The Archbishop of Canterbury has called on churches to 'cry out and claim and struggle' for justice, in order to bring 'testimony and witness to words and prayers'. 

Archbishop Justin Welby was attending the 8th meeting of the Primates of the Porvoo Communion, hosted in Iceland by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Iceland. 

Preaching in Reykjavik's Dómkirkjan Cathedral, the Archbishop said that 'justice faints and hope fades' when the church 'looks in on itself'. 

He called for a renewal of prayer in the Porvoo churches so they may be 'caught up' with the 'God of justice' who calls people into action. 

Drawing on the parable of the widow who cries out to the unjust judge, the Archbishop said the church must look beyond self-interest and side with those crying for justice. 

'Any serious view of the nature of human beings,' he said, 'tells us that without the action of God their can be no true justice, and that the church is there to be the widow, to cry out and claim and struggle. That must involve action, which may be slight or grand.' 

The Porvoo Communion of Churches consists of a large number of Anglican and Lutheran churches who are in communion with each other. 

Speaking about reconciliation among churches, the Archbishop called the quest for unanimity 'a mirage and a diversion,' instead urging focus on 'unity'.  

'Unanimity is too busy with checking whether the other person is doing the right thing to hear the call of the widow. But unity sees and hears her and puts aside our own preferences to stand in solidarity and cry with her.' 

'Unanimity is tidy, it's all organised, and bears no fruit; unity is irregular, confused, relational, it is an improvisation of celebration and lament, of the prayer for justice, and solidarity with the poor. You make it up as you go along.

Click here to read Archbishop Justin Welby's  sermon