CATHEDRALS

We toured St.Paul's Cathedral and West Minster Abbey in London today. St.Paul's is the oldest Protestant (non-Catholic) cathedral (seat of a bishop) in existence and Westminster Abbey is a former medieval monastery and current Anglican church where everyone from Mary Queen of Scots and Sir Isaac Newton to Darwin and Chaucer are buried. Fascinating history: the marriage of church and state, the control of church by state, the state as bishop of the church. The Anglican church, by it's own tour's admission, was birthed by a King who wanted a church to rule, one that would not demand his obedience - especially when it came to abstaining from divorce. No wonder America links church and state so closely - it's the mess we came from.

And the link between worship of God and nation is everywhere in these holy places. America's military even has a place of tribute in St.Paul's. A stained glass window incorporating Jesus, angels, the cross and the insignias of the US branches of armed service and our flag - mingle, mingle, mingle. Bizarre.

But beautiful. Every inch of these buildings is beautiful beyond my vocabulary, even if dimmed and marred are times by centuries of age.

The highlight for me: I was caught off guard at Westminster today by the final "attraction." It's the only thing I really wanted to see on my last visit but didn't get to. The 20th Century martyrs.

Ten statues of Christian martyrs from around the world stand on the exit wall of the Abbey. Oscar Romero. Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Martin Luther King Jr. I started to cry for some unknown reason. It struck me unexpectedly. Inside the Abbey is a comprising blend of church and history museum, holy cathedral and tribute to warriors of the state and poets and scientists. Outside, stand the men and women who devoted themselves uncompromisingly to God above all.

Humbling.

Beautiful.