'H' - the defining Christian sin!

Yes, I've come to the conclusion that the 'H Word' is indeed the worst, perhaps being THE defining, Christian sin that there is!

It is to be found at the root of schism and self-serving thinking.

It is the reason that there is so much grief in the Church.

It is the principle reason that the world judges the Church badly.

It is something that we need to deal with NOW, decisively and at all levels (beginning with me and you - we can deal with the others later!).

I am surrounded with various theologies and am faced with so much sound evangelical teaching on sexual issues and just as much more, but in an opposite direction, from our liberal-minded brethren (and sistren too!). So what are we going to to with the 'H Word'? How are we going to legislate such that those who embrace it are forced to recant of are expelled from our congregations because of their thinking and the resultant actions?

Yes indeedy folks, it is time to make a stand. So let's decide that we are going to stamp out 'Hardheartedness' in our own life, the life of our church and across the whole Church once and for all.

And then we can start with the world hoping that they will like what they see and rush to emulate us!

Pax

Images of the Christ - 2

One of the images of Christ which I have found to have caused the most reaction, even though much of it was surprise, from non-Christians was the image of 'Buddy Christ'. It comes from the film 'Dogma' and the idea was that it was a rebranding of Jesus to move away from the blood, gore and distance between Him and us.

Now the film was, bad language apart, one which I found to be rather good in terms of the theological challenges it created, that is until the last five minutes when God (Alanis Morrisette) turned up and the whole thing fell into the sea!

That aside, I bought a couple of 'Buddies' and one ended up on my computer monitor and the other on a senior police officer's desk. In my workplace people were a little shocked, but knowing I was 'one of the Christians' they sort of avoided any comment on it. I noticed though, that after a few days, when they'd had a good lood whilst I was absent, they started asking questions about it and it was areal ice-breaker. The senior police officer found the same and where the CPA (Christian Police Association) sticker hadn't brought any comments (or identification) fromChristians - soon people would just 'drop in' for a chat about their faith and their problems where there was no faith.

Seems that taking our faith seriously but ourselves less so and showing that rather than be offended (the people who introduced me to Buddy in the Swiss banking organisation I worked for were also worried they'd offend) we can deal openly and in a 'not up our own behindsides' (as an American colleague so nicely put it) opens doors.

So here he is:

Whadyaathink?

Should we worry at how the French see us?

In a recent article in the Daily Torygraph (26th April 2011), Andrew Gilligan, on the issue of terrorism quotes a French official as claiming that Britain is , "The Pakistan of the West," in that we are incubator, entrepot and exporter of islamic radicalism.

Now, I neither deny nor defend the comments, for they are undeniable and without defence, but I do have to admit that I take exception to the being labelled thus by a blessed Frenchman (or even a Frenchwoman, nothing sexist about me!). Having someone from the same nation that closes borders to prevent the ingress of Tunisians (isn't that a former French protectorate or was I sleeping in geog. lessons?). The same nation that takes immigrants from other places and then almost assists them to get on the crossings to the UK because it solves the French immigration (and their own terrorism) problems (and gives them someone to point the finger at, as they do)? The same nation that served soldiers from their North African territories smaller portions and paid them less during the war and gave them a pretty non-existent pension after it (Gurkha anyone)? The same nation that discriminates and crowds into ghettoes those from former colonies, treating them abysmally as second-class citizens?

Can I suggest that before the French decide to lecture anyone about immigration and fostering terrorism, that they take a look in their own mirrors, for I assume they will see nothing but closed-minded bigots and fools. I would love them to suspend the Shengen agreement and do something about the traffic that flows (as quickly as possible) through France to end up on our shores, not to protect the French, but the British.

Sadly those, we have people who are just as foolish as the french on this side of the puddle too! These are the people who see terrorism behind every dark skin and in possession of the Koran. The problem is that we have imported many of our problems from many other places and now indeed do have a radicalised and potentially unsafe minority within our shores. The key here is education and engagement. Not with the EDL, BNP or the Daily Fascist readers and foolish men like Jones and Sapp but with people who are moderate and intelligent.

We need to ask what drives young men and women to become radicalised. What it is that takes a Christian (albleit a nominal Christian) and turns him or her into a Muslim who is willing to die for their faith (Blimey, I'd be happy of I could get them to join and come on a Sunday evening, so what's the key?)?

Where there is acquiescence on the part of the state, incompetence on the part of the intelligence services and funding of those who might otherwise be enemies of the 'hand that feeds them', then (intelligent, balanced and rational) action is required. But in saying this can I recommend a couple of films for your consideration.

The first is a war film, "Days of Glory" (Director: Rachid Bouchareb),

The second, an excellent apologetic for the secular Muslim, "My Name is Khan' (Director: Karan Johar).

I have more, but these will do for starters. We need to consider the integrity and actions of others when considering this issue. That some will misrepresent any faith for their own evil (financial, political or social) is nothing new, but accepting it is not, and never has been, an option.

We need to pray, dialogue and be the difference in this area - not condemn and solidify the lines that might currently only be drawn in chalk, before they are:

Get the picture?

Pax

Eclipse of the Son?

An eclipse occurs when a celestial object is temporarily obscured, either by passing into the shadow of another body or by having another body pass between it and the observer.

It always amazes me that an object as bright as the sun can be made to disappear behind another object. The dull, almost otherworldly, light and temperature drop when it occurs always makes a big impression on me. Well it seems to me that the same is true of us and Christ in this post-Easter period in that we (or perhaps less helpfully but more comfortably 'the Church') often cause an eclipse of the Son!

Let me explain.

Here we are almost a week after Easter and the question has to be, what difference does it make? Are people seeing Jesus or are we putting stuff in the way such that he becomes obscured by 'the Church' and the issues of whatever we take it to mean?

Discussing this yesterday it seemed that people didn't see Jesus because issues like people losing their farms to pay for repairs to a church building on their land (a hang on from the glebe land and other laws) made 'the Church' look mean, heartless and money grabbing. The ownership of much of the land in central London (especially Soho where the brothels and sex industry is predominant) all served to show the 'Church' is a bunch of hypocritical, money-grubbing, duplistic (for how can 'the Church' claim to support marriage and own the very places sex is traded as a commodity from?) people.

Taking one of the readings for this weekend (Acts 2:14,22-32):

"But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them: ‘Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say.
‘You that are Israelites,* listen to what I have to say: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with deeds of power, wonders, and signs that God did through him among you, as you yourselves know this man, handed over to you according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of those outside the law. 24But God raised him up, having freed him from death,* because it was impossible for him to be held in its power. For David says concerning him,

“I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand so that I will not be shaken; therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; moreover, my flesh will live in hope. For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One experience corruption. You have made known to me the ways of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.”

‘Fellow Israelites, I may say to you confidently of our ancestor David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Since he was a prophet, he knew that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would put one of his descendants on his throne. Foreseeing this, David spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, saying,

“He was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh experience corruption.”

This Jesus God raised up, and of that all of us are witnesses."

Seems to me that we don't do enough witnessing about Jesus but work hard to put objects in the way of Him such that He is eclipsed and unseen.

We struggle to raise issues that cloud the world's view of jesus, to bring into the public gaze objects that distract from the truth that we have just celebrated. It appears that where many people see 'the Church' they fail to see Jesus - and this is something we need to change. Shout about Him, praise His name and let's stop the politics, the weird theologies and the madness, eh?

Jesus is risen indeed. Hallelujah! (so get out of the way and let people see Him)

Pax

Loving as Christ loves us

After the Good Friday witness I met people who spoke of a man, mentally ill, needing to be 'managed' or acted against 'properly' or as one put it, "Just locked up!" Another has spoken of acting 'decisively', but what do these words mean?

As they uttered those words I had the feeling that a man, somewhere in time was holding a scroll of the prophet Isaiah, and reading thus:

"The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me,
because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor;

He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,

To proclaim liberty to the captives,

And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;

To proclaim the year of the LORD’s favour, and the day of vengeance of our God;

To comfort all who mourn; giving them beautiful headdress instead of ashes,

The oil of gladness instead of mourning,

The garment of praise instead of a faint spirit;

that they may be called oaks of righteousness,

The planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified."

If we cannot stand with those who know the Lord and have broken minds;

If we cannot stand with those who know the Lord and have broken lives;

If we cannot weep with those who weep, grieve with those who grieve, love those who are unloveable and yet know the Lord, what hope is there for the lost?

What hope is there for the Church?

Who can be saved?

What reason is there for His rising up today?

Pax

Good Friday - A Public 'Thank You'

A heartfelt and sincere 'Thank You' to all those who helped us bear witness to, and share the wonder of, God's grace as shown to us by Christ's death on a cross.

The Sound Man, Musicians, people who provided the cross, the people who prayed (and welcomed and dismissed), the people who came and made the witness walk so very powerful and meaningful, the man who was everywhere doing stuff, the man who led and carried the cross and especially the members of the Grendon Passion Play, who brought the words of the Good friday happenings to life by their involvement.

Pax