Three Churches - Part Two: Canterbury Cathedral, Canterbury, Kent

It ain't no Vatican, but...

As I stepped through the great gatehouse and saw the towers of the cathedral before me, the hair on the back of my neck stood up, my eyes welled with tears, and I found myself unable to speak. I called home and tried to share with my wife and son what was in front of me, but I could barely say, "I'm home."

Home - the spiritual home, the center of our Anglican Communion - Canterbury Cathedral. To be honest, it's not the most impressive cathedral in England. I haven't seen them all, but certainly Salisbury Cathedral, Norwich Cathedral, St. Paul's in London are all more impressive, more visually stunning. But in this church was the seat of St. Augustine of Canterbury, the chair in which many an archbishop had sat, had looked out upon the faithful in his care, looked back upon the history of faith and evangelism that brought him to that place, and maybe even looked forward in hopeful anticipation that all that he would do and say would help bring people closer to God and to Christ.

I was especially touched that during the course of the few hours visit, at the top of each hour, a cleric called all within the cathedral to a moment of silence, and then to prayers for the Christian church. At times, additional intercessions and petitions were made. Surprisingly, everyone stopped. The cathedral became quiet and still. Regardless of faith or journey, for a brief moment, all were at prayer.

It was more than just a token moment of silence. It was an affirmation that this was a holy place, a sacred precinct, in which centuries of faithful pilgrims had come and offered thanksgiving, intercession, petition, praise to our Creator. And regardless of how each person in Canterbury Cathedral understood it, each paused for a moment and made an affirmation that there was a greater power, a greater good, a God, to whom belonged glory, honor, and blessing.

The politics of our communion may be tested during these progressive lurches at the beginning of the 21st century - and there may well be members of the Anglican Communion who look upon me as an apostate for my social views. But regardless of where we stand on any issue, for at least a moment each hour, we stand together, in silent prayer, to our God, to his Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ, and to our inspiring Advocate, the Holy Spirit.

Praise God in his Holy Temple!

A L L E L U I A !

Alleluia! Christ is Risen!
The Lord is Risen Indeed! Alleluia!

Call me crazy – but I buy it – hook, line, and sinker! I know that it is popular to test our faith with enormous scrutiny, and while Christopher Hitchens and Richard Dawkins and others are trying desperately to cast doubt on all religion (or at least religious institutions), I am happy to remain in the category of what they might call “voluntarily ignorant.”

But is it really ignorant to voluntarily embrace the Gospel of Jesus Christ? To affirm my belief that Jesus of Nazareth died, was buried, and then when his friends went to the tomb, they found it empty? That our Messiah rose from the dead, as he told his followers that he would? That Jesus Christ appeared to his disciples in the days and weeks that followed? Is it ignorant to affirm that in Christ death no longer has power over us? That God’s ultimate act of salvation is made complete? For me, it seems harder NOT to believe. As C. S. Lewis pointed out, we do not hunger and thirst for anything unless our appetite can be satisfied, and all of us hunger, thirst, yearn for communion with our Creator. In our faith, in our Gospel, that appetite is satisfied, as Christ graces us with eternal life – eternally in the presence of our creator.

Do I know exactly what our own resurrected life will be like? I have NO CLUE! I can read the speculation and theologizing of the greatest minds in history – and I can even read the skepticism from our atheist and agnostic fellow sojourners. But each time I do, I feel sad. Sad that there can be such disbelief, such pessimism that our Creator wanted so dearly to bring us home that God visited us, incarnate in Jesus of Nazareth.

Call me crazy, but I believe! I believe in the Resurrection! I believe in our Salvation! I believe that Christ has Liberated me from sin and death and invited me to share in eternal life!

I believe!