Message from the Bishop of London on behalf of the faith communities |
The Chief Rabbi was representing the Jewish Community and also London at the recent meeting of world religious leaders in New York. The speeches did not observe the brevity and discipline of this morning's occasion and the Chief Rabbi spoke for us all when he remarked, "Everything has been said but not everyone has said it."
On behalf of all the faith communities in London, however, I want to add our welcome to this launch. In particular, of course, I speak as Chairman of the London Church Leaders who range from the Orthodox and Catholic Archbishops to leaders of the Black Churches and the Evangelical Alliance. We are therefore related to the 600,000 Londoners who participate in Christian worship in the GLA every week.
I have a letter here from Archbishop Cormac Murphy O'Connor, the Archbishop of Westminster, pledging the support of Roman Catholic congregations for this initiative and I have received other messages of support and good will.
Every civilised society must hear the voice of the plaintiff who demands satisfaction for injustices inflicted on individuals or particular groups but it would be a tragedy if the voice of the plaintiff and the voice of the single issue lobbyist drowned out the civic voice. The civic voice is heard when citizens meet together to argue, sometimes passionately, not about our private interests, but about our common good as Londoners.
We must not retreat into huddles of the like minded. A strong city is built when the civic voice is strong and when we celebrate together the many different gifts that have been distributed among us.
There was a Bishop of London at the beginning of the London story in the time of the Roman Empire when an actual civic forum existed at the heart of our city. It is good that after so many centuries we have got our civic forum back and the faith communities are glad to have a share in it.
