A recurring comment on the recent riots was the surprise that apparently 'respectable' young people were taking part - university students, 'decent' middle-class people. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/8696977/London-riots-Straight-A-student-Laura-Johnson-faces-being-thrown-out-of-university.html
What it all goes to show is that whether you wear a suit or a hoodie makes no difference because that's only what is on the outside. Jesus said, "Out of the heart come...evil thoughts...theft..." etc. It's the heart that drives a person's actions, not their clothes or level of wealth. Like in 'Lord of the Flies' the riots show what happens when the human heart has no constraints of law or social order. Very soon there is anarchy and violence.
It's very easy to pontificate from the sidelines of relatively quiet Coulsdon, but perhaps we have to ask searching questions of ourselves. What is it in the heart that can lead to such lawlessness? Is it the same thing that leads respectable MPs (and others, I'm sure) to fiddle their expenses? "Everyone does it," is the cry. So what's the difference between stealing from the tax payer and stealing trainers from a shop? The riots resulted in criminal damage to property - and there is no excuse for that - but the MPs expenses scandal resulted in damage to the reputation of parliament. Which is easier to rebuild? I tend to think that buildings are easier than reputations.
The economic liberalism of the 1980s, encouraged by the government of the time, lies, I believe, behind many of the problems we see today. 25 or 30 years ago we were encouraged to get what we could, to abandon restraint, to get rich quick: sell off national assets, remove limitations. And many people did get very rich and could retire at 55. But now their children generation, brought up with those same values, face a much more bleak economic outlook. Naturally, they share their parents' values but their aspirations to material wealth are blocked. Who is to blame? I suppose we all are to some extent, by active involvement or collusion.
What is the answer? In today's psalm at Morning Prayer the psalmist writes: 'Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart'. I also have a verse on my window ledge that says, 'Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.' The good news is that God can change hearts. In Ezekiel it says that he can exchange hearts of flesh for hearts of stone. In Jeremiah God says he will put his Spirit within us so we will know the right thing to do without being told. "Search me, O God, and know my heart..." says the psalmist.
It is claimed by J John, the evangelist, that there are over 32 million laws in existence; but have they improved on the 10 Commandments? Perhaps this is the time to return to the good life that God set out so simply. We've seen recently what happens when there are no boundaries of law and order. It's not a good life. God's good life has simple boundaries that we forget at our peril.
Thursday, 18 August 2011
Thursday, 26 May 2011
The end of the world - but not as we know it
So the 'end of the world' came and went on Saturday without even a tremor - except for the volcano in Iceland. Harold Camping, the American pastor, is apologetic for getting his sums wrong and leading many people to spend their life savings in preparing for the Rapture.
This is nothing new. Ever since the time of St Paul people have been expecting the imminent return of the Lord Jesus. Paul had to write to the church in Thessalonica that the 'day of the Lord' would come unexpectedly, so they had better just get on with life as normal in a state of preparation. It seems that some in that church had decided to give up work as they expected the Lord to come there and then.
The Anabaptists in the 17th century had several episodes of 'Rapture panic', and it has continued ever since wherever people get hold of the bible and start interpreting it as a hidden code full of 'ancient mysteries' (to use Dan Brown's phrase in 'The Lost Symbol').
The bible is not a code book that has to be interpreted by careful calculation. Rather it is, inspired by the Holy Spirit, the way we hear the living voice of God day by day. I'm afraid Harold Camping is barking very much up the wrong tree. He - and his followers even more so - needs to heed the words of Deuteronomy 18:22 - If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true, that is a message the Lord has not spoken. That propet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him.
This is nothing new. Ever since the time of St Paul people have been expecting the imminent return of the Lord Jesus. Paul had to write to the church in Thessalonica that the 'day of the Lord' would come unexpectedly, so they had better just get on with life as normal in a state of preparation. It seems that some in that church had decided to give up work as they expected the Lord to come there and then.
The Anabaptists in the 17th century had several episodes of 'Rapture panic', and it has continued ever since wherever people get hold of the bible and start interpreting it as a hidden code full of 'ancient mysteries' (to use Dan Brown's phrase in 'The Lost Symbol').
The bible is not a code book that has to be interpreted by careful calculation. Rather it is, inspired by the Holy Spirit, the way we hear the living voice of God day by day. I'm afraid Harold Camping is barking very much up the wrong tree. He - and his followers even more so - needs to heed the words of Deuteronomy 18:22 - If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true, that is a message the Lord has not spoken. That propet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him.
Wednesday, 11 May 2011
New Wine Leaders' Conference
I've just got back from a two-and-a-half day church leaders conference in Ealing, organised by New Wine. The keynote speaker was Dave Workman, the senior pastor on Cincinnati Vineyard Church. As usual with these conferences you come back, head crammed full of new ideas, good ideas, challenging ideas. But what will stay with me, and what will be good for the church?
The first talk by John Coles, Director of New Wine, was one that has stuck with me. He looked at Ezekiel's vision of the river of God flowing from the temple in Jerusalem. Nothing new there, but it just seemed to speak to me for our church at this time. A picture of a river ankle deep, knee deep, waist deep, then deep enough to swim in. It's a river that brings life to the nations. And I have been asking myself, at what depth are we ready to enter the river, and will we go deeper. It's a river that is not just for the church, but for the world.
I was challenged in the whole area of mission which is one where I think we have been weak. There are some individuals who have a heart for mission, but the theme of this conference was that the whole church needs to be outward looking. Mission among families, and to men: here are 2 areas I believe we should be investing in. Statistics show that if you get men converted, then in 95% of times, their families will follow. If you get women first, then it's 30%, and if you get children then it's 3%. So, in terms of mission, where should we start? It's obvious. But we've hardly begun.
Dave Workman's church in the USA is built on the model of servant evangelism - that is sharing the gospel by serving the community. So I ask the question, what can we do to serve the community of Old Coulsdon? Where are the needs? How can we help to meet them? David Cameron may have coined the term 'Big Society' but Jesus was teaching it 2000 years ago - and not to win votes, either! On the surface we are not a 'needy' area, but actually you don't have to look very far to find a lot of needs.
Here's a challenge in relation to finance: 'not equal giving, but equal sacrifice.' We could wipe out our deficit by everyone giving an extra £2.50 a week for the next 5 years. But the biblical and spiritual approach is to ask God, "What sacrifice can I make in my giving?" That forces us to listen to God, and to be serious in giving.
Going to these big conferences means you can enjoy the 'big worship' experience: a professional band and hundreds of people engaged in heartfelt worship. Then you come home and... But we have musicians here and I think it's going to be a priority to get them together and begin to build a regular worship band. The aim of worship is not to become like another big church with a flashy band, but to help people - inside and not-yet-inside the church - engage with God. Worship should be passionate whatever the style, because God passionately loves us.
I have a picture of that river in Ezekiel flowing through the church here at St John's and out into the neighbourhood bringing life to all that the water touches. We can all enter the river at different depths, but it's a flowing river - it doesn't stay still. The Bishop of London said to Prince William and Kate on their wedding day, 'Be the people that God wants you to be and you can set the world alight.' The same can be said of the church. it's time to discover what sort of church God wants us to be, and then to BE it. Who knows what could happen then.
The first talk by John Coles, Director of New Wine, was one that has stuck with me. He looked at Ezekiel's vision of the river of God flowing from the temple in Jerusalem. Nothing new there, but it just seemed to speak to me for our church at this time. A picture of a river ankle deep, knee deep, waist deep, then deep enough to swim in. It's a river that brings life to the nations. And I have been asking myself, at what depth are we ready to enter the river, and will we go deeper. It's a river that is not just for the church, but for the world.
I was challenged in the whole area of mission which is one where I think we have been weak. There are some individuals who have a heart for mission, but the theme of this conference was that the whole church needs to be outward looking. Mission among families, and to men: here are 2 areas I believe we should be investing in. Statistics show that if you get men converted, then in 95% of times, their families will follow. If you get women first, then it's 30%, and if you get children then it's 3%. So, in terms of mission, where should we start? It's obvious. But we've hardly begun.
Dave Workman's church in the USA is built on the model of servant evangelism - that is sharing the gospel by serving the community. So I ask the question, what can we do to serve the community of Old Coulsdon? Where are the needs? How can we help to meet them? David Cameron may have coined the term 'Big Society' but Jesus was teaching it 2000 years ago - and not to win votes, either! On the surface we are not a 'needy' area, but actually you don't have to look very far to find a lot of needs.
Here's a challenge in relation to finance: 'not equal giving, but equal sacrifice.' We could wipe out our deficit by everyone giving an extra £2.50 a week for the next 5 years. But the biblical and spiritual approach is to ask God, "What sacrifice can I make in my giving?" That forces us to listen to God, and to be serious in giving.
Going to these big conferences means you can enjoy the 'big worship' experience: a professional band and hundreds of people engaged in heartfelt worship. Then you come home and... But we have musicians here and I think it's going to be a priority to get them together and begin to build a regular worship band. The aim of worship is not to become like another big church with a flashy band, but to help people - inside and not-yet-inside the church - engage with God. Worship should be passionate whatever the style, because God passionately loves us.
I have a picture of that river in Ezekiel flowing through the church here at St John's and out into the neighbourhood bringing life to all that the water touches. We can all enter the river at different depths, but it's a flowing river - it doesn't stay still. The Bishop of London said to Prince William and Kate on their wedding day, 'Be the people that God wants you to be and you can set the world alight.' The same can be said of the church. it's time to discover what sort of church God wants us to be, and then to BE it. Who knows what could happen then.
Tuesday, 12 April 2011
Be happy...because we tell you
I have to confess to being rather cynical about the government's latest campaign to encourage happiness. http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/markeaston/ If they are serious about it perhaps they should appoint Ken Dodd as the 'Happiness Tsar' and issue everyone with a tickle-stick. I wonder if there is some ulterior motive in encouraging happiness, such as taking the strain off the NHS? But the Pensions Department might think the opposite as happy people tend to live longer and that puts more strain on the pension funds. (That's why the Church of England Pension Fund is stretched - retired clergy tend to live longer than anyone else.)
To promote happiness by its measurable benefits is rather like the arguments in favour of promoting music in education: it can be shown that involvement in music is beneficial to social and intellectual skills, as well as to the health. But shouldn't the reason for being involved in music simply be to bring pleasure to the soul, as JS Bach said: The aim and final end of all music should be none other than the glory of God and the refreshment of the soul. It's a pity that music has to be justified in schools, and to the Arts Council, these days by its measurable benefits.
Jesus had something to say about happiness (or 'blessedness') but it seems quite at odds with a modern agenda for personal happiness:
Happy are those who know they are spiritually poor; the Kingdom of heaven belongs to them!
Happy are those who mourn; God will comfort them!
Happy are those who are humble; they will receive what God has promised!
Happy are those whose greatest desire is to do what God requires; God will satisfy them fully!
Happy are those who are merciful to others; God will be merciful to them!
Happy are the pure in heart;they will see God!
Happy are those who work for peace; God will call them his children!
Happy are those who are persecuted because they do what God requires; the Kingdom of heaven belongs to them!
Happy are you when people insult you and persecute you and tell all kinds of evil lies against you because you are my followers. (Matthew's Gospel - Good News Translation)
It seems to me that true happiness can only be found when there is a fundamentally good meaning to life which, as far as I'm concerned, is only found through the abundant life that Jesus has to offer those who come to him in faith.
Wednesday, 6 April 2011
Make sure you vote on May 5th
David Cameron is warning voters (perhaps that should be non-voters) of the danger of sleepwalking into an assualt on democracy on May 5th if they don't get out and vote in the referendum on the electoral system. The excitement generated by the AV system is, perhaps, in line with the excitement generated by the Liberal Democrats, but nevertheless if AV goes through as a result of a record-breaking low turnout then democracy will suffer. I am convinced that AV is not a good idea, and these are my reasons:
1) It is incredibly complicated to explain. The booklet that came to our house the other day takes at least 5 times as long to explain the AV system, compared with the 'first past the post' system we currently use. I am moderately interested in politics and consider myself well-educated, but even I struggled to maintain an interest in the finer details. The claim is that the electorate will be more engaged in the process if AV is adopted, but I feel the opposite will happen.
2) It will lead to the least unpopular candidate being elected - a recipe for mediocrity. The Labour Party used AV in its last leadership election, and this is why Ed Milliband became Labour leader rather than his brother.
3) The major parties will pay undue attention to the extremist minorities in order to get their removed votes
4) It is a sop for the Liberal Democrats in return for joining the coalition.
5)The 'Yes' politicians seem to have lost confidence in their ability to persuade people, so they are employing an army of celebrity 'luvvies' to do their work for them. Why should we trust the judgement of the likes of Stephen Fry, Joanna Lumley, Eddie Izzard and Colin Firth any more than that of our elected representatives?
6) The whole process is wasting money that could be better spent elsewhere.
So, make sure you vote on May 5th.
1) It is incredibly complicated to explain. The booklet that came to our house the other day takes at least 5 times as long to explain the AV system, compared with the 'first past the post' system we currently use. I am moderately interested in politics and consider myself well-educated, but even I struggled to maintain an interest in the finer details. The claim is that the electorate will be more engaged in the process if AV is adopted, but I feel the opposite will happen.
2) It will lead to the least unpopular candidate being elected - a recipe for mediocrity. The Labour Party used AV in its last leadership election, and this is why Ed Milliband became Labour leader rather than his brother.
3) The major parties will pay undue attention to the extremist minorities in order to get their removed votes
4) It is a sop for the Liberal Democrats in return for joining the coalition.
5)The 'Yes' politicians seem to have lost confidence in their ability to persuade people, so they are employing an army of celebrity 'luvvies' to do their work for them. Why should we trust the judgement of the likes of Stephen Fry, Joanna Lumley, Eddie Izzard and Colin Firth any more than that of our elected representatives?
6) The whole process is wasting money that could be better spent elsewhere.
So, make sure you vote on May 5th.
Friday, 1 April 2011
I only know little little
Like our erstwhile Bishop of Croydon I was interested to read about Fabio Capello's limited English vocabulary which allows him to give basic football commands, but not to engage in debates about the economy. According to the Oxford English Corpus the 100 most commonly used English words are:
a about after all also an and any as at back be because but by can come could day do even first for from get give good go have he her him his how I if in into it its just know like look make me most my new no now not of on one only or other our out over people say see she so some take the their there they time than that them then these think this to two up us use with you want way we well what who which when will work would year your
Bishop Nick wonders how you can express the gospel using 100 words or fewer. That's easy (read John 3:16). But to express the gospel using the 100 most common words, which don't include 'God', 'Jesus', 'love' or 'world'...that's a challenge. Anway, here is my attempt:
People can not do good. There is a good good one who can make people good because he like all people well.
Now, that sounds more like Fabio!
a about after all also an and any as at back be because but by can come could day do even first for from get give good go have he her him his how I if in into it its just know like look make me most my new no now not of on one only or other our out over people say see she so some take the their there they time than that them then these think this to two up us use with you want way we well what who which when will work would year your
Bishop Nick wonders how you can express the gospel using 100 words or fewer. That's easy (read John 3:16). But to express the gospel using the 100 most common words, which don't include 'God', 'Jesus', 'love' or 'world'...that's a challenge. Anway, here is my attempt:
People can not do good. There is a good good one who can make people good because he like all people well.
Now, that sounds more like Fabio!
Monday, 14 March 2011
Be holy. Why?
I have very much enjoyed the series 'All About the Bible' that has been running here in Coulsdon since January as part of the Churches Together in Coulsdon's way of marking the Year of the Bible. Last week was particularly helpful as Bishop David Atkinson gave us a 'quick coach tour' (as my History of Religious Thought lecturer used to say) of Christian ethics. What stuck in my mind was the way Bishop David gave a biblical rationale for ethics: not a legalistic Kantian approach of obeying laws, or a Millsian relativism of doing what is best for the greatest number, but an ethic based on the reflection of God's character: "Be holy, because I, the Lord your God, am holy."
This means that ethical choices, if they are 'biblical', will be made in the light of what reflects God's character. That doesn't necessarily make those choices choices easy as most situations are quite complicated, but it does give a way to start. From what we know of the character of God, as revealed in the bible, we can begin to shape an ethic that includes ourselves individually and as a society.
Today's postmodern society allows for so much indivual choice when it comes to ethics that we, as Christians, should be allowed as much 'air-time' to put a biblical approach to ethics as anyone else. Today, it seems to me, we will win respect not by simply arguing or seeing ourselves in a battle, though sometimes it seems like a battle, but perhaps by presenting an ethic that is as attractive as the character of God. That means we need to know enough about God's character to BE attractive, and not just pick and choose the bits of God's character that our own prejudices feel comfortable with. So justice AND mercy, grace AND truth, power AND self-giving, creativity AND purity, and so on.
As it happens, one of the lectionary readings for today is from Leviticus 19, which has the verse, "Be holy, because I, the Lord your God, am holy." I am taking that verse with me today and will see what happens.
This means that ethical choices, if they are 'biblical', will be made in the light of what reflects God's character. That doesn't necessarily make those choices choices easy as most situations are quite complicated, but it does give a way to start. From what we know of the character of God, as revealed in the bible, we can begin to shape an ethic that includes ourselves individually and as a society.
Today's postmodern society allows for so much indivual choice when it comes to ethics that we, as Christians, should be allowed as much 'air-time' to put a biblical approach to ethics as anyone else. Today, it seems to me, we will win respect not by simply arguing or seeing ourselves in a battle, though sometimes it seems like a battle, but perhaps by presenting an ethic that is as attractive as the character of God. That means we need to know enough about God's character to BE attractive, and not just pick and choose the bits of God's character that our own prejudices feel comfortable with. So justice AND mercy, grace AND truth, power AND self-giving, creativity AND purity, and so on.
As it happens, one of the lectionary readings for today is from Leviticus 19, which has the verse, "Be holy, because I, the Lord your God, am holy." I am taking that verse with me today and will see what happens.
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