The Christian Institute’s former Chairman John Burn OBE has paid tribute to our late Queen, who died yesterday.
John Burn was Chairman of the Institute from its inception in 1991 until stepping down in 2021, and had the privilege of meeting Her Majesty in 1993 to receive his OBE for services to Education.
In an earlier statement, Institute Director Colin Hart gave thanks to God for The Queen as “a force for stability in our society”.
‘Remarkable example’
Mr Burn said: “The death of Queen Elizabeth II is a very significant day in the life of our country.
“She was a remarkable example of service to the nation. We all recall the vow she made at the time of her 21st birthday, when she said ‘I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service’.
“In a day when vows are lightly broken, she has held forth constantly the fulfilment of that vow – to the very end of her life. I believe we should thank God for her, for her extraordinary life and for her example of simple Christian faith.
“My only personal contact with Her Majesty was the day when I was privileged enough to receive from her hand my OBE. It was a remarkable occasion, and one I will always remember.”
Citizenship in heaven
He continued: “We pray for our country. We pray for our new King and the Royal Family as they mourn the loss of their mother, and grandmother and great grandmother. We pray that the King may have that wisdom, that he would uphold righteousness in our nation.
“I thank God for Queen Elizabeth and all that she stood for. I pray that our country may continue in the path that she set her mind to follow.
“We know ultimately that our citizenship is in heaven, and that our true King, and hers, is the Lord Jesus Christ, the King of kings and Lord of lords, whose reign will never end.
“We eagerly await his coming again when he will make all things new.”
‘Respected, admired and loved’
Long-serving Trustee, Revd David Holloway, who has served as vicar of Jesmond Parish Church in Newcastle upon Tyne for almost 50 years, said the Queen was “respected, admired and loved”.
He added: “We particularly need to thank God for her personal faith which was reflected in her personal life. And so we rightly grieve, but not as those with no hope. We know, as St Paul put it, for a Christian ‘to live is Christ and to die is gain … [and] to depart and be with Christ… is far better'”. (Philippians 1:21,23)
Fellow Trustee Rod Badams said: “There have been many justified tributes of the Queen’s dignity, consistency of life, servant heart and unfailing commitment to her role as monarch which she recognised she had been given by God’s providence, and for his purposes.
“Although she was Sovereign of the UK and other Commonwealth nations and had many millions of subjects under her Constitutional authority, she recognised that she herself was subject to a greater Sovereignty – that of her God and Saviour.”
‘Selfless service’
In an earlier statement on behalf of The Christian Institute, Director Colin Hart also paid tribute to Her Majesty’s devotion to faith and duty.
“She led a life of selfless service to the nation. We give thanks to God for her. Her Majesty was a force for stability in our society and had the respect of young and old, Christian, non-Christian and those of no faith at all.
“She routinely spoke of her own faith. In 1952, in her first Christmas broadcast, she asked the nation to pray ‘that God may give me wisdom and strength to carry out the solemn promises I shall be making, and that I may faithfully serve Him and you, all the days of my life’.
“God answered that prayer.”