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Dr Williams highlights plight of persecuted ChristiansThe Archbishop of Canterbury has spoken about the plight of “Christians in situations of oppression and danger”, in his ecumenical Christmas letter to heads of other Churches this week. “In early November we had the shocking news of atrocities against Christians in Iraq, and the whole Christian world prays and grieves with that small and courageous community living in daily danger,” Dr Williams writes. “Regular reports reach us in the West of terrible atrocities against children in the war-torn lands of Congo, Sudan, and other places. “Every time such an outrage occurs, we are recalled to the reality of our involvement in the Body of Christ; when one member suffers, the whole Body suffers (1 Corinthians 12.26).” Dr Williams says that Christians “are called to daily involvement in prayer and advocacy for all our fellow Christians . . . and all their neighbours too, of whatever belief, since the evils of violence and tyranny are not felt by Christians alone, nor can their sufferings be isolated from those of their neighbours.” Recalling the massacre of the innocents, Dr Williams writes that Christ was “caught up in the terror and violence of our world”. He says: “we affirm our faith that God’s action and presence are to be found in the darkest places of the world, alongside those who are exposed to pain and death.” |