The Servant Queen, and the Foreword which declares the glory of God
By Archbishop Cranmer:
Her Majesty the Queen has written the Foreword to a book being published to celebrate her 90th birthday on 21st April this year. The Servant Queen – and the King she serves gives a unique insight into the Queen’s faith in and devotion to Jesus Christ. Indeed, she has written the Foreword – a quite remarkable imprimatur – which is replete with words of devotion, service and love:
In the last 90 years the extent and pace of change has been truly remarkable. We have witnessed triumphs and tragedies. Our world has enjoyed great advances in science and technology, but it has also endured war, conflict and terrible suffering on an unprecedented scale.
I am touched that Bible Society, HOPE and the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity have published this book to celebrate my 90th birthday. In my first Christmas Broadcast in 1952, I asked the people of the Commonwealth and Empire to pray for me as I prepared to dedicate myself to their service at my Coronation. I have been — and remain — very grateful to you for your prayers and to God for His steadfast love. I have indeed seen His faithfulness.
As I embark on my 91st year, I invite you to join me in reflecting on the words of a poem quoted by my father, King George VI, in his Christmas Day broadcast in 1939, the year that this country went to war for the second time in a quarter of a century.
I said to the man who stood at the Gate of the Year
“Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.”
And he replied, “Go out into the darkness, and put your hand into the hand of God.
That shall be to you better than light, and safer than a known way.”ELIZABETH R.
In the year that the Archbishop of Canterbury has called the Church to the “duty, privilege and joy” of a great work of evangelism, thousands of churches across the country will be giving away copies of The Servant Queen, and we owe HOPE, Bible Society and the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity a great debt of gratitude for the evangelistic vision.
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