There has been so much violence in and around the Church. Very real examples of this were evident during a candlelight tour of the Cathedral Friday night. We stood on the site where Saint Thomas Beckett was martyred by his king in 1170. And we concluded our tour with prayers in Trinity Chapel; the site of the shrine to Saint Thomas Beckett that was destroyed by King Henry VIII in 1538. This site had been the destination of so many pilgrims that the stones are worn down from where they kneeled to pray. Unfortunately that violence continues today in so many forms.
As part of ordination clergy take a vow of obedience to the Bishop and the canons of the Church. Part of Friday’s discussion was around discipline as related to this vow of obedience. This discussion was lead by an evangelical Anglican bishop from Nigeria. The definition of discipline that was offered by many of our African brothers focused on rules, regulations, and punishment.
This is in contrast to the view of some of my American brothers and sisters. At least those I discussed this with are aligned with the thoughts of Arch Bishop Williams when he talked of how the word “discipline” comes to us from “disciple.” As a disciple we give ourselves fully. We follow the Church and the leaders out of love, not fear of retribution. As Nouwen said “power offers an easy substitute for the hard task of love.” I wonder if these divergent views of discipline come back to power versus love. The easy road versus the hard road?
Yes, violence seems to have surrounded the Church for centuries. Unfortunately it still exists around the Church, and sadly within it as well.
Our hope though lies in looking, listening and in prayer. As Canon Condry pointed out when showing the indentations in the stone where countless pilgrims kneeled at Beckett’s shrine, “With time, even stone is worn away by prayer.”
Peace,
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