With Archbishop Rowan through the Church Year (an extract)

‘The more fashionable a cause, the more likely that the crucified God has moved on’

- Rowan Williams, Speech at the opening of the International Bonhoeffer Congress, University of Wroclaw, Poland, 3rd February 2006.


Tuesday, 24th January. Be Nice to Muslims Day. This new festival is already one of the PM’s favourites, and rightly so! On this day we remember the Muslim world’s sense of vulnerability. Bearing this in mind, we avoid any possible unpleasantness by not using that ‘J’ word.

Thursday, 26th January. Be Nice to Jews Day. One of the special ways Muslims like our friend Mr Bunglawala show how much they love God is by boycotting this festival, so it gives us a chance to say some things that might be offensive in other contexts. We remember that Jews are really great and that what Hitler did to them was dreadful, and we deplore the nasty things that are happening to them now, though of course it would be unfair to single anyone out for blame.

Sunday, 5th Febrauary. The Dietrich Bonhoeffer centenary. An all-round good egg, and what a wonderful example he set by standing up for the poor Jews when so many Christians sided with their enemies. Let’s all try to follow his example, and if there’s any more Hitler-assassinating to be done, let there be no doubt where the Church of England stands!

Monday, 6th February. It’s Synodtide, so it must be Hate Israel Day. We sometimes get quite cross with each other during this season, so it’s good to have this opportunity of joining together and reminding ourselves that we’re all one big family. No, of course it’s not about Jews. We really, really, really love them. It’s just that some of them still haven’t learnt what Jesus taught about turning the other cheek. Bulldozers and fences and all that sort of thing, it’s just not on, is it? Let’s pray that they learn from the example of their Palestinian neighbours and become civilized and law-abiding like the rest of humankind (well, maybe not the Americans!), and above all that they come to realize that the Church of England will always be there for them.


Do you remember the character in the Fast Show who, when his mates in the pub were having an argument, always agreed with the last one to speak? I wonder if by any chance he and our Archbishop could be related.