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Archbishop of Canterbury Sets Tone for ACC

Diocesan Press Service. August 1, 1973 [73181]

The Rev. Canon Donald E. Becker

DUBLIN (DPS) -- The Most Rev. and Right Honorable Michael Ramsey, Archbishop of Canterbury and President of the second Anglican Consultative Council (by virtue of being Archbishop) three times gave indications of his thinking as regards the mission of the Council.

In his opening address to the Council, he stressed the nature of the Council. "It is a forum through which advice can be given by Anglican Churches one to another. " He also pointed out the fact that the council membership is drawn from many countries and races and that it is crossing divisions of race and culture. "We are involved with one another and this is good for we can not be fulfilled apart from one another, " he said.

Then, in his sermon at the Sunday (July 22) Eucharist at Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, he chose his text from Acts, "And there were tongues of fire resting on each of them."

After duly noting the most gracious welcome given the Council by the Anglican Church of Ireland and the Republic of Ireland officials, he developed his theme.

"A great longing for a revival and renewal of the church is abroad in all lands. There is a wish to make God known and to reconcile people," he said. " This revival comes only with the power of the Holy Spirit . . . no one has seen the Spirit . . . the imagery of the Bible is frightening," he went on.

If the Spirit comes, He comes as fire: The fire of love; the fire of might and right; the fire of light; the fire of burning anger.

Noting that the day was the Feast of St. Mary Magdalene, and that she became a new person by conversion, the Archbishops asked, "Will we let the Holy Spirit bring US to love and sight and burning of cleansing?" " He who is near me is near the fire," said Jesus.

Later that day, the Archbishop spoke at Evensong at St. Patrick's Cathedral and used as his text, "Sir, we would see Jesus."

"The institutional church is in trouble . . . still the name, Jesus, is evoking many loyalties among people young and old," he noted.

"Some show their simplicity of approach by asking, 'Jesus loves you. Do you love Jesus?' Others reject the institutional church and see service of Jesus in service of those in trouble. Within the historic churches, the question is asked, 'Is it the real Jesus, the true Jesus, who is here involved? " he said.

Archbishop Ramsey asked, "What is our allegiance? How do we test it?"

He offered four criteria by which to evaluate the claims of those who say they are following Jesus, whether in the church or outside it:

-- The real Jesus leads men and women beyond HIMSELF, and he makes stupendous claims. "No one knows the Father except through me."

-- The real Jesus appeals to ALL of the faculties, will, mind, emotion.

-- The real Jesus always appeals to the person's whole life. No one lives in a vacuum. His whole context must be converted and subject to Jesus.

-- The real Jesus is ALWAYS a Jesus for whom death on Calvary and the Easter miracle are cardinal. Too many who claim Jesus leave the Easter miracle out.

Thus he pointed out the nature of the Council . . . a forum from many lands; he asserted that renewal comes only from the Spirit; and finally, that Jesus claims for Himself all things and those who claim Him must let Him into their whole lives and accept all of Him.

[thumbnail: Archbishop Ramsey.]