Through all his writing, speaking and preaching, Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury 2003-2012, would want us to experience the God he knows, the God who is “not a tame lion.” The quote comes from C.S. Lewis’s series of children’s books, Chronicles of Narnia, in which many of the characters, in discussing the Lion Aslan, who represents God, will remark., “He’s not a tame lion you know.” Lewis and Williams highlight this God of surprises, the God who does the unexpected and asks us to surprise ourselves too. This God is wild, powerful, unpredictable, as well as loving.
Archbishop Williams is the author of many books and is a theologian, scholar, poet and mystic. He speaks 11 languages. However, when Williams speaks of his experience of God, he poetically reflects the Mystery, where words about God cannot go. That’s why his insights on the Narnia Chronicles are so powerful and helpful. He reminds us that this God of surprises stretches us and calls us to surprise ourselves. In his book, The Lion’s World: A Journey into the Heart of Narnia, (2012) Williams says: “The truth of God is found in rebellion against the oppressive clichés of the world.” He reminds us that our idea of God is often soft and cuddly and may come from our own ego needs and not our experience...
In his latest book, Christ: The Heart of Creation (2018) Williams further challenges our ideas about God and asks us to confront the inadequacies and dangers that come from ideas and beliefs, but not from a true and personal experience of God. He wants to connect us again to the God who people experienced in the life and resurrection of Jesus. This God is not a tame lion.
A C.S. Lewis Lenten Series (2013) is available here
Even better for us, Dr. Rowan Williams will be in London beginning Saturday March 16th for three events:
- Metropolitan United Church is holding a Saturday morning workshop March 16th.
- The William T. Orr lecture will be held, along with evening prayer, at St. Paul’s Cathedral on Sunday evening, March 17th
- Dr. Williams will receive an honourary degree at Huron College on Monday, March 18th.
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