Been meaning to write about this ever since I was phoned last Tuesday evening as part of a 'phone chain' to be told the news that Brother Roger had been fatally stabbed during evening prayer at Taize that evening. Hard to know what to say. So here are a few thoughts, more may follow.
that Brother Roger probably would not live much longer was clear to all who have seen his increasing frailty over the past few years, the manner of his death is however a shock, though oddly I wasn't in one sense surprised. There is something about the powerfully holy that seems to attract violent death, think how many of those who have made a big impact as people of faith even in this century and reflect on how many where killed. Brother Roger was a man of vision spiritual depth and with whom the Spirit of God was strong and in this sense exactly the kind of person who might also be killed. I am not really sure what the deep truth of this is. I do suspect it may enlarge brother Roger's ministry in death, and that this as in the other cases I could mention is an outwork of the power of new life the resurrection principle that causes death only to make those in Christ stronger.
as I reflected in my last blog taize was not only a place that drew people together from all churches and in this set a vision, it did much more. 100,000's of young adults from all of the world have had their faith nurtured by visiting there. The impact of that too on the world church is immeasurable. And faith, spirituality, wisdom and scriptural insight exist there in great depth. Further I do not doubt it will continue after Brother Roger's passing. That in a sense being the last great testimony to one of the key religious leaders of our era. A quiet man, who placed prayer at the centre and watched the ripples spread slowly out.
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