By the Way: Some things never change
By Oz Lorentzen on May 6, 2023.
Change is the only Constant! I think of this as we celebrate the coronation of King Charles III. Though the monarchy has been fairly stable for centuries, the monarchs change. And with them changes come. And, the world, society, culture also changes so the relationship to the monarch (not just for us Canadians) changes and morphs. An inevitable part of these changes is an ongoing re-evaluation of the role and function of the monarch, which has seen vast changes over the centuries – a current topic is his connection with Christianity and his position as “head of the Church of England” and the “defender of The Faith” witnessed in part by King Charles’ desire to be seen as inclusive of faith/faiths. The existence of the monarchy however, points to another constant (one other than change) for it points to the observable need for people, societies, cultures, to have a ruler. Bob Dylan nicely coins this insight with his lyrics “you’re gonna have to serve somebody.” As many poets and prophets have noted, it is not a matter of if you are ruled, but by what you are ruled and whether it is worthy of being our ruler. In that context we can use the coronation of Charles as an invitation to reflect on what we have enthroned as king. The experiment may surprise us. I think of F. Buechner, who as a spiritual pilgrim responded to a sermon referencing the coronation of Queen Elizabeth: The preacher “said that Jesus was crowned in the hearts of those who believed in him.” And, “unlike Elizabeth’s coronation” it “took place among confession and tears and then, as God … is my witness, great laughter, he said. Jesus is crowned among confession and tears and great laughter, and at the phrase great laughter, for reasons that I have never satisfactorily understood … tears leapt from my eyes as though I had been struck across the face.” Oz Lorentzen is the pastor at St. Barnabas Anglican Church 9-8
