Reflections on a changing world

Addressing Injustice

2012-01-04T01:37:00.000-08:00

According to Rowan Williams, the cry 'Abba, Father' is not just a calm acknowledgment of God's abstract fatherhood, it is the cry of outrage, rather like a child awaking from a nightmare and calling for parental intervention; It is the cry of outrage in the face of world where injustice is commonplace. Having started working this week for International Needs - a Christian development charity - confronting injustice and empowering some of the poorest people in the world to find new hope and opportunity, is the urgent, exciting and challenging work that God has laid at my door. But it is also something that we can all play a part in, whether great or small.
Psalm 37:5-6 says:
'Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.'

Whether is it sponsoring the education of a child who would otherwise have no opportunity to be equipped to climb out of poverty, or to go a visit and help first hand on one our trips, we all can make a difference. Why not visit www.ineeds.co.uk or contact me.

(International Needs is a worldwide Christian mission and development agency, that seeks to connect people around the world and bring lasting transformation to areas of great need.)

Talk about changing world...

2011-04-13T02:40:00.000-07:00

So much has happened and is happening in our world this year and its only April! The pace of change in so many realms is head-spinning. The temptation may be to stick that spinning head into the sand and pretend everything goes on as normal. But instead should we not do as Karl Barth suggested - 'take your Bible and your newspaper, and read both'.
Perhaps reading our newspapers would lead us to despair, as news of the tragic murder of Pakistan's Minorities minister hits us, a tragedy for all who cherish religious freedom; as we see images and hear stories of unrest and uprisings in Egypt, Bahrain and Libya, Syria, Yemen and Ethiopia with all its associated violence. Then we have seen earthquakes in Christchurch, NZ and NE Japan, with all the devastation that followed them. But we should not give in to that. Barth went on to say that for the Christian, our interpretation of the news should always be fuelled by our understanding of the Bible. And a dominant theme of the Bible is hope.

Easter is a permanent reminder that violence and destruction, arrest and even death are not the end. Darkness cannot overcome the light; Hatred cannot overcome love; and tombs don't always contain bodies.

Christmas is coming!

2010-12-15T02:41:00.000-08:00

I've just heard that the BBC will be screening a new dramatisation of "The Nativity" story in the week before Christmas. It will be broadcast on BBC1 in four, 30-minute episodes at 7.00pm, beginning on Monday 20th December. This is the slot usually occupied by "The ONE Show". The Church and Media Network has produced a website with information about the series.
Visit: www.nativitydrama.info
I've left the first review! - Well, a kind of preview really. Anyway, worth a look.

Hope in the face of death

2010-10-05T11:09:00.000-07:00

Many (well some) of you have asked for a summary of my recent thesis. He is a very short abstract that may give just the hint of its flavour. Full versions are filed in the Unversity of Wales library and the National Library of Wales (and in my office). Happy reading!

Meaning to Life in Death: A theological reflection on changing rites of passage at death in a late modern context whilst exploring the possibility of bringing hope and meaning in the face of death through Christian faith.

Spring 2010

Abstract:

With the introduction of civil funerals through the Registry Office in England, together with the rise in popularity of individualistic ‘life centred’ funerals, significant questions are being asked of the Church’s traditional role in helping people assimilate their experience of death into their worldview. Without the Church’s representatives communicating the Christian view of death with its hope of life beyond the grave, how do people keep the terrors of death at bay? What do people think happens at death? How do they face their own mortality?

Over recent years the so called taboo on speaking openly about death has diminished and yet it is still frequently sequestered into the private realm of life; funerals are much more likely to be private affairs than community events. There are significant exceptions to this trend and they tell us great deal about where people seek comfort at the time of such disruption to their everyday lives. Yet it is at the vast majority of funerals that people think about the meaning of life within the context of death.

Historically the Church has had something of a chequered history in its performance of this rite of passage, at times providing a very brief, utilitarian and impersonal service. Whether this was for sound theological reasons or simply poor practice, it had the effect of alienating the bereaved and at times denied dignity to the deceased. And yet the majority of funerals undertaken in the England today are still conducted by Christian ministers.

With the falling numbers of people attending Church either frequently or with any regularity, this is perhaps the greatest opportunity to communicate Christian hope to them, bringing to them meaning to life in the face of death. These themes are explored in a local and wider context.

Take That!

2010-09-21T02:31:00.000-07:00

Did anyone see the concert for heroes at Twickenham last week? A good cause and some good acts. But what I found heart-warming was a very practical display of forgiveness. Not to do with the service men and women but with one of the acts. Very publicly Robbie William and Gary Barlow, the two main creative forces from the boy band Take That fell out when the band split 15 years ago. They hadn't spoken of their grievances to one another privately over this time, they communicated by statement through the medium of television – throwing verbal rocks at one another. After these years of animosity, they met up and spoke of their grievances to one another and then sought one another's forgiveness. The result is that they have released a joint song which speaks of the futility of the years of conflict. To their obvious delight, and that of their fans they then performed the song together.

How telling it all was. The acknowledgement that these had been wasted years in friendship and joint creative endeavour lost, not to mention the heart-ache, was salient.

We waste so much time, emotional energy, and frankly miss the opportunity to work together and live harmoniously together when we harbour grievances rather than seeking to forgive and be forgiven. The Devil loves this tactic to frustrate our efforts to serve God and see His kingdom come among us, here and now. The Church is kept week not by external pressures but internal division. Instead the ethos should be one of love, forgiveness (because we do sometimes tread on one-another's toes) and support.

This is what the Apostle Paul addresses early in chapter 4 of his letter to the Church in Philippi. Two women, Euodia and Syntyche, have fallen out. He speaks a public word to them to sort it out (I assume he knew what he was doing in this – a risky strategy - more often shuttle diplomacy is the better option) but it shows how important it is for us as individuals to sort out our disagreements quickly for the good of the whole body of the Church, and before resentment solidifies.

Keep short acccounts of wrongs and actively seek reconciliation seems to be the message; what wisdom for today's blame culture.

A New Hope

2010-05-20T02:36:00.000-07:00

It has been something of a feast for journalists over recent weeks with a general election, hung parliament and then an emerging coalition government finally settling in to govern the country. But it has been much more than that. Out of the depths of economic recession, or at least an enormous debt hanging over the country, whose electorate will ultimately have to make good, and the perception that the Labour government has run out of steam, a new hope emerges in the form of a new government. Whether this is ‘new politics’ or simply a marriage of convenience is yet to be told. Yet with every new government there is a sense that the problems of the past will be addressed and the future will be brighter than it was a few days ago.

There is something wonderful in the human spirit that enables us to persevere through adversity to emerge into a brighter future; we are able to hope. Sometimes we do that blindly – it can be a bout of wishful thinking that is not based on any reality, and this type of hope may lead to great disappointment. Or it can be real hope, based on available evidence. This is not to say that hope is based on inevitable outcomes, but on a good possibility. In any case we are looking for a better future than our present or past reality.

This kind of hope is at the heart of Christian faith. No matter what our past may have wrought, there is a brighter future promised to us if we place our trust in God’s governance in our lives; as we find peace with God in the present, laying our past before him and offering our future to him. It is not based on blind hope, but on events that have shaped our human destiny over millenia - most importantly, in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus the Messiah. We need not be slaves to our past or imprisoned in our present, we can have a truly bright future - and that brings hope into our present. We all need new government - the higher the authority, the greater the possibilities...

A tale of two Christians

2010-02-11T03:09:00.000-08:00

Somehow 'famous' Christians always seem to be the butt of someone's joke or discredited for being wildly hypocritical. Either way they attract negative publicity like a magnet does iron-filings; someone is always trying to put them down.

And so in stumbling across (using the normal means of flicking through all the channels in search of that elusive programme of worth) the interview of Cliff Richard by Piers Morgan, broadcast last night, I watched with some trepidation. Yes, Piers asked all the predictable questions in a probing but polite way and Cliff answered with exemplary good grace. To my mind he came across as a mature person with Christian conviction but with a humility that saved him from falling into the trap of being judgmental of others, even if he does not share their world-view or their morality.

Contrast this with the recent minor political furore in Northern Ireland, where the previously little known (at least outside the province) MP, Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly and a local councillor to boot, Iris Robinson has made headlines for her affair with a man much younger than herself. This would not have made headlines for long had she not been married to the NI First Minister, but even that may not have sustained the media frenzy; so what caused it? I suspect it was that she had been named UK bigot of the year 2008 for her remarks about homosexual people and their lifestyle, motivated by her ardent Protestant faith. Oh dear, here we go again, another Christian caught in hypocrisy.

She and her family will be well familiar with Jesus’ advice to the Pharisees not to throw stones at others if they themselves were less than perfect (John 8:7) – a truth which always comes back to haunt those who ignore it. What I loved about Cliff Richard's interview was the clear application of this principle; and contrastingly found disappointing in Mrs Robinson was her lack in this department.

So what do we say? In the words of the song: ‘Here’s to you Mrs Robinson – Jesus loves you more than you will know’. And that's true for us all.

Christmas cheer?

2009-12-16T01:56:00.000-08:00

This week I overheard a mum at school saying that she didn't like Christmas. Ba humbug, thought I, as one who LOVES Christmas. But then she was a Christian lady working in a Christian school and so her comments began to disturb me. In fact what she was saying was that she disliked the frenetic business associated with Christmas celebrations and for her this cast a rather dark mid-winter cloud over the whole affair. Looking at some of the statistics, I can see why. Did you know:

£20 billion is spent on Christmas in the UK. Before we dismiss this out of hand as material gluttony, one must consider the effect on the economic well-being of the nation. Many retailers make 60% of their annual turnover during the Christmas period. Still, is it money well spent?
83 square kilometres of wrapping paper will end up in UK rubbish bins - enough to cover an area larger than Guernsey!
7.5 million Christmas trees, 10 million turkeys and 25 million Christmas puddings are consumed;
And... 1 in 3 men will wait until Christmas Eve to finish their Christmas shopping. Perhaps this is where the greatest stress is!

At the same time, I have taken to the practice of buying 'Gifts of Compassion' as Christmas presents. This is a scheme run by the Christian Charity International Needs whereby my rather small share of the £20 billion is spent on cows, pigs, goats, school dinners, bikes - or whatever is needed by people in developing nations, to enable them to build a sustainable local economy. The charity then give me a card to send the usual recipients of my Christmas good will explaining the gift that has been bought in their name. Less wrapping paper; no Christmas Eve shopping and a gift that embraces the real wonder and spirit of Christmas. That's win win in my book. Perhaps this will help to relieve the stress of the Christmas business and make it a truly meaningful celebration to embrace.
Check it out at www.ineeds.org.uk

Baby Peter... should we forgive?

2009-08-12T01:55:00.000-07:00

The names of Baby Peter's mother and her boyfriend and his brother, also resident at the house where this appalling tragedy occurred, have been released. Tracey Connelly, Jason Owen and Stephen Barker have been jailed for causing or allowing the baby's death. Peter died after months of abuse in Haringey, north London, in August 2007. Peter was 17 months old when he died with more than 50 injuries. And with this latest revelation comes further details about these people which add to the horrific picture of almost unimaginable cruelty inflicted on such a small child.

In a letter to the judge before she was sentenced alongside her boyfriend and lodger, Baby Peter's mother apologised for the "pain and suffering" endured by her son before his death, she said: "I punish myself on a daily basis".

One of many questions that arise is 'should we ever forgive Peter's mother for her part in his death?'

Another notorious criminal seeking 'forgiveness' by the state on behalf of society is the train robber Ronnie Biggs. Again he was involved in a crime that saw the murder of an innocent, this time a railwayman. Justice Secretary, Jack Straw, had denied his bid for parole on the basis that he had shown no remorse for his crime. This decision has now been reversed on compassionate grounds with Biggs apparently suffering failing health.

Again the question about forgiveness arises. Is any crime ever too heinous to be forgiven?

Crime, justice, and rehabilitation of offenders are complex matters and no less so as the State undertakes its role to protect the vulnerable from the wicked.

Yet we all face this issue of forgiveness in perhaps less extreme ways. In our daily lives we may feel offended, hurt, abused, besmirched, misunderstood, wrongly accused, disadvantaged, insulted, disrespected... the list is almost endless of how we may feel aggrieved by others words or actions against us. It may be family or friends, strangers or institutions who to our minds are guilty of this.

We are then left with two options. We either harbour resentment or we forgive them and move on. Jesus Christ said famously that we should pray to God the Father 'forgive us... as we forgive others'. In other words, if we want God to forgive us for the times we offend, hurt... and all the rest, we need to forgive others in this same way. This is good, sound advice. Psychologists tell us that forgiving others who do ill against us releases us from being imprisoned by resentment and bitterness; failing to forgive can consume us.

Yet there is another aspect that is vital to human relationships thriving, and that is repentance when we have committed a wrong against another. Repentance is more that regret, it is more than seeking forgiveness, it is about rehabilitation - about not making the same mistake again.

In repairing our fractured relationship with God, He calls upon us to repent of the things that have caused the rift between us. Once we declare our intention to do so, He forgives us and helps us to live the life that seeks not to injure God or our fellow human beings, or indeed ourselves. (His perfect justice is served by His Son Jesus Christ serving the sentence for us by his death on the Cross.)

And if God does that for us, he asks that we do that for others. This is our daily challenge! We are to seek to forgive, but also help people move away from destructive behaviour.

But what of Tracey Connelly and Ronnie Biggs? Can we forgive them?

The principle remains the same. Yes we must forgive them, but we do that in the context of working for their rehabilitation, so that further offenses are not committed. For that to happen there must be sincere and authentic repentance. I'm not sure that either have yet demonstrated this... but then I'm not close to either of them. What do you think?

... in a world post Michael Jackson

2009-06-29T04:31:00.000-07:00

Michael Jackson lives... at least our Associate Minister of that name does here in North Cheam. Yet we are all shocked at the death of the more famous person of that name at such a relatively young age of 50. Whether we loved or loathed, or were for that matter, indifferent to his music, he was an iconic figure.

His untimely death highlights the fragility of our human existence and as we watch, read and listen to countless hours of reflection upon his life, we are also reminded of the contrasting tragic and comic elements of our own lives; the ups and the downs. He was a very public figure, wanting to be recognised and appreciated and yet also a reclusive figure, wanting his own space and anonymity. And we are just like that in some measure.

Such celebrity deaths cause us to think about our own lives - our aspirations and our disappointments, our struggles and our achievements. Perhaps for this author the main point driven home by the death of another Michael only a few years my senior is to ask how I am using my time on this earth, am I wasting it or investing it wisely. Will I be able to look back when my time comes to leave this moral coil and say it was well spent, or more importantly, will God look upon my life and say 'well done good and trusty servant'. It is an opportunity now, before it is literally too late, to ask how we have contributed to the well-being of others, both in our lifetime and those who will follow us...

Still, I can say with confidence, God sent Michael Jackson to my Church!

see www.ncbc.org.uk