TWO guests from other Churches addressed the General Synod on the Wednesday morning.
The Archbishop of Tallinn, the Most Revd Urmas Viilma, said that Estonia had no state Church, and fewer than one third of the population identified as religious. Christians constituted only 26 per cent of Estonian society, but his denomination, the Evangelical Lutheran Church, remained the largest single Church, and still saw itself as the “people’s Church”. “Our present today will be the future for others tomorrow,” he said.
Despite declining church attendance, however, he saw no decrease in Estonians’ “longing for the eternal”. Fewer Christians did not mean more atheists. Rather, people “desire to be free”.
The Churches in Estonia were closely united in ecumenical work, Archbishop Viilma reported, giving the example of co-operation between his own Church’s theological seminary and an Orthodox one.
“Obviously, we face challenges in our service of the people,” he said. Some in his Church believed that maintaining the status quo should be the primary aim, assuming defensive positions and challenging everything that came from the world. But this was not the way of Jesus. “If we want to effect change, we need to go out into the world and get our hands dirty.” This would be admittedly less convenient than spending all day on social media, he conceded.
His Church was convinced that theological discussion on the polarising issues dividing Estonian society was urgently needed to find “confidence in our Christian and Lutheran identity”. A five-year programme of theological study had begun as a result, exploring the end of life, gender and sexuality, marriage, and other topics.
The Russian war in Ukraine hung over Estonia, repeatedly colonised and controlled by its larger neighbour, he said. One quarter of Estonia’s population were of Russian origin, and many of them worshipped in the Russian Orthodox Church, which had strongly supported President Putin’s war.
His Church was trying to remain calm in a “time of crisis”. But, to prepare for a future war, all clergy had been asked to draw up plans to secure local supplies of food and energy and to evacuate parishioners if necessary. The Church also had contingency plans should clergy, and even bishops and archbishops, be called up for military duty, and how to maintain worship if there were no priests. “At the end of the war, the Church will have to serve the people, whether in victory or defeat.”
Given the new rhetoric from the Trump administration, Archbishop Villma recalled how the Yalta Conference had carved up Europe over the heads of smaller nations such as Estonia, leading to another 40 years of occupation. There must be a more just peace a second time round, he said.
In a dark time, the Church must shine with the light of Christ. “The eternal life offered by Christ is an eschatological gift to the world in an era of hopelessness,” he said.
The Acting Primate of Canada, the Most Revd Anne Germond, spoke of the “deep and abiding bond of affection” which united her Church and the Church of England.
Geoff Crawford/Church TimesThe Primate of Canada, the Most Revd Anne Germond
“Many prayers are being offered from Canada for this General Synod,” she assured members. She hailed the Archbishop of York’s visit to Canada last year as a “breath of fresh air”, especially his encouragement to a youth delegation.
She was aware that the C of E was going through a “trying time”, and her own Church had also had divisive and difficult synod meetings in recent years. Her Church continued to live with its painful legacy of the part that it had played in Canada’s residential-school system, which had oppressed and abused young indigenous people. She also spoke of the pain caused to LGBTQ+ people after her Church had been unable to rewrite its marriage canons to allow same-sex marriage.
Many members had questioned her on views about the Anglican Communion, which, she believed, still mattered hugely. “When one part suffers, we all suffer with it,” she said, drawing particular attention to South Sudan. The work and decisions of the Synod would have huge impact, not just for the C of E, but also the wider Communion, she said.
Please pray for the Anglican Church of Canada, Archbishop Germond said. Some of her dioceses were well resourced, both financially and with clergy, while other dioceses struggled through with as few as two stipendiary priests. One diocese had only a single paid member of staff: the diocesan bishop. In other places, if a church closed, locals would have to travel six or more hours to receive communion. One community that she served had to move every spring to avoid flooding, and their water was not potable. “But we are not poor — we are rich, because we have the gospel of Jesus Christ,” she concluded.
The Anglican Church of Canada continued to evolve towards becoming multi-ethnic, especially with the influx of refugees and migrants who were filling pews across the country. The Archbishop also hailed Church Without Borders: an ecumenical project with churches in both Canada and America. The joke about Canada’s becoming the 51st state of the United States was “wearing pretty thin”, she said. The threat of tariffs was already causing job losses.
But her Church was putting its faith in God and trying to maintain hope “in an environment of suspicion and hostility”. “We will soar like eagles and our strength will be renewed.”
