Celebrate Welsh identity without narrowing your horizons - Archbishop

The Archbishop of Wales, Dr Barry Morgan, called on Wales to celebrate its identity without becoming narrowly nationalistic during a sermon at the National Eisteddfod in Cardiff on Sunday.

Dr Morgan left the Lambeth Conference - the 10-yearly gathering of the Anglican Church's bishops from across the world - early to preach at the service at Pontcanna Fields, where the Eisteddfod takes place until August 9.

In his sermon, Dr Morgan told worshippers that the challenge facing Wales as a nation was keeping its identity and rejoicing in it without becoming narrowly nationalistic or exclusive.

The National Eisteddfod, he pointed out, was a time to celebrate both the nation and language of Wales, enjoying its new sense of confidence and pride achieved with the advent of the Welsh Assembly coupled with the Welsh Language Act of 1993.

But, he warned, the debate about race and nationality can lead to violence and hatred, as seen in many parts of the world. The Welsh have to learn, he said, to preserve their identity, without allowing that protection to become destructive.

The Gospel of Jesus, he said, warns Christians of the danger of trying to establish an exclusive club and challenges us to reject the drive that can make us as individuals, as families, as nations exclude others.

"The particularities of culture, language and tradition are God's gifts to us for they define who and what we are, but we also need to foster openness towards those who are different, the peoples and nations of our divided world," Dr Morgan told worshippers.