The Archbishop of Canterbury concluded a week of meetings in greater New York City by offering theological reflections to an overflow audience at St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary in Yonkers.

In delivering the seminary’s annual Alexander Schmemann Memorial Lecture on Jan. 30, Archbishop Rowan Williams spoke on the topic of “Theology and the Contemplative Calling: The Image of Humanity in the Philokalia.” The Philokalia is a collection of monastic writings by great saints of the Eastern Church, dating from the 4th to the 14th century, and generally centered on the topics of asceticism, prayer and renewing oneself in God.

The archbishop focused his remarks on the “natural state,” that is, the wholly good state in and for which God created human beings. The Philokalia teaches that our natural state is of living in full communion and mutual love with God the Creator, Archbishop Williams said, but our fallen or “unnatural” state can interfere.

The watchfulness that the Philokalia requires is to “be aware of the moment this basic human consciousness can become diabolical,” the archbishop said.

Quoting from the Philokalia, the archbishop repeated a vivid metaphor by the fifth-century ascetic Diadochos of Photiki: “We are like a man facing east at dawn, in winter. The sun rises, and warms him at his front, while he is still aware of the chill at his back. But the sun is rising.”

“I was tempted to call this lecture ‘Looking East in Winter,’ ” the archbishop quipped.

After the lecture, the archbishop fielded questions that his audience had written on cards. Asked about the use and prevalence of “spiritual direction” in the Church of England, the archbishop said that it is not as widespread as he would like. He often encourages lay people and clergy alike to seek spiritual mentors in order to grow in their faith.

Archbishop Williams spent most of the day on the St. Vladimir’s campus, attending a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy in the chapel and enjoying a private brunch with the faculty. He was welcomed to the seminary by the Rev. John Behr, dean; the Rev. Chad Hatfield, chancellor; and His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah, Primate of the Orthodox Church in America.

The annual lecture honors the late Fr. Schmemann, a former dean of St. Vladimir’s and one of the preeminent Orthodox theologians of the 20th century. The lecture series continues his legacy of theological research and study in higher education.

While many non-Orthodox have been the keynote speaker in the event’s 27-year history, most have come from strictly academic backgrounds. Archbishop Williams spent his career in the academy, both at Cambridge and Oxford universities, before his election as Bishop of Monmouth, Wales, in 1991. He is only one of only two non-Orthodox hierarchs to deliver the Schmemann Memorial Lecture. Avery Cardinal Dulles delivered it in 2006.

During his introduction, Fr. Behr praised the Archbishop’s work in furthering Orthodox theology.

“His Grace has made a great contribution towards the increasing knowledge of Eastern Orthodoxy in the West,” Fr. Behr said. “He has also helped the Eastern Orthodox themselves to think through their own tradition.”

Archbishop Williams taught Fr. Behr during his years at Oxford. The archbishop said that the Rev. Nicholas Behr, the dean’s father, was instrumental in his own discovery of Eastern Orthodoxy.

The seminary gave Archbishop Williams an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree. (The archbishop earned a Doctor of Philosophy from Wadham College, Oxford, in 1975.) Metropolitan Jonah gave Archbishop Williams a hand-painted, Byzantine-style pectoral cross.

St. Vladimir’s reported on its website that two bishops of the Catholic Church in North America — the Rt. Rev. Jack Iker of Fort Worth, Texas, and Ray R. Sutton, chairman of ACNA’s ecumenical relations task force — attended the lecture.

“By conferring this degree upon the Archbishop of Canterbury, St. Vladimir’s has expressed respect and affection for Anglicanism, as well as a hope for a deeper relationship between Catholic and Orthodox Christians,” Bishop Iker said. “Metropolitan Jonah has spoken of this new vision in a very inspirational way.”

“With grateful hearts to Metropolitan Jonah, we welcome and rejoice over his vision and commitment to restoring Catholic-Orthodox dialogue,” Bishop Sutton said.

Metropolitan Jonah expressed his gratitude that the archbishop “deeply understands what is at the very core of Orthodox Christianity.”

Metropolitan Jonah emphasized the longstanding relationship of mutual respect and support that the Church of England and the Orthodox Church have enjoyed. The Metropolitan expressed his desire for this relationship to continue, and spoke hopefully of unity in Communion between the two churches.

“May God multiply your efforts,” Metropolitan Jonah told Archbishop Williams, “and strengthen you in all that you do.”

Stephen Mathewes