Archbishop calls on Government to Respect the Spirit of the Military Covenant

Yorkshire Day Procession at Malton

In a sermon to mark Yorkshire Day on 1st August, Dr. Sentamu spoke of the role of British armed forces have played in Afghanistan "to bring liberty to those made captive by terror and oppressed by an ideology which masquerades as religion and governance." Dr. Sentamu, who in a sponsored parachute jump last year raised over £100,000 for soldiers and their families serving in Afghanistan, and who visited the country in 2005, said that the military covenant had "increasingly come under strain in recent months" and that "it is incumbent upon those who govern us to ensure that the covenant is fully honoured not only in its strict operation but also in its spirit. Those serving in the Yorkshire battalions deserve our support when they act with bravery, professionalism and honour in the name of the Crown."

The Archbishop also reflected on the nature of war, and spoke of the sacrifice being made by armed forces personnel in present conflicts:

Yorkshire Day Service at St Michael's Church Malton

"Over the past weeks, as a nation, we have become all too familiar with the sight of the coffins draped in union flags proceeding in dignified silence through the streets of Wootton Bassett. The sound of a single tolling bell is heard alongside the weeping of those gathered to welcome home their brave dead.

"The recent deaths of both Harry Patch and Henry Allingham have reminded us all of the sacrifice made by an entire generation. The spirit of that bravery lives on in the men and women who serve today and who risk all in order to bring Jubilee (liberty) to those who have suffered for too long at the hands of dictators and tyrants.

"As we celebrate Yorkshire today, let us also remember those, not least from the four battalions of the Yorkshire Regiment, who have paid the ultimate price in seeking to bring peace to places of conflict."

Dr. Sentamu also spoke of the special relationship between the armed forces and the nation and the debt that the country owed to those willing to make "the ultimate sacrifice":

"In this country there has always existed a special relationship between the armed forces and this country which they represent. This relationship, or pact, was formally codified as a 'covenant' in 2000.

"Soldiers will be called upon to make personal sacrifices - including the ultimate sacrifice - in the name and service of the Crown. In putting the needs of the Nation and their comrades before their own, they forego some of the rights enjoyed by those outside the Armed Forces.

"In return for putting the needs of the Nation before their own, and for being ready to make the ultimate sacrifice, members of our armed forces should always expect just treatment and respect by Her Majesty's Government and by us all. They have a right to believe that they (and their families) will be sustained and rewarded by commensurate terms and conditions of service."

Dr. Sentamu also spoke of the nature of religion and the need for the Church to constantly engage with the wider community through service to those in need and particularly to children:

"All worship is empty and idle unless it sends us out to love God by loving our fellow human beings as well as walking more purely in the tempting ways of the world. We are to care for our neighbours who are in need: the unemployed, the homeless, the sick, the hungry and those who are in prison. And in this Year of the Child, we ought to commit ourselves to the principle that Every Child Matters, is unique, and is made in God's image and likeness – treating them with love and respect."

The Archbishop also challenged concepts of freedom that have been used to justify individual choice over duty:

"It is only in obeying the law of liberty, the law of God, that we become truly free. "To obey God," said Seneca, "is liberty". "The wise person alone is free", said the Stoics, "and every foolish person is a slave" Philo said, "All who are under the tyranny of anger or desire or any other passion, are altogether slaves; all who live with the law are free." So long as a person has to obey their own passions and emotions and desires, they are nothing less than a slave. It is when a person accepts the will of God that they become really free – for then they are free to be what they ought to be. God's service is perfect freedom and in doing God's will is our peace.

"God the giver of all good things gives freedom and we for our part are charged to use that freedom well in the service of others. This relationship is not marked out by contract or obligation, but is rather one based upon covenant, upon a deep relationship marked out not by compliance but by trust."