Rowan Williams - The Finality of Christ in a Pluralistic Society

Rowan Williams was educated at the state school Dynevor School in Swansea, before going to the University of Cambridge, where he studied theology at Christ's College. He then went to Wadham College at the University of Oxford, where he received his Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil) in 1975.

[@tommykeeling7697]

Rowan’s eyebrow game is not surpassed by any other living wizard 👌🏼

[@alwalw9237]

I am always so grateful for Dr. Williams insights and observations. I find him the most progressive of Christians, and someone who will assist Christianity in its evolution. I found this very helpful in coming to terms with the meaning of the word Christ. "Christ is not an individual, but a representative of a Greater Spirituality. To think that Christ is an individual, to think that Christ is simply one who is anointed and is distinguished in contrast to all the rest is to miss the real meaning and the real purpose of the contribution of Knowledge and the expression of Divinity in the world. Jesus had a unique life. You are not asked to duplicate this life. But you are called to undergo the same process of revelation and realization, of action and contribution, that he undertook in his own time, in his own way. And your demonstration will not be as visible, for in nearly all cases, the Wise must remain hidden, and their contribution must be given without fanfare and without much attraction. Jesus’s life has been inflated and deified, but it is still not understood." From "The Meaning of Christmas" from The New Message from God

[@johnchapman5125]

Thanks ALW

[@OnceTheyNamedMeiWasnt]

Agree. Jung and Christ as the Symbol of the Self.

[@lalsangzualichhakchhuak7175]

It's encouraging to hear someone speak so well on this subject. God bless him

[@SkywalkerG1o]

I`ve never expected such speech from anglican i`m orthodox Christian,i was rather suprised God bless you!

[@daniellencooper7922]

Rowan is a rather Orthodox Anglican! Check out his 'timeline' video on here about his theoligical development. Lots of engagement with Orthodoxy :)

[@kennethvolwana7799]

Big brains

[@daniellencooper7922]

@@kennethvolwana7799 uh ok

[@blesspascal6016]

Wow! What a guy! Never heard him before. This helps me so much, what a wisdom!

[@fraserwilliamson9507]

The saddest thing about any theological video is the comments section. If this represents some of the followers of someone who said "they will know you by your love" then we are screwed.

[@bigbenhebdomadarius6252]

Yep. Screwed.

[@fraserwilliamson9507]

***** I agree Noah. We should, within the path we follow, make sure we are keeping to the best we stand for. Sin, blasphemy and apostasy are all very relative however and depend on how you read the scripture we hold as sacred. My comment is about the level of abuse and hatred that is so obvious amongst the comments. All the 'concern' about sine etc is usually, to my way of seeing, an excuse to reject peoiple and find people 'other' than us which is the very thing Jesus stood against above all things. He was the lover of the rejected and undesirable in society. It was the Pharisees who stood outside the window looking in patronisingly saying..."why do you eat with these scum?". Wasn't it Paul who said... "If I speak in the tongues of men and angels but have not love I am nothing but a big fat noise"?

[@redmotherfive]

Fraser Williamson Never Read The Comments.

[@fraserwilliamson9507]

Agreed.

[@Robb3348]

Jesus said many things, some of which were hippie-like and some of which were hellfire and brimstone sermons. But we do love our simplistic binaries, don't we?

[@minodoraruschita9715]

un discurs perfect ecumenic. se adreseaza tuturor crestinilor inclusiv celor peste 33000 de secte crestine. felicitari din Romania.

[@jeaniecivil3459]

I resonate with with your warmth and wisdom and could listen to you all day. Which I nearly did by being useless in IT skills so couldn't stop you. Feel so good thank you Jeanie civil

[@WROPE12]

A well considered and thoughtful address.

[@user-sd3ni4fi9x]

this is the simply best lecture or answer on the issue of Christianity amongst the pluristic society....

[@timothylowes6317]

What a gift to the Church. Love the Archbishop.

[@normbabbitt4325]

Wonderful, articulate man! He answered so many of the questions that have plagued me about Jesus, Christianity and faith. I plan to listen to more of his talks and read his book, Christ: The Heart of Creation.

[@TheBub26]

the priest with the golden voice, and a british accent to boot!

[@berkansevindik7965]

This is his best sermon on youtube.

[@TruthBeTold7]

No, this man is a hell-bound false teacher and a modernist. Stay away from him.

[@TheDvnty]

Christian faith is a kind of modeling of life that fits reality most accurately. it offers the most balanced view on life between world affirming and world denying extremes. it confirms the sacredness of life, marriage, work, family, time, dignity of human...... The Bible makes sense , Walter Brueggemann

[@myopenmind527]

AZ N. To some it makes sense even if it isn’t true. Having a compelling narrative is no substitute for telling the truth.

[@rationalsceptic7634]

If the Bible makes sense,why does it degrade reason,women and homosexuals!? We have very little evidence God or Jesus existed...hence 90-99% of Ancient Historians,Scientists and Philosophers are Atheists

[@rationalsceptic7634]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/q33GfGaLpZ2tbcU

[@rationalsceptic7634]

Aaron Clarke Most people thought Einstein was a Crank..now we know differently..the odds of Christ existing are 1/12000..he certainly was never God or resurrected..that's myth Actually most Ancient Historians know the Bible is historized Fiction based on emulation Mythology: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bam5c5-art6ShdE kzbin.info/www/bejne/q33GfGaLpZ2tbcU Acharya S- Exposing Christianity: kzbin.info/aero/PLE7a2nnRT4JfSvwoWbc6LiR3hN7sHL7J1 kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y2bHqn2Egrl3bKM kzbin.info/www/bejne/qoPVomapaLVmhtk Forged Fiction: kzbin.info/aero/PL07mytsRvJtXU7xRWqXg1-CvCV1aazGCu kzbin.info/www/bejne/mILQfnmHr9d4qcU kzbin.info/www/bejne/jYa8g6KPoZycbLc kzbin.info/www/bejne/bWq4coyvgr6ebas kzbin.info/www/bejne/mnbNe42qrpV9ibc kzbin.info/www/bejne/jXa5o5ubfN98l7M kzbin.info/www/bejne/b2XMo2eOdsRliaM kzbin.info/www/bejne/e4ioZJaHoquMeKs kzbin.info/www/bejne/o3Kth36Yi7eDkLc

[@rationalsceptic7634]

Aaron Clarke kzbin.info/www/bejne/pnqmdq1uq9adsJI

[@patogle5023]

Absolutely..he is so wise

[@davidgreenwood5602]

As near to being a real Christian,that is,Orthodox,as any Brit that I know of.I love the man,and find him intellectually and spiritually inspiring compassionate,and profound.

[@titteryenot4524]

Is it just me, or do Rowan Williams’ eyebrows resemble a pair of angel wings quite remarkably? 👼

[@josephbadir2526]

As with Christ, many may not be yet ready to accept his envoy love message!

[@edmondbeatty9309]

Throughout this message the word “gift is mentioned. Iwas onced asked if I had received the gift and I denied for me Idid not know there was a gift that had once had been given on the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ.My life was changed when I accepted this wonderful gift and began to experience the life of Christ by the presence of the second gift of the Holy Spirit

[@louisquinze1]

In short learning to love as Jesus loved........😊

[@vacaspatimisra5722]

Very, very good. Now if only I could find a book or a paper where Williams says this. If anyone knows, please respond. Many thanks to the uploader for the excellent talk.

[@flamingredhed]

The written text: aoc2013.brix.fatbeehive.com/articles.php/585/the-finality-of-christ-in-a-pluralist-world

[@Clinkie]

Chapter 7 - The Finality of Christ in On Christian Theology by Rowan Williams, Blackwell Publishers, Oxford, 2000

[@enoharrey79]

THE BEAUTY OF CHRISTIANITY IS IT'S DOCTRINE OF CHOICE. NO ONE IS COERCED TO DO WHAT IS OUT OF THE ORDINARY FOR THEM, THUS THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE. DIFFERENCES BETWEEN RIGHT AND WRONG. CHOOSING IS GOOD AND GOD IS RIGHT

[@johnstewart7025]

Life can purify you, but if you are unlucky, it will only shred you.

[@TRINITYisLOVE]

It is a cartainity inspired by God himself in those who believe, grounded on the scripture itself with says that Christ is the A and the O of the entire human history (Rev 22,13)

[@hotstepofficial]

This man makes Justin Welby look and sound like a teaching assistant of reception aged children…

[@joachim847]

0:00 - Skips intro ;D

[@kimfreeborn]

Convergent human destiny and universal humanity accepts pluralism while erasing it.

[@TheDvnty]

There are three options: Eastern view: endless birth and death, Life is suffering in a cyclic circle , Four Noble Truth and Eight fold path is the path to end of suffering (Nirvana). Naturalism: Life is all there is here and now.... all end in dust: no meaning, no purpose.. Christianity: God who created the world will restore and redeem it to its pristine condition... It offers everlasting life to those who embrace the message of the cross.

[@revpgesqredux]

actually restores and redeems to a super-state beyond its original pristine condition because it will have the Victorious Jesus, the human Jesus, the Crucified and Resurrected Jesus as a new central pillar- all the Mercy and Grace of God's Redemptive power in Christ's Sacrifice and Suffering, Jesus' Healing and Saving powers, added to the perfection of Eden. It is quite a feat- the Happiest of all possible endings as God rolls out and rolls out and rolls out eternity to the Greatest possible Story that could ever be. Impossible to beat or to match. The matchless Grace, the invincible, irresistible Love of God in Christ. May we receive the blessings of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit help us to understand and to participate. Amen.

[@tbayley6]

I suspect all three have their adepts and their ignorants. While the ignorants find it hard to see past their differences, the adepts find it hard to ignore what they have in common.

[@frankwhelan1715]

So life has no meaning because it doesn't go on forever,that's like saying your holiday has no meaning because it ends in a couple of weeks,whats it about this forever business that makes the temporary so useless. in some peoples opinion

[@timothydenton5286]

Where did he get that posh accent? He's a Welshman!

[@Robb3348]

The Archbishop of Canterbury has to speak the Queen's English!

[@timothydenton5286]

Public school and Oxford. Welshman, Scot, or Yorkshireman, they scrub it out.

[@revpgesqredux]

it is in part his Welsh forgetive gifts that allow him to hang on and persist to the Good in a sea of unsupportable hatred and criticism.

[@vaska1999]

State school, but after that, yes -- first Cambridge, then Oxford.

[@patrickholt2270]

It'll also be a class and generation thing. Professional/Managerial class people tend to sound alike across the country, especially if they were children in the 1940s. Regional accents tend to grow stronger the further down the class system, or if the family were nationalists, but way back the social pressure to conform to Received Pronunciation (the accent of the old school BBC) was much stronger.

[@sharonconstable8146]

Why doesn't his mouth move?

[@Robb3348]

it's a spiritual thing

[@michaelfraser5723]

eye brows like the horns of the Dvil

[@threestars2164]

Krishna is truth!

[@y12bute]

"Sri Krishna said: O Arjuna, there is no truth superior to Me. All this Universe, Every living being & Everything rests upon Me, as pearls are strung on a thread." (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Seven verse 7). The Bhagwad Gita is the "bible" for Hindus. Further:"Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear." (Chapter 18, verse 66). So who is right: Christ or Krishna? Ans: Both are right: for they are both emanations of the same Supreme consciousness/intelligence underlying existence. Furthermore, we are also secretly one with that supreme consciousness--we just have to realize that in our being and "re-actuaize it." In other words in our own eternal nature (which is different from the ego, individuated consciousness) we are God and Christ and Krishna. All of this has to be perceived/realized in the core of our being-this can happen through devotion/surrender as hinted above, and or by deep wisdom and unselfish work in the world. Or by deep states of meditation. It is in our present lives that this is to be done.

[@frederickanderson1860]

Jesus spoke in everyday language to the common people. The high priest's and those in high positions of authority dont know how.they are full of theological mumbo jumbo and ceremonies that are just poor substitution of the divine power that shook the building in book of acts chapter 4 l think

[@davidgrosvenor1]

He's making the Bible very complicated! 1Cor 3:19

[@rodmitchell8576]

Agree, how would a poor simple sinner come to faith through this type of sermon? I think underneath all the verbiage he is an orthodox protestant but contrast this style of this preaching with the proclamatory preaching we read of in the Acts of the Apostles.

[@markballantyne393]

There is absolutely and emphatically no point in intellectual Christianity, on judgment day ,god will ask ,how did you ever do my will everyday, did you help my beloved, my children ,with one cup one acknowledgement,,did you make a difference, to one desperate life ,do you k now the the desperation of billions of my children,,god demands we share with them he demands it that is why he created the world and us to create a righteous world on earth as in heaven, and this elite church is not it ,and cannot justify itself, in God's eyes, there is no Christian church on earth ,no not one,.your not convincing god or the heavenly host ,or the spirit, youare fooling you're intellectual selves.

[@ComradeAgopian]

Of course He existed , you have never read the Qu'ran ?

[@Matiyahu]

Williams and so many others condemn proselytizing that claims Christ as the only means of salvation from the wrath of God outright. Williams, like Hauerwas, just gives the "I leave that up to God" solution so he can hold on to the finality of Christ without being out of step with current social/political trends and inclusivism. The writer of Hebrews warns of damnation for those who step away from Christ. Paul says in Romans that it is only by hearing the gospel that one has an opportunity to be saved. Moreover, the entire narrative of scripture and history of Israel culminates in Christ the savior. Was Paul simply being a bully when preaching against idolatry? Sure, he saw Greek philosophy/poetry as evidence of God's drawing people to Himself. But Paul considered Greek religion vanity. For Williams, Paul must have been out of line--such approach to others faiths must be squelched. Williams and many others like him have done little to resist the new global morality of inclusivism. If God's justice doesn't ride with current moral perspectives, do we attempt to change God or change the perspective? Sadly, many seek to accomplish the former.

[@bayreuth79]

You wrote: "...Christ as the only means of salvation from the wrath of God...". This is what so many people find so deeply problematic. In your opinion we need to be saved from God: "... salvation from the wrath of God...". If, as Christians we believe that God is love, which is what it says in scripture, and is what the doctrine of the trinity implies, then what do we mean that we need to be saved from God's wrath, as though he were simultaneously love- that is, willing the good of the other as other- and wrath- that is, willing the punishment of the other in so far as he is sinful?