Message from Bishop Robert, 16 September 2025

I had the immense privilege last week of leading the retreat for those to be ordained deacon in the Diocese of Chelmsford where I was myself ordained in 1989. As always it was a deeply encouraging time, rejoicing in God’s continuing call not just to those who were about to be ordained but to the whole Church, as together we  tell the story of the grace of God revealed in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

As part of our time together, we looked at chapter 12 of Paul’s letter to the Romans and his call to the Church ‘let love be genuine, hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good’ with the demand to ‘if it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all’. We did so deeply aware of the nature of our divided world, not least in the light of the murder in the United States of Charlie Kirk.

I know little of Charlie Kirk. From what I do know, I suspect while there are some places we could find common ground, there is also much on which we would disagree. Yet I also know, that his death is not just a tragedy for his family, friends and so many who looked to him, who deserve and need our prayers: It has further divided our world, as blame for his murder is cast upon particular individuals or groups. There is no doubt that those responsible for this murder must be held to account, and justice, with mercy, should rightly be done and be seen to be done. However, that alone will not bring the change needed to bring peace to our broken world. That change for which so many long will come only when we begin to look at our world in new and different ways. Hard as it is, Paul is clear that each of us has our part to play, as we are each called, so far as it depends on us, so far as we have the ability, to live peaceably with all. The uncomfortable truth Paul tells us, is that we cannot simply say the division we see is someone else’s fault.

So just how might we respond, not simply to the events of this week but to an increasingly divided Church and world? Paul tells us (Romans 12) we are to “bless those who persecute [us], bless and do not curse”, “live in harmony with one another” and “overcome evil with good”. That is a challenge we begin to answer by both remaining confident in what we believe and in not rushing to judgement on those with whom we disagree. We seek connection and shared truth so that we might begin to build a new and better way, unity in the face of division.

The way of Romans 12 offers us, and the Church of which we are a part, the challenge to model a new way of living and of building the Kingdom for which Christ bids us pray. I pray in these increasingly difficult times, we might seek that way and model it in our behaviours, so beginning the change that we long to see,