Archbishop Runcie
Feb. 15th, 2008 09:53 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
poliphiloWhat with all the fuss the other day about the Archbishop of Canterbury, I found myself thinking about my own archbishop- Robert Runcie- who filled the post from 1980-91- and how I was sort of fond of him.
And yesterday- on Ashes to Ashes- they were playing short clips of the TV coverage of the Royal Wedding in '81 and there was this extraordinary affected, posh voice, speaking in an accent that's now extinct- and I though to myself "Who the hell is that?" And then they showed us the head the voice belonged to- and it was Runcie- wittering on about fairy tale weddings.
He knew Charles and Di weren't suited. He was her confessor and heard all sorts of things. But there he was- nonetheless- all decked out in his glitter and his fish-head hat- doing it to them.
Not his finest hour.
Actually he had lots of those.
He dealt with the issue of women priests by evasion. It was famously said of him that he "pinned his colours to the fence".
He overstretched himself by sending a peace envoy hither and yon (as if he were a head of state) and then looked like a fool- and a callous one at that- when the envoy was kidnapped and there was nothing he could do to free him.
But the job of an Archbishop of Canterbury is impossible. He has to be three distinct things.
1. God's top man in England.
2. Chaplain in chief to the English establishment
3. CEO of the world-wide Anglican communion.
So, he has three constituencies: the god-fearing, the toffs and the funny foreign people. Their interests are not compatible. Anything he does to please one group is liable to offend the other two. And unlike the Pope he doesn't have super powers. It's part of his job to put his foot in it (which is why I'm not calling for Rowan Williams to resign).
And sometimes Runcie put his foot in it bravely
As when he prayed for the Argentine dead at Mrs T's Falklands War victory bash. She was furious.
But then he was a holder of the military cross and knew about war. He'd been a tank commander in WWII and was the only Archbishop of Canterbury in living memory to have killed people.
He was elitist, self-aware, funny.
I stumbled across his grave the other day; on the north side of St. Albans cathedral- in the shade.
Domini est terra.
And yesterday- on Ashes to Ashes- they were playing short clips of the TV coverage of the Royal Wedding in '81 and there was this extraordinary affected, posh voice, speaking in an accent that's now extinct- and I though to myself "Who the hell is that?" And then they showed us the head the voice belonged to- and it was Runcie- wittering on about fairy tale weddings.
He knew Charles and Di weren't suited. He was her confessor and heard all sorts of things. But there he was- nonetheless- all decked out in his glitter and his fish-head hat- doing it to them.
Not his finest hour.
Actually he had lots of those.
He dealt with the issue of women priests by evasion. It was famously said of him that he "pinned his colours to the fence".
He overstretched himself by sending a peace envoy hither and yon (as if he were a head of state) and then looked like a fool- and a callous one at that- when the envoy was kidnapped and there was nothing he could do to free him.
But the job of an Archbishop of Canterbury is impossible. He has to be three distinct things.
1. God's top man in England.
2. Chaplain in chief to the English establishment
3. CEO of the world-wide Anglican communion.
So, he has three constituencies: the god-fearing, the toffs and the funny foreign people. Their interests are not compatible. Anything he does to please one group is liable to offend the other two. And unlike the Pope he doesn't have super powers. It's part of his job to put his foot in it (which is why I'm not calling for Rowan Williams to resign).
And sometimes Runcie put his foot in it bravely
As when he prayed for the Argentine dead at Mrs T's Falklands War victory bash. She was furious.
But then he was a holder of the military cross and knew about war. He'd been a tank commander in WWII and was the only Archbishop of Canterbury in living memory to have killed people.
He was elitist, self-aware, funny.
I stumbled across his grave the other day; on the north side of St. Albans cathedral- in the shade.
Domini est terra.
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how strange...
Date: 2008-02-15 11:40 am (UTC)Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't the A of C also have the duties of a Diocesan Bishop on top of the three jobs you list? Or does that stuff get delegated? I can just imagine his appointment book:
800 matins
830 meet with women's hat sale committee
1030 address Parliament
1130 Interview with Nigerian journalists
1200 lunch with Sacristan and Archdeacon to discuss vestment donations from the Guild of St Whosis
1300 negotiate with terrorists
1400 Prince Charles confession
1600 sherry
1630 evensong
1800 Meeting with Gardener re: ferret infestation
1900 more sherry
2000 autograph signing for Girl Guides
2200 dinner meeting with Vergers Guild
Re: how strange...
Date: 2008-02-15 12:47 pm (UTC)You're right.
But he must delegate most of that stuff to his suffragans, don't you think?
no subject
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Date: 2008-02-15 04:27 pm (UTC)I got about half way from context, but that was as far as I could get on my own.
glastonbury and barnstaple
Date: 2008-02-15 06:49 pm (UTC)We're looking forward to seeing Jo and Ted and some bits of Devon...
It's the lovely Travelodges we're staying in- you'll be pleased to hear that Thomas stayed in the Southampton one last night so you can ask him for a report....for the summer.
love jenny
PS I found the Spanish photographs and poems.
Re: glastonbury and barnstaple
Date: 2008-02-16 09:03 pm (UTC)Hope the knee soons gets better, Ian.
That's great news about the Spanish p & ps
Love to you all and have a good weekend,
Tony
Archbishop of Canterbury
Date: 2008-02-16 06:00 pm (UTC)Perhaps if Barack Obama doesn't make it to Prez of the US he could apply. Sound bites are one thing he can do.
Re: Archbishop of Canterbury
Date: 2008-02-16 09:09 pm (UTC)Archbishop of Canterbury
Date: 2008-02-16 06:01 pm (UTC)Perhaps if Barack Obama doesn't make it to Prez of the US he could apply. Sound bites are one thing he can do.
Re: Archbishop of Canterbury
Date: 2008-02-16 08:41 pm (UTC)