Following the announcement that Justin Welby is to resign as Archbishop of Canterbury.
(Much of this statement was included in the sermons preached by Revd Nigel di Castiglione on 17th November 2024)
There is a sober irony in how the church’s national calendar designated ‘Safeguarding Sunday’ to fall just a few days after the sudden resignation of the Archbishop of Canterbury was announced; because of serious failings on his part and that of others over safeguarding. We have discovered we are living as part of an organisation where some in senior leadership have expected us to ‘Do as they say not do as they do!’
In line with many local churches around the nation, a lot of excellent work is being done and due diligence is being paid to our safeguarding responsibilities. Therefore, on behalf of the wider village communities, the PCCs and the Papworth Team … thank-you for taking our mutual safeguarding responsibilities seriously. We must continue to do so, remaining vigilant and attend always to the needs of everyone around us. I am very grateful for all the ongoing ‘grunt work’ done for us across the Team by Kay Dimelow and Geoff Dodgson. Nevertheless, the revelations this past few days is a reminder safeguarding is something pertaining to us all.
Jesus did not hesitate to remind his hearers we are and live among sinful people – some with far-fetched claims about their identity and importance; others ready to go to war to achieve dominance to their own cause; nations in pitched and competitive opposition, the very fabric of the world seared with deep fault lines.
Sin is serious. Among its consequences sin afflicts and damages deeply many innocent victims, sin feeds the inflation of egos, sin promotes competition to gain advantage over others, sin divides people groups generating hostility, sin has provoked ongoing destructive behaviour to the planet.
The Bible is honest and candid about how sin is too often at work in religious people as much as those who claim to be non-religious and reminds us of the need for the dark things to be brought into the light and addressed.
Remember the picture in Genesis 3 when, having partaken of the forbidden fruit, our forebears suddenly felt the need to cover-up their nakedness and hide from the presence of God.
In contrast, Jesus said in his sermon on the mount, of his followers ‘You are the light of the world … the salt of the earth…’ Our task as Christians includes bringing the light of truth against the shadows of the dark things done for whatever reason … restoring the capacity of this world to be full of flavour and attractive to partake of.
One persuasive, constraint we have to battle against is how the culture of our society is often antagonistic to whistleblowing; to the extent good people are encouraged to turn a blind eye and keep quiet when other actions are required. That this seems to have happened, over decades in the case of John Smyth, makes it likely that others will be in the spotlight and subject to the scrutiny that has been turned on Justin Welby. The crisis we have become aware of this week is far from over, I suspect.
When we ignore or sidestep dealing with what is wrong, we deny the reflection of God with which we were designed and also perpetrate the damage done by the wrongdoing; whereas Jesus said when we stick closely to what he taught and apply it diligently … ‘you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.’ (John 8 v 32)
As Jesus took his core message ‘Repent … for the kingdom of God is at hand …’ to the ordinary people of his day, he was subverting the traditional hierarchy that has prevailed in so many cultures down the centuries. He set about creating … NOT a cult built upon secret loyalties that imposes its narrative and will on others seemingly less powerful. Instead, he invited people to follow, to reflect and replicate his lifestyle of purity, truthfulness, and virtue. 2,000 years later he is the same, ‘… yesterday, today and forever.’ (Hebs.13 v 8)
The clear message, lifestyle and perspective of Jesus should be the leading edge of who we are as Christians and how others experience us. When that sort of revolution takes root, we will find, also, ourselves with a complement of archbishops and bishops we can trust, support and celebrate without reservation and undue caution.
Please join me in praying: for a holiness reformation to overtake us and that we are not blinded by the apparent magnificence of certain structures or people holding office that, in the end, will be proven transient; and pulled down if they are idolised rather than used to serve.
Nigel di Castiglione
Team Rector 17th November 2024
(Much of this statement was included in the sermons preached by Revd Nigel di Castiglione on 17th November 2024)
There is a sober irony in how the church’s national calendar designated ‘Safeguarding Sunday’ to fall just a few days after the sudden resignation of the Archbishop of Canterbury was announced; because of serious failings on his part and that of others over safeguarding. We have discovered we are living as part of an organisation where some in senior leadership have expected us to ‘Do as they say not do as they do!’
In line with many local churches around the nation, a lot of excellent work is being done and due diligence is being paid to our safeguarding responsibilities. Therefore, on behalf of the wider village communities, the PCCs and the Papworth Team … thank-you for taking our mutual safeguarding responsibilities seriously. We must continue to do so, remaining vigilant and attend always to the needs of everyone around us. I am very grateful for all the ongoing ‘grunt work’ done for us across the Team by Kay Dimelow and Geoff Dodgson. Nevertheless, the revelations this past few days is a reminder safeguarding is something pertaining to us all.
Jesus did not hesitate to remind his hearers we are and live among sinful people – some with far-fetched claims about their identity and importance; others ready to go to war to achieve dominance to their own cause; nations in pitched and competitive opposition, the very fabric of the world seared with deep fault lines.
Sin is serious. Among its consequences sin afflicts and damages deeply many innocent victims, sin feeds the inflation of egos, sin promotes competition to gain advantage over others, sin divides people groups generating hostility, sin has provoked ongoing destructive behaviour to the planet.
The Bible is honest and candid about how sin is too often at work in religious people as much as those who claim to be non-religious and reminds us of the need for the dark things to be brought into the light and addressed.
Remember the picture in Genesis 3 when, having partaken of the forbidden fruit, our forebears suddenly felt the need to cover-up their nakedness and hide from the presence of God.
In contrast, Jesus said in his sermon on the mount, of his followers ‘You are the light of the world … the salt of the earth…’ Our task as Christians includes bringing the light of truth against the shadows of the dark things done for whatever reason … restoring the capacity of this world to be full of flavour and attractive to partake of.
One persuasive, constraint we have to battle against is how the culture of our society is often antagonistic to whistleblowing; to the extent good people are encouraged to turn a blind eye and keep quiet when other actions are required. That this seems to have happened, over decades in the case of John Smyth, makes it likely that others will be in the spotlight and subject to the scrutiny that has been turned on Justin Welby. The crisis we have become aware of this week is far from over, I suspect.
When we ignore or sidestep dealing with what is wrong, we deny the reflection of God with which we were designed and also perpetrate the damage done by the wrongdoing; whereas Jesus said when we stick closely to what he taught and apply it diligently … ‘you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.’ (John 8 v 32)
As Jesus took his core message ‘Repent … for the kingdom of God is at hand …’ to the ordinary people of his day, he was subverting the traditional hierarchy that has prevailed in so many cultures down the centuries. He set about creating … NOT a cult built upon secret loyalties that imposes its narrative and will on others seemingly less powerful. Instead, he invited people to follow, to reflect and replicate his lifestyle of purity, truthfulness, and virtue. 2,000 years later he is the same, ‘… yesterday, today and forever.’ (Hebs.13 v 8)
The clear message, lifestyle and perspective of Jesus should be the leading edge of who we are as Christians and how others experience us. When that sort of revolution takes root, we will find, also, ourselves with a complement of archbishops and bishops we can trust, support and celebrate without reservation and undue caution.
Please join me in praying: for a holiness reformation to overtake us and that we are not blinded by the apparent magnificence of certain structures or people holding office that, in the end, will be proven transient; and pulled down if they are idolised rather than used to serve.
Nigel di Castiglione
Team Rector 17th November 2024