which enables religious and non-religious people to live side-by-side.

But recently he has also criticised secularism, and has backed a report from the Bible Society’s initiative Theos, which calls for a significant recognition for Christians within the social order – something described as “triumphalism” by a number of commentators and by the National Secular Society.

The Christian think tank Ekklesia has called for a radically different approach, based on a recognition that the Christendom model of church aligned with ruling institutions damages the integrity of faith as well as fitting ill with a plural society.

It says that Christianity has to be redeemed of its domineering tendencies if its is to recover a ground-up vocation of “costly witness” to peace and justice, and form constructive relations with those of other outlooks.