Service of peace and reconciliation to mark Flodden anniversary; 500th anniversary of birth of George Wishart marked; Archbishop of York offers TV presenter prayers for healing
Service of peace and reconciliation to mark Flodden anniversary
A service of peace and reconciliation will be taking place in Branxton next week to mark the 500th anniversary of the Battle of Flodden.
The battle killed an estimated 5,000 English and 10,000 Scots, including Scottish King James IV, the last British monarch to die on a battlefield.
The Solemn Commemoration takes place at 2:30pm on September 10 and will be attended by the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, as well as the Anglican Bishop of Newcastle, the Roman Catholic Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle, the President of the Baptist Union of Great Britain and representatives of the Methodist and United Reformed Churches.
Rev Rob Kelsey, of Norham Church and the priest in charge of Branxton Church, was quoted by the Berwick Advertiser as saying: “It obviously was a turning point in history.
“We are seeking to honour those who died on both sides of the conflict. Part of the point of the Solemn Commemoration is to raise awareness as well as build bridges and work together towards a better future. This is a truly cross border commemoration.”
500th anniversary of birth of George Wishart marked
Over a hundred people gathered in St Andrews on Friday to mark the quincentenary of the birth of George Wishart.
Wishart, born in 1513, was a key figure in the Scottish Reformation and mentor of the formidable Reformer John Knox.
Although Knox is more famous, Wishart is gaining increasing recognition among historians as the most powerful preacher in the decade leading up to his trial and execution in 1546.
Wishart was also influential in the English Reformation, preaching in Bristol at the time of Reforming Bishop Hugh Latimer, and was arraigned there for heresy.
He was later exiled on the continent where he came into contact with Henry Bullinger and was profoundly influenced by the first Helvetic Confession of Faith, translating it into English.
Knox described him as ” man of such graces as before him were never heard within this Realm, yea, and are rare to be found yet in any man, notwithstanding the great light of God that since his days hath shined unto us”.
Wishart was eventually put on trial for heresy at the instigation of Cardinal David Beaton, Archbishop of St Andrews. The 18 charges against him included alleging that every layman was a priest and challenging the concepts of purgatory and prayer to the saints.
He was found guilty and burnt at the stake outside the Archbishop’s palace in St Andrews on 1 March 1546. He was 33 years old.
The Quincentennial Conference brought academics and descendants of Wishart to the University of St Andrews to discuss the latest academic research and insights on Wishart.
The academics admitted that a lot of the facts surrounding Wishart’s views and theological thoughts were lost, owing to his being a speaker more than a writer, and notably that only second hand accounts remained.
Archbishop of York offers TV presenter prayers for healing
The Archbishop of York offered the BBC presenter Andrew Marr a striking gesture of solidarity as he returned to work after suffering a stroke – taking his hand live on television and offering to pray for healing.
Dr John Sentamu, who is himself recovering from life-saving cancer surgery, dispensed with formality during an interview about politics to tell the broadcaster of his faith in miracles.
The Archbishop has been a regular on the Sunday morning programme in the past. It was during an appearance on the programme six years ago that the Archbishop publicly cut up his dog collar in a symbol of protest against the regime of Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe.
It was among a series of dramatic gestures which the Archbishop has used to highlight issues close to his heart.
In 2006 he had his head shaved at the altar of York Minster and slept rough in a tent in a personal plea for peace in the Middle East following the Israeli strikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon.
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