Sermon

29th June 25

On the first two Sundays in May, our readings from the Acts of the Apostles led us to think about possibly the two greatest of the Apostles: St Peter and St Paul.  We saw then just how different their styles of ministry were.  Peter stayed in Israel/ Palestine nurturing and supporting the Church there in the places where Jesus himself had ministered.  Meanwhile Paul went out throughout the vast extent of the Roman Empire, preaching to the Gentiles and founding new Churches.

But we saw them united in one thing: that is the tradition that both were killed in Rome in the Nero’s persecution of Christians around 64AD.  It is that tradition that leads to them being celebrated together today.  For their supposed martyrdoms led understandably to their becoming the Patron Saints of the eternal city.  That took a less happy turn as power politics got involved, and the Bishops of Rome used the presence of the bones of the two great saints to claim supremacy over all the other bishops.  They succeeded, which is why Rome is the capital of the Church to this day, whilst Jerusalem where Jesus was born, ministered, died, and rose is of much lesser significance (apart from for those of us who see it as the natural place for Christians to go on pilgrimage, not that that would be a good idea right now!).

I know that I probably not supposed to say this, but I think that we give far too much emphasis to the leaders and to the great Councils of the Church. Maybe that stems from the fact that the Vicar refused to baptise me, and the local Congregationalist minister who used my father’s shop did so instead.  

Amen