In a moving Easter sermon at York Minster, the Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, passionately called for peace. In doing so, he spoke directly to the urgent conflicts that inflict our world today. The sermon was first given during a time of increasing criticism against evangelical church leadership. This tension came on the heels of the resignation of Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby in November, due to his mishandling of child abuse allegations. Cottrell himself has been the target of resignation calls recently over another scandal. This nightmare underscores the dark, persistent reality of the church’s top-down structure.
Cottrell’s Easter message attracted a royal audience. His Majesty King Charles, Her Majesty Queen Camilla and most of the other members of the Royal Family were in attendance, including Princess Eugenie, Princess Beatrice, Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh and Prince Andrew with his ex-wife Sarah, Duchess of York. In his sermon, Cottrell challenged all to be purveyors of peace in our chaotic world. He denounced areas experiencing today’s egregious violence, such as Israel and Gaza, Ukraine, Myanmar, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The Archbishop’s homily resonated deeply with attendees as he prayed for those ensnared in “endless conflicts” and wars across the globe. His call for peace was a response to the “madness of a world which ‘others’ others, drives wedges between communities, breeds hatred and promotes greed.” This reflection is just as moving, if not more so, in today’s geopolitical climate.
That Easter Vigil homily would reverberate in our hearts to remind us of the church’s mission during those testy times. As student body president, Cottrell’s message showed the importance of compassion and unity in times of unrest. He articulated the complexity of humanity, noting, “One of the puzzles of our humanity is how we are capable of both great cruelty and great kindness.”
By attending this major religious event, the royal family signified its importance. The team’s arrival coincided with a period of profound leadership crises for the Church of England. The Archbishop’s crackpot opponents may be calling for his resignation, but he’s got more urgent global issues to address. In his Easter sermon, he offered comfort and confronted his audience with the necessity of actively pursuing peace.
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