Westminster Abbey

When you have come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you, and have taken possession of it and settled in it, and you say, "I will set a king over me, like all the nations that are around me," you may indeed set over you a king whom the Lord your God will choose... It shall remain with him and he shall read in it all the days of his life, so that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, diligently observing all the words of this law and these statutes, neither exalting himself above other members of the community nor turning aside from the commandment, either to the right or to the left, so that he and his descendants may reign long over his kingdom in Israel. - Deutoronomy 14: 14-15a, 19-20

One thing that cannot be avoided in England is the connection between church and state. The Queen is constitutionally referred to as the Supreme Governor of the Church of England, and the Canons of the Church of England also declare, "We acknowledge that the Queen’s excellent Majesty, acting according to the laws of the realm, is the highest power under God in this kingdom, and has supreme authority over all persons in all causes, as well ecclesiastical as civil." While her role in the church, in much the same way as her political role, is primarily a figurehead, she nonetheless is the highest authority within the church.

She is not only not a person of any religious training or authority, but not elected. She is, as some would declare, chosen by God alone. Anachronistic as it might seem, it's simply the way things work. And since they work that way, there are events and places that clearly demonstrate the connection between church and state in England.

Perhaps most noteworthy of these places is Westminster Abbey. An abbey has stood on the site since the 10th century, and a proper stone building went up in the mid-11th century under the direction of Edward the Confessor. Partly because the church was a sort of shrine to King Edward, it became the site of coronations and burials for English monarchs throughout the centuries. Queen Elizabeth I was the first to have a Protestant coronation ceremony there, and the last coronation was, of course, HRH Elizabeth II. And yes, you read that right - it is indeed a formal church service with prominent roles for clergy, and even has an anointing considered so sacred that it was not televised during the broadcast of Elizabeth II's coronation.

As an American, it seems almost offensive to have these two roles so intertwined. However, the Israelites themselves had a king who was also a spiritual leader. The two roles can indeed be fairly balanced, and a beautiful place like Westminster seems to reflect that. Unfortunately, the human tendency is to declare divine mandate to matter what, turning to personal preference rather than God's will. After all, it was enforced Anglicanism that drove people to America and created the precedent for free practice.

The book of Deuteronomy reminds us that we are each constantly to turn to God as we direct our lives, whether leader or most lowly. This isn't just because God wants it - it is because it helps us live with some semblance of structure and function. When we turn too far to our own desires and forget our Creator, we get violent anarchy, oppressive dictatorship, and all sorts of unethical governance in between. In a place like Westminster, surrounded by tombs of rulers and monuments to war dead, it is easy to remember just how frail the balance can be.

God, our King, we give ourselves totally to your rule. Guide us as we live in your creation, that we might show respect when due and question authority when needed. Give your wisdom to all those who lead and rule, so that your guidance will be in their decisions. We pray these things in the name of your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.