Last weekend, Lesley and I celebrated our 39th wedding anniversary - or 35 years of wedded bliss, as I sometimes joke! Thanks to a 'gift' from Les' tax inspector we were able to go out for a meal at our favourite local Indian restaurant. The night before, we shared a meal with some friends who married the same day as us. It was great to see how their lives are taking off in new directions. She, in particular, is flourishing wonderfully in her slightly-after-middle-age!
Yesterday, my daily Bible reading was from Psalm 1, which reminds us that those flourish best who have their roots in God. The commentator quoted from a North American Indian:
It doesn't interest me how old you are. I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool for love, for your dream, for the adventure of being alive...I want to know if you can be with JOY, mine or your own; if you can dance with wildness...if you can source your life on the edge of the lake and shout to the silver of the full moon. YES!
The commentator goes on 'What interests you?' I think my answer would be 'human flourishing'; and conversely, what saddens me most is seeing people crushed, shrivelled, unable to live their life to the full. Of course, I happen to believe that we flourish best when we have faith in Jesus Christ, and many years ago I took as my 'motto' St Paul's words from Colossians 1.28-29, my life's work being the desire to present everyone mature in Christ. How effective I have been in that, I will not know until I leave this earth, but I know that I often fail my own test.
A friend has recently pointed me to the work of Naomi Klein, a Canadian author and journalist. She has coined the phrase 'Disaster Capitalism' to describe what seems to be a pernicious political strategy of the modern world. The most blatant example of this to date has been the 'shock and awe' tactic in Iraq, which cost many lives and enormous damage, on the basis that new businesses could move in and create a whole new infrastructure - and make a lot of money for themselves. Of course, this hasn't happened. Well, some no doubt have made money but the country remains unstable. The point about Disaster Capitalism is that it creates chaos, or moves into a chaotic situation, ostensibly with a rescue plan but really in order to create wealth for the investors. What has this to do with us? Well, it is said that the same tactic is being used with the NHS: create a sense of disorder, chaos, not-fit-for-purpose-ness, and it's ripe for privatization. It is said that the real problem at Mid-Staffs, for example, was not uncaring nurses or incompetent doctors, but mainly shortage of nurses. But create a sense of unease, of fear of going to hospital, and we'll welcome any change. So the theory goes.
But the desire for human flourishing goes very deep, and most people would rather improve and grow rather than dismantle and start again. Only in exceptional circumstances would this be the only solution. At the heart of Christian faith is resurrection, which is about taking what is and breathing new life into it - not destroy and replace.
Tuesday 30 July 2013
Monday 22 July 2013
People like us?
It was a very full-on weekend. On Saturday, we went to a Ruby Wedding celebration in Lancaster. This was a very special time of reunion, but I was embarrassed when a picture of me came up on the screen, from 1971, complete with full evening dress and in the company of a young female student who did not become my wife. I hadn't told Les about that one! The event also gave us some ideas for our own 'Ruby' next year - if we're still together!!
Yesterday was basically non-stop, comprising a big baptism service, a lunchtime meeting, BCP Evensong and finally Communion. Oh and a bit of domestic cleaning on the way!
I was told a few days ago that Mossley Hill/Allerton (where I live) is in the Sunday Times Top Ten for places to bring up a family. Get that - Liverpool, a good place for families! I was naturally gladdened, and can understand why this should be: good schools and local amenities, relatively low crime rate, good transport links etc.
As it happens, I was in a different conversation with a neighbour concerning the issues of our area. I asked him what he thought the main issues were. There aren't really any big ones, he said; people round here are 'small-c' conservative. They live here because they want to conserve what they have. My friend would be the first to admit that there are 'issues' here: lonely elderly folks living by themselves in large houses, the family having moved away; I suspect that levels of debt and alcoholism are rather higher than most of us realise; and there is undoubtedly mental ill health, often stress-related, for professional people in many walks of life. But, all things considered, this is a good place to live.
How does it affect church life, when it is all too easy to be complacent, self-satisfied, yet we constantly pray 'your kingdom come'? What would that look like? I and others talk often these days about the need for culture-change within the church, infected as we are with that 'nothing changes here' mentality. Here's a quote from a book I've mentioned before, Unapologetic by Francis Spufford. He is describing particular areas where the Church (of England) is open to criticism. One of these, he believes
...(is) our recurring tendency to give religious sanction to whatever is 'small-c' conservative in a society, at the expense of everybody who falls outside the conservative definition of what's good and natural ...It is possible to see the church...as virtue's tribe, as a new version of the self-satisfied Us...Then whatever is inside the tribal boundary begins to seem good because it is inside, and whatever is outside begins to seem wicked because it is outside.
Today the Church remembers Mary Magdalene, from whom Jesus cast seven demons and who was quite possibly a prostitute before becoming a disciple. She followed Jesus to the Cross and beyond to the tomb, becoming the first to see him following his resurrection and bearing the news to the other disciples. Would she have found a place within our church, I wonder?
Yesterday was basically non-stop, comprising a big baptism service, a lunchtime meeting, BCP Evensong and finally Communion. Oh and a bit of domestic cleaning on the way!
I was told a few days ago that Mossley Hill/Allerton (where I live) is in the Sunday Times Top Ten for places to bring up a family. Get that - Liverpool, a good place for families! I was naturally gladdened, and can understand why this should be: good schools and local amenities, relatively low crime rate, good transport links etc.
As it happens, I was in a different conversation with a neighbour concerning the issues of our area. I asked him what he thought the main issues were. There aren't really any big ones, he said; people round here are 'small-c' conservative. They live here because they want to conserve what they have. My friend would be the first to admit that there are 'issues' here: lonely elderly folks living by themselves in large houses, the family having moved away; I suspect that levels of debt and alcoholism are rather higher than most of us realise; and there is undoubtedly mental ill health, often stress-related, for professional people in many walks of life. But, all things considered, this is a good place to live.
How does it affect church life, when it is all too easy to be complacent, self-satisfied, yet we constantly pray 'your kingdom come'? What would that look like? I and others talk often these days about the need for culture-change within the church, infected as we are with that 'nothing changes here' mentality. Here's a quote from a book I've mentioned before, Unapologetic by Francis Spufford. He is describing particular areas where the Church (of England) is open to criticism. One of these, he believes
...(is) our recurring tendency to give religious sanction to whatever is 'small-c' conservative in a society, at the expense of everybody who falls outside the conservative definition of what's good and natural ...It is possible to see the church...as virtue's tribe, as a new version of the self-satisfied Us...Then whatever is inside the tribal boundary begins to seem good because it is inside, and whatever is outside begins to seem wicked because it is outside.
Today the Church remembers Mary Magdalene, from whom Jesus cast seven demons and who was quite possibly a prostitute before becoming a disciple. She followed Jesus to the Cross and beyond to the tomb, becoming the first to see him following his resurrection and bearing the news to the other disciples. Would she have found a place within our church, I wonder?
Monday 15 July 2013
Acting the Good Samaritan
There was an end of term feel to yesterday morning's service at Mossley Hill, with a party following at which lunch and cakes were served with proceeds going to our heating appeal. We have just about reached 50% of total, so are well encouraged.
The Gospel reading was the Good Samaritan, and I had some children acting out the story. They were brilliant, especially the young girl who played the thug, beating up the hapless victim - who happened to be her brother. She acted the part energetically: 'years of pent-up emotion', said their mother! The point I emphasised was that the question the teacher asked Jesus ('Who is my neighbour?') is different from the one Jesus asks him ('Which one was the neighbour?') - it's a distinction between law and grace. Law which says 'what should I do?' and grace which says 'how should I live?' It's interesting that Luke the evangelist tells us the teacher 'wanted to justify himself'. That's what law does: gives you the means of protecting yourself, making you secure within your own terms of reference. But that isn't necessarily the way of Christ, who went beyond established boundaries and paid the price. Ultimately, of course, it is Christ who is the Good Samaritan, showing pours out mercy upon fallen human beings. And he is also victim, who calls us to take risks as we meet him in the poor and needy.
I used the example of Malala Yousafzai, the 16-year old Pakistani teenager shot by a Taliban gunman for championing women's education. Last week, she addressed the United Nations Youth Assembly:
I am (not) here to speak in terms of personal revenge against the Taliban...I do not even hate the one who shot me. Even if there was a gun in my hand and he was standing in front of me, I would not shoot him. This is the compassion I have learned...This is the philisophy of non-violence I have learned...This is the forgiveness I have learned. This is what my soul is telling me: be peaceful and love everyone.
I think the key word is 'learned'. Malala has been on an amazing journey, which has taken her from her small village to the UN. It has also been a journey to grace, releasing her from any sense of bitterness and strengthening her resolve for the cause she has espoused. A journey into grace is one we could all make: in short, it is about seeing the bigger picture, beyond our own personal circumstances to what God is doing in our life and in our world. That's something the teacher who met Jesus found it hard to do. It was all about him.
The Gospel reading was the Good Samaritan, and I had some children acting out the story. They were brilliant, especially the young girl who played the thug, beating up the hapless victim - who happened to be her brother. She acted the part energetically: 'years of pent-up emotion', said their mother! The point I emphasised was that the question the teacher asked Jesus ('Who is my neighbour?') is different from the one Jesus asks him ('Which one was the neighbour?') - it's a distinction between law and grace. Law which says 'what should I do?' and grace which says 'how should I live?' It's interesting that Luke the evangelist tells us the teacher 'wanted to justify himself'. That's what law does: gives you the means of protecting yourself, making you secure within your own terms of reference. But that isn't necessarily the way of Christ, who went beyond established boundaries and paid the price. Ultimately, of course, it is Christ who is the Good Samaritan, showing pours out mercy upon fallen human beings. And he is also victim, who calls us to take risks as we meet him in the poor and needy.
I used the example of Malala Yousafzai, the 16-year old Pakistani teenager shot by a Taliban gunman for championing women's education. Last week, she addressed the United Nations Youth Assembly:
I am (not) here to speak in terms of personal revenge against the Taliban...I do not even hate the one who shot me. Even if there was a gun in my hand and he was standing in front of me, I would not shoot him. This is the compassion I have learned...This is the philisophy of non-violence I have learned...This is the forgiveness I have learned. This is what my soul is telling me: be peaceful and love everyone.
I think the key word is 'learned'. Malala has been on an amazing journey, which has taken her from her small village to the UN. It has also been a journey to grace, releasing her from any sense of bitterness and strengthening her resolve for the cause she has espoused. A journey into grace is one we could all make: in short, it is about seeing the bigger picture, beyond our own personal circumstances to what God is doing in our life and in our world. That's something the teacher who met Jesus found it hard to do. It was all about him.
Thursday 11 July 2013
Murray - Minted?*
* with apologies for the pun. (Are Murray Mints still around?)
So - Andy Murray did it last Sunday. I arrived home just in time for the last game, having listened to bits of it on the car radio while I did some parish visits. I confess I felt quite emotional as he won that final point, and the crowd erupted. I don't think it had anything to do with the '77-year wait for a British Wimbledon champion'. It was just that I love to see a person do well, especially if I have some kind of attachment to them - and here I must admit it is because he's British (well, Scottish I guess he would want to say). Les and I watched a documentary about Andy Murray a couple of weeks ago, and he came across as a really genuine person, who has known tears as well as joys in life. His parents, of course, are divorced and he came within an ace of the massacre at Dunblane Primary School: his class was the next one due in the gym where that terrible event occurred. He is clearly still scarred by the memory, as he wept talking about it on the film. It says much for him that, although Sue Barker (interviewing him) said, 'It's ok, we can cut this' as he struggled to control his emotions, he must have agreed to let that piece stay in the programme.
What now for Murray? A millionaire already at 26, fame, success and a celebrity. I hope he can handle it well. The signs are good, as I gather he has donated his Wimbledon winnings to the Royal Marsden Cancer charity. (He has a close friend who is seriously ill with cancer). It was also good to hear he phoned his grandparents straight after the game!
David Cameron wants to give him a knighthood. I cried out, 'Noooo....!' Too soon. Maybe at the end of his career. Maybe an MBE now. Such a reaction from the PM suggests to me much that is wrong in our current social attitudes. We are a meritocratic society, where rewards come too readily to people for their smallest achievements. I know winning Wimbledon is a big thing for a Brit, but I believe the bigger rewards (such as a knighthood) should be for lifetime achievements, or for outstanding contributions to the common good.
Speaking of the common good: have you signed up for Together for the Common Good this September? Go to www.togetherforthecommongood.co.uk. It concerns the legacy of David Sheppard and Derek Worlock, connecting faith and the good society.
On a related issue, here is something I've just read, about the dangers of allowing wealth (as in the Gross National Product) to determine our national priorities. It's by former US politician Robert Kennedy:
(it) does not allow for the health of our children, the quality of their education,or the joy of their play. It does not include the beauty of our poetry or the strength of our marriages, the intelligence of our public debate, or the integrity of our public officials. It measures neither our wit nor our courage, neither our wisdom nor our learning...it measures everything, in short, except that which makes life worthwhile.
While we rejoice at Murray's success, the magnitude of his rewards and the adulation heaped upon him say much about what we really value in our corporate life.
So - Andy Murray did it last Sunday. I arrived home just in time for the last game, having listened to bits of it on the car radio while I did some parish visits. I confess I felt quite emotional as he won that final point, and the crowd erupted. I don't think it had anything to do with the '77-year wait for a British Wimbledon champion'. It was just that I love to see a person do well, especially if I have some kind of attachment to them - and here I must admit it is because he's British (well, Scottish I guess he would want to say). Les and I watched a documentary about Andy Murray a couple of weeks ago, and he came across as a really genuine person, who has known tears as well as joys in life. His parents, of course, are divorced and he came within an ace of the massacre at Dunblane Primary School: his class was the next one due in the gym where that terrible event occurred. He is clearly still scarred by the memory, as he wept talking about it on the film. It says much for him that, although Sue Barker (interviewing him) said, 'It's ok, we can cut this' as he struggled to control his emotions, he must have agreed to let that piece stay in the programme.
What now for Murray? A millionaire already at 26, fame, success and a celebrity. I hope he can handle it well. The signs are good, as I gather he has donated his Wimbledon winnings to the Royal Marsden Cancer charity. (He has a close friend who is seriously ill with cancer). It was also good to hear he phoned his grandparents straight after the game!
David Cameron wants to give him a knighthood. I cried out, 'Noooo....!' Too soon. Maybe at the end of his career. Maybe an MBE now. Such a reaction from the PM suggests to me much that is wrong in our current social attitudes. We are a meritocratic society, where rewards come too readily to people for their smallest achievements. I know winning Wimbledon is a big thing for a Brit, but I believe the bigger rewards (such as a knighthood) should be for lifetime achievements, or for outstanding contributions to the common good.
Speaking of the common good: have you signed up for Together for the Common Good this September? Go to www.togetherforthecommongood.co.uk. It concerns the legacy of David Sheppard and Derek Worlock, connecting faith and the good society.
On a related issue, here is something I've just read, about the dangers of allowing wealth (as in the Gross National Product) to determine our national priorities. It's by former US politician Robert Kennedy:
(it) does not allow for the health of our children, the quality of their education,or the joy of their play. It does not include the beauty of our poetry or the strength of our marriages, the intelligence of our public debate, or the integrity of our public officials. It measures neither our wit nor our courage, neither our wisdom nor our learning...it measures everything, in short, except that which makes life worthwhile.
While we rejoice at Murray's success, the magnitude of his rewards and the adulation heaped upon him say much about what we really value in our corporate life.
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