On Jesus

Rowan Williams shares what he finds compelling – and frightening – in his reading of the Gospels.

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Summary

Rowan Williams shares what he finds compelling – and frightening – in his reading of the Gospels.

Transcript

For me, what’s still utterly compelling about the figure of Jesus is, I suppose, what the Gospels call authority. That is, it’s as if someone is fixing me in the eye and saying, “I know what it’s like to be human, so I know what it’s like to be you. I know what you’re afraid of. I know what you long for. Trust me, I know. And believe me when I say you are loved, you are forgiven.” That keeps coming through with immense force every time I open the Gospel and it’s quite frightening.