Archbishops write about coronavirus second wave
The Church of England Communications Unit has today issued this press release: Offering hope as we face a second wave – Archbishops’ letter to bishops.The press release is copied in full below.
The full text of the letter, which is addressed to “All Bishops” is available here (PDF). It reads as follows:
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
23 September 2020
It is clear that we now have to gear up for a second wave of the coronavirus. This is hard. Many people were starting to believe things could return to normal. They can’t. But neither are we in the same place as before. We have learned a great deal. In our leadership of the Church and in the witness we show to our nation we need to be determined, resilient and hopeful. We will need to be more critical in our response to restrictions that are above and beyond government regulations, helping the church at the local level, in parish and diocese, steer a course that is marked by responsible action towards each other, care for the most vulnerable, and witness for the poor and disadvantaged who are suffering disproportionately. All this is the nature of love.
Our national situation is much more complicated than it was in March. The divisions are deeper. There is public and reasonable concern about hunger – especially amongst children – and homelessness, with an expected rapid rise in evictions. Domestic violence remains a major issue which is concealed.
We are also in a situation which threatens the recovery from the huge decline in the economy in the second quarter. The most vulnerable to this second wave are the small companies who employ the most people, and especially those in the hospitality industry. It will be for us and others to encourage the banks, who received such help in 2009, to be equally merciful to others as the nation was to them. St Matthew 18:23-35 seems highly relevant.
The poor, the elderly and isolated are especially vulnerable. There will be growing nervousness about Christmas, about mental health and many other issues that cannot be considered in this very short letter.
We are called to be responsible, but we are also called to resilience and prophetic speech. We have the networks, long since mobilised, and the partnerships to serve especially the hungry and homeless. Our schools are a particular treasure.
However, there will also be a sense of tiredness; the weariness which comes with dealing with yet another threat and difficulty. To face this, we must continue to encourage one another and bear one another’s burdens. We must in our meetings be transparent with each other, able to say difficult things in a way that avoids mistakes being made through unwilling acquiescence to the perceived view of the majority.
Most of all we need to draw close to Christ, and continue to offer the hope and stability of the gospel. It is this gospel joy, even in the darkest times, that alone can help us through this crisis, bringing hope and an eternal perspective to the very pressing trials of the moment.
We are so grateful for our partnership with you in this work. Do feel free to share this letter as you see fit. And please be assured of our prayers.
In the peace of Christ,
The Most Revd & Rt Hon Justin Welby The Most Revd & Rt Hon Stephen Cottrell Archbishop of Canterbury Archbishop of York
Press Release:
Offering hope as we face a second wave – Archbishops’ letter to bishops
The Church has a vital role to play in offering hope and comfort to the nation as we face an expected second wave of the coronavirus, the Archbishops of Canterbury and York have said.
In a joint letter to the bishops of the Church of England, Archbishops Justin Welby and Stephen Cottrell set out a stark assessment of the challenges facing the country amid the pandemic including hunger, homelessness, mental health pressures and domestic violence.
But, they say, the Church of England, through its presence in every community, can play a vital role in serving the nation – especially those most in need – and in bringing hope to all through the gospel.
Churches are especially well placed, through networks and partnerships across the country, to help those in most need those who are hungry and homeless, they point out.
“Most of all we need to draw close to Christ, and continue to offer the hope and stability of the gospel,” the Archbishops write.
“It is this gospel joy, even in the darkest times, that alone can help us through this crisis, bringing hope and an eternal perspective to the very pressing trials of the moment.”
And they also highlight the particular pressures faced by small businesses after months of restrictions and issue a challenge to banks to show the same mercy to those in difficulties now as banks themselves received during the financial crisis.
Referencing the parable of the unforgiving servant in Matthew 18, they add: “It will be for us and others to encourage the banks, who received such help in 2009, to be equally merciful to others as the nation was to them.
“St Matthew 18:23-35 seems highly relevant.”
Although titled offering hope, most of the words are spent describing challenges. It is another weak communication.
“It will be for us and others to encourage the banks, who received such help in 2009, to be equally merciful to others as the nation was to them”
Don’t count on it:
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-09-23/jpmorgan-to-move-230-billion-assets-to-germany-in-brexit-shift
‘We must in our meetings be transparent with each other, able to say difficult things in a way that avoids mistakes being made through unwilling acquiescence to the perceived view of the majority.’
Presumably the bishops know what this is referring to? It was too cryptic for me.
The fact that the archbishops are – at long last – saying something about the application of Christian morality to public policy is heartening. We have been waiting, and waiting, and waiting, since March. However, this is relatively equivocal and insipid stuff, and some of it is pretty Delphic. There is more practical Christianity in the substantive proposals articulated in this report, just released by UNCTAD, than in all the mountains of literature issued by the central organs of the Church since this crisis began: https://unctad.org/en/PublicationsLibrary/tdr2020_en.pdf (note the reference in the report to Joan Robinson, F. D. Maurice’s great-grand-daughter: a… Read more »
Sadly, another failure to provide leadership, even compassion for those priests maintaining pastoral concern. ‘Sharing the pain’ is not what is needed at this time, Has the ABC ever given any spiritual guidance on anything !
Secular criticism of the failure in archi-episcopal leadership will make itharder for any further comment to be taken seriously and further limit the influence of the church in public debate.
I agree Angusian. They have a nerve to write We will need to be more critical in our response to restrictions that are above and beyond government regulations, helping the church at the local level, in parish and diocese, steer a course that is marked by responsible action towards each other, care for the most vulnerable, and witness for the poor and disadvantaged who are suffering disproportionately They still cannot accept the damage that they have done to the financial viability of parish churches, many still locked. They are still talking about restrictions being imposed that are above and beyond… Read more »
The Archbishop has said being a parish priest was the most challenging role he’s had in his ministerial career, yet these archiepiscopal statements never betray much empathy for parishes rural, suburban or urban. No fetes, garden parties, cream teas, flower festivals, jumble sales and barn dances will effectively decimate the finances of rural parishes and probably suburban ones. The urban ones have lost their often substantial letting income. No hint of these pressures on parishes and their clergy in the archbishops’ letter to their colleagues. No recognition that collections at Christmas are often banked before New Year’s Eve so that… Read more »