CHENNAI: Reconciliation is the key to combating the social issues that India faces, said Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, addressing a select gathering of bishops at the CSI Synod, on Monday, "Reconciliation is what we need. You must be ambassadors of reconciliation and that is only way in which social issues that this country faces can be overcome," he said.
Arriving in the city from the capital, Welby called on the bishops at the pre-arranged meetings and discussed the progress and projects undertaken by the Church of South India. Members of the church who were privy to the meeting, also said that Welby was hopeful of great things from the newly-elected Modi administration, "He said that they must protect the minorities of this great country and ensure that their rights and freedoms were intact. He felt that things were looking positive," said a person privy to the meeting. Sources also told Express that he had a quiet session with the Moderator of the CSI to understand the working of the church, in this part of the country.
The Archbishop is on an acclimatisation visit across this region and is expected to undertake a much large global tour soon. The previous Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, also visited the city and had even made a trip to neighbouring Vellore to visit places of interest there. After taking part in a meeting including personalities like the Nawab of Arcot on Tuesday, he is expected to depart back home, later in the evening.