Archbishop of Canterbury Addresses Virginia Annual Council
Episcopal News Service. March 7, 1997 [97-1709M]
(ENS) The contemporary Episcopal Church can take comfort from knowing that first century Christians also struggled with division and controversy, but managed to survive and thrive, Archbishop of Canterbury George L. Carey told members of the Annual Council of the Diocese of Virginia. In a sermon at the council meeting, January 31-February 1, Carey praised the American church and its contribution to the Anglican Communion. "You are a generous church; you are a committed church; you are a powerful church," he said. "To such a church, the words of our Lord apply: 'To whom much is given, much is required."' He added. "The Church of Jesus Christ is not here to make people comfortable, or good citizens, or good moral beings -- although all those things may result from the impact of the gospel -- but it is here to transform the world." The world "desperately needs examples of people living in love together, even when such groups disagree passionately about things they hold dear." he said. Carey, who took a break from a four-week study leave at Virginia Theological Seminary to address the council, also offered comfort to the family of Jamie Knight, 21-year-old son of one of the diocese's priests, who was killed in a robbery the night before the council meeting. "I really feel he communicated as the 'people's archbishop,' as he is called," one priest said of Carey. "It is very difficult to step into the context where one of the clergy's family has died."