CS Lewis Slippery INSIDE questions questions Aslan in over soap, new play, p12 p11

THE FRIDAY, AUGUST 23, 2013 No: 6191 www.churchnewspaper.com PRICE £1.35 1,70j US$2.20 THE ORIGINAL CHURCH NEWSPAPER ESTABLISHED IN 1828 NEWSPAPER All-clear for Church divided over Archbishop fracking debate AFTER WOMEN BISHOPS energy bills on the least well- and Gay Marriage, could The Cuadrilla off. fracking be a new source of Resources site in The statement emphasised division in the Church of Eng- Lancashire the importance of care for the land? environment but referred to a Criticism of fracking has report by the Royal Academy been expressed in a leaflet of Engineering which con- published by the Diocese of cluded the fracking ‘can be Blackburn and by the Bishop managed effectively in the UK of Chichester, whose diocese as as operational prac- includes the village of Bal- tices are implemented and combe, but Philip Fletcher of robustly enforced through Church of England Mission regulation’. and Public Affairs group has “Fuel poverty, the creation emphasised that the Church of jobs, energy self-sufficiency has no official view on the duces gas that is ‘as, if not which concluded it was safe to and the development of tech- subject. more, toxic than coal’ and can go ahead provided the nology that may reduce the In its leaflet the Diocese of only be burnt in power sta- process was carefully modi- impact of more polluting fuels Blackburn describes fracking tions that have installed spe- fied. are just some of the factors as using a mix of water and a cial, expensive equipment The that need to be taken into ‘cocktail of toxic chemicals’ with effective carbon capture said the fracking debate account alongside the con- and accuses the process of processes. ‘raised huge questions about cern we all have about the removing ‘millions of gallons The statement says that ‘the our contemporary lifestyles’. impact of fossil fuels upon cli- of freshwater from the water rush to benefit from the gas- He warned it was ‘easy but mate change,” that statement cycle’. drilling bonanza is an obvious dangerous to claim the moral concluded. It claims that ‘we know from temptation for many’ and says high ground in the complex In the media there was experience that minor earth- this raises the ‘question of debate about the environment about whether quakes can result from the how God the Creator enters and our quest for new energy the Archbishop of Canter- THE , Dr John Sentamu, small-scale drilling done so into the decision-making sources’ but wondered bury, a former executive in has recently been given an excellent long-term far’ and alleges that in Ameri- process’. whether our present con- the oil industry, had played a prognosis, following prostate cancer surgery in ca ‘there have been reported Many of the claims about sumption of energy is justifi- role in encouraging the issu- May 2013, during which surgeons were able to surface, ground and drinking fracking made by the Diocese able.A category of people ing of the statement. ‘completely remove’ the cancer. water contamination due to of Blackburn are disputed and apparently overlooked by the Fractured over fracking? “My advanced localised cancer of the prostate fracking’. nowhere in its leaflet or state- Bishop of Chichester figured Stay tuned from more stories was thankfully just outside, but otherwise con- In a statement on its web- ment does it refer to an impor- in the statement from Philip about the issue that is causing fined to, the prostate gland and was completely site the Diocese expresses tant, independent report on Fletcher, which referred to fresh divisions in the Church excised/removed by the surgeon and his team,” concern that fracking pro- fracking by the Royal Society, fuel poverty and the impact of of England. said Dr Sentamu.

PETER MULLEN 7 • COMMENT 7 • LETTERS 8 • ANDREW CAREY 9 • ANGLICAN LIFE 13 • CLERGY MOVES 14 • PAUL RICHARDSON 16 2 www.churchnewspaper.com Friday August 23, 2013 Inside... The original Church newspaper Wakefield’s ‘mobile Cathedral’ on line By Christina Dierschke For two months, visitors will engines) with which we have a from the Cathedral in Septem- hear the daily life of Wakefield spiritual disconnect and invests ber, a live broadcast for BBC WAKEFIELD Diocese’s “mobile Cathedral – from choir practice, them with something more fun- Radio 3 of choral evensong, con- cathedral” project is poised to worship, the sound of the verg- damental and significant: an versations in the nave with take a step further next week. ers vacuuming to the footsteps action, the human body, the reli- Wakefield Council leader, Peter With the purpose of taking the of those walking the new gious ritual, the spiritual.” Box and a peace vigil. cathedral ‘out into the churches labyrinth. Hiorns wanted to further The , the of the diocese’, a carefully placed A spokesperson for the Hep- influence the meaning of ‘Unti- Very Rev , microphone will send a live feed worth Wakefield explained: “Rit- tled’ by transferring the sounds said: “Over the last year we have from ual is a key theme in Hiorns of the cathedral - both day and experimented with what we call straight into a new exhibition. work and Youth implies a new night - discreetly into the space ‘mobile cathedral’. News ...... 1-6 Now, from August 30 until kind of ritual that aims to recon- thus creating a connection “We are delighted to have this Your Church ...... 2 November 3, the sounds of the nect the human body to the between Wakefield Cathedral new opportunity to take ‘mobile UK News ...... 1-4 Cathedral will provide the back- objects and architecture that and the gallery space. cathedral’ a stage further and to World News ...... 6 drop to the exhibition ‘Untitled’ surrounds it. During the exhibition run, let people in the new Hepworth by Roger Hiorns at The Hep- “Hiorns emphasises objects amongst the everyday sounds, Wakefield gallery experience Comment worth Wakefield’s new art from the present day (street visitors can also expect to hear a something of the daily life and Leader ...... 7 space, The Calder. benches, aircraft engines, car bell-ringing competition live prayer of Wakefield Cathedral.” Peter Mullen ...... 7 Letters ...... 8, 13 Andrew Carey ...... 9 Whispering Gallery ...... 9 Lord Williams to speak on the role of knowledge By Amaris Cole Rowan Williams will talk about it’s also a profoundly important prin- Cricket ...... 10 how knowledge has to come ciple for our human relations, our Arts and Media ...... 11 THE FORMER Archbishop of Can- through experience and sharing life politics and economics. We need to Books and Media ...... 11 terbury will be speaking about how with others: “Our culture has a very get beyond a picture of knowledge Janey Lee Grace ...... 12 the pursuit of knowledge affects clear and very dysfunctional idea of that assumes we are disembodied Crossword ...... 12 human relationships and can be the what it is to ‘know’ things,” he said. minds managing dead matter. This source of ‘frustration and injustice’ “We still regularly talk as though is the source of many of our current at a wellbeing festival in October. it was a matter of a disembodied tangles of frustration and injustice.” The Record Resurgence Trust’s Festival of mind surveying a dead landscape. Also speaking at the festival will Clergy Moves ...... 14 Wellbeing, organised by Resur- Other ways of thinking about this be Booker prize-winning novelist Sunday Service ...... 15 gence & Ecologist magazine, will need revisiting, especially those that Ben Okri, author Tony Juniper, poet Bob Mayo ...... 15 focus on ‘the shift from economic stress that knowing is some sort of Ruth Padel and campaigning journal- Paul Richardson ...... 16 growth to growth in wellbeing’ and sharing of life: we know the world as ist Tamsin Omond among others. People ...... 16 is being held at the Bishopsgate part of it, not as something separate. For more information, or to buy a Milestones ...... 16 Institute in London on Saturday 12 “This is an essential aspect of a ticket, visit www.resurgence.org/well- Next week’s news ...... 16 October. religious approach to the world, but being.. News from Your Church your diocese

Blackburn: On 13-14 August Carlisle: On Saturday 14 Septem- Forum debates, 10 influential choristers, eight new probationer York: The Rev Phil Lamb, Vicar Channel Four’s ‘Food Fight Club’ ber, the leading preacher and speakers, including Director of choristers and new organ scholar of Hornsea and Atwick, will be with Jamie Oliver and Jimmy social activist Dr Tony Campolo Liberty Shami Chakrabarti, MP Edward Reeve. The 18-year-old is cycling across England in 24 Doherty came to St Oswald’s will speak at a special evening at for Tottenham David Lammy, spending his gap year at Salis- hours to raise money for Prostate Church in Preesall for two days of Carlisle Cathedral. Campolo shar- charity leader Camila Bat- bury Cathedral before taking up Cancer UK. The priest from filming. The pair are making a ing stories from many decades of manghelidjh and former Arch- his Organ Scholarship to Queens’ Hornsea will be cycling the 174 series of programmes about lost ministry, and exploring how our bishop of Canterbury Rowan College, Cambridge, in Septem- miles route from Ravenglass in foods in the UK that will be aired world of injustice, conflict, pover- Williams, will discuss ‘How to ber 2014 to read music. George Cumbria to South Shields, known on Channel Four in 2014. In Lan- ty and inequality could be trans- Change the World’. Chaired by Nicholson, the new Bishop’s Cho- as Hadrian’s Cycleway, from 22-23 cashire they have found the little- formed if everyone loved their the Rev Canon Mark Oakley, rister (head boy chorister), will August. known ‘Tossett Cake’, a biscuit neighbour. The event is organ- Chancellor of St Paul’s, the panel- be installed during Evensong at The Rev Phil Lamb said: “Hadri- that’s flavoured with caraway and ised by Signpost International, an lists debate how to make the 5.30pm on Saturday 28 Septem- an’s Cycleway is a really hard coriander seeds, which dates international development world - and our lives - better, more ber, along with Alexander Halls as route, and I’ll be cycling it with back centuries. It has been linked agency. Its director Kerry Dixon, compassionate, more peaceful Vestry Monitor (deputy head cho- two friends – Rob and Brian to the old holy day celebrations to a Church Army evangelist, said and freer, as well as answer ques- rister). David Halls, Director of Prince – to raise awareness and mark the feast day of St Oswald. before the event: “Tony is a joy to tions from the audience. All the Music, said: “The start of the money for Prostate Cancer UK. Local vicar, the Rev Shaun Bald- listen to. He can have you split- events are in St Paul’s Cathedral, Autumn Term is an exciting time Over the years I’ve known many win, had a go at baking the cake ting your sides with laughter one last for 90 minutes, are free and for any choir. I am looking for- friends and parishioners suffer for the programme and said: “I minute and wincing with the unticketed. Full series informa- ward to working with all my new with this disease, and sadly some understand Jamie and Jimmy’s power of his challenge the next. tion can be found at musical colleagues.” of those people are not here aim is to revive the ‘Tossett Cake’ Tony has a real gift of getting to www.stpauls.co.uk/how- The choir’s next open day ‘Be a today. Others have made a full as well as the community celebra- the heart of what it means to be a tochangetheworld. chorister for a day’ is on Saturday recovery, including my own tions linked to the feast of St radical follower of Christ.” 16 November. For further details father in law who has been given Oswald. I also have to attempt to Salisbury: Returning in Septem- contact: the all-clear for the past two years. bake it.” London: From 24 September-19 ber, the Salisbury Cathedral [email protected] “Prostate Cancer UK fights to November, as part of St Paul’s Choir will welcome new senior .uk or telephone 07587 826622. help more men survive.”

cen@ chur chnewsp ap er. co m facebo o k.co m /chu rchnew spaper @ churchnew spaper News Friday August 23, 2013 www.churchnewspaper.com 3 NEWS IN BRIEF Sequel for The Bible Row over rebuff to

The TV mini-series ‘The Bible’, based on scripture, will be shown in the UK on Channel 5 this autumn. Because of the great success, it has already been granted a sequel on the American TV network NBC called ‘AD: Beyond the Bible’, which shows early Christianity after the death and resurrec- RSPCA by Welby tion of Jesus and the unrest that followed it in the Holy Land. A DECISION by the Archbishop of to be a patron as ‘complete non- million a year. Canterbury not to serve as a vice- sense’. The blogger ‘Archbishop Cran- The University Church of Walkwood Church patron of the RSPCA has caused con- He called on the Archbishop to mer’ offered a robust defence of ❏England Academy in ❏of England Middle troversy. The Times described the make his views clear and say Archbishop Welby’s decision and Ellesmere Port achieved a School in Redditch is refusal as a ‘snub’ but a spokes- whether he really did intend to snub argued the reasons he gave should pass rate of 98 per cent, with one of the first schools woman for Lambeth Palace said that the organisation. He claimed the be taken at face value but suspicions 74 per cent of students achiev- to make schoolgirls the Archbishop just didn’t have time churches had a ‘dreadful record’ on that the Archbishop may have pri- ing high grades. Principal under the age of 13 to accept all the invitations he animal welfare and said of the Arch- vate reservations about the RSPCA Kevin McDermott congratulat- wearing trousers instead received. bishop’s move: ‘Is that his excuse? If were fuelled by a story in the ‘Sun- ed all A-level students for their of skirts, for it was “Since taking office in March this you are a patron you don’t have to do day Times’ that he once went pheas- results. said to be ‘unladylike’. year,” said a statement from Lam- anything. It is absolute nonsense’. ant shooting at an estate in beth Palace, “the Archbishop has The RSPCA was founded by an Cambridgeshire when he worked in received many kind invitations to Anglican priest, the Rev Arthur the oil industry and that he had a patron a large variety of charities and Broome, in 1824. Both George Carey reputation as a ‘reasonable shot’ in Mineral rights registered good causes. Each invitation has and Rowan Williams served as vice- clay pigeon shooting. been an honour, and in an ideal Patrons and Donald Coggan was Lambeth Palace denied that the Landowners across the north-east are being notified of a world he would probably accept President. Archbishop Welby’s deci- decision about the RSPCA had any- Church of England bid to register ownership of mine ral them all. sion marks the end of a 36-year link thing to do with the fact that the rights under their property. “However in the light of the sheer between the RSPCA and Lambeth Archbishop once took part in a The Land Registry has served notices on scores of o wn- volume of requests and the many Palace. pheasant shoot but Andrew Tyler, ers following a change in the law that requires hol ders of pressures on his time and resources, In recent years the RSPCA has Director of Animal Aid, said the mineral rights to register them by October this yea r - or he has reluctantly decided to restrict become embroiled in controversy Archbishop should come clean risk losing them. his patronage to a manageable num- because of its campaign against fox about this past and make clear what Much of the land affected may once have been owned by ber of organisations based on where hunting. Last year it was criticised he now thinks about the morality of the Church, which retained the mineral rights when the he feels his support could be most for spending £326,000 on a legal shooting birds for sport. land was sold – in some cases centuries ago. beneficial.” action against the Heythrop Hunt in It emerged that the Archbishop The comedian Bill Oddie, who is a the Cotswolds. Membership is went clay pigeon shooting last year vice-President of the RSPCA, reported to have declined by 5,000 when he attended a meeting of the attacked the Archbishop’s decision over the past five years but income American House of Bishops in and explanation that he was too busy has remained steady at around £100 Texas. Records of dead priests to be examined IN A DRAMATIC move predecessor, Lord Hope of Archbishop’s Office said to those who have had the the Archbishop of York, Thornes, covered up alle- that the decision to recall courage to come forward the Most Rev John Senta- gations against a former past records followed and say what happened to mu, has announced the , the recognition that the them. We want them to Because of a sticker reading ‘WTFWJD’ on her car, the Rev records of hundred Very Rev Robert Wadding- Church of England’s know that their story will Alice Goodman has been criticised by a parishioner in the deceased clergy will be ton. Waddington is alleged National Review of Past be listened to, and that local newspaper. The offended man has just realised that the examined to trace informa- to have abused a choir boy Cases of Clergy Abuse where the Church has letters stand for ‘What The F*** Would Jesus Do?’, after tion relating to allegations at Manchester and a that took place between been at fault it will be Goodman has been driving happily around with her sticker of abuse. school boy in Australia 2008 and 2009 did not acknowledged. for seven years. Files going back more when he was headmaster include the files of “Because of policies now than 60 years, giving of a school in Queensland. deceased clergy. An exam- in place we believe that Call for conscience clause details of clergy who Lord Hope has denied ination of the records will today’s young people are The Free Church of Scotland has asked SNP ministers to served in the Diocese of that he showed negligence help the Diocese to in a much safer – include a ‘conscience’ clause in their gay marriage legisla- York from before 1950 to and failed to follow up alle- respond to any allegations but there’s no room for tion, after saying that legislation would give ‘little protection’ the present, will be gations against Wadding- that are brought against complacency. So the mes- to clergy who believe marriage is between a man and a brought out of the ton saying that he ‘always deceased clergy. sage is that if anyone has woman. archives and examined by adhered to the statutory The Rev Malcolm Mac- information about known an independent reviewer practices of the Church of naughton, chief of staff to or suspected abuse we Fiona Bruce: ‘parish is an antique’ for evidence of abuse. England concerning safe- the Archbishop of York, would like you please not In her online column for the Daily Telegraph, where she The decision follows guarding’. told the press: “Our priori- to hesitate to come for- writes about Britain’s unsung attractions, the Antiques claims that Dr Sentamu’s A statement from the ty now is to respond well ward. Roadshow presenter Fiona Bruce has called the church of Sudbury ‘redundant’ and ‘a relic of the past’. Town leaders in Suf- folk have now responded that Bruce has ‘missed the point’, for ‘St Peter’s is a living, vibrant place’ with over 60,000 visitors every year.

[email protected] facebook.com/churchnewspaper @churchnewspaper 4 www.churchnewspaper.com Friday August 23, 2013 News Concern over Bishop’s ‘grave Pentecostal healing

By Amaris Cole

DOCTORS are warning that some Pentecostal churches concern’ over Egypt across England are telling young people to rely on God, rather than medicine, to cure them. By Amaris Cole Medical staff told the BBC that a minority of pastors were telling their congregations to rely on their faith in THE has God and putting them under pressure to stop medica- expressed his ‘grave concern’ for tion. Egypt, as the region’s interim leaders The Children’s HIV Association surveyed 19 doctors have declared a state of emergency. and health professionals working in England with babies There has been nationwide unrest and children, and heard that its members had heard since Mohammed Morsi was ousted anecdotal evidence of HIV patients deciding to stop tak- on 3 July, and the Rt Rev Stephen Plat- ing their anti-retroviral drugs because their pastors has ten, the Church of England’s lead told them to. Bishop on Foreign Affairs, spoke of Healthcare workers said that some patients had been reports of further attacks on Christian told it was prayer or drinking blessed water that would churches in the area, saying this now cure them, rather than anti-retroviral drugs. an ‘all too familiar pattern’. The Bishop said: “The state of emer- gency in Egypt following the carnage Concern over sexual health advice and increasing death toll of recent days is a matter of grave concern for THE CHRISTIAN Medical Fellowship is accusing Public those within and outside the region. Health England (PHE) of ‘coyness’ on the issue of sexu- The heavy loss of life is deeply dis- ally transmitted diseases. turbing and points to the urgent need In Triple Helix, CMF’s journal, Programme Director in for resolution and restraint from Gov- Bioethics and Medical Law, Trevor Stammers, says the ernment forces. figures produced by PHE ‘wrecks lives’, by not giving “Of equal concern are the reports people clear facts about STIs. that several churches across Egypt PHE has reported a rise of five per cent in hospital clin- were attacked, including St Saviour’s ic diagnoses of STIs since 2011, with under-25s experi- Anglican Church in Suez. These encing the highest rates. unprovoked attacks are part of an all- Dr Gwenda Hughes, head of STI surveillance for PHE, too-familiar pattern that we see repeat- said: “Too many people are continuing to have unsafe ed across the region where Christian sex.” and other minority communities find Saviour’s Church,” he wrote. evening curfew is in place in cities But CMF says this is not clear enough. themselves as collateral casualties in a “I am also aware that there are such as Cairo. “If by ‘unsafe sex’ Dr Hughes meant sex with a partner wider struggle between two increas- attacks on other Orthodox churches More than 830 people are reported you have only just met, then this makes good sense,” Mr ingly illiberal and repressive forces.” in Menyia and Suhag in Upper Egypt, to have been killed since last Wednes- Stammers writes in the journal. The Most Rev Dr Mouneer Hanna as well as a Catholic church in Suez.” day, including 70 police and soldiers, “If Hughes merely equates ‘unsafe sex’ with ‘sex with- Annis, Bishop of Egypt, last week sent Bishop Mouneer says he has heard when the army cleared the base out a condom’, which is how most of her audience will an urgent prayer request to Anglicans rumours that Muslim Brotherhood camps of Morsi’s supporters. understand it, then this is not sound advice.” across the world, urging them remem- leaders asked the protesters in differ- The Bishop of Wakefield said: “I The articles says that while sex with a condom is ber the suffering Christians in the ent cities to attack police stations, take very much hope and pray that leaders better than sex without one, this is not enough to stop area were facing. weapons, and attack shops and on both sides of this conflict in Egypt the spread of many STIs, but the PHE will not enter into St Saviour’s Anglican Church, in churches. will take the necessary steps to this ‘taboo subject’, the CMF claims. Suez, was under ‘heavy attack’ from The Bishop said: “Please pray that reduce the risk of further violence. If The journal goes on: “Such coyness wrecks lives. those who supported the former Pres- the situation will calm down, for wis- the last few years have shown the “Spin about the rather modest effectiveness of ident Morsi, the Bishop claimed last dom and tact for the police and the Egyptian appetite for democracy, the condoms for many non-HIV STIs continues to be the week. army, for the safety of all churches injustices of recent days and weeks norm in literature.” “They are throwing stones and and congregations, and that all in underlines the importance of moving Mr Stammer concludes: “Until young people Molotov cocktails at the church and Egypt would be safe.” as quickly as possible to inclusive understand that mutual virginity before marriage, and have destroyed the car of the Rev The armed forces are trying to elections that give all Egypt’s citizens faithfulness within it, is the only way to enjoy truly safe Ehab Ayoub, the priest-in-charge of St crack down on the violence, and an a stake in the country’s future.” sex, STI rates will continue to increase.” Wales to vote on women bishops

WOMEN BISHOPS are back on the agenda for the erning Body to vote in favour of the bill. It would not be Church in Wales. A bill proposed by the Church’s legisla- able to come into effect immediately but at least we would tive arm, the Governing Body, will be debated at its meet- have established a principle to which I believe most people ing on September 12th. in the Church assent’. The Bill will need a two-thirds majority in each of the Two other important matters will be discussed by the three sections of the 144-member Governing Body: the Governing Body. It will receive a progress report on House of Bishops, the House of Clergy and the House of ‘Church in Wales in Review’ which includes a motion to set Laity. If passed, it will not come into effect until a second up ‘Ministry Areas’ across Wales, a large group of church- bill, outlining a scheme of provision for those who cannot es led by a team of clergy and laity that are designed to accept women bishops is written and passed. replace the traditional parish system. This is the second attempt by the Church in Wales to In addition it will see the launch of a bond to strengthen pass a bill for women bishops. A previous attempt ended in links between church schools in Wales and the National failure when a bill was defeated in April 2008 after failing Society. The Rev Jan Ainsworth, General Secretary of the by three votes in the House of Clergy. National Society, will address the Governing Body and join The , Dr Barry Morgan, said: ‘Since Archbishop Morgan in signing a Memorandum of Under- we ordain women as deacons and priests it makes no theo- standing committing the Society and the Church in Wales logical sense not to ordain them as bishops since we to work together and share a common purpose. believe in the three-fold order of ministry. That is why I The Church in Wales has 165 schools serving 25,000 and my fellow-bishops will be asking members of the Gov- pupils.

[email protected] facebook.com/churchnewspaper @churchnewspaper News Friday August 23, 2013 www.churchnewspaper.com 5 ‘We must fight secularism’ By Brian Cooper engagement to affirm that “it is on their side.” Row over “religious traditions have Secular pressures for THE CHURCH should ‘be huge resources” to help disestablishment of the more engaged’ in oppos- solving problems of per- Church of England were ing ‘the wrong kind of sec- sonal life and society. “part of the campaign to ularism’, according to Dr Declaring himself ‘very remove religion from the Rowan Williams, former wary’ of current secular public conversation.” . notions of spirituality as The Church had to While the 18th-century concerned with ‘cultiva- recognise its ‘radically new research Enlightenment rejection tion of inner life’ and ‘self- changed context’. “Forty of absolutist religious enhancement’, he said years ago we believed A NEW REVIEW of 63 sci- – even during early years. The research explains its authority was a welcome such individualistic preoc- society could be radically entific studies stretching This did not appear to findings by concluding: part of “our heritage of cupations were contrary changed for the better. back over decades is claim- change as the person got “Most extant explanations modernity”, contempo- to Christian understand- Now the options are clos- ing that religious people older, either. (of a negative relation) rary ‘programmatic’ secu- ing of spirituality “as ing down: the globalised are less intelligent than For this information, the share one central theme — larism insisting only a about connectedness and economy limits scope for their secular friends. life-long analysis of the the premise that religious utilitarian discussion of relationships”. radical change. Aware- Professor Miron Zucker- beliefs of 1,500 gifted chil- beliefs are irrational, not public issues was valid, Addressing an Edin- ness of the planet has also man led the analysis, which dren with IQs over 135, anchored in science, not was flawed because omit- burgh Book Festival ses- changed politics.” found “a reliable negative which began in 1921 and testable and, therefore, ting “the wide range of sion on ‘Is Britain Losing Questioned by The relation between intelli- continues still today, were unappealing to intelligent commitments and experi- Faith in the Church?’, he Church of England News- gence and religiosity” in 53 examined. Even in very old people who ‘know better’.” ences” people brought to said Britain was now paper why religion was in out of 63 studies. age, the ‘intelligent popula- Criticism of this study such issues, including experiencing “mass cyni- decline in Western The findings were pre- tion’ would more often not has been expressed religious faith. cism about its public insti- Europe while resurgent in sented by the University of believe in religion than the though, including ques- Deploring “the prevail- tutions” from Parliament many parts of the globe, Rochester study, entitled average population. tions as to why the authors ing cultural habit in to the NHS, and the he commented: “In the ‘The Relation Between Still, 10 studies analysed fail to take not only analytic British society today of Church was not unaffect- West, Christianity is what Intelligence and Religiosi- showed a positive correla- intelligence into account making light of religion”, ed by this mood. Yet many you rebel against.” How- ty: A Meta-Analysis and tion between intelligence but also newly identified especially in the media people especially in poor ever, rejection of religious Some Proposed Explana- and religiosity. forms such as creative and and arts, Dr Williams said areas “still see the Church institutions had now tions’. Only two studies showed emotional intelligence. people of faith should as a place they can trust”, become ‘rejection of reve- The research claims that significant positive correla- The Diocese of Salisbury counter this with robust knowing from experience lation itself.” more intelligent a child is, tions and significant nega- commented that this the more would it be likely tive correlations were seen research was “’sciencism’ Bible ‘not a bad handbook’ to turn away from religion in a total of 35 studies. at its worst.”

DAVID CAMERON has described the Bible as ‘not a bad handbook for life’. The Prime Minister was speaking on local radio near Blackburn. Listeners were phoning in questions and one person asked him how he would respond to Jesus’ instruction to sell all his possessions and give the money to the poor. e In reply he said that the Bible is ‘not a bad handbook’ but admitted it would be ‘a lit- faarr tle bit more difficult’ to follow the scriptures to the letter and surrender all his posses- aannnf sions. aall FanfareF ers “I’m a Christian and I’m an active member of the Church of England and like all llooorr ow Christians I sometimes struggle with some of the sayings and some of the instruc- FloralF estival of Fl tions,” the Prime Minister declared. A F all “But what I think is so good about Jesus’ teaching is there are lots of things you can Methodist Central H apply very directly to your daily life and to bringing up your children. Westminster “Simple things like do to others as you would be done by; love your neighbour as rg.uk yourself; the Ten Commandments and the Sermon on the Mount. London, SW1H 9NHral-hall.o ethodist-cent “To me they’re pretty fresh and good instructions but the particular one that you www.m ations (2012-13) mention I find that a bit more difficult. But I’m not saying religion is like pick-and-mix Year Celebr and you can pick the bits you like.” Centenary Both Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg have said they are atheists but David Cameron, whose father was a churchwarden, has never hidden his membership of the Church of England while making clear that his beliefs are not dogmatic. He once said his belief in God was like Classic FM in the Chilterns ‘it comes and goes’ but he and his wife ursday ursdaayy 5th send their children to church schools. 10.30 am - 6.30pm

FridaydriF aayy 6th CSM changes its name 10.30 am - 9.00pm SaturdayurtaS daayy 7th 10.30 am - 6.30pm er Seepteptemberememb By Amaris Cole Timms MP. ising the need to be politi- y: h tht 20132 taged by:b The name arose from cal. We connect, equip and SundaySundaayy 8th 5th - 8 8 StageS THE CHRISTIAN Social- members’ submissions to support those getting 09.00 am - 10.30am everseasers n aannd O ist Movement is adopting a consultation last year, involved. The new name 11.00 am WorshipWorship ondo a new name, after mem- and received 67.8 per cent will help us reach out to bers of e LLondon and Ov 12.30 am - 2.00pm MembersMeMmmb o f NAFAASS & bers overwhelmingly voted support from members. build a stronger bridge Areaera oof NAFAS & aalllll enntttrrralaall HallH in support of becoming CSM Director Andy between Christians con- eMthodisdistt C TicketsiT ckets £5 Metho sttere ‘Christians on the Left’. Flannagan said: “All cerned about the world Westtmtminstermins The organisation cites across the UK, Christians around them and left of IndividualIndividual tickets the change in wanting to are engaging with their centre politics. boughtbought on the day.day. recognise those Chris- communities in incredible “Christians on the Left tians who are active in pol- ways. They are discover- is a name which makes it CoachCoach partiesparties only itics on the left, and was ing that systems and clear what we do; it ‘does can be pre-bookedpre-booked the culmination of over a structures need transfor- what it says on the tin’.” on 020 7654 3809. year’s worth of debate mation as well as the peo- The organisation’s new within the group, started ple who are part of them. name will come into effect by the chair, Stephen “In short, they are real- in the autumn.

[email protected] facebook.com/churchnewspaper @churchnewspaper 6 www.churchnewspaper.com Friday August 23, 2013 News Bishop left in New Sydney Archbishop limbo after post blocked THE PRESIDENT of Dartmouth Col- won’t allow lay presidency lege, Philip J Hanlon, has blocked the appointment of the Rt Rev James Ten- gatenga as dean for moral and spiritual By George Conger said: “Lay administration, should it be legal, would be a contribu- life at the American university. tion to the common task of bringing the gospel to Australia,” While the Malawian bishop and chair- THE ARCHBISHOP-ELECT of Sydney, the Rt Rev Glenn Davies, adding that “it is strange not to allow for this ministry in an man of the Anglican Consultative Coun- will not authorize diaconal administration of Holy Communion, or ordered way.” cil now backs gay marriage, his past the Lord’s Supper. Unlike the Church of England, the Episcopal Church and other support for the Church’s traditional In response to a query from The Church of England Newspa- Churches that have reintroduced the permanent diaconate, in teaching made him too controversial for per, Dr Davies stated: “As Archbishop, I am not intending to Sydney deacons and priests obtain the same level of theological the school. change the policy of my predecessor, ie that presidency by dea- qualification. Approximately one third of the ordained clergy in The 14 August announcement by Pres- cons or lay leaders could not be authorised by a General Synod Sydney are deacons and are assigned to posts held by and ident Hanlon leaves Dr Tengatenga with- canon.” assistants in other dioceses. out a job and a country. Last month he Diaconal and lay presidency at the Eucharist has enjoyed strong At the October 2008 synod Bishop Davies moved Resolution 7.2, resigned as Bishop of Southern Malawi support from the evangelical diocese for over 30 years – and which stated “lay and diaconal administration of the Lord’s Supper upon being appointed dean at the New sparked vociferous opposition from Anglo-Catholic and liberals as is consistent with the teaching of Scripture”. The resolution asked Hampshire college – and his newfound well as non-Sydney evangelicals in Australia. Synod to affirm that the “Lord’s Supper in this diocese may be support for gay marriage will make his In 1983 the Sydney Diocesan Synod chartered a committee to administered by persons other than presbyters.” The resolution position untenable in the conservative undertake a theological and scriptural review of the issue. A was adopted. African nation. report prepared by a committee led by Bishop Paul Barnett in Opponents of diaconal presidency brought a complaint to the Without a job, his American visa will 1993 concluded there “are no sound doctrinal objections to, and Appellate Tribunal, asking the court to rule whether, as Sydney lapse and Dr Tengatenga will also come there are significant doctrinal reasons for, lay presidency at the believed, the national Church’s 1985 Ordination for Deacons under pressure to step down as ACC Lord’s Supper. There are also sound reasons based on our Canon permitted diaconal administration of the Eucharist. chairman in light of his commitment to received Anglican order for allowing lay presidency.” On 10 August 2010 the Tribunal ruled the original intent of the the American cause within the sharply The Barnett committee concluded that “prohibition of lay presi- authors of the canon was not to permit diaconal celebration. The divided Anglican Communion. dency at the Lord’s Supper does not seem justifiable theological- ruling was widely criticized as being based on political considera- Bishop Tengatenga said he was disap- ly.” tions rather than canon law or doctrine, as the Tribunal had earli- pointed the university had withdrawn his The issue was brought before the Appellate Tribunal of the er rejected the theory of original intent. appointment as Virginia Rice Kelsey Anglican Church of Australia, which in 1997 held the requirement While the authors of the Canon on the appointment of assistant Dean of the William Jewett Tucker Foun- of priestly presidency at the Eucharist was canonical, not doctri- bishops may not have understood their new law to have permitted dation at Dartmouth College following nal, and ruled deacons or lay people could administer Holy Com- women bishops, the Tribunal argued it could be interpreted that protests by gay activists. munion so long as General Synod authorized the practice. way under the rules of grammar. However rules of grammar and He told the Episcopal News Service On 19 October 1999 Sydney adopted an Ordinance permitting logic were not applicable to the diaconal presidency issue, the Tri- had “chosen to trust bigotry over truth diaconal and lay presidency at the Eucharist, by a vote of 122 to 66 bunal held. and justice.” amongst the clergy, and 224 to 128 amongst the laity. However, Sydney endorsed diaconal presidency again on 15 October Following his appointment gay the following day the then Primate, Archbishop Keith Rayner, 2010, adopting a resolution proposed by Dr Davies that said while activists at Dartmouth began an internet urged Sydney Archbishop Harry Goodhew to withhold his assent. it noted the “advisory opinion of the Appellate Tribunal”, synod search on the bishop and found news He argued the vote represented a “fundamental break with nonetheless reaffirmed its 2008 declaration that “lay and diaconal reports in the Church of England News- catholic order” which would place the diocese at odds with the administration of the Lord’s Supper is consistent with the teaching paper that detailed Dr Tengatenga’s sup- “constitution and canons of our Church.” of Scripture,” and that it “affirms that the Lord’s Supper in this dio- port for gays in Malawi and his work On 10 November 1999 Archbishop Goodhew withheld his cese may be administered by persons other than presbyters.” fighting corruption, abuse and tyranny approval, stating it would have pastoral and ecumenical ramifica- Though it has been endorsed by synod four times, Dr Davies in Central Africa. They also found the tions for Sydney and the wider Anglican Communion. told CEN he would not licence diaconal or lay presidency at the bishop had affirmed the Church’s tradi- Following his election as Archbishop in 2001, Dr Peter Jensen Eucharist. tional teaching on marriage and had objected to the 2003 appointment of Gene Robinson as Bishop of New Hampshire. Confronted with his WHEN ONLY THE BEST WILL  DO past statements the bish- op said his views had When you are looking to change your  motor car, why not try a  evolved in recent years friendly and professional  team who only  supply vehicles to  and he now backed “mar- Clergy and Church members? The team  at Priory Automotive   riage equality” and saw have over 35 years  experience    in this  field,  and  offer  you a  Bishop Robinson’s ‘tailor made’ top quality service, whilst also promising to obtain appointment as a “bless- the very best car for you.         ing” for the Church. Over the years they have supplied quality cars up and down However gay activists the country, and with their “No Hassle” policy  they do all the argued the bishop’s new hard work, just give them a  brief  of your requirements,   and  then  found support for the gay leave it all to  them.   Part  exchanging   your old car is no proble m,  agenda were too little and and every car Priory supply is thoroughly history checked and too late. prepared before being delivered to your front door ( Free of A professor of African- Charge). Don’t just take their word  for it,  have a look at what their customers say on the ‘Testimonials’ page on their website: American studies also www.prioryautomotive.com   suggested that the bishop             was an opportunist, Join the growing band of satisfied customers. Priory won’t  changing his views to suit pressure you and  they won’t sell a car  to you, but they will let his new employer. you buy one, and they only supply the very best. So why not A Zambian priest resi- give them a call and put them to the test? You will never want to trail around  the  car dealerships again. dent in the US, the Rev Kapya John Kaoma, told Don’t forget if you are  Clergy,  Priory can help with the Church  the Boston Globe the bish- Commissioners loan too.       op’s rejection would have wider repercussions. “This is a big blow, For any further information, please  because it leaves African call 0114 2559696 or visit activists on the ground   wondering if they can work with Westerners,” Fr www.prioryautomotive.com Kaoma said.

[email protected] facebook.com/churchnewspaper @churchnewspaper Leader & Comment Friday August 23, 2013 www.churchnewspaper.com 7 Comment Writing history Unfracked priests By Peter Mullen ‘News and current affairs’ programmes on TV and Radio are never value-free in terms of their reporting, notwithstanding often-serious The Diocese of Blackburn has produced a leaflet efforts to attain neutrality. The reporters and commentators always that declares (falsely, of course) that “Fracking have their own views and need to try to suppress those as they do their presents a choice between economic gain and a work. Newspapers and websites are open about their particular ‘take’ healthy environment.” They add: “The time we on politics, economics and culture and readers will often deliberately spend thinking, praying and acting now to protect select the Daily Mail or the Guardian according to their more right or our drinking water and the rest of God’s glorious left wing orientation on such matters, although most papers will creation cannot compare with the time succeeding include commentators who present reverse opinions by way of stimu- generations could potentially spend trying to make lus and interest. The BBC needs to make every effort to recruit its edi- good what will likely happen if we in the church tors, commentators, and reporters from the full range of opinion to remain uninformed and silent.” ensure that they do not present a phalanx of left wing journalists all try- These ecclesiastical Luddites are certainly unin- ing to suppress their view, since it will always seep through and needs formed and it is only a pity they do not remain to be pluralistic. silent. It might be worth pointing out to their unre- Coverage of the ‘Arab Spring’, as we look back from today’s night- constructed primitivism that intelligent initiative marish developments, seems to have been both very ill-informed and and innovation on the part of human beings are emotionally Utopian as journalists were almost joining in with the also part of “God’s glorious creation.” crowds seeking to oust President Mubarak. The nature of the Muslim Enterprise in fracking for shale gas has resolved more gas and oil than the world has ever seen. The Brotherhood was simply not probed by the BBC in any rigorous way, the US energy crisis. It has done much more. It has UK has vast reserves. In the US, extracting more and only now are we being informed of its history and Sharia goals for transformed the economy, helped lift the States out shale gas is becoming uneconomic - it is just too Egypt. The Brotherhood was duly elected and then gained a referen- of prolonged recession and contributed to world- cheap! So now fracking is reverting to extracting oil dum for an Islamic constitution, but that does not seem to have reflect- wide recovery. Even these remarkable achieve- from the shales. ed a majority view and itself led to revolution. The West is at a loss to ments are only side issues. The US is almost wholly Now for the really black joke. The Chancellor has make sense of all this: democratic process has been overturned, and independent in energy supply, so no longer captive just announced a cut in the rate of tax on shale prof- yet in an apparently popular way. It has led to a questioning of democ- to oil from increasingly unstable regimes in the its from 60 per cent to a “mere” 30 per cent. Of racy if that institution fails to offer real choice and if it is overly con- Middle East. This is the truly revolutionary devel- course taxes at that level on creative enterprise tell trolled by political parties at the expense of the voters. opment that has radically altered the balance of you all you need to know about why Britain is eco- What of our democracy, if all three parties collude to prevent the vot- political interests throughout the world. nomically depressed. So he’s going to tax profits! ers having a real range of options, as the present Coalition demon- In our smaller but by no means inconsiderable Wind-farms, by contrast, absorb our taxes by the strates? way, we in Britain have the opportunity to follow billions we pay in subsidies. You’re waiting for the The rosy glow of Arab Spring comment did not last long, and still the the US example, prevent the lights going out, cut joke? Here it is: when did you ever hear of a wind- commentariat refuse to analyse Islam as a key factor in the dilemma of energy bills dramatically and mill making a profit? theocracy versus democracy, because to undertake such rational provide much-needed On every social and political analysis might ‘cause offence’, as Edward Said would have argued. The employment for hundreds of On every social and issue the church appears hell- outcome of this tangled web awaits a resolution, perhaps not for thousands – directly through political issue the church bent (so to speak) to prove its decades. The outcome and nature of WWI is also being debated, with the fracking industry and politically correct credentials. the German Embassy here pleading for a gentle interpretation of that indirectly through the mas- appears hell-bent (so to For instance the official invest- ghastly war, playing down German militarism as a continuing policy, sive spin offs generated by ments policies of the Church instigated by Bismark in 1870. Fritz Fischer, however, effectively the galvanised economy. speak) to prove its have always been something of destroyed the view that all the major powers simply slithered into the It is only to be expected politically correct a looking-glass land. Gambling 1914 War by mistake, and presented a massive amount evidence that therefore that the environ- is regarded as a social evil and German militaristic policy from 1870 was essentially responsible for mentalist ideologues inside credentials so the Church will not invest the 1914-18 catastrophe. Commemorations of 1914 must focus on the and outside the church – funds in it. facts, not simply an emotivist niceness. Love requires truth to be real. really they are political fanat- But individual parishes and ics – are spreading scare stories about the alleged other church causes are free to run bingos and raf- dangers of the fracking process. For do remember fles and to accept money from the National Lottery that when it comes to environmental issues, Green fund. is the new Red. These latter day Luddites are The Church’s official explanation runs: “Gam- against coal, gas, oil and nuclear. In fact it seems bling is a legitimate leisure activity for many peo- The Church of England Newspaper they’re against almost everything except the use- ple; nevertheless it can be abused, and has huge with Celebrate magazine incorporating The Record and Christian Week less windmills. How odd that people who claim to potential for abuse and unnecessary suffering. The Published by Political and Religious Intelligence Ltd. care for our environment should be so keen to deface Church distinguishes between the decisions made Company Number: 3176742 it by these unsightly and unprofitable structures. by individuals or individual churches on one hand Publisher: Keith Young MBE So allow me a little space to debunk their scare who choose to accept monies from lotteries and stories. There have been no cases in countless bingo events, and judgements made by the Church thousands of fracks of any pollution to aquifers or as a whole in avoiding taking income from, or pro- Publishing Director & Editor: CM BLAKELY 020 7222 8004 groundwater in the USA, as drilling goes down viding capital to, companies wholly or mainly Chief Correspondent: The Rev Canon GEORGE CONGER 00 1 0772 332 2604 more than a mile, well below any water-relevant involved in the gambling industry.” Reporter: AMARIS COLE 020 7222 8700 geology. And we wonder why casuistry gets such a bad The film-clips of flaming taps have nothing to do name. Advertising: CHRIS TURNER 020 7222 2018 with fracking. Such a phenomenon has been noted The Church’s investments policy is a combina- Advertising & Editorial Assistant: PENNY NAIR PRICE 020 7222 2018 in the USA in a few areas since at least the 1920s. tion of bold indicatives and foggy hyperbole. The Water reservoirs and bore holes can indeed have underlying principle is declared to be “ethical Subscriptions & Finance: DELIA ROBINSON 020 7222 8663 pockets of methane from decaying algae and bacte- investment.” So investment in sales of armaments Graphic Designer: PETER MAY 020 7222 8700 ria or from seepage of gas from below – but this is a and alcohol are reckoned to be unethical – sort of. natural process. So investments in companies deriving their income The acceptance of advertising does not necessarily indicate The Greens threaten earthquakes. Well, fracking from arms will not be permitted. However, the endorsement. Photographs and other material sent for publication is an explosive process (and has been used in oil small print says that it will be permitted where com- are submitted at the owner’s risk. The Church of England Newspaper wells for 70 years, though the refined technique for panies do not derive more than 10 per cent of their does not accept responsibility for any material lost or damaged. fracking shale is much more recent and even less turnover from the arms trade. For alcohol invest- Christian Weekly Newspapers Trustees: Robert Leach (020 8224 5696), disruptive) and generates tiny earth tremors of the ment the figure is 5 per cent. Lord Carey of Clifton, The Rt Rev Michael Nazir-Ali, The Rt Rev Pete Broadbent, order of -1 or less on the Richter scale. The Black- So what we have here is a clear statement of Dr Elaine Storkey, The Rev Peter Brown, The Rev Cindy Kent pool “earthquake” was around +1 on that scale - like absolute ethical standards – relatively speaking. a lorry passing your house. Your headboard would- Disallowing arms investment has always seemed The Church of England Newspaper, n’t even move! odd, for it’s not the guns and bombs which are evil Political and Religious Intelligence Ltd The whole fracking process need take no more in themselves but the purposes to which they might 14 Great College Street, London, SW1P 3RX than eight or nine weeks, then all the kit can be be put. Is it wrong to invest in our nuclear deterrent Editorial e-mail: [email protected] removed, the area re-landscaped, and all that even when the evidence overwhelmingly points to Advertising e-mail: [email protected] remains is a tap! Compare that to the horrors of the benign results of Trident? Deterrence has Subscriptions e-mail: [email protected] wind-farms with their monstrous eco-crucifixes worked and millions of lives saved. there for decades. Would it have been wrong to invest in Spitfires? Website: www.churchnewspaper.com Drilling into shale bedrock is going to release

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have been resolved if we were Biblical views better acquainted with classical Sir, I write in response to Dr A Hymnbook theology treatments of the question of Latham’s letter (4 August). Sir, A new hymnbook has not included a popular and much appreci- establishment in the writings of I inwardly groan when I read of ated hymn because of one line in one of its verses - “at the Cross, Chief Justice Coke or the 19th millions of whole Bibles being where Jesus died, the wrath of God was satisfied”. Apparently, it century Lord Chancellor, Your Tweets given out, without explanation as was thought to be encouraging a crude and distorted understand- Roundell Palmer, Earl of Sel- ‘outreach ‘ in a hostile World. ing of the Atonement - God punishing a third party, the sinless bourne. My own reading of the Bible Christ, for the sins of humanity. In the latter’s “Defence of the matthew @CorkeMatt tells me that it’s only Scripture I can sing that verse with joy and blessing because it does, albeit Church of England against Dises- Oh I miss New Wine given out by inspiration of God, in a brief way, testify to the heart of God’s saving work. tablishment,” he traces the essen- #nwcsw13 that’s profitable, 2 Timothy 3:16. We must recognise the nature of God’s wrath. It is not impatient tial meaning of the Queen being The ‘is’, is not in the original. I anger. It is the essential reaction of God’s holiness to the sin of Supreme Governor of the Church Archbishop note in Luke 24 that Jesus in just humanity, the creature he loves with perfection. His wrath is of England to the Investiture con- Cranmer @His_Grace over two hours (the time it takes against the sin that destroys what he loves. Sin separates from tests of the Middle Ages and the ‘Faith leader’? Why doesn’t to walk seven miles) went God’s holiness. It inevitably causes eternal death, which in essence claims of the clergy to exempt @thetimes refer to through all the Scriptures that separates from God. But at the Cross God himself took the judge- themselves and Church property @chiefrabbi as, er.. ‘Chief concerned him, and the two who ment of sin totally in himself. The Trinity suffered totally in the from our courts and laws. Rabbi’? He’s not a were with him had their eyes Cross. We get a glimpse into this truth in the Cry of Dereliction - This was finally ended by Scientologist, you know opened as to who he was. “My God, why have you forsaken me?”. Another hymn puts it, “the Henry VIII asserting his right to When Paul wrote to Timothy in Father turns his face away”. As never before or since the perfect be Head of the Church of England Matt 2 Timothy 3:16, he wasn’t think- communion of Father, Son and Holy Spirit suffered. Jurgen Molt- next after Christ. Bird @CinnamonNetwork ing of the more than 1,200 pages mann in his “The Crucified God” calls the Cross “God against God”. This was soon modified under The Cinnamon Network: of our pew Bibles, they didn’t Because Christ, the Son of God, suffered separation, the sinner Elizabeth I who was told in no 3,065 churches mobilising exist. So the Scriptures that tally need not suffer it. PT Forsyth, one of Britain’s greatest theologians, uncertain terms by Archbishop 49,350 Volunteers reaching with the nature of God as seen in said a century ago “God’s holiness issues to man in love, acts upon Heath and others that as a woman the lives of 693,603 his New Testament are the ones sin in grace, and excercises grace through judgement. she could not have pastoral Beneficiaries. that are inspired for Christian liv- Yes, God’s wrath was satisfied and his perfect love did it. authority in Christ’s Church - ing, not, for example, Exodus Colin Craston hence the clear distinction that Steven Croft @Steven_Croft 32:27 & 28, in which Moses tells Bolton was inserted in Article 37 - that “A gentle tongue is a tree of people to kill their brother, com- we give to our monarchs all life but perverseness in it panion, and neighbour; whereas authority save that of expounding breaks the spirit” (Prov 15.4). 10 pages earlier he had com- they have in this practice for the steps of the King of Kings. the Word or God and the adminis- Probably my favourite manded them ‘Thou shalt not many other benefits it has proved Colin Nevin, tration of the sacraments. proverb. kill’. Or the ones that teach ‘an to in areas of cleanliness and Vie email Thus, historically, to be eye for an eye’, etc as Jesus said in disease prevention. Even whole Supreme Governor of the Church Bishop Matthew 5: ‘Blessed are the countries have adopted the prac- of England is to claim to be Angaelos @BishopAngaelos peacemakers’ and so on. tice, such as a vast majority of the Going Dutch supreme judge over all people, Feast of the #Transfiguration So I groan when people use population of the Philippines and Sir, Nigel Scotland laments the property and causes in England. for #Coptic #Christians today. whole Bible distribution as a of course the Arab peoples in vari- alliance of crown and parliament It applies as much to noncon- Praying that we are able to means of evangelism. Jesus didn’t ous countries. which have foisted same-sex mar- formists or ministers of other reli- transcend the material world say ‘send Bibles’, but ‘preach my Abraham was 99 years old riage on the nation. He should gions as it does to Anglican to see the divine will good news’ (the Gospel). when he was circumcised, and lit- remember that it was this combi- clergy. It applies as much to the So it follows that all Scripture tle Isaac was eight days old. Ish- nation that birthed the Church of property of chapels, synagogues, Mark and especially Old Testament mael, the father of the Arabs, was England in 1559. Whereas the mosques and temples as it does Russell @markrusselluk ones should be aligned with what 13 and so most Muslims in defer- ecclesiastical bodies, such as the Anglican church property, and it Catching the end of Frost we know of God’s nature in deal- ence to Ishmael are circumcised convocations, even the Universi- would apply to the Church of Eng- Nixon before bed. Superb ing with humanity since the death at that much older age. ties and the episcopate almost land whether or not we continue movie and resurrection of his Son Jesus. The Jewish people descending uniformly opposed it. It was the to be established. Philip Youngman, from Isaac and Jacob follow the Crown and an undemocratically Again, the reason we need to Bishop Wool eighth day practice, when, it has elected parliament that imposed ask Parliament’s permission to Mark @BishopMark1 been medically proven, is the per- the Anglican Reformation settle- alter our doctrine is independent Hearing dreadful stories fect time as blood coagulation ment and not a surge of popular of whether we are established. It tonight in Hartlepool of Circumcision occurs in the infant on this very public opinion. flows from the principle that vulnerable families having to Sir, In the letter “Royal circumci- day thus reducing danger and However he does raise a valid under normal circumstances move home as result of sion” (11 August) Roy Hollands excessive bleeding. I note Mr point. If our present monarch is charitable property must be used bedroom tax. objects to the notion of a baby Hollands mentions that Jewish simply a constitutional monarch as the donors intended and a vari- royal prince such as Prince groups discuss the practice of who rubber stamps the actions of ation of doctrine or practice could Mike Pilavachi @mikepilav George being circumcised. He Brit Milah, and that may be the parliament, surely, in the next be a breach of trust with the origi- 134 new believers on the first goes even further by describing case, and Christians are indeed coronation service the future nal donors. Hence the custodians night of SSC. We begin the circumcision as “genital mutila- free to choose (not “warned monarch needs a simple presi- of such property cannot alter the next journey... tion” and mentions it in the same against” by Paul), however, he dential-style oath, and all the cur- doctrines of a denomination at sentence where he cites child does not mention if Muslims are rent promises and “anointing “ will but must seek approval of Shervin CF @sherbearx abuse. One aspect that Mr Hol- free to discuss the practice. need to be abolished, as they are judicial authority as to whether The Muslim Brotherhood lands does not cite is that circum- This unnecessary negation of patently a hollow sham, left sim- exceptional circumstances justify attack churches and the cision, or “Brit Milah” in Hebrew, circumcision “mutilates” all the ply there for the pageantry and a variation of the trust. police have stormed a was ordained by Almighty God, positive citations regarding the pompous show. We should simply The Church of England has mosque. Both have tainted the word “Brit” meaning practice both in Scripture and in be realistic and go Dutch! exceptional access to Parliament sacred places for their own “covenant” which he made with medical research. One “Royal Cir- Robert Ian Williams, for this, while other Churches political agenda. Abraham and the people of Israel. cumcision” Mr Hollands fails to Bangor and religious bodies must rely on How could something introduced cite is that of Jesus who was cir- the lesser powers of the Charity by a loving creator God be cumcised on the eighth day and Commission or should those not follow us deemed as a “mutilation”? he was our example of how to live Establishment be sufficient, resort to the @churchnewspaper The fact that many Gentiles, or a perfect life on this earth. Prince Sir, The Rev Dr Nigel Scotland’s on Twitter non-Jews, choose to be circum- George would not be taking a perplexity over the position of the Letters continue on page 13 cised only shows the confidence detrimental step following in the Queen (letters, 16 August) might

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landowner and , needs to come to our present consumption of energy justifi- terms with fracking because the dash for able (not simply sustainable)? And do we gas through fracking has the potential to know what we shall say to the rising genera- renew Britain’s economy in the same way as tion in 40 years’ time about the greed with North Sea oil. which we have consumed the earth’s Andrew Carey: So the first intervention by a leaflet from resources and left them with considerably the Diocese of Blackburn overplayed the less?” dangers of fracking and the damage to This more ‘Luddite’ response falls into the water supplies using the term ‘toxic cock- trap of ignoring future technological View from the Pew tail’. A later statement on ‘fracking’ from advances that can only be grasped if we Philip Fletcher of church’s group on Mis- keep the lights on and the energy flowing to sion and Public Affairs, announced neutrali- homes and industry. I well remember being ty on fracking. Yet there was an encouraging taught in geography lessons in the 1970s tone. “Fuel poverty is an increasingly urgent and 1980s that oil and gas would run out by issue for many in society - the impact on the turn of the century. Instead, with deep The fracking debate energy bills is felt most by the least well off. drilling, fracking and new ways of recover- Blanket opposition to further exploration for ing resources we are beginning to learn that new sources of fuel fails to take into account the earth’s natural resources are much rich- The debate on shale gas is now under- lea der s h a v e t ended t o unc r it i c a lly a do p t those who suffer most when resources are er than we ever knew. way among religious leaders. It is high worst-case scenarios and ignore the scarce,” he wrote. Historically, the churches have been pret- t im e t h e C h urc h o f Engla nd ent ered t h e unc ert a i nt i es beh ind t h e sc ienc e. He urged proper controls and regulations: ty good at harnessing and encouraging new deba t e o n f r a c king f o r sh a le ga s f o r sev - And it does not follow that green poli- “We do not want cowboys and cavaliers dig- technologies. The clash between Christiani- er a l im p o rt a nt rea so ns. cies are automatically just and equitable ging up the land in a free-for-all exploita- ty and science has been much exaggerated. The churches have in recent times simply because they deal with a real tion.” He also pointed to gas as a much less It would be a shame to see the Church of mimicked the worst excesses of the p ro blem . So f o r ex a m p le, t h e p ro duc t io n damaging fossil fuel than coal. England take a stand against new technolo- green movement on the subject of cata- o f bi o - f uels c a n lea d t o def o rest a t i o n a nd The Bishop of Chichester, Martin Warner, gies that could reduce fuel poverty and give strophic global warming. There can be food shortages. Closer to home, subsi- joined the debate after days of protest at Bal- much-needed stimulus to British manufac- no doubt about mankind’s influence on dies to the renewable industry can add combe in his diocese where exploratory turing. With an Archbishop whose back- t h e c lim a t e due t o a num ber o f f a c t o r s – to domestic energy bills and worsen drilling is taking place for oil rather than ground is in the oil industry, let us hope we not least through polluting greenhouse p o v ert y. shale gas. He argued that fracking has see a much less guarded welcome for the gases. Yet the statements from church The Church of England, as a major “questionable consequences”. He asked: “Is potential benefits of fracking. Threat recedes Fill up the pews

If the owners of Wonga were quaking in their boots and having sleepless Traditionalists are not happy after the Sunday Times Atticus column has helpfully nights when Justin Welby announced that the Church of England would alerted them to the fact that the , Michael Perham, is encour- compete them out of existence they can sleep peacefully now. The Arch- aging his female clergy to travel to London on 25 September for the consecration of bishop has announced on his blog that the Church of England rival to the new Bishop of Tewkesbury, the youthful Archdeacon Martin Snow. The Bishop Wonga will not be ready for another 10 years. He said that the response to is worried because the new , Jonathan Goodall, is being conse- his criticism of Wonga had been ‘overwhelmingly positive’ but added: crated at the same service and he foresees an Abbey packed with traditionalist male “Talk is cheap – and my job involves a lot of it – but the challenge is in deliv- clergy. So he has written to all his female clergy telling them that the Diocese is ery.” He admitted that the pressure for the Church to deliver on its plans to organising coaches to take them to London and urging them to make the trip in the support credit unions was ‘quite scary’. “Pulling together the partnerships interests of a ‘gender balance’. Dr Perham is a keen advocate of women bishops and and logistics to have a good product, piloting it and learning from the President of Affirming Catholicism. Traditionalists are asking if his latest initiative results and then turning it into something effective: this needs major skills fits in with the attempts by the Archbishop of Canterbury and his Reconciliation and much time – at least a decade, in fact.” So far there has been little atten- Team at July’s General Synod to try to move forward on Women Bishops in a con- tion in the press to an admission that is at least honest but represents a structive way. They have labelled Dr Perham’s latest initiative ‘unhelpful’ and say considerable climb-down. The ever-vigilant ‘Daily Mail’ is the only national they are saddened by his provocation. Atticus sees the row as one more sign that newspaper to have reported Welby’s admission. When the word spreads, the Church of England is rapidly becoming a ‘spectator sport’. So far there is no we may see fewer letters to the Financial Times and elsewhere telling us sign of bets being taken at Paddy Power on who will have the majority in the Abbey what a good Chancellor or Governor of the Bank of England the Archbish- on September 25: male clergy in black or female clergy in more colourful array. op would make. On the other hand, he does deserve marks for honesty: “I Anyone ready to volunteer to stand outside and make a count? often admire politicians for putting themselves in a place which demands they turn words into reality. It is easy for me to criticise people from the sidelines; they are the ones trying to make things happen,” he wrote. The Whispering Gallery... In hot water bloody awful it is.” But it was the comment that Christians in Britain God and The Standard Rowan Williams has joined the and the US who think they are growing fashion for authors to being persecuted should ‘grow up’ Religion continues to fascinate the gossip columnists. Atticus is not alone in giving appear at the Edinburgh Festival and not exaggerate what amounts attention to the Church. Londoner’s Diary in the Evening Standard is a regular and talk or take part in an interview to feeling ‘mildly uncomfortable’ source of religious news and gossip. Last week it told its readers that the new Gov- to publicise their works. Publishers that made the headlines. When he ernor of the Bank of England, who has received attention elsewhere for his informal are keen to get their authors to do read his words in print, Bishop taste in clothing and forward advice on interest rates, was settling into his local this. The former Archbishop got a Rowan had second thoughts and Catholic parish: St Mary’s in Hampstead. Former parishioners include General De lot of space in The Guardian when wrote to The Guardian to say that Gaulle. he joined in conversation at Edin- while there are people who offer Carney is reported to have set his sights on being Prime Minister of Canada so burgh with Rabbi Julie Neuberger. unduly sensationalised accounts of the Church might one day be able to commemorate another famous politician. More It was a wide-ranging interview in the situation he realises his words seriously the Standard also carried a report that Jonathan Aitken believes his wife, which the former Archbishop must have offended those who are Elizabeth, has been saved by prayer. She was struck down two months ago by a admitted that many of his gay and bullied for their convictions or brain haemorrhage and has recovered after four operations at Charing Cross Hospi- lesbian friends thought he had let whose faith presents them with tal. them down although when he painful dilemmas in their profes- Aitken pays tribute a brilliant team of surgeons but also reveals that the inmates of asked himself whether this is so sional lives and apologised for lan- Wormwood Scrubs had been praying for her. Aitken told the pastor there of his (which he does a lot) he doesn’t guage he now sees as insulting and wife’s illness and she said she would ask everyone in the prison to pray for Eliza- know the answer. He criticised as insensitive. It’s a hard lesson, but beth. The pastor even sent a get-well card with the signatures of over 50 prisoners. ‘laughable’ ideas that being spiritual even Archbishops who have laid When the prisoners were told in the chapel of Elizabeth’s recovery they stood up is about having nice experiences. down the burdens of office still and clapped in praise. “Most people who have written have to watch their language. Aitken had been twice to speak in the prison before his wife’s illness. He has a per- about the life of the spirit in Christi- Newspaper sales may be plummet- sonal biography of Margaret Thatcher due out in October. anity and Judaism spend a lot of ing but for some people there are time telling you how absolutely journalists always lying in wait. 10 www.churchnewspaper.com Friday August 23, 2013 Feature Celebrating cricket By Zaki Cooper and Daniel Lightman bat and ball”. Ryle was an early example of a number Cricket-loving visitors to Emmanuel of religious Christians to play cricket in the Church, Workington, in Cumbria may get a Victorian era. Many Christians at that time pleasant surprise. For the vicar there is the saw the emerging game of cricket, with its Rev Tony Pietersen, brother of Kevin, Eng- intricate rules and gentlemanly spirit, as a land’s star batsman of recent times. way of inculcating a moral code. Indeed, Indeed, the vocation of two of the Pietersen one-third of all Oxbridge cricket blues brothers raises the subject of the long asso- between 1860 and 1900 later trained for the ciation between Churchmen and cricket. clergy. Perhaps the most famous cricketing man A Cambridge Blue, the Rev Edward Lyt- of the cloth was David Sheppard, who, after tleton (1855-1942), also played for Worces- captaining England at cricket, was later tershire, Middlesex. In 1878 he led Bishop of Liverpool. He played Test cricket Cambridge to victory over Oxford, scored both before and after his ordination in the only century made against the 1878 1955, and took a sabbatical to tour Australia Australian tourists - and won his only cap in 1962/63, where he scored a match-win- for the England football team, unfortunate- ning century at Sydney and preached ly for him a 7-2 thumping at the hands of every Sunday. Scotland. He was later headmaster of Eton. Anglican Bishop of Liverpool between Back to cricket, one of the participants in 1975 and 1997, he was a campaigner on the historic Test match in 1882 in which social issues, and forged a fruitful relation- England’s loss by 7 runs prompted the ship with his Catholic counterpart, Derek mock obituary notice that plays a central Worlock. The two worked together in the part in the story of the Ashes was CT Tbe Rev Tony Pietersen with aftermath of both the Toxteth riots in 1981 Studd (1860-1931). A stylish batsman, he family above, and brother Kevin and the Hillsborough tragedy in 1989. scored two centuries against the 1882 Aus- More than 130 years earlier, in 1825, tralians but was reduced to a nervous Henry Manning played at Lord’s for Har- wreck in the tense final stages of the first of row against Winchester in the first-ever his three Test matches. A popular evangel- match between the two schools. After ist, Studd was a Christian missionary to being ordained as an Anglican priest, Man- China and later the Belgian Congo. ning later converted to Catholicism, The turn of the 20th century saw a num- became a Cardinal and was an outstanding ber of high-class cricketers with a strong reforming Archbishop of Westminster Christian faith. After becoming a at from 1865 until his death in 1892. His Leyton, Canon Frank Gillingham (1875- funeral was the biggest of the Victorian 1953) played for Essex between 1903 and era: the crowds covered some five miles, 1928, scoring almost 10,000 first class runs, from Brompton Oratory, where the funeral with a highest score of 201. He had a com- service took place, to his burial site in Ken- pelling speaking voice, and used this to sal Rise cemetery. good effect, filling his churches to capacity One of Sheppard’s predecessors, the - and broadcasting the first ball-by-ball very first Anglican Bishop of Liverpool, commentator on BBC radio in 1927. was JC Ryle (1816-1900). Ryle wrote hun- Twelve years later, he was appointed Chap- dreds of religious works and pamphlets. As lain to King George VI. an undergraduate, he won cricketing Blues Other successful batsmen at this time for Oxford in 1836 and 1838. His obituary were Canon JH Parsons (1890-1981), who in Wisden noted: “... little is known of his played for Warwickshire as a professional style of batting or mode of bowling... but before the First World War and later, after from a perusal of old scores it is apparent his ordination, as a professional, the high- Rev ET Killick (1907-1953), who played for between Christianity and our “summer that he was generally successful both with est of his 38 centuries being 225, and the Middlesex and opened the batting with the sport”. Cricket on a village green with the great Herbert Sutcliffe in two Test Match- spiral of the church in the background is es against South Africa in 1929. Killick was an idyllic English setting. The popularity of Vicar of Bishop’s Stortford when he died the Church Times Cup, now in its 62nd tragically while taking part in a cricket season, is testament to that. It is no coinci- That’s right, you can match for the diocesan clergy of St Albans dence, therefore, that Churchmen have subscribe to the print and Coventry. made a considerable contribution to crick- edition and have it sent to you by post In the post-War period, David Sheppard’s et. every week for three months for just strong Christian faith was also shared by Both cricket and religion value history £17.50. two England captains, Colin Cowdrey and and tradition - Wisden is after all described Subscribe Ted Dexter. Cowdrey played 114 Tests as “the Bible” of cricket - and combine laws Email [email protected] between 1954 and 1975 (27 as captain), and an ethical code. In a radio broadcast in to the print or telephone 020 7222 8663 scoring 22 centuries. Dexter also enjoyed 1968, Ted Dexter stated: “I feel that Christ his heyday in the 1960s, captaining Eng- has an opinion about the use of bouncers edition for In addition to the print land in 30 of his 62 Test matches, and aver- and how much you appeal to the umpire, edition you will also get aging 47.89. and whether you walk when you’ve hit it, £17.50 full access to our Later on, Dexter, when Chairman of and whether you are a selfish or unselfish website at Selectors, appointed the Rev Andrew player.” churchnewspaper.com Wingfield Digby as spiritual adviser to the Dexter also expressed the view that a England team. One of the Reverend’s strong faith provides a useful way to cope claims to fame was having dismissed the with the ups and downs of cricketing life, legendary Viv Richards when playing for explaining that it “helps to remember Oxford University against Somerset in Christ in these separate moments of ela- 1976. When he met Richards some years tion and distress.” Thankfully, this summer later, the West Indian told him: “You stick it is England who have been experiencing to preaching, man.” most of the elation, and the Australians the Another West Indian knight, Wes Hall, bulk of the distress. struck fear into the hearts of batsmen the world over with his intimidating fast bowl- ing. After a career that brought 192 Test Zaki Cooper and Daniel Lightman are the wickets in 48 matches, Hall turned to God, co-authors of Cricket Grounds from the Air becoming an ordained minister in the (Myriad Books). Cooper is a trustee of the Christian Pentecostal Church. Council of Christians and Jews. There is a strong connection, therefore, @zakicooper

cen@ chur chnewsp ap er . co m faceboo k .co m /ch urchnew spaper @ churchnew spa per Arts & Media Friday August 23, 2013 www.churchnewspaper.com 11 A fresh look at theology for the Aslan in the modern world Christ and Reconciliation frame at Festival Veli-Matti Karkkainen Eerdmans, £26.99

This is the first volume of what is Questioning Aslan planned as a four-volume systematic the- Edinburgh Fringe ology that is being written in dialogue not only with the Western tradition but A fully furnished set transports us with contemporary global theology in all back to a professor’s study in late its diversity and with other major faiths. 1950s Oxford. Its book- lined Inevitably this means that a good deal of walls and cluttered desk with the book is taken up with responding to manual typewriter and period tele- the work of others, CS Song as well as phone, could signify any don’s Pannenberg; Jewish and Islamic theolo- room, but an unusual painting gians as well as Barth or Moltmann, but marks it as different: the head of a the book is not obscure even if it can be lion, regal yet sensitive, has pride quite dense. of place. Karkkainen is a Finnish theologian It is a striking portrait of Aslan, who teaches at Fuller Seminary. He has key animal character in The Lion, served as a missionary in Thailand, written a number of books and, the Witch and the Wardrobe , the together with William Dryness, edited IVP’s Global Dictionary of celebrated children’s saga rich in Theology. He is well qualified to write his present work. Starting the Christian allusion for young and sequence with a volume devoted to Christology and to Christ’s old alike by CS Lewis, Oxford pro- work of reconciliation is a smart move because it is the incarnation fessor of English Literature and rect usage, responds beliefs are deems them “among my best”, that has been seen by John Hick and others as a barrier to inter- among modern Britain’s most not necessarily untrue just aimed to get people “to look faith understanding. influential Christian writers, because readily grasped by chil- beyond stained glass and Sunday Karkkainen follows Gavin D’ Costa and others who have labelled renowned for such enduring dren. school stuff”. But acquiring faith Hick’s theology as a form of exclusivism and he is able to quote a works as The Screwtape Letters This episode sets the play’s can be painful: Aslan must tear off Muslim theologian who makes this point. Referring to the quest of and Mere Christianity. tone and structure. Except for its layers of the Dragon’s skin to save postcolonial thinkers of a ‘hybridised Jesus’ Karkkainen sees this For Nigel Forde’s new play vivid denouement, there is little him. as a reminder of the need to appreciate the subtle diversity built Questioning Aslan , enthrallingly action; rather it unfolds in a series Determined Tellar should come into the biblical narrative and the Christian tradition. He argues staged at this year’s Edinburgh of dialogue encounters between to authentic decision about the that NT Wright has at least made a case for the possibility that Festival Fringe by Searchlight Lewis and Tellar, as they grapple claims of Christ, he urges him to Christ was conscious of divinity and has made a good argument for Company, atmospherically re-cre- over conviction about God, obsta- plunge into the Gospels. Tellar is the worship of Christ as divine from a very early period. ates in that study Lewis’ world of cles to Christian belief and prac- absorbed, but concludes Jesus’ Attention is paid to contemporary criticisms of Chalcedon but the intellectual power and passionate tice, free will, and Biblical witness story “doesn’t make sense”: Lewis Definition is defended as a grid or rule of faith through which all Christian faith. to Christ. Unashamedly, this is a vehemently agrees - “unless he reflections on Christ’s person can pass. Rahner is quoted as It opens with him meeting stu- play about apologetics, expressed was God!” reminding us that every theological formula, including Chalcedon, dent James Tellar, whom he through Lewis’ own experience Judy Moore’s direction sustains is a beginning, not a conclusion and an end. Critics will argue that a supervises both academically and and literary prism. the drama by keeping the encoun- kenotic Christology is too quickly dismissed. as ‘moral tutor’ for personal guid- Forde gives Lewis disconcert- ters vividly fragmentary; David Karkkainen is good at picking out important points made by ance. Lewis’ chiding for an unim- ingly visceral outbursts to high- Robinson is a commanding Lewis, other theologians. He highlights Ray Anderson’s discussion of pressive essay on Thomas Hardy - light the former: suddenly he is finely portraying his intensity of Christ’s pre-existence as conveying the idea that the relation of “You can do better, but you must kneeling, recalling how he “first conviction; Michael Taylor con- Jesus as obedient Son of God has its origins within the very being make the effort!” - sparks Tellar’s accepted God”; again on his vincingly expresses Tellar’s angst- of God’s existence. At the same time he is not afraid to criticise the anxiety-ridden outburst that the knees, he confesses he struggles ridden quest. work of others. Radical Orthodoxy, for example, is judged to be whole academic enterprise is to pray, distracted by myriad triv- Searchlight’s touring produc- ‘intentionally (?) obscure’ and JDG Dunn’s Christology is seen as pointless given the Cold War ia. Such flashes of dramatic force tion of Forde’s insightful two-hour identifying Christ and the Spirit, leading to loss of the incarnation threat of imminent nuclear doom. illumine the theological ping- play is an ideal discussion-starter and a ‘binity’ rather than a Trinity. Perceiving such anxiety evi- pong. and evangelism tool for parishes. Despite his criticism of Dunn, Karkkainen stresses the impor- dences Tellar’s inner crisis Tellar sees powerful Christian (Contact: david@searchlightthe- tance of linking Spirit and Logos Christology. The Spirit cannot focu s e d on hi s g rappl i n g w ith the symbolism in the Narnia stories - atre.org). replace the Logos but the two can be seen as working together. The claims of Christianity, Lewis especially Aslan as the Christ-fig- Brian Cooper argument advanced that ‘a robust Trinitarian Spirit Christology car- urges responsibility: “I can’t con- ure - but Lewis is oddly dismis- ries a lot of potential for interfaith encounters and interreligious vert you. You have to convert sive, even contradictory, about issues’ deserves careful consideration although more needs to be yourself.” Tellar protests Chris- such faith meanings, down-play- Questioning Aslan was performed said on this topic. tian beliefs are just ‘too childish’; ing them as “just stories, not alle- on Edinburgh Fringe at Edinburgh Discussing the work of Christ, Karkkainen recognises the dan- Lewis, noting ‘childlike’ the cor- gories of faith”. Reflectively, he Elim Church gers of talking of ‘penal substitution’ and prefers instead to speak of ‘representation’ in which because Christ ‘takes our place’ we can ‘take his’. Girard and other critics of some traditional notions of atonement are carefully considered and Karkkainen recognises it is not appro- priate to interpret the life of Jesus merely through his suffering but the metaphor of sacrifice is defended. Karkkainen draws on the work of one British theologian here, PT Forsyth, but he does not examine Moberly’s view of Christ as the ‘perfect penitent’. Throughout the book the response of other faiths to Christian doctrines are considered. The Qur’an’s teaching that Jesus did not actually die on the cross is seen as a problem for interfaith under- standing but attention is drawn to another, possible interpretation of the Qur’an. Jewish objections that Jesus cannot have come as the Messiah when the world is still in such a mess are also examined. In his epilogue Karkkainen makes explicit a theme that has run through this book: the rich tradition of the Christian Church and the work of great theologians like Augustine or Aquinas belong to the whole Church. All theologians need to stand on their shoulders rather than see them as a source of oppression. This book may serve to advance that understanding and promote a view of theolo- gy that is not partisan but truly global. Paul Richardson 12 www.churchnewspaper.com Friday August 23, 2013 Comment

There’s something about the hot weather that seems to encourage grimy necks – or is that just my children? A whole industry has built up around skin cleansing and toning regimes and I’m always on a quest for great natu- ral cleansers. In the old days of course it was soap and Janey Lee Grace water, and that’s still a brilliant option but interestingly not all soap is ‘natural’ - what used to be a natural process Live Healthy! Live Happy! has been changed over the years and many ‘soaps’ we see on the shelves are actually just detergents. In some cases the good stuff that occurs in the soap making process, such as glycerine, have been replaced with harsh chemicals, synthetic lathering agents and artificial colours. Some even contain Triclosan, which has been linked to cancer. Fortunately there are some brilliant alternatives in nat- ural organic and handmade soaps. It’s a good idea to find out how they are processed and opt for those that Summer best buys include organic plants, herbs and essential oils. Some have wonderfully beneficial added ingredients such as Bentonite clay, which is a natural detoxifier and even Kefir, a culture that is antibacterial and soothing for even sensitive skin. – soapy solutions My favourites include Sedbergh soaps http://www.sedbergh-soap.co.uk. The Raw Goats Milk and kefir soaps from www.chuck- linggoat.co.uk and the lovely Oatmeal and Lavender soothing soaps from http://www.thelittlegoatsoapcom- pany.co.uk I’m also loving the natural biodegradable sponges from the Konjac Sponge Company developed by the Japanese who harnessed the power and benefits of the Konjac plant. They are made from 100 per cent natural vegetable fibre – great for cleansing off make-up and refining the pores – you don’t even need soap or cleanser! www.konjacspongecompany.co.uk Some cleansers moisturise at the same time such as the Oy Cleanse and Moisturise from Green People and interestingly you can cleanse using oil – one of my favourites is the antioxidant-rich cleansing oil from Skin Guru which contains omega 3, 6, 9 fatty acids which can be used in conjunction with the Glow Cloth – an innova- tive development on what we used to call an old-style flannel! http://www.theskinguru.co.uk

PRIZE CROSSWORD No. 862 by Axe

Across Israelite troops...' [1 Sam/NIV] (4) 4 Egyptian woman who became 7 Town founded by Herod Antipas on Joseph's wife [Gen] (7) the Sea of Galilee [John] (8) 5 Little-known, probably 4th century, 8 Heaven on earth (4) saint whose rose in the 13th 9 Hebrew-speaking (6) century after a tale of dragon-slay- 10 Man greeted in a letter from Paul ing (6) [Rom] (6) 6 Charioteering king of Israel whose 11 'People have one kind of flesh, ani- name became synonymous with a mals have another, ----- another and crazy driver [2 Kings] (4) fish another' [1 Cor: NIV] (5) 13 Member of an ancient Jewish sect 12 'In an ------to escape from the ship, prominent in the Gospels (8) the sailors let the lifeboat down into 14 '------your troops now, city of the sea...' [Acts/NIV] (7) troops... [Mic/NIV] (7) 15 'He raises the poor from the dust 16 Last King of the Northern Kingdom and lifts the needy from the ------' [2 Kgs] (6) [Ps/NIV] (3,4) 18 Jeremiah's secretary; his name is 17 Original name, changed by God, of given to a book of the Apocrypha the first Ancestor of of the nation of (6) Israel [Gen] (5) 20 'Then they came to ----, where there 19 Woman greeted in a letter from Paul were twelve springs and seventy [Rom] (6) trees...' [Exod/NIV] (4) 21 'The Lord ------that I should give you 21 'Surely the ---- of human beings is the inheritance of my ancestors' [1 like that of the animals' Kgs/NIV] (6) [Eccles/NIV] (4) 22 'However, each of you also must love his ---- as much as he loves him- Solution to last weeks crossword self...' [Eph/NIV] (4) 23 The Thirty-Nine ------, set of doctri- Across: 1 Martha, 5 Rhoda, 9 Oppress, 10 nal formulas finally accepted by the Bears, 11 Ahead, 12 Spirit, 14 Nahash, 16 C of E in 1571 (8) Vashti, 19 Cradle, 21 Altar, 24 Latin, 25 The first correct entry drawn will win a book of the Editor’s choice. Send your entry Plagues, 26 Micah, 27 Rector. to Crossword Number 862, The Church of England Newspaper, Down 14 Great College Street, Westminster, London, SW1P 3RX by next Friday Down: 2 Apple, 3 Theudas, 4 Assisi, 5 Rabbi, 6 1 Roman Emperor at the time of Obadiah, 7 Apse, 8 Hosanna, 13 Midrash, 15 Name Christ's persecution [Luke] (8) Heretic, 17 Aramaic, 18 Vesper, 20 Dinah, 22 2 'We have enjoyed a long ------of Truro, 23 Elam. Address peace under you...' [Acts/NIV] (6) 3 'So Saul went down to the Desert of ----, with his three thousand select

c en@ chur chnewsp ap er . co m facebo o k.co m /churchn ews paper @ ch urch new spaper Classifieds & Letters Friday August 23, 2013 www.churchnewspaper.com 13

&/$66,),('$'9(57,6(0(176 LETTERS CONTINUED Tel: 020 7222 2018 E-mail: [email protected] expense of a private Act of Parliament. The constitutional convention of Article 37 that we exclude religious authority from our monarchs and by &/(5,&$/ extension from Parliament and the judiciary is not only a safeguard for the Church of England but also for all other religious bodies, Christian or not. It has led our courts to deny themselves any right to interpret religious texts for Churches and to restrict enforcement of constitutions to the plain meaning of the religious body’s own declarations as to what they believe to be the revealed will of God for their body.     Alan Bartley, Greenford, Middlesex.     Shocked but not surprised 1 * 2! Sir, I was shocked, but in today’s climate not surprised, that the Bishop of Iceland has apologised to the island’s gay !! *! community for the participation of the Church of Iceland in **##% next month’s Festival of Hope and is rethinking her prom- ise to preach at the festival due to the presence of the US •                    evangelist and missionary Franklin Graham because he     opposes gay marriage and holds to the biblical truth that • God’s will in creation for marriage is only between a man                       and a woman.        I read that in Iceland gay activists have reserved 500 free •                 tickets to prevent those who want to hear Graham from    going to the festival. Why can’t those who want to leave •                  Biblical teaching and support gay marriage allow those of us who hold to the truth of Scripture to preach what we believe without being abused and attacked as is happening  already. In this country as well as in Iceland?   ! !"!#$ $"""  The Rev Gillian Orpin, !%&' &&() *+&(, -(./(0+&(, Sandy, Bedfordshire Political agenda DIOCESE OF DOWN & DROMORE 6RPHIRUWKFRPLQJ Sir, Why is it that the BBC and other news IHDWXUHV organisations only report the suffering that the Muslim The Parish of Brotherhood supporters are experiencing currently in LQZKLFK\RXPLJKWZDQW Egypt? I have not heard one comment about the churches WRDGYHUWLVH and Christian bookshops and other property that have Seeks a RECTOR, following the appointment been attacked and burned. Why not? of the previous incumbent as a bishop. 6HSWHPEHU$XWXPQ+ROLGD\V J Longstaff, Woodford Green We require an experienced and energetic DQG5HWUHDWV pastor with a strong sense of vision for the future, who has biblical expository 6HSWHPEHU+DYH\RXPDGH Science and the Bible preaching and teaching skills and will: \RXU:LOO" Sir, The God of Creation seen in Science and the God of Ćwork to lead all ages to faith in Christ and Revelation seen in the Bible does not contradict himself. provide spiritual and pastoral leadership. 2FWREHU$QLPDO:HOIDUH Yet Dr J Matthews writes in his letter (16 August) that cre- ation took place in six days 6,000 years ago. But archeology Ćsupport, encourage and develop the 6XQGD\IHDWXUH shows that the ancient city of Jericho was inhabited 9,000 ministry team, both ordained and lay. years ago, and most scientists give the universe an age of 7RERRNDGYHUWLVLQJVSDFHLQWKHVH Ćmaintain and develop our missionary many billions of years. outreach at home and overseas. IHDWXUHVSOHDVHFDOORXU Genesis 1:1-2:4 is a unique document, and I find it most DGYHUWLVLQJWHDPRQ helpfully explained by Derek Kidner in Genesis (Tyndale Ćlead the Church in growth and community Press, 1967), and also by Denis Alexander in ‘Creation or engagement.  Evolution’ (Marston, 2008), both saying roughly the same. Gen 1:1 - In the beginning God created the heavens and For more information please contact: RUHPDLODGV#FKXUFKQHZVSDSHUFRP Tracey Taggart, Church of Ireland House, 61-67 the earth. Donegall Street, Belfast, BT1 2QH v.2 - The earth was formless (Tohu) and empty (Bohu). Email: ttaggart@dioco -belfast.org v.3-31. Form was created… www.downanddromore.org APPEAL HOLIDAYS Day 1 Light and Dark Day 2 Sea and Sky Day 3 Fertile earth CLOSING DATE: :,// <28 6833257 86 :$5:,&.6+,5($/&(67(5 Fullness was created th )LIWHHQ PLQXWHV IURP 6WUDWIRUG RQ TUESDAY 10 SEPTEMBER 2013 ,1 6(1',1* 7+,6 3$3(5 Day 4 Lights of Day and Night 72 35,621 &+$3/$,16" $YRQ 6HFRQG ÀRRU VSDFLRXV VHOI (DFKZHHNZHVHQGFRSLHVRIWKLV FRQWDLQHGDSDUWPHQW6OHHSV8VH Day 5 Creatures of Water and Air RI&LQHPD5RRPDQGODUJHSULYDWH QHZVSDSHUWR3ULVRQ&KDSODLQV Day 6 Creatures of the Land JDUGHQ ,GHDO IRU WRXULQJ &RWVZROGV This arrangement is similar to Hebrew poetry, and could ZKR JUHDWO\ DSSUHFLDWH KDYLQJ +HUHIRUG  DQG :RUFHVWHU$OVRVKRUW

THE 2013 ANGLICAN CYCLE RETIREMENTS & BIBLE CHALLENGE OF PRAYER RESIGNATIONS The Rev Sandra Beck, Chaplain, East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust (St Day 235 Isaiah 34-36, Psalm 37:1-18, 1 Timothy 6 Friday 23 August. Psalm 76, Jer 25:1-14. Rokon - Albans): to resign with effect from 19 August 2013. Day 236 Isaiah 37-39, Psalm 37:19-42, 2 Timothy 1 (Sudan): The Rt Rev Francis Loyo Mori The Rev David Coster, Day 237 Enjoy hearing the Scriptures read aloud in church Priest-in-Charge, Rochford and Sutton with Shopland; and Day 238 Isaiah 40-42, Psalm 38, 2 Timothy 2 Saturday 24 August. Psalm 77, Jer 26:1-9. Rorya - (Tan- Priest-in-Charge, Stambridge (Chelmsford): to resign with Day 239 Isaiah 43-45, Psalm 39, 2 Timothy 3 zania): The Rt Rev John Adiema effect from 3 September 2013. Day 240 Isaiah 46-48, Psalm 40, 2 Timothy 4 The Rev Dr Brian Curnew, Day 241 Isaiah 49-51, Psalm 41, Titus 1 Sunday 25 August. Pentecost 14. Psalm 119:113-128, Lk Vicar, Headcorn and The Suttons (Canterbury): to retire 5:1-11. Ruaha - (Tanzania): The Rt Rev Joseph Mgomi with effect from 27 April 2014. The Rev Robert Gallagher, APPOINTMENTS Monday 26 August. Psalm 78:1-7, Lk 5:12-16. Rumbek - Vicar, Toxeth St Margaret (Liverpool): to retire with effect (Sudan): The Rt Rev Alapayo Manyang Kuctiel from 31 October 2013. The Rev Jette Margaret Guillebaud, The Rev Judy Henning, Tuesday 27 August. Psalm 80, Lk 5:17-26. Rupert’s Assistant Chaplain, Sarum College (Salisbury): has retired Priest-in-Charge, Rainham (Rochester): to be Vicar. Land - (Rupert’s Land, Canada): The Rt Rev Donald with effect from 31 May 2013. The Rev Michael Macey, David Phillips The Rev Denise McDougall, Minor Canon and Precentor, Westminster Abbey: to be NSM, Great Crosby St Faith and Waterloo Park St Mary Vicar, Boxmoor St John (St Albans). Wednesday 28 August. Psalm 81, Lk 5:27-39. Ruvuma - (Liverpool): to retire with effect from 1 September 2013. The Rev Gwenda Manco, (Tanzania): The Rt Rev Dr Maternus Kapinga The Rev Albert William Moore, NSM, Dearnley (Manchester): is now NSM (Assistant Vicar, Hill (Birmingham): to retire with effect from 20 Curate), Littleborough (same diocese). Thursday 29 August. Psalm 82, Lk 6:1-11. Ruwenzori - October 2013. The Rev John McGrath, (Uganda): Vacant; South Rwenzori - (Uganda): The Rt The Rev Canon Deirdre Parmenter, Priest-in-Charge, Calderbrook and Shore (Manchester): is Rev Jackson Nzerebende Diocesan Warden of Readers (St Edmundsubry and now Vicar, Litleborough (same diocese) Ipswich): to retire with effect from 31 October 2013. The Rev Matthew Peat, The Rev Canon Barry Raven, Rector, North Barrow (Carlisle): to be Priest-in-Charge, The Rev Jennifer Walters, Rector, Ashley, Crudwell, Hankerton and Oaksey; and Whitkirk (Ripon and Leeds). NSM (Assistant Curate), Southampton Thornhill St Priest-in-Charge, Ashton Keynes, Leigh and Minety (Bris- The Rev Simon Richardson, Christopher (Winchester): to be NSM (Assistant Curate), tol): to resign with effect from 31 October 2013. Chaplain, Loughborough University (Leicester): is now Southampton St Mary Extra; and NSM (Assistant Curate), The Ven Christopher , NSM (House for Duty Priest), Barrow Upon Soar with Woolston (same diocese). Chaplain, Costa del Sol East; and Archdeacon of Walton Le Wolds; and NSM, Wymeswold and Prestwold The Rev Bernice Woodhead, (Spain, Europe): to retire with effect from 2 November with Hoton (same diocese). NSM, Calderbrook and Shore (Manchester): is now NSM 2013. The Rev Christopher Taylor, (Assistant Curate), Littleborough (same diocese). The Rev Canon Trevor Whitfield, Assistant Curate, Leicester Holy Spirit (Leicester): to be Chaplain, Maisons-Laffitte (France, Europe): to retire with Chaplain, University of Loughborough (same diocese). effect from 30 November 2013.

had been donated to the project! The next day saw this total rise to A glimpse of God’s generosity £34,000. The excitement among the By Steve Morris highlight of my year. Approxi- ties. This year, however, was young people was evident as they mately 1,500 young people split marked by something distinctly heard testimony of their parents’ Leading the youth work for the across two venues enjoy a mix- different – generosity. By the end generosity. Sensing they were New Wine London & South East ture of worship, talks, seminars, of the week, we had raised close to the target for building the Summer Conference is always a gigs, sports and after-hours activi- approximately £50,000 to build an centre outright, their fundraising education centre in the Vrygrond efforts went into overdrive. township in Cape Town, South Impromptu giving took place at Africa. every subsequent youth meeting. As I woke on my day off When an announcement was halfway through the week, I I remained confident that they made that someone had had their Subscrib e reflected on the previous day’s would love to build the Church, bike stolen, the young people visit to the youth venue by the but one known for its integrity, excitedly rushed forward to give today! Archbishop of Canterbury. His love and service to the poor. The a donation of 25p each to buy the visit had been impromptu, and he challenge for us to build a Church young man a new bike. A couple arrived just as the young people like this formed the backbone of of hours and £250 later, a bewil- PRICES HELD were responding to my appeal to the talk. dered but happy delegate gave a build a Church that would be As I was wrapping up the talk, I massive thank you to his friends, known for its integrity, love and challenged the predominantly who cheered him on to replace Annual Subscription rates: service to the poor. Apologising adult congregation on our need to his bike. UK £65, for some of the failings of the serve the poor in relation to the Our previous record for Church, the Archbishop helped affluence that surrounds us. A fundraising in the youth venue Retired: £60 (UK only) lead the response, inspiring the quick calculation had shown me stood at £5,500, so there was a young people to be a Church that that a £6 contribution from every collective gasp when the young including free online edition would lead a revolution of love on person present at the meeting people found out they had raised Europe: £90 (€140), behalf of the poor and - could easily raise all the funds just under £15,000. Hearing this, alised. He prayed for the young needed to build a new education the young people began to run Rest of World: £110 (US $220), people as they knelt, showing centre to support high school forward and give again to reach Online edition: £25 their willingness to build the learners in the Vrygrond town- £15,000 – an amazing response. Church, and they in turn prayed ship in Cape Town. This project – We concluded the week having for him and all his responsibility run by The Sozo Foundation – raised enough to build an educa- With an annual subscription you can have full in the Anglican Communion. was this year’s youth fundraising tion centre, put right a friend’s access to our website with regularly This moment alone had done project. There was, however, no loss, and realising that God had updated news. enough to make this year’s youth call to give; it was merely a reflec- done something amazing in our programme stand out. However, tion. hearts, which had led all the way the next day an unexpected open- As I referenced this in passing a down to our wallets. Hope is high Visit www.churchnewspaper.com and ing presented itself – to deliver lady came forward, totally for together building a Church pay via PayPal the same talk I had given to the unprompted, and left a £20 note that’s known for integrity, love youth in The Arena, one of the on the front of the stage. Her giv- and service to the poor. main morning meeting venues. ing prompted others to come and Steve Morris heads up the call 020 7222 8663 Realising this could be my one put money on the stage. Not want- youth work at the New Wine Lon- opportunity to address the confer- ing to run over time I carried on don & South East Summer Con- email: [email protected] ence about young people, I was preaching, and as I concluded ference, and is youth worker at determined to speak on the often- looked down; it was obvious that a Chafford Hundred Community asked question, ‘Why do young significant amount of money had Church. For more information on Subscribe to the online people leave the church?’ been given. the work of The Sozo Foundation Having seen the youth’s whole- By the afternoon the collection please view their website at edition for just £25 a year hearted response the day before, had been counted and £30,400 www.thesozofoundation.org.za Sunday Friday August 23, 2013 www.churchnewspaper.com 15 Do Christians really want SUNDAY SERVICE 14th Sunday after Trinity democracy in the Middle East? (Sunday 1 September) By Jeremy Moodey the then Coptic Orthodox Pope, Shenouda III, expressed Jeremiah 2:4-13 his unqualified support for democracy in Egypt. But fol- Hebrews 13:1-16 As I write this column the situation in Egypt has taken a lowing the ousting of the democratically elected President Luke 14:1-14. desperate turn for the worse. The protests by Muslim Morsi in June 2013, his successor, Pope Tawadros II, Brotherhood supporters have been violently dispersed by tweeted his support for the popular “rebellion” which had the security forces of the army-backed interim govern- prompted what was effectively a coup. There are some shocking and humbling substitutions in ment. Hundreds are reportedly dead, and there are grow- The head of the Anglican Church in Cairo, Bishop the readings for this Sunday, as humans exchange what ing numbers of attacks on Christian churches. The Mouneer Anis, an enthusiastic supporter of democracy in is good in God’s eyes for temporary trinkets of their country seems on the brink of civil war. Not sectarian, like Egypt, greeted Morsi’s downfall with a statement rejoicing: own. the one that has ravaged Syria... “At last, Egypt is now free from the oppressive rule of the Jeremiah attacks the ungratefulness of the house of Of course we in the West want to see liberal democracy Muslim Brotherhood!”. Egypt’s Christian leaders would of Israel who have exchanged the fountain of living water prevail. And not just in Egypt but throughout the Middle course argue that the Muslim Brotherhood had lost its for cracked and waterless cisterns of their own making. East. Wasn’t that what the Arab Spring was all about? Yet in mandate to govern on account of its narrow sectarianism, This is a personal affront to the God of the covenant: he its most recent Index of Democracy, compiled two years oppression of the Christian minority and mishandling of saved them from Egypt, led them in the wilderness, after the Arab Spring started, the Economist Intelligence the economy. But playing fast and loose with democracy is gave them a fruitful homeland, and yet they have defiled Unit rated no states in the Middle East and North Africa not without its risks. it and made it “an abomination”, a hateful place, dis- (MENA) region as being full democracies. The predilection of Western nations, especially the Unit- pleasing to God. The leaders, both religious and secular, Even Israel (with a score of 7.53 out of 10, behind ed States, to support the flourishing of democracy when it forgot about the Lord and abandoned his ways, swap- Botswana and Cape Verde) was only categorised as a produces the “right” answers but encourage its suppres- ping the glory of the immortal God for images of false “flawed democracy” on account of its poor record in civil sion when it produces the “wrong” results has been much ones who could give them nothing but grief. One by liberties, where it is rated behind Haiti, Uganda and Sri debated. It leads to unfortunate situations like the one that one, family by family, until the whole nation was Lanka. Seven other states including Lebanon, Palestine occurred in Egypt recently, when Western governments engulfed, apostasy took root and loyalty to God was and Egypt were rated as “hybrid democracies” (countries who were quick to deplore state-sponsored violence eroded. where there are “serious weaknesses … in political cul- against demonstrators in Tahrir Square and Bahrain were Hebrews, on the other hand, speaks of “sacrifices ture, functioning of government and political participa- strangely silent in condemning the shooting of dozens of pleasing to God.” These are the opposite of what the tion”), while the remaining 12 MENA states were put in unarmed Islamist protestors by the Egyptian military in world finds attractive and normal. The world looks out the “authoritarian” bracket. Cairo on 27 July. for number 1; we are to show mutual love. But even where the green shoots of democracy have The Economist put it succinctly in a recent editorial: The world chooses its friends according to useful- sprouted, the results have not always been to the West’s “The Muslim Brothers - and other Muslims across the ness, but we are to show hospitality to strangers and liking. It is often forgotten that Hamas came to power in Middle East - will conclude from all this that the West look out for those in prison who are persecuted or tor- Gaza after 2006 elections described by former President applies one standard when secularists are under attack and tured because of their faith in Christ. Jimmy Carter (an election monitor) as “orderly and peace- another when Islamists are”. And would the Muslim Broth- The world thinks little of marriage as God created it; ful”. A US democracy NGO, the National Democratic Insti- ers be far off the mark? but we are to honour it and keep it special by upholding tute for International Affairs, said that the Gaza outcome What for example would they make of a recent OpEd abstinence before and faithfulness within it, which the reflected “the will of the people”. piece in the Wall Street Journal which ventured that what world derides or pities or cannot maintain. The Egyptian elections in June 2012, which gave the Egypt really needed was a “Pinochet” who could “midwife The world values cold hard cash, and everything Islamist President Morsi a narrow majority, were also a transition to democracy”. General Pinochet was of course revolves around economic utility and growth; we are to widely regarded as surprisingly free and fair for a nation the Chilean dictator whose 17-year spell as “midwife” led to be content, because God will never forsake us and he is that had no history of political pluralism. If free elections the murder of thousands of opponents and the torture of all we need. were held in Syria tomorrow, the majority of Syria’s Arab maybe another 30,000. The world is chary and suspicious about leaders; but Sunnis (60 per cent of the population) would probably sup- The region’s Christians are treading the same danger- we are to think well of ours and imitate those whose port an Islamist regime. Pan-Arab totalitarian socialism has ous ground in rushing to applaud the defenestration of lives and teaching reflect the character of the unchang- failed in Syria as it did in Egypt and Libya, and there is no democratically elected governments of which they disap- ing Saviour we worship. reason to think that Islamist parties would not reap the prove. Their Muslim compatriots may assume that Egypt- In the Gospel, we note how worldliness infects the benefits in Syria as they did (initially) elsewhere. ian and other Arab Christians are colluding with the West church, even amongst the most zealous. The Saviour is This may explain the nervousness and occasional incon- in denying Arab nations the right to determine their own at the house of a leader of the Pharisees, a special meal sistency with which the region’s Christians have viewed futures, Islamist or otherwise. After all, surely the whole no doubt, on the Sabbath itself. A careful observer of the birth pains of democracy in the Middle East. Shortly point of democracy is that elections are respected, no mat- human behaviour, he quickly spots how the guests vie after the toppling of President Mubarak in January 2011, ter what? with one another for positions of honour at the table. Echoing the teaching of Proverbs 25:6-7, “do not put yourself forward in the king’s presence”, his parable to them exposes their pride and desire for greatness. Why August is a good month to laugh Instead, he teaches them, you should humble yourself, for only such humility is pleasing in the sight of the Bob Mayo less man lying flat out on the concrete Ricky Gervais, when questioned King who ultimately decides the fate of all. forecourt to our church hall is not for about his own work, put it thus: you It is as if Jesus is telling them, “I am your king.” So Laughter is a sabbath to the soul and the faint hearted. can be offended, but that doesn’t when he teaches them not just to entertain their friends, August is a good time to laugh. Homeless people have a life mean you are right. but (as Hebrews also says) strangers as well — to invite Something is funny because it takes expectancy of 20 years less than the The only humour that I find offen- those who are unable to repay the compliment — he is people by surprise. The Edinburgh population average and he was with- sive is lazy humour and Church ser- reminding us how he himself behaves. For in his sight Fringe (2010) voted Tom Vine’s one out blanket or pillow. I wanted to give mons are easily guilty of this. Jokes we are all poor, crippled, lame, and blind, entirely liner as the best joke for the year - him breakfast but did not want to taken off the Internet that offer shal- unworthy and entirely unable to repay his grace and “I’ve just been on a once in a lifetime wake him up and so I lay down beside low generalisations and caricatures of favour to us. So in all our daily affairs he urges us not to holiday. I’ll tell you what, never again’. him until he woke up. people and situations don’t come consider the polite worldly ways of the modern social The essence of humour is to look at When the teachers in the church close to expressing the strange elu- contract, but the greater reward that awaits the humble something in a new or unexpected school pulled in to park their cars sive nature of the Christian truth. at the resurrection of the righteous. way, seeing how things might be dif- there were the two of us lying togeth- George Herbert suggests that divine Will we exchange the vaporous blessings of today’s ferent to how they are now. Confound- er side by side. When he came to he love overwhelms the terrors of histo- world for the way that brings glory tomorrow? Or take ing people’s expectations is not simply was amused at my being there all be it ry with mirth. The ultimate realisation our eyes off the substance of eternity, for the fleeting the skill of the comedian; it is the stuff more pleased at the money I gave him is that all things begin with jest. frisson of worldly respect? of divinity. for his breakfast If we learn the art of life giving rich God’s laughter is not mocking or Once a week, courtesy of the Lon- and generous laughter we will be tak- Lee Gatiss is Director of Church Society, and Editor of cruel. It is life-giving, rich and gener- don Evening Standard Dispossessed ing our part in the wonderful provi- the NIV Proclamation Bible ous - laughing with, rather than laugh- Fund and in conjunction with Street dential love of God. We laugh with a ing at, people; all are equal in laughter Lytes, a charity for the homeless, we nostalgia for the world that is passing, as they are also in God’s grace and feed 60 homeless people and follow a joy in the world that is and, in Christ, HYMN SUGGESTIONS love. the meal with a film show. Homeless a hope for the world that will be. So There is no direct record of Jesus people need to laugh and to enjoy for God’s sake laugh! laughing but he is described as being themselves as much as any and this full of joy (Lk 10:21). He sees laughter helps them to do so. The Rev Dr Bob Mayo is the vicar of Glorious things of thee are spoken as a blessing - ‘Blessed are you who Some people shy away from St Stephen & St Thomas Shepherds Two sins have we committed weep now, for you will laugh’ (Lk humour for fear of offending people Bush with St Michael & St George All my hope on God is founded 6:22). GK Chesterton wrote that and herein lies the trap of a post- White City Maker of the heavens and earth laughter is a gravely religious matter. Christian society - people’s opinions website-www.ststephensw12.org Everlasting God, the years go by Only man can be absurd: for only man or feelings about the truth becomes [email protected] can be dignified. The sight of a home- more important than truth itself. Twitter @RevBobMayo

Milestones

The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, has given his permission to a trawl of Church of England archives, which aims to find paedophile priests, dead or alive, who may have escaped justice so far... The Prime Minister told a reception at Downing Street that he wanted to ‘export’ gay marriage across the world, speak- ing of his pride at his achievement of passing the Bill, saying Britain was not ‘the best place to ‘ be gay, lesbian or transgender anywhere in Europe’... ‘Is that his excuse? If you are a patron you don’t have to do anything. It is absolute nonsense’. Bill Oddie, on the that will give the kind of meaning to their lives once given by religion. decision of the P A U L Unfortunately zealots who think this way Archbishop of can do a great deal of damage. In the case of Canterbury to decline R I C H A R D S O N GM foods irrational opposition has prevented patronage of the RSPCA the use of a strain of rice that would increase Church and World a child’s intake of vitamin A by 60 per cent. So-called ‘Golden Rice’ has been developed ‘ by adding three genes to the 30,000 already People present in rice. Vitamin A deficiency weakens the immune system and leads to about 2 mil- lion deaths a year but Greenpeace has lob- bied against the rice and sought in every way Pity the people to prevent its use. As Matt Ridley wrote recently in The Times, greens are desperate to stop Golden Rice because it undermines all their criticisms of GM crops. “It is non-profit, free, nutrition- of Balcombe enhancing, and of more value to the poor than the rich: only farmers earning less than You have to pity the people of Bal- But nimbyism is only part of the $10,000 a year will be allowed to sell the seed combe, not because fracking poses reason for the opposition to frack- on.” a threat to their health and safety ing. We seem to have reached a sit- In the case of fracking the Royal Society but because an exploratory drill uation in this country where any has produced a report (which can be down- (that does not include any fracking) scientific or technological advance loaded from the web) that makes clear the has attracted Bianca Jagger, Natalie is deemed to be a threat to human risks have been much exaggerated. It con- Hynde (daughter of rock star wellbeing. I used to think irrational cludes that the danger of fracking polluting Chrissie) and a host of other profes- fears about GM foods were the underground sources of water is very small sional protesters. Greenpeace has legacy of mad cow disease; now I because fracking takes place so far beneath joyfully announced that more than think we are dealing with a much the ground. More likely causes of possible half the Cabinet have constituen- deeper problem. environmental contamination include faulty cies that could well see applications Together with irrational fear of wells and leaks associated with surface opera- tions and this is not a risk unique to shale gas. The Royal Society report recommends that the system of reviewing offshore wells by independent experts be adapted for onshore drilling. The report rates the danger of seismic activity as a result of drilling to be very low and points out we have lived with seismic activity as a result of coal mining for a long time and says that there is an emerging con- sensus that the seismicity induced by hydraulic drilling would be less than that caused by mining. Its conclusion is that Bill Oddie has ridiculed the Archbishop of uncertainties about fracking can be Canterbury’s decision to turn down the offer of addressed ‘by robust monitoring systems and being the RSPCA Vice-President, saying those research activities’ and it gives details of what in positions like his ‘didn’t do anything’... The this will involve. Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu has Environmentalists are unlikely to take note recently been given an excellent long-term for the exploration of shale gas and science there goes an ethical confu- of a report from the Royal Society but the rest prognosis after undergoing prostate cancer sur- that 40 of Britain’s most marginal sion that Oliver O’Donovan has of the population needs to weigh very careful- gery in May 2013… The Prince of Wales has constituencies have onshore highlighted. On the one hand we ly the consequences of giving in to a group of donated a “handsome” sum to preserve one of licences for gas or oil exploration. have see the spread of ethical rela- fanatics. Shale gas offers a source of cheap Scotland’s most historically significant church- The temptation for some politi- tivism and scepticism so that people energy that does not come from unreliable es, at the site of Bothwell Parish Church... The cians to get on the anti-fracking are cynical about any moral values suppliers in the Middle East. The American moderator of the Church of Scotland has bandwagon is going to be strong. but on the other hand we have wit- economy is already being transformed by announced plans to modernise its Sunday Tim Farron has led the charge. nessed growth of a naive belief that shale gas and we cannot afford to be left schools, with ageing congregations, The Rt Rev Opportunistic MPs are always all kinds of causes must be linked behind. Bianca Jagger may not feel the Lorna Hood said she wanted to see “the right ready to take advantage of nimby- together in one great enterprise effects until there is no power to run her iPad people and the right resources” put in place, to ism to strengthen their chances of which is known as ‘changing the or central heating but jobs are at stake for do more to stop children drifting away from re-election. Simon Hughes has lost world’ or ‘saving the planet’. thousands of workers. Shale gas also offers a church life... no time in siding with those who Ethical questions that have little quick and cheap way to reduce carbon emis- are opposing the Northern tube in common are supported by the sions. line extension, citing all kinds of same people with coffee mornings, Nimbys need to realise that the cost of Next Week’s News worries about subsidence, traffic sponsored bike rides, or even fracking is not great. Land the size of two disruption and overcrowding at protests. O’Donovan does not football pitches and an extra 400 or so lorry Kennington station. Lib Dems in inquire about the roots of this movements is one calculation of the surface The House of Commons return from Recess on Battersea, where the extension is development but it is not hard to disruption caused. Economic and ethical 2 September, and are due to discuss Postal Servic- welcome, will pay for the South- see that people are looking for a arguments for drilling are strong. It remains es in rural areas in their first debate after their wark MP’s opportunism. narrative and a sense of purpose to be seen how the politicians jump. break in Westminster Hall...

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