The Royal Wedding
Last updated: April 29th, 2011
Rowan Williams was magnificent (Photo: BBC)
It pains me to say it, but when it comes to religious pageantry, Catholics cannot hold a candle to the Church of England. The Anglican choral tradition is the finest in the world; its anthems perfectly capture the sentimental grandeur of great state occasions. Listen to the way the fanfare from Parry's I Was Glad melted into Edwardian gracefulness asKate Middleton walked down the nave. And only an Anglican clergyman can invest the words "Dearly Beloved" with a tone that takes us back to the school chapel or the close at Barchester. The theology of the C of E is a Catholic/Protestant compromise that can play havoc with certain sacramental services, such as Holy Communion: High and Low are miles apart. But, when it comes to state baptisms, weddings and funerals, Protestant austerity and Catholic flamboyance balance each other to perfection. It's what the Church of England is for – and, for once, no one can question the authority of the Archbishop of Canterbury. I've said some disobliging things about him in the past, watching him helplessly trying to control an unruly Synod – but today Dr Rowan Williams was simply magnificent. The service made me proud to be English and – just for a split-second – wish I was an Anglican.
Tags: Kate Middleton, Rowan Williams, Royal wedding