Much of central and southern England is currently suffering the effects of flooding following intense rain. Tewkesbury's 12th century abbey is surrounded by floodwater, yet the vicar in charge, Canon Paul Williams, speaks only of the amazing love shown by local people to one another. He praises the way ordinary inhabitants have responded to one of the worst natural disasters to hit Britain in recent years.

"What I see is divine intervention among ordinary people, and it is revealed in their community spirit," Williams told journalists visiting parts of devastated Gloucestershire, in central England, with church and civic officials on July 23.

Williams had been asked if the floods revealed God's anger with Britain for turning its back on the Bible, the Christian religion and embracing only materialism and tolerating gay activities outside marriage.

Earlier in July, Anglican Bishop Graham Dow of Carlisle said that floods around Hull, in Yorkshire, north-west England, were the result of God's wrath. "This," he said in a widely reported statement, "is a strong and definite judgment because the world has been arrogant in going its own way."

Williams said that over the weekend hundreds of homeless people had sought refuge at Tewkesbury Abbey, near Cheltenham, despite the fact some water had entered the main building. "People have come together amazingly," he said. "A lot of love and compassion has been shown."

The executive officer at Tewkesbury Abbey, Phillipa Shaw, told Ecumenical News International on July 24, "We've had so much help from people who don't normally attend church services, helping build protective walls with sandbags. We're holding services as normal and people who have never been to the abbey are worshipping with us."

Members of the Salvation Army at Tewkesbury, sited where the Rivers Avon and Severn meet, have worked tirelessly to feed people and give them shelter.

"This disaster has brought people in Tewkesbury together as never before," said Shaw. "As the canon says, it reveals divine love, not divine wrath."