Like many other people, I have been deeply saddened by the decision of Bishop Philip North to withdraw his acceptance of the post of Bishop of Sheffield. It's the second time he has had to do this: previously he withdrew from the bishopric of Whitby before becoming Bishop of Burnley. The reason was the same both times: he came under great pressure from many CofE clergy and lay people because of his opposition to women clergy and bishops. Coming from a strongly Catholic tradition, he simply believes, for reasons of Scripture and tradition, that to ordain women as either priests or bishop is not merely wrong but actually impossible, because (I'm putting it crudely) the grace of God is not available for this purpose.
Now I happen to disagree with him, as many others do, but the fact is that he belongs to an honourable tradition within the CofE whose conscientious and theological objections were recognised when the General Synod approved women's ordination. It was accepted then that 'traditionalist' clergy and bishops would not be discriminated against because of their views. It seems an absolute betrayal of that agreement that Bp North should have been subjected to such personal attacks by those who champion female equality. You end up thinking who is discriminating against whom?
There have been many testimonies to the Bishop's care and affirmation of women clergy in his present diocese (Blackburn), despite his views; and he is well known for his outspoken views on urban deprivation and the failure of the Church's mission is such places. We have lost a potentially great church leader, and one wonders where he goes from here. It cannot be said the he is anti-women. There is nothing personal about it: he simply cannot accept that their ordination is acceptable before God. This goes beyond present-day concerns about equality.
The disturbing thing about this is the inability of the Church to uphold its own agreements. What will happen in future if the CofE agrees to gay marriage, but clergy are not to be forced to take such a ceremony on grounds of theological objection? Will their refusal be construed as homophobic, and will they be subject to the same vilification as this Bishop?
Back to the Sermon on the Mount. This week, we have studied the rest of Matthew 5, where Jesus informs his disciples that unless their righteousness surpasses that of scribes and Pharisees they will not enter the Kingdom of God. He then goes on to take a number of examples of Jewish teaching, with the formula, 'You have heard it said...but I say...' Thus demonstrating that he is not denying the truth of the Law but supplementing it. I like McLaren's suggestion that religion is a kind of road to nowhere: ok, so you have fulfilled various legal demands and challenges, as have many before you, but then what? The disciple is to have his or her eyes set on the road to a further destination, which is not marked out by rules and regulations but simple obedience to Jesus and his word. Jesus ends, 'Be perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect.' Lift your eyes!
Sunday, 12 March 2017
Thursday, 2 March 2017
A New Identity
So Lent begins again. I am sure it is meant to be a joyful time as we let go of some of the things which preoccupy or enslave us, and make space for our own personal desert. After all, the word 'Lent' comes an Old English word meaning 'spring'. It's spring-time for the soul! Growth, renewal, new life bursting forth culminating in the exaltation of Easter.
We begin a new section in We Make the Road by Walking. McLaren gives it the title Alive in a Global Uprising: his take on what the message of Jesus, his death and resurrection, were all about. And on Sunday, we begin a Lent series meditating thoughtfully around the Sermon on the Mount. This Sunday, A New Identity is the theme. reflecting on the Beatitudes. The values of the upside-down Kingdom of God. As McLaren puts it: …if we want to be his disciples, we won’t be able to simply coast along and conform to the norms of our society. We must choose a different definition of well-being, a different model of success, a new identity with a new set of values.
This is very much in keeping with Lent, as choosing the way of Christ over any other way is something we affirm, much as Jesus chose God's way in the desert, rather than the tempter's.
We begin a new section in We Make the Road by Walking. McLaren gives it the title Alive in a Global Uprising: his take on what the message of Jesus, his death and resurrection, were all about. And on Sunday, we begin a Lent series meditating thoughtfully around the Sermon on the Mount. This Sunday, A New Identity is the theme. reflecting on the Beatitudes. The values of the upside-down Kingdom of God. As McLaren puts it: …if we want to be his disciples, we won’t be able to simply coast along and conform to the norms of our society. We must choose a different definition of well-being, a different model of success, a new identity with a new set of values.
This is very much in keeping with Lent, as choosing the way of Christ over any other way is something we affirm, much as Jesus chose God's way in the desert, rather than the tempter's.
Saturday, 25 February 2017
Memorable Moments
Spare a thought for Claudio Ranieri - the recently sacked manager of Leicester City. Last season, a hero in a fairy tale that took his club to the Premiership title; this season presiding over a club threatened with relegation. If ever there was evidence that professional football is no longer a sport but a business, this is it. Leicester City FC plc is a failing business so a head must roll. No matter how successful you have been a mere matter of months ago.
Apart from that, there is an interesting observation to be made here about coaching and leadership. The same person, who can rescue an enterprise from obscurity and lead it to success, is not necessarily able to lead it to a sustainable future. A different skill set is required. The same might have been said of Winston Churchill, an heroic wartime leader, but rejected in time of peace. It is also true that many clergy would prefer to lead a small struggling church than take over a large, successful one from a previous incumbent.
This Sunday, we suspend our series from We Make the Road by Walking, and use the readings for the Sunday before Lent. As it happens, the Gospel is the same as the one we took 2 weeks ago including the story of the Transfiguration. A memorable moment in the life of St Peter, on whom we are focussing during Lent and right up to Easter. Tomorrow, rather than reflect on the Gospel reading, we reflect rather on Peter's own testimony in 2 Peter 1. Here, he describes that mountain top experience as a kind of preview of the glory which is to come when Jesus returns. He sees it as authenticating his own confession to the divinity of Christ. He sees it as a vindication of all that the Old Testament prophets taught.
So he encourages his readers to wait patiently, knowing that the Scriptures are trustworthy and that the Lord will indeed reappear and be manifested in glory, just as he remembered on the mountain. I guess that takes us back to Ranieri, and leading from success. Part of the challenge for leadership in any context is to hold a vision for what the future can look like; but if your best days are possibly behind you, what is there to look forward to?
This is why we need to see everything we do in the context of eternity. The best is always yet to be, however 'glorious' our days on earth may have been!
Apart from that, there is an interesting observation to be made here about coaching and leadership. The same person, who can rescue an enterprise from obscurity and lead it to success, is not necessarily able to lead it to a sustainable future. A different skill set is required. The same might have been said of Winston Churchill, an heroic wartime leader, but rejected in time of peace. It is also true that many clergy would prefer to lead a small struggling church than take over a large, successful one from a previous incumbent.
This Sunday, we suspend our series from We Make the Road by Walking, and use the readings for the Sunday before Lent. As it happens, the Gospel is the same as the one we took 2 weeks ago including the story of the Transfiguration. A memorable moment in the life of St Peter, on whom we are focussing during Lent and right up to Easter. Tomorrow, rather than reflect on the Gospel reading, we reflect rather on Peter's own testimony in 2 Peter 1. Here, he describes that mountain top experience as a kind of preview of the glory which is to come when Jesus returns. He sees it as authenticating his own confession to the divinity of Christ. He sees it as a vindication of all that the Old Testament prophets taught.
So he encourages his readers to wait patiently, knowing that the Scriptures are trustworthy and that the Lord will indeed reappear and be manifested in glory, just as he remembered on the mountain. I guess that takes us back to Ranieri, and leading from success. Part of the challenge for leadership in any context is to hold a vision for what the future can look like; but if your best days are possibly behind you, what is there to look forward to?
This is why we need to see everything we do in the context of eternity. The best is always yet to be, however 'glorious' our days on earth may have been!
Saturday, 18 February 2017
Making it Real
Did I forget to do a blog last week?! Only just realised.
Last week I had been away again, this time on a residential training conference for Mission Community leaders. Mission Communities (MCs) being the county-wide strategy here for developing networks of churches, the better to reach every man, woman child with the good news of Jesus Christ. It was a very useful week, in lots of ways. There was a significant degree of hope in the room, notwithstanding that none of us really knows what a MC will look like! There is no blueprint: it's up to each group to work it out for themselves. One key feature common to all, however, will be the necessity of far greater and deeper collaboration between ordained and lay people to 'be' church where they are. These old divisions must dissolve, in favour of a full-blown New Testament view of diverse ministries of many kinds.
After two weeks of several nights away, it's been good to be home-based again. However, there was still an 'away-day', also with MCs in mind. This time it was our own MC: we have a steering group of a dozen people charged with working out what our network of 14 churches, in town and country, will look like. We did an exercise together, 'building' a MC out of various blocks. What would be the components of our MC? Examples were: a variety of ministries, creative new acts of worship, engaged and engaging youth church, and a dedicated social life!
In the course of our discussion, we found ourselves again asking 'what do we mean by mission?' I don't know how many times I have been in a group trying to agree a suitable definition! Rather than spend the rest of the day trying to do so again, I found myself impromptu coming up with a simple one: God beyond the walls. Would that serve as a suitable container within which to put the concept? 'Walls' of course refers to the physical building of church (how often does 'mission' become 'getting people in' rather than getting Christians out?!); but the word also refers to the psychological, spiritual and social walls we tend to put up, differentiating ourselves from others 'not like us.' Jesus spent so much of his time, his mission, reaching out to 'others.' And we need to go wherever the Spirit of God takes us to share his love, grace and mercy.
Tomorrow's reading from Mark 2 shows just what Jesus was like: forgiving people their sins, preaching to crowds of people whom the Pharisees regarded as 'riff-raff' (the Message translation), eating with tax collectors and 'sinners', calling such people to discipleship. His mission was beyond the walls both of synagogue and social/religious convention.
McLaren concludes, With Jesus, faith is where it all begins. When you believe, you make it real.
Last week I had been away again, this time on a residential training conference for Mission Community leaders. Mission Communities (MCs) being the county-wide strategy here for developing networks of churches, the better to reach every man, woman child with the good news of Jesus Christ. It was a very useful week, in lots of ways. There was a significant degree of hope in the room, notwithstanding that none of us really knows what a MC will look like! There is no blueprint: it's up to each group to work it out for themselves. One key feature common to all, however, will be the necessity of far greater and deeper collaboration between ordained and lay people to 'be' church where they are. These old divisions must dissolve, in favour of a full-blown New Testament view of diverse ministries of many kinds.
After two weeks of several nights away, it's been good to be home-based again. However, there was still an 'away-day', also with MCs in mind. This time it was our own MC: we have a steering group of a dozen people charged with working out what our network of 14 churches, in town and country, will look like. We did an exercise together, 'building' a MC out of various blocks. What would be the components of our MC? Examples were: a variety of ministries, creative new acts of worship, engaged and engaging youth church, and a dedicated social life!
In the course of our discussion, we found ourselves again asking 'what do we mean by mission?' I don't know how many times I have been in a group trying to agree a suitable definition! Rather than spend the rest of the day trying to do so again, I found myself impromptu coming up with a simple one: God beyond the walls. Would that serve as a suitable container within which to put the concept? 'Walls' of course refers to the physical building of church (how often does 'mission' become 'getting people in' rather than getting Christians out?!); but the word also refers to the psychological, spiritual and social walls we tend to put up, differentiating ourselves from others 'not like us.' Jesus spent so much of his time, his mission, reaching out to 'others.' And we need to go wherever the Spirit of God takes us to share his love, grace and mercy.
Tomorrow's reading from Mark 2 shows just what Jesus was like: forgiving people their sins, preaching to crowds of people whom the Pharisees regarded as 'riff-raff' (the Message translation), eating with tax collectors and 'sinners', calling such people to discipleship. His mission was beyond the walls both of synagogue and social/religious convention.
McLaren concludes, With Jesus, faith is where it all begins. When you believe, you make it real.
Friday, 3 February 2017
Jesus and the Multitudes
I've been away on retreat for most of the past week, gathering with friends from the Aidan & Hilda Community. We meet annually at Shallowford House, the retreat house of Lichfield Diocese, near Stafford. Quite a long drive, but worth it - even with the West Coast mainline not 100 metres from the building!
This year, we have been reflecting on the Desert Fathers and Mothers, and the life of Martin of Tours a century or so later. It has been challenging and refreshing. One of the sayings from the desert was 'Go to your cell, and your cell will teach you everything'. That, of course, is not a prison cell but the quiet place or room - just as Jesus taught his disciples to pray (Matthew 6.6). Consequently, we were encouraged to spend some of the time alone in our rooms, just waiting on God. It's a bit scary in some ways - you don't know what to expect - and of course you are left alone with your own thoughts. Personally, it has been a disturbing yet revealing time, and a time to be reassured once more of the Father's blessing, even with all my imperfections.
More wisdom from the desert: Do not desire to be listened to and you will have peace. Hmm!
This week, our theme is Jesus and the Multitudes. One of the characteristics of his life on earth was his gracious dealing with crowds of people (like sheep without a shepherd), many of whom (lepers, prostitutes, demon-possessed, tax collectors) would have been regarded as unclean and beyond the pale for many in his day. Conversely, Jesus had harsh words for those who set themselves apart as morally righteous or superior, never associating with the likes of those others. Part of the adventure of faith is to face the challenge of who we are: morally superior, righteous, or - recognising our own failings - being ready to meet with grace any who feel themselves unworthy, excluded or beyond the pale.
In these days when we are only too conscious of divisions in society, it is particularly important to know where we stand.
This year, we have been reflecting on the Desert Fathers and Mothers, and the life of Martin of Tours a century or so later. It has been challenging and refreshing. One of the sayings from the desert was 'Go to your cell, and your cell will teach you everything'. That, of course, is not a prison cell but the quiet place or room - just as Jesus taught his disciples to pray (Matthew 6.6). Consequently, we were encouraged to spend some of the time alone in our rooms, just waiting on God. It's a bit scary in some ways - you don't know what to expect - and of course you are left alone with your own thoughts. Personally, it has been a disturbing yet revealing time, and a time to be reassured once more of the Father's blessing, even with all my imperfections.
More wisdom from the desert: Do not desire to be listened to and you will have peace. Hmm!
This week, our theme is Jesus and the Multitudes. One of the characteristics of his life on earth was his gracious dealing with crowds of people (like sheep without a shepherd), many of whom (lepers, prostitutes, demon-possessed, tax collectors) would have been regarded as unclean and beyond the pale for many in his day. Conversely, Jesus had harsh words for those who set themselves apart as morally righteous or superior, never associating with the likes of those others. Part of the adventure of faith is to face the challenge of who we are: morally superior, righteous, or - recognising our own failings - being ready to meet with grace any who feel themselves unworthy, excluded or beyond the pale.
In these days when we are only too conscious of divisions in society, it is particularly important to know where we stand.
Saturday, 28 January 2017
Jesus the Teacher
I'm reading an extraordinary book at the moment: Fear, by the explorer, Sir Ranulph Fiennes. Really, that man has no right to be alive, given the stories he tells of his life! Even at school (Eton) he was an adventurer and risk-taker, and so he has continued. Makes me realise how sheltered my life has been. Interestingly, even after so many hair-raising adventures he remains afraid of heights and...of spiders! The book explores the psychology of fear, and how to overcome it. It recounts many adventures of his own, but also stories of other people in history or on the contemporary scene who have known fear and triumphed.
One of the stories he tells is of one Fredrick Stanley Arnot, known as 'the little (David) Livingstone'. In the late 19th and early 20th century he was one of that band of intrepid missionaries who went to the African interior, both to explore and to evangelise. His fellow Scot, Livingstone, had been a neighbour and hero of his, and he determined to follow his example. He gained the Gold Medal of the Royal Geographical Society for his discovery of the true source of the Zambezi River - some miles from where Livingstone believed it to be.
You can read the facts at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Stanley_Arnot, but this doesn't really do justice to the nature of his encounters with African tribesmen. In order to gain the trust of tribal kings, he had to witness the most terrible acts of savagery and brutality, no doubt fearing for his own life. Yet he went on to lead a band of missionaries who established churches, schools and clinics in what we now know as Congo, Angola and Zambia.
We talk a lot about mission these days, but when you read stories of men such as Arnot, you realise the true cost.
Tomorrow, our four churches come together at Christ Church. The theme is 'Jesus the Teacher', and we look at the parable of the Sower. In so doing, we reflect on the Kingdom of God and what we discover about it from this and other parables. At the service, we will take the opportunity to encourage everyone to take their part in the mission of God. We may not be called to the same acts of heroism as men like Arnot, but it is the same mission. And there is a cost. In particular, with annual meetings on the horizon, we need to remind everyone that governance is a vital part of mission if anything is going to last. The Sower would have had to purchase or otherwise obtain his seed before he could scatter it! The local church needs to manage well its resources for the work of the Kingdom.
One of the stories he tells is of one Fredrick Stanley Arnot, known as 'the little (David) Livingstone'. In the late 19th and early 20th century he was one of that band of intrepid missionaries who went to the African interior, both to explore and to evangelise. His fellow Scot, Livingstone, had been a neighbour and hero of his, and he determined to follow his example. He gained the Gold Medal of the Royal Geographical Society for his discovery of the true source of the Zambezi River - some miles from where Livingstone believed it to be.
You can read the facts at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Stanley_Arnot, but this doesn't really do justice to the nature of his encounters with African tribesmen. In order to gain the trust of tribal kings, he had to witness the most terrible acts of savagery and brutality, no doubt fearing for his own life. Yet he went on to lead a band of missionaries who established churches, schools and clinics in what we now know as Congo, Angola and Zambia.
We talk a lot about mission these days, but when you read stories of men such as Arnot, you realise the true cost.
Tomorrow, our four churches come together at Christ Church. The theme is 'Jesus the Teacher', and we look at the parable of the Sower. In so doing, we reflect on the Kingdom of God and what we discover about it from this and other parables. At the service, we will take the opportunity to encourage everyone to take their part in the mission of God. We may not be called to the same acts of heroism as men like Arnot, but it is the same mission. And there is a cost. In particular, with annual meetings on the horizon, we need to remind everyone that governance is a vital part of mission if anything is going to last. The Sower would have had to purchase or otherwise obtain his seed before he could scatter it! The local church needs to manage well its resources for the work of the Kingdom.
Saturday, 21 January 2017
Good News!
Yesterday, Les and I completed our 5th Wainwright. Ok, so it was only a baby one - Ling Fell - but still a sense of achievement, and some glorious views from the top on a clear day.
Tomorrow, we take a break from Brian McLaren's book, to conform to the readings the rest of our Mission Community are using, from the Common Lectionary. The Gospel reading actually follows on from last week's very well. From Luke's account of Jesus's encounter in the synagogue at Nazareth, Matthew takes up the story with his move north to Capernaum, and Peter's home. Here, Jesus goes walkabout, announcing the Kingdom, calling people to repentance, teaching in the synagogues, preaching and healing. Along the way he collects his first disciples.
We see Jesus now doing what he said he had come for in his Manifesto last week.
'Mission' could be described as outside-inside-out. God's kingdom breaks in 'from above', leading to an inward transformation, which in turn drives the disciples outwards to do what Jesus did - fishing for people. The Good News is just too good to keep to ourselves! And it is demonstrated in practical ways, where darkness is turned to light - fulfilling Isaiah's prophecy about Galilee. Incidentally, I like the Message translation of disease in Matthew 4.23 - the bad effects of their bad lives.
Tomorrow is a special day for the 14 churches of our proposed Mission Community, as we exchange ministries. A preacher, lesson-reader and pray-er go from their own church to another, both to experience a different kind of worship and to offer a different kind of ministry. The object (mainly) to strengthen the bonds of fellowship between us.
Tomorrow, we take a break from Brian McLaren's book, to conform to the readings the rest of our Mission Community are using, from the Common Lectionary. The Gospel reading actually follows on from last week's very well. From Luke's account of Jesus's encounter in the synagogue at Nazareth, Matthew takes up the story with his move north to Capernaum, and Peter's home. Here, Jesus goes walkabout, announcing the Kingdom, calling people to repentance, teaching in the synagogues, preaching and healing. Along the way he collects his first disciples.
We see Jesus now doing what he said he had come for in his Manifesto last week.
'Mission' could be described as outside-inside-out. God's kingdom breaks in 'from above', leading to an inward transformation, which in turn drives the disciples outwards to do what Jesus did - fishing for people. The Good News is just too good to keep to ourselves! And it is demonstrated in practical ways, where darkness is turned to light - fulfilling Isaiah's prophecy about Galilee. Incidentally, I like the Message translation of disease in Matthew 4.23 - the bad effects of their bad lives.
Tomorrow is a special day for the 14 churches of our proposed Mission Community, as we exchange ministries. A preacher, lesson-reader and pray-er go from their own church to another, both to experience a different kind of worship and to offer a different kind of ministry. The object (mainly) to strengthen the bonds of fellowship between us.
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