Archbishop of York cautions against ‘journey of revenge’ in apparent warning to Israel
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The Archbishop of York has cautioned against embarking on a “journey of revenge” in an apparent warning to Israel.
Writing for The Telegraph, the Most Rev Stephen Cottrell warned of “endless cycles of reprisals” and the mistaken belief that “might is right”.
He made reference to both the Chinese philosopher Confucius and Martin Luther King Jr in his Christmas message.
Invoking the former, he said: “When you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves; one for your enemy and one for yourself.”
It came as the UN held votes on whether to call for a ceasefire in Gaza, where more than 20,000 people have died in Israel’s bombardment following the Oct 7 massacre by Hamas, in which more than 1,200 people were killed.
Quoting Martin Luther King, the Archbishop also said: “Violence begets violence, hate begets hate, and toughness begets a greater toughness. It is all a descending spiral, and the end is destruction – for everybody.
“Along the way of life, someone must have enough sense and morality to cut off the chain of hate.”
His intervention – which did not explicitly mention the Israel-Gaza war – comes a week after the House of Bishops issued a statement criticising the loss of civilian life and humanitarian situation in Gaza as unjustified.
The Archbishop of Canterbury has also spoken of the “trauma” in Israel following the Oct 7 attacks, as well as warning that, in Gaza, “the more heavy the casualties, the less chance there is of a renewed peace”.
The Most Rev Cottrell also said that, while “amidst the cacophony and misery of war, in a world riven by political extremes and widespread corruption, God speaks”, he warned that “anyone hoping for a message combining instant justice with the extermination of tyranny and divine retribution is likely to be disappointed”.
In his Telegraph message, the Archbishop said the Christmas story offered “clues” as to the real God.
“It tells of a baby born in a manger, shepherds granted a privileged audience and foreigners arriving unexpectedly with meaningful gifts.
“What might otherwise sound like an idyllic event is overshadowed by ominous signs: the homeland is enemy-occupied, leaders are unscrupulous, families are uprooted on a whim, and the first of several assassination attempts on Christ’s life is recorded.”
He also spoke of the need for Christians to persevere in their belief in God.
“Faith comes naturally to very few.
“For some it just flickers and needs to be rekindled.
“But for most people these days, faith-talk sounds completely alien and they won’t have a clue where to start.
“If it’s any encouragement, I was one myself.
“So I know it’s possible to reach out into the unknown and ask for illumination.”
The message comes at the end of a controversial year for the Archbishop, in which he said that starting the Lord’s Prayer with “Our Father” was “problematic” for the victims of abusive parents.
It came after it emerged that the Church of England was considering referring to God in non-gendered terms in services.
