jQuery Slider

You are here

Diwali, the Gospel, and Archbishop Justin Welby

Diwali, the Gospel, and Archbishop Justin Welby

By David W. Virtue, DD
www.virtueonline.org
November 5, 2024

This past week Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury, sent greetings to Hindus. "A very happy Diwali to all who are celebrating today. I hope it is a time of joy and togetherness as you mark this festival of lights. May the light of Diwali bring hope, peace, and unity to your homes and to our communities, reminding us all of the power of light to overcome darkness."

If you watched this theological clown show you would have seen a highly animated archbishop showing unrestrained joy, almost like he was concelebrating mass with the pope, which, incidentally he cannot do. On this occasion he outdid his usual bland self.

In truth what Justin Welby attributed to Hinduism should only be attributed Jesus Christ.

The Archbishop of Canterbury surely knows, from even a cursory reading of scripture that the true source of light is Christ Jesus! Surprise! Even ordinary Christians know this if they have been exposed to scripture: "In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it" (John 1:3). We know he meant Jesus when he wrote: "The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world" (John 1:9).

In Diwali, the Hindu 'Festival of Lights', Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and Kali, the goddess of time, doomsday and death, are worshipped. Many other gods such as Durga the mother goddess, Tama god of death and justice, Ganesha the god of wisdom and the remover of obstacles are also worshipped, writes Dr. Campbell-Jack a retired Church of Scotland minister.

Adding insult to injury, Archbishop Welby, the global leader of nearly 80 million Anglicans sent his greetings on October 31. This is the day known to Protestants as Reformation Day when we remember Martin Luther nailing the 95 theses to the door of the castle church in Wittenberg marking the beginning of the Reformation.

Either Welby deliberately ignored Reformation Sunday, or his secretary overlooked putting it on his calendar. Perhaps Welby was too embarrassed to say anything for fear of offending Hindus, Muslims and assorted other religions that now reside on England's green and pleasant land.

All Saints' Day, (Nov. 1) also got the bum's rush from the benighted primate. All Saints' Day, also known as All Hallows' Day, the Feast of All Saints, the Feast of All Hallows, the Solemnity of All Saints, and Hallowmas, is a Christian solemnity celebrated in honor of all the saints of the Church, whether known or unknown. Some of those saints were martyrs for the cause of Christ! All Souls Day follows on November 2.

It will certainly be no loss when he himself gets the bum's rush two years from now when he is retired into oblivion, never more to be heard from again.

END

Subscribe
Get a bi-weekly summary of Anglican news from around the world.
comments powered by Disqus
Trinity School for Ministry
Go To Top