Putting the INSIDE great into Gatsby E6
THE SUNDAY, MAY 26, 2013 No: 6178 www.churchnewspaper.com PRICE £1.35 1,70j US$2.20 CHURCH OF ENGLAND THE ORIGINAL CHURCH NEWSPAPER ESTABLISHED IN 1828 NEWSPAPER Christianity facing decline CHRISTIANITY IN BRITIAN is evidence that second generation up from 24.8 per cent in 2011. against homosexuality. Most fying as ‘cultural Christians’ declining at a faster rate that had Muslims in Britain are more Mus- Keith Porteous Wood, director of young Catholics despair at their because traditional or inherited previously been thought, accord- lim than their parents’. the National Secular Society, said Church’s attitude to contraception identities were less taken-for- ing to an analysis of the 2011 cen- Christian Research has pro- that the figures showed that and abortion. granted than they used to be. sus figures by the Office of duced analysis suggesting that by young people found Christianity A spokesman for the Church of Drawing attention to the stabili- National Statistics (ONS). 2035 there will be more Muslims unattractive ‘because it lacks rele- England said that if the figures for ty of Church of England atten- The new analysis shows that worshipping in mosques than vance to their lives’. Christians, Muslims and other dance figures, the spokesman Christianity is declining 50 per Christians in churches. They particularly dislike the religions were combined the UK said that ‘the committed worship- cent faster than had been estimat- Nearly a quarter of the popula- church’s failure to treat women remained a ‘faithful nation’. He ping centre of the Church ed. In its initial analysis ONS tion now have no religious faith, equally and its obsessive war said that fewer people were identi- remains firm’. found a 15 per cent decline, but this figure included 1.2 million Christians born overseas. A more detailed analysis also came up with the finding that the majority of Christians are now aged over Faith helps after cyclone 60 (a quarter of them over 65) and that for the first time less than half of young people describe them- selves as Christians. As a result ONS has calculated that in a decade only a minority will describe themselves as Chris- tians. In the 2011 census the fig- ure stood at just under 60 per cent with a total of 33.2 million follow- ers. In contrast the Muslim popula- tion has increased dramatically. The 2011 census put the Muslim population at five per cent of the population, boosted by immigra- tion over the past decade. Half of all Muslims are aged under 25. The median age for Christians is 45, compared to 25 for Muslims. Professor David Coleman, Pro- fessor of Demography at Oxford University, told The Times that while ‘each large age group, as time progresses, receives less Coastal communities in Bangladesh are being helped by Tearfund with preparations to deal with a major storm that hit the coast last week. inculcation into Christianity than Cyclone Mahesen has already made thousands homeless in Sri Lanka and has now hit Bangladesh, in the port of Chittagong. Winds of up its predecessor’ there is ‘some to 60mph brought flooding and property damage. Here, church volunteers are helping those whose homes have been ruined.
LETTERS 8 • PETER MULLEN 9 • COMMENT 9 • CLERGY MOVES 12 • ANGLICAN LIFE 13 •S• UNDAY 15 • PAUL RICHARDSON 16 2 www.churchnewspaper.com Sunday May 26, 2013 News Inside... Britain’ s leading evangelical newspaper Lords bid to protect children from porn
By Amaris Cole
BAroNEss HowE of Idlicote introduced legislation to protect under-18s from adult content online in Parliament last week. News ...... 1-7 The Bill, which is welcomed by internet Your Church ...... 2 safety charities, had its first reading in the UK News ...... 1-4 House of Lords on 14 May. World News ...... 6,7 Baroness Howe said: “If we really care about children then we must not shy away Comment from using the law to protect them online, Letters ...... 8 as we do very properly offline. Leader ...... 9 “It makes no sense that children are pro- Peter Mullen ...... 9 hibited by law from accessing adult content offline but that no parallel regulatory frame- England on Sunday work exists online. If we value children and Fresh Expressions ...... E1 recognise that it is not appropriate for chil- Andrew Carey ...... E2 dren to access adult content offline then the Whispering Gallery ...... E2 same must apply online – and yet, all too Ruth Gledhill ...... E3 often, it doesn’t.” Judy West ...... E3 The online safety Bill has received wide- Christian Aid Week ...... E4 spread support from children’s charities. Tom Wright ...... E5 The Crossbencher life peer said a statuto- Arts & Media ...... E6 ry approach to protecting children for Books ...... E7 unsuitable online content is needed, criticis- Janey Lee Grace ...... E8 ing the Government’s current stance. Crossword ...... E8 “while I recognise that the Government has shown an interest in addressing this The Record challenge, it is far from clear to me that Isaiah ...... 10 their voluntary approach is working or is Classifieds ...... 11 likely to,” she argued. online age verification by law, courtesy of the UK have easy access to sickeningly abu- Clergy Moves ...... 12 “It is interesting to note that, prior to the 2005 Gambling Act. The 2005 Act estab- sive images and content online, from violent Anglican Life ...... 13 2005, children’s charities drew attention to lished a very important precedent that my pornography to websites promoting self- Yad Vashem ...... 14 an increased incidence of children gam- Bill builds on in relation to other adult con- harm. Spiritual Director ...... 15 bling online. The industry agreed that this tent.” “The internet giants are not doing enough Sunday Service ...... 15 was a problem. Very little happened to Dan Boucher, Director of Parliamentary to stem this tide of harmful material so Steve Morris ...... 15 address the problem until the online gam- Affairs from the charity CArE, said: “we greater demands must be made of them by Paul Richardson ...... 16 bling providers were required to introduce are facing the reality that children across Parliament.” People ...... 16 News from Your Church your diocese
Bath & Wells: A charity concert to mark seemed the perfect reason to get everyone will be much to celebrate, together with York: Contemporary pieces of art will sup- the 60th anniversary of HM The Queen’s together again and to hold another one!” some significant challenges as we enhance port the restoration of some of York Min- Coronation will be held at Bath Abbey on Doors open at 7pm. Tickets are now on the church’s outreach.” ster’s medieval stained glass later this saturday 8 June, 7.30pm. Performers sale from Bath Box office priced £12 for month, when the gothic cathedral will host include Bath Young Musician of the Year adults and £6 for children (under 16 years) Sheffield: A small group of young Chris- a week long art exhibition (27 May to 2 2012, tenor horn, oliver sourbut; 17-year- – call 01225 463362. tians from churches in the Diocese of June), followed by the unique opportunity old pianist, Nurry Lee; as well as some of sheffield came together to create a short to purchase all of the pieces on display in a Bath’s best-loved choirs. The ‘Coronation Derby: Men and women who have recent- film about their faith and life, which will Grand Art Auction, taking place on 7 June. Celebration’ concert is being jointly organ- ly been elected to the office of churchwar- have a red-carpet premiere event on 1 Art week will showcase a wide range of ised by choir leader,Grenville Jones, and den in parishes across the Diocese are June. This is the third Young Filmmakers paintings by 21 local artists that have all the Abbey following the success of a simi- being invited to attend one of a series of project since its launch last summer. It con- been donated to help raise money for the lar venture last year, which raised over Archdeacons’ Visitations over the next few tinues to grow and make an impact around York Minster Fund. The works have been £6,000 for local charities. Profits from this weeks. Churchwardens are entrusted with the diocese and has a new-look website at given by amateur and professional artists, year’s event will once again go to six Bath- special responsibilities on behalf of the www.youngfilmmakers.co.uk. The Young including some members of the York Min- based community groups: The Genesis Bishop and are elected to support the cler- Filmmakers week is led by Director of ster staff and worshippers. In total, 50 Trust, Clean slate, Project 28, Bath MIND, gy and laity in various responsibilities Youth Ministries for the Diocese of paintings will be displayed in the North Focus Counselling and off the record: involved the running of a parish. Dr sheffield, Mike North and Christian Aid Transept, to be enjoyed by visitors Young Carers service. Grenville Jones Christopher Cunliffe, Archdeacon of filmmaking intern Thom Flint. Mike North throughout the week. The Grand Art Auc- said: “I am involved in over 20 concerts Derby, said: “Churchwardens have a huge- said: “This is a great chance for young peo- tion starts at 7.30pm with an opportunity to each year but last year’s Diamond Jubilee ly important role in enabling the mission ple to communicate something to the look at the paintings one last time. Tickets concert at the Abbey was exceptional. The and ministry of local churches. These world through film. This project is helping cost £5.00 and are available from York Min- atmosphere was electric, it raised a great annual gatherings are an opportunity to to develop strong friendships and give ster Box office and the welcome desks in deal of money for charity and so many peo- worship together and reflect on matters of young people a real focus and sense of York Minster, or online at www.yorkmin- ple have come up to me to say how much general concern, as well as the formalities achievement. It is a tough but fulfilling ster.org or by telephone on 0844 9390015. they enjoyed it. The Coronation just of the admission of churchwardens. There challenge for them.”
[email protected] facebook.com/churchnewspaper @churchnewspaper News Sunday May 26, 2013 www.churchnewspaper.com 3 NEWS IN BRIEF Church U-turn on Footballing challenge A former premiership footballer, Lin- to football. We need to get back to the voy Primus, is calling on churches to basics. If we are to reach our commu- turn back the clock and do what they nities we must do it with an agenda were doing in 1863 with the church that meets a need in the community. civil partnerships football teams that became famous Our forefathers knew that. We must clubs, including Aston Villa, re-learn it. Southampton and Barnsley. “Even if your church doesn’t have Opening the Christian Resources enough people to form a team you can AS MPS VOTED on the Third Reading on the emonies, the paper recommends a policy of Exhibition International at Sandown still go out to the parks and support same-sex marriage bill the Church of England reasonable accommodation so that registrars Park, Esher, Mr Primus said: “Sport and bless those who are playing. You issued a briefing paper to supplement the brief- with conscientious objections do not have to captivates a huge number of people. could even run a free tea bar for the ing produced for the Second Reading in Febru- perform such ceremonies providing that there Young men, in particular, are drawn players and supporters.” ary. are enough registrars available who are pre- The new briefing paper stresses that the pared to do so. Charity promotes the talent within Church’s opposition is based on the uncertain “We do not believe it would be acceptable for The Anglican charity Us (formerly USPG) is encouraging churches to consequences for the whole of society when marriage registrars who are in post prior to the discover the wealth of skills, talents and resources that reside within marriage is redefined in gender-neutral terms. Bill’s enactment to face disciplinary actions or their congregations, sometimes hidden from view, with the Harvest It acknowledges the Government’s good redundancy (voluntary or involuntary) simply campaign this year – entitled ‘Bring what you have’ – being inspired by intentions in preserving the freedom for each as a result of their conscientious views on mar- a community in the Philippines that has adopted a new approach to faith to reach its own view on same-sex mar- riage.” development. riage and confirms that the ‘quadruple lock’ Claiming that it would introduce further con- Rather than asking for hand-outs from outside the community, the does achieve this aim. It stresses that ‘the fusion about the place of marriage in society, people of Pangao – encouraged by the local church – chose to first look Church of England, whose clergy solemnise the paper backs the Government’s opposition at the gifts and talents already at their disposal, using their skills to around a quarter of all marriages in England, to extending civil partnerships to couples of build their own water system, with plans to now upgrade the plumbing. has not sought or been granted any greater the same sex, a view it says the Archbishop of Floyd Lalwet, Provincial Secretary of the Episcopal Church of the safeguards in substance than those provided Canterbury now supports although he initially Philippines, explained: “The problem with handing out resources is for other churches or faiths’. voiced support for extending civil partnerships that communities can become dependent on external parties, which Amongst its concerns, the briefing paper to heterosexuals. can leave them feeling disempowered. By contrast, this new approach draws attention to a possible clash between the The paper accepts that it will be illogical to encourages a change of attitude – from dependency to self-reliance. It is duty of church schools to teach about the fac- introduce gender-neutral marriage and at the a biblical approach. tual nature of marriage in its new legally same time retain same-sex civil partnerships “Rather than looking for external help every time there is a problem, defined form and their continuing responsibili- and that there could be legal challenge to such people learn that they have hidden talents, strengths and resources. ty to be faithful to their religious ethos. an arrangement. This will cause problems for People say: Maybe we can do this ourselves!” At present the right of religious schools to gay and lesbian Christians who accept Church Now Us wants churches to consider their own riches in connection reflect their beliefs in teaching about marriage teaching on marriage but seek some kind of with needs in their own communities and throughout the world, help- is upheld by guidance issued by the Secretary recognition for their union and so opt for a civil ing churches to do this by producing the ‘Bring what you have’ Harvest of State for Education. The Church of England partnership. pack, containing bible studies, worship resources, fundraising ideas, would like the 1996 Education Act amended to In conclusion the paper states its agreement and more. ensure that any guidance issued by the Secre- with the Government’s opposition to amend- Money donated to Us will support training in this new method of ‘bib- tary of State must take account of the religious ments to the Bill designed to introduce a cele- lical development’. ethos of the school. brant-based system for marriages to enable To order the Us Harvest pack, visit www.weareUs.org.uk/harvest, The paper warns that the Church of England humanists and others to conduct marriages. phone 020 7921 2200 or email [email protected] is also concerned about the action may be This would represent a change from the pres- taken under the Equality Act of 2010 against ent system, which is based on approved civil or Environment focus promoted individuals who continue to uphold a tradition- religious premises. Engaging children with the environment at a young age is critical to their own al view of marriage. It calls for amendments to An opinion poll by YouGov for the Sunday well-being, as well as the well-being of the planet, said two world-class scientists the Act to make clear that expressing tradition- Times showed that 54 per cent of people in at an Earthwatch public lecture last week. al views does not amount to discrimination or Britain support changing the law to allow During Why Emotion Matters to Conservation Science at London’s Royal Geo- harassment. same-sex marriage. Conservatives are more graphical Society, Dr Wallace “J” Nichols and Dr Anastasia Steffen addressed a Addressing the problem of Registrars who equally divided with 45 per cent in favour and 700-strong audience, discussing the importance of fostering love for landscape do not wish to perform same-sex marriage cer- 48 per cent opposed. and oceans. Earthwatch scientist Dr Steffen recognised the importance of “taking every opportunity to get children out into open spaces” to help them “fall in love” with nature, and consequently recognise the need to preserve it. She highlighted her work studying the landscape and historical use of the Valles Caldera in New Call to win more church visitors Mexico.
ENSURING THAT growing course of their lives. She said that there are some UN petition backed numbers and a more diverse Stuart Beattie from the places that are less that wel- A petition to the United Nations has been launched to campaign range of people visit a church ‘Scottish Churches Trust’ told coming to people with disabili- against child poverty, which causes a child to die every five seconds is an important step towards the conference of an initiative ties. This may be due to from starvation. All those who want to help these children are urged securing funds from the Her- that is proving very popular. embarrassment or not know- to sign the campaign, by visiting http://bit.ly/14IxVya itage Lottery Fund, according This is the ‘Pilgrim Journey, a ing what to do to help and to Ian Morrison, who was the network of pilgrim routes that Through the Roof is always Ministry of worker priests celebrated at conference keynote speaker at the His- enables people to visit church- happy to advise and help. toric Churches Liaison Group es and see them as either spir- During the conference Tim The tradition of Worker Priests, start- advance a discussion paper on the Conference held at St Chad’s itual or heritage centres or as Bridges, who has chaired the ed in France after the Second World theme, which is developed further over Roman Catholic Cathedral in both. Historic Churches Liaison War continues strongly around the weekend of “Growth – Austerity”. Birmingham. There is a dedicate Pilgrim Group, handed over to John Europe with people who commit to The conference moves around the Mr Morrison also stressed Journey website and dele- Mills, who chairs the Devon live and work as those who are on the participating countries each year, and the importance of ensuring gates looked at extending the Historic Churches Trust. In lowest rungs of society and the work- this year was organised by CHRISM that the church or heritage idea south of the border. future the group will be force – “to be with” those who are (CHRistians in Secular Ministry), the site is kept in good physical Philippa Woodcraft from the known as Churches Trust marginalised and excluded. UK national association for all those condition. Through the Roof Charity, Forum. The aim of ensuring This year’s International Worker who see their secular employment as He pointed out that increas- who has been blind from that the needs of County and Priest conference was held in London their ministr y, existing “to help our- ing access to churches means birth, said that many places of Local Church Trusts are prop- over the Pentecost weekend, with del- selves and others to celebrate the reaching out to people who do worship still have physical erly represented to decision- egates from Italy, France, Germany, presence of God and the holiness of not call themselves Christians access issues that prevent makers involved in the care Belgium, England, Spain and Catalo- life in our work, and to see and tell the and may never have been in a people with disabilities from and management of places of nia. Each country prepared in Christian story there”. church building before in the getting around the building. worship remains the same.
[email protected] facebook.com/churchnewspaper @churchnewspaper 4 www.churchnewspaper.com Sunday May 26, 2013 News Bishop: Tackle Bishop urged action tax avoidance THE BISHOP of Bath and Wells has questioned how the Government is helping poorer countries crack down on tax avoidance. Bishop Peter Price said research published by Christian on apprenticeships Aid showed that in India companies with links to tax havens paid on average 30 per cent less tax. He said that it indicated they were “shifting profits to secretive, low-tax jurisdictions, many of which have come THE GOvERNMENT should do waste of young talent coming out from er area of the financial world may not under UK rule”. more to tackle the “corrosion” of school through their not being able to produce huge profits but can be prof- At question time in the House of Lords, he asked Gov- youth unemployment, the Bishop of engage in the economy. itable and can enable the 9 million ernment spokeswoman Baroness Northover: “Alongside Birmingham has said. “I encourage the Government to people in this country who do not allocation of direct budget support, how are the Govern- Bishop David Urquhart called for a have even more flexibility in appren- have access to bank accounts to man- ment encouraging poorer countries to have a more effec- more flexible approach to apprentice- ticeship schemes and enabling busi- age their affairs in a way which will tive tax system to ensure that money is kept in the ships to stop the “appalling” waste of nesses to take on more than just one enable them to be contributors rather appropriate place?” talent. person at a time. I recommend proper than dependants. Baroness Northover said Prime Minister David He also called for stronger Govern- devolution of the implementation of “But the Government must deal Cameron and Foreign Secretary William Hague had ment support for credit unions to pre- those schemes through youth con- face-to-face with the appalling busi- “focused very much on this and are emphasising it at the vent people getting into tracts to regions such as ours.” ness of the poverty premium, which G8”. unmanageable debt. Bishop Urquhart called for action to means that the poorest people in the She added: “DfID has a number of programmes assist- In a House of Lords debate on the abolish “the spectre of unmanageable country pay the most for the ordinary ing in the development of the tax collection regimes in Queen’s Speech, he said: “Birming- debt”. goods that we take for granted in our countries in which we work, because we recognise that it ham has published, as I am sure have “I focus on asking the Government houses because they do not have is extremely important that those within developing coun- many other regions, commissions and to support credit unions even more access to finance and have not been tries, whether they are international companies or pros- strategies to deal with the appalling strongly,” he said. “That quieter, soft- able to save.” pering citizens, contribute to the country’s development.” Bishop calls Bishop demands commitment on aid THE BISHOP of Ripon and when the business managers Leeds has criticised the Gov- can find time for it. ernment for not bringing for- But he said the promise ward legislation to enshrine was “beginning to look some- for Syria the country’s commitment to what thin unless it is now spend 0.7 per cent of national accompanied by action”. income on international aid. Bishop Packer also warned Bishop John Packer said that aid should not be arms he was “disturbed” by the “extended to military action”, absence of the target from and called for the Govern- the Queen’s Speech. ment to commit to the “We still lack any informa- “OECD requirement that aid tion on the intention to is judged as such only when embargo embed this in law,” he said in it is administered with the the House of Lords. promotion of the economic THE INTERNATIONAL community should try to con- “That commitment repre- development and welfare of tain the crisis in Syria by limiting the flow of arms into sents our concern for the developing countries as its the country, the Bishop of Bath and Wells has said. poorest people in our world main objective”. Bishop Peter Price’s comments came amid calls and is an important part of Responding to the debate, from Britain for the arms embargo to be relaxed in an the determination of the still- defence minister Lord Astor attempt to support the rebels. wealthy nations to continue of Hever said the Govern- But Bishop Price said the conflict in the country had their support of those in ment had made the UK the a “growing sectarian nature”. most need. first country in the G8 to “In the absence of a political solution, the interna- “There have been various meet the 0.7 per cent target tional community needs to contain the crisis by limit- assurances over the past 12 and remained fully commit- ing the flow of arms to Syria and by strengthening the months that a Bill incorporat- ted to it. He assured peers capacity of neighbouring countries to provide for the ing the 0.7 per cent commit- that “only aid which con- welfare of refugees,” Bishop Price said in the House of ment is written and ready to forms to OECD rules” count- Lords. be presented to Parliament ed as part of it. “I regret the ongoing intention to seek an amend- ment to EU sanctions in relation to arms for Syria because if the Americans and Russians are successful in convening a peace conference, is such a strategy over arms provision the wisest thing we could be doing? “The recent intervention in Libya offers evidence ‘It’s time for RE review’ that the provision of arms without due attention being paid to the potential decommissioning thereof ought to leave us with some anxiety. Providing arms in this THE BISHOP of Winchester has used his maiden speech in arrangements for RE in a parallel process to developing the increasingly fragmented conflict makes any strategy the House of Lords to review religious education in con- national curriculum. The direction of travel in exam reform for decommissioning arms, post conflict, very difficult. junction with a review of the national curriculum. is welcome. The Church of England Board of Education “Further, much as we hope and pray that a peace Bishop Tim Dakin took his seat in the Lords in March last stands ready to be fully involved in the revision of the RE plan emerges from the diplomatic process, history year, but only spoke for the first time last week. GCSE and any new A-level in theology.” suggests that such plans have durability only if the During debate on the Queen’s Speech, he said: “The All- He paid tribute to his predecessor as Bishop of Winches- plan is owned locally and championed internationally. Party Parliamentary Group for Education has very recently ter, Michael Scott-Joynt, for his “values-based advocacy “Rather than seeking the lifting of sanctions on the reported that apparently unconnected changes to qualifica- across a range of issues”. supply of arms, could the Government consider how tions, assessment and teacher education have had a nega- “He remains much the same in retirement, although his their role might contribute to being a custodian of any tive impact on religious education. activities have been restricted by a nasty stroke, from which settlement?” “I urge the Department for Education to review the he is making a steady recovery,” Bishop Dakin added.
[email protected] facebook.com/churchnewspaper @churchnewspaper News Sunday May 26, 2013 www.churchnewspaper.com 5 Casino chaplains praised By Amaris Cole to socialise outside of work and keep in touch with friends including providing chaplaincy to a wide range of organi- who are not colleagues. sations within the private, not-for-profit and public sectors. CHAPLAINCy IN Casinos is being praised as a result of a However, the venue’s success as both a casino and in For more than four years – at the invitation of The Rank recent survey into the effect this part of the industry has terms of Luton’s economy, were noted. Group, which owns the Luton casino – Jenny has been fol- on gambling addiction. The Rev Jenny Spouge, chaplain to the Casino in Luton, lowing the principles of WM, providing expertise in pas- The report raised concerns about young people’s vul- said: “While working in a casino – especially one that’s toral and spiritual care in the workplace to anyone, nerability to gambling addiction by participating in casino open 24 hours a day – provides a number of challenges for regardless of faith or gender. gambling. the staff, they also have to cope with all the other pres- WM’s Chairman, Alan Harpham, said: “I believe the The Southlands Methodist Trust commissioned the sures and problems that affect anyone in the workplace. chaplaincy’s basic principle is to provide an independent research, conducted by Dr Guy Bohane and Professor This includes relationship and family issues, along with and confidential ‘listening ear’, encouragement and mutual yvonne Guerrier of the University of Roehampton Busi- money worries and coping with ‘officialdom’. support to all. ness School, looking at the social impacts of casino gam- “It’s a privilege to be able to offer words of advice and “Some people are now at least two generations from hav- bling following the Gambling Act 2005. comfort, as well as more practical help to these people as ing any first-hand church experience. A regular encounter The study highlighted a worry for those who work in the they experience the ups and downs of life,” she added with a WM chaplain may be their only experience of business, too, with the impact of unsociable shifts, Jenny is looking for more volunteer chaplains to work a ‘church’ and the care Christians try to provide.” work/life balance and the ‘normalising of gambling over couple of hours a week to provide more cover for the 24/7 extended periods’. Casino. For more details of the opportunities at Luton and other The research was based on Luton Casino, with staff here Workplace Matters is a charity that has over 50 years establishments, contact Workplace Matters on 01727 explaining that 24-hour opening made it difficult for them experience of taking Christian values into the workplace, 818144. Lectionary best-seller Tutu collects award A CHURCH OF ENGLAND publication is proving to be a best-seller. According to figures published in The Bookseller maga- By Amaris Cole zine, the ‘Common Worship Lectionary’ was number 7 in the list of Top 20 religious THE FORMER Archbishop of titles. Cape Town, Desmond Tutu, was If sales are combined with those of the presented with the 2013 Temple- SPCK ‘Lectionary for 2012’ the resource ton Prize at a ceremony in Lon- rises to the number 3 position. This means don’s Guildhall on Tuesday. the ‘Lectionary’ is a best-seller in high Dignitaries from across the street bookstores. Anglican Church attended the The popularity of the ‘Lectionary’ has led prestigious event, along with to the development of an app with an initial leaders of other faiths, Ambassa- version available for the iPad only. It has dors and High Commissioners, already been downloaded more than 5,000 members of both Houses of Par- times since it was initially launched in Feb- liament and distinguished indi- ruary, 2013. viduals from charities and The Bishop of Wakefield, the Rt Rev Stephen Platten, who is chair of campaigning groups for Africa. the Liturgical Commission, said: “The popularity of the new app, and the The prize of £1.1 million was fact that the Lectionary continues to sell so well in printed form, shows awarded in recognition of the how regular Bible reading lies at the heart of the lives of so many people.” archbishop’s lifelong work in advancing spiritual principles of love and forgiveness, which have helped liberate people around ,KP P&JFPJ, :&M,$?'M &>&N) the world. The award was presented by EH .LCL$1? [email protected]/churchnewspaper @churchnewspaper 6 www.churchnewspaper.com Sunday May 26, 2013 News Contradictory rulings in US Episcopal property cases By George Conger decision is expected this summer. on 1 May 2013 Judge Kim Dunning of and has twice been to the Supreme Court A decision is also expected in federal the orange County Superior Court in in Sacramento. A decision on whether to court in South Carolina on the Episcopal Southern California held that the Bishop of appeal this ruling has not yet been made by tHE EPISCoPAL Church’s legal battles Diocese of South Carolina. After suffering Los Angeles had no authority to give the the parish leadership. over property spawned a number of contra- a major setback in the state court, attor- parish of St James in newport Beach a writ- the Virginia Supreme Court in the Falls dictory rulings and judgments over the neys for the national Church filed a motion ten waiver exempting the congregation’s Church v. Protestant Episcopal Church past few weeks. to remove the case to the federal courts, property from the reach of the Dennis (uSA), affirmed a lower court ruling A Superior Court in Southern California arguing that issues of trademark law and Canon. awarding all of the real and personal prop- has ordered a breakaway parish to turn church/state law should be litigated in that She ordered the parish to hand over its erty of what had been the largest parish in over its property to the diocese of Los venue. $17 million property to the diocese, finding the Diocese of Virginia to the diocese. Angeles; the Virginia Supreme Court hand- on 25 April the Fresno Superior Court in the national Church’s rules governing However it ordered that funds raised by ed down a mixed ruling allowing a break- California affirmed its 6 March ruling parish property took precedence over civil the parish after it had broken with the dio- away parish to keep its cash but not its denying summary judgment to the Episco- property and trust laws. cese belong to the parish. property; while the northern California pal Church in its lawsuit against the dio- She dismissed as non-binding a 1991 let- In her decision Justice Cleo Powell held Superior Court has rejected the claim that cese of San Joaquin. Judge Jeffrey ter signed by the then Canon to the ordi- that a “fiduciary relationship” existed as a matter of law a diocese may not with- Hamilton said there were disputed issues nary D Bruce MacPherson, later to between the Falls Church and the national draw from the Episcopal Church without of fact to be resolved in deciding whether become the Bishop of Western Louisiana, Church. the parish could not acquire an permission of the General Convention. the diocese acted lawfully when its Synod on behalf of Bishop Frederick Borsch that interest in its own property that was A decision is also expected shortly in the voted in December 2007 to withdraw from released the diocese’s claim to the proper- adverse to the national Church, she Fort Worth case from the texas Supreme the Episcopal Church. ty. argued, even though the title deeds did not Court. the justices are expected to rule relying upon the neutral principles of However, this waiver did not amend the reflect any trust relationship between the this month whether the Diocese of Fort law doctrine to adjudicate the issue judge parish bylaws and diocesan canons and parties. Worth under Bishop Jack Iker may with- Hamilton held the Episcopal Church had even if it did, “the Bishop of the Diocese Last week the Falls Church stated they draw from the Episcopal Church. failed to show that is a matter of law the did not, and does not, have authority to would request a rehearing of their case, Following three weeks of court proceed- Constitution and canons of the national amend any of these instruments,” the noting Judge Powell had erred in deciding ings in Illinois, the case of the Diocese of Episcopal Church forbad the unilateral judge ruled. the case on the basis of a fiduciary relation- Quincy v the Episcopal Church has been withdrawal of the diocese from the national the St James newport Beach case has ship, noting the issue had not been before placed before a judge for adjudication. A church. been in the California courts since 2004 the court. Row over Dambusters given Service death of of Commemoration Nobel winner A tuG-oF-WAr over the body and repu- tation of nobel laureate Chinua Achebe is LInCoLn CAtHEDrAL played host last underway in nigeria. week to a Service of Commemoration and the Punch newspaper reports the thanksgiving for 617 Squadron, the Church of nigeria has decline to turn “Dambusters”, on the 70th anniversary of over the remains of the author of things the squadron’s raid on the ruhr valley Fall Apart — the most widely read book dams in Germany. in modern African literature — to the on the night of 16–17 May, 1943, 617 tribal leaders of the ogidi community in Squadron was led by Wing Commander Anambra State in the niger Delta for bur- Guy Gibson, using a specially developed ial. “bouncing bomb” invented by Barnes the body of Prof Achebe, who died on Wallis. they 21 March in the united States, is to be attacked and buried on 23 May in ogidi. President destroyed the Goodluck Jonathan and other nigerian Möhne and Edersee leaders are expected to attend the cere- Dams. the flooding mony at St Philip’s Anglican Church. of the ruhr Valley However Chief S okoli, the regent of submerged factories ogidi, said that as Prof Achebe was a and mines, signifi- “titled man” he would be buried accord- cantly impacting the ing to Igbo customs, his body lying in German war effort. state in a yam barn attended by “daugh- A congregation of ters of the clan” and buried at midnight. approximately 1,500, However the novelist’s family said Prof including 617 Achebe was a devout Christian and Squadron veterans would have preferred a church burial. Les Munro and nor would his wife be required to per- Johnny Johnson, form the tribal rituals for widows at the remembered in prayer the men of the squadron. time of the death of her husband, the nov- the Dean of Lincoln, the Very rev Philip Buckler, in his opening elist’s niece Mrs ngozi Ezedum told prayer said: “We remember all who have served and still serve in that Punch. the Church of nigeria had abol- Squadron. We honour all who fight in the service of freedom.” He went ished the “widowhood rites because they on to add: “today we especially pray for the royal Air Force and all those were repugnant to good conscience” she who continue to work, often in immense danger, for justice and peace.” said, adding her aunt would not be In his sermon the rAF Chaplain-in-Chief, the Ven ray Pentland said the memory of 617 Squadron “stands to challenge our standards, required to shave her head, drink the our values of history.” water used to bathe her husband’s Laying the squadron’s standard on the cathedral’s altar he said: “Here then encapsulated in this material is the story of those who corpse, sit on the floor and sleep in the have gone before. It is their story but it is also your story; it is the Squadron’s heritage. those who serve today tread in the footsteps of same room with the body until the funer- those we remember, celebrate and commemorate this day.” al. reading from the Funeral oration of Pericles, Squadron Leader Duncan Mason, told the congregation: “remember that posterity can “She will not even wear any mourning only be for the free; that freedom is the sure possession of those alone who have the courage to defend it.” clothes black or white. the Anglican At the conclusion of the service, two tornadoes from 617 Squadron over flew the cathedral followed moments later by a lone Lan- Church doesn’t want that anymore,” Mrs caster bomber in honour of their comrades’ sacrifices. Ezedum said. [email protected] facebook.com/churchnewspaper @churchnewspaper News Sunday May 26, 2013 www.churchnewspaper.com 7 Singapore priest to be Bolivia bishop Priest suspended A MISSIOnAryfrom the dio- Spanish speaking Anglican cese of Singapore has been con- world. secrated as Bishop of Bolivia. A Singaporean tamil, Bishop Last week’s consecration of Samuel entered the Singapore for plagiarism Archdeacon raphael Samuel at navy in 1974 after completing Cristo Luz del Mundo church in his education. though brought tHE DIOCESE of Massachusetts them verbatim, in print and online, Claiming credit for others’ work Santa Cruz marks the first time up a Christian, in 1980 he under- has suspended a parish priest for as his own, but he had been doing is not confined to American clergy. an Asian missionary has been went a conversion experience allegedly plagiarizing sermons, so for many years,” the bishop In February the South China consecrated for the Church in and left the navy to study for taking them from the internet and said. Morning Post four priests on the South America, highlighting the the ministry at trinity College then passing them off to his con- Mr McGinn has been accused of staff of St John’s Cathedral in changing relationships within Singapore. gregation as his own work. publishing 15 sermons taken from Hong Kong were accused of tak- the Anglican Communion. After serving in the parish In a 9 May 2013 letter to the a book called “Dynamic Preach- ing their sermons from the Inter- On 12 May the Presiding ministry in 1991 he responded members of St John’s Episcopal ing” on the parish website, but net and offering them to the Bishop of the Southern Cone of to a call to serve as a missionary Church in Sandwich, Mass., Bish- identified as his own work. congregation as their own work. the Americas, the rt rev tito from the South American Mis- op thomas Shaw stated he had “He admits to having done so,” Dean Matthias Der told the Post Zavala consecrated Archdeacon sion Society and with his wife placed the rev John McGinn on the bishop said, noting: “this is a he was surprised to learn of the Samuel as Bishop in succession and son Elijah were appointed administrative leave. serious breach of the pastoral rela- plagiarism. to the rt rev Frank Lyons, who as missionaries in Bolivia. the Bishop reported that he had tionship between John and each of “I had heard of it before, but I last year was translated as assis- Bishop Samuel has served as been alerted to the alleged plagia- you, the congregation of St John’s. had never met anyone who had tant bishop of the Diocese of pastor of the congregation in rism last year but had accepted Mr “I am sorry that this matter has done it,” he said, noting it called Pittsburgh in the ACnA. Santa Cruz, and as Archdeacon McGinn’s apology that this had caused pain and will likely cause into question a priest’s honesty. the election of Archdeacon of the diocese, helping the Boli- been an isolated incident. further pain in the parish. As diffi- “If we borrow, we need to attrib- raphael Samuel as the Bishop vian church acquire diocesan However: “We investigated fur- cult as this situation is, we know ute and that is the part they didn’t of Bolivia represents a land- status, raise lay leaders and ther and have documentation that that truth-telling helps to bring do,” he said. “It’s an unfortunate mark in church missions in that training local clergy to assume not only did he continue to copy about healing, and our renewal fol- issue and it’s not something I con- he is the first Asian missionary the leadership of the congrega- sermons and preach and publish lows repentance.” done or support. to be consecrated bishop in the tions. Australian bishop resigns Priest jailed for over child protection failings sexual abuse in An AuStrALIAn Bishop has resigned after an inter- with information that could have assisted ongoing Chichester diocese nal review found he had failed to conform to the internal and Police investigations. All information has Church’s child protection and abuse reporting guide- now been provided to the Professional Standards lines. Director, who is currently liaising with the Police to A rEtIrED Diocese of Chichester clergyman has been found On 17 May Bishop Keith Slater of the Diocese of ensure that all relevant information has been provided guilty by a jury at Lewes Crown Court of 36 counts of sexual Grafton announced he was stepping down for having to them,” he said. abuse committed against 16 young girls and boys in their early mishandled abuse allegations brought to his attention On 10 May, Archbishop Phillip Aspinall and the gen- teens over an 11-year period between 1962 and 1973. by former residents at the north Coast Children’s eral secretary of the Anglican Church of Australia, On 20 May 2013 the jury found Canon Gordon rideout (74) Home in Lismore nSW. Martin Drevikovsky, met with Bishop Slater and guilty on 31 incidents of abuse at the Barnardo’s children’s home “the abuse took place over a number of decades urged him to consider the consequences of his — Ifield Hall in Crawley, West Sussex — and one in Barkingside, (1940s to 1980s). the alleged perpetrators included actions. Essex between 1962 and 1968, and four indecent assaults at the staff at the Home, visiting clergy, members of holiday “I put it to him that if there was substantial truth in Middle Wallop army base in Hampshire between 1971 and 1973 host families and other residents,” he said. the report then I believed that he needed to consider where he served as a chaplain. Bishop Slater said that in 2007 the diocese settled 39 whether it was tenable for him to continue as bishop,” A charge of having molested a five-year-old girl in Crawley was claims of abuse and paid up to $22,000 to each of the Archbishop Aspinall told Australia’s Daily telegraph. dismissed. victims. the names of two clergy still living that were “I told him to go away, pray and take whatever the court sentenced Canon rideout to a 10-year term of impris- alleged to have engaged in the misconduct were advice he wanted,” onment. also turned over to the police. the archbishop “Gordon rideout has been the cause of immeasurable and After the settlement had been reached the said. destructive suffering over a long period of time; he has also additional victims came forward, some contacting betrayed the trust and respect of many who have valued his min- Bishop Slater directly. under a 2004 protocol istry. today’s verdict will have repercussions in many different adopted by the diocese all allegations of sexual ways across Sussex and beyond,” the Bishop of Chichester Mar- abuse were to be reported to the professional stan- tin Warner said. dards director. Bishop Slater is accused of ignor- the bishop said: “Our primary concern today is with the people ing some of these complaints. who have had to live for a very long time with the consequences “I acknowledge that I was responsible for ensur- of the shameful abuse they suffered from Gordon rideout.” ing full compliance with the Protocol and that I “We should pay tribute to those who, at considerable personal failed in this duty. Some matters detailing sexual and emotional cost, have been able to come forward, to provide abuse at the north Coast Children’s Home evidence, and to substantiate accusations as witnesses in the trial were not referred to the Professional which has led to a guilty verdict.” Standards Director as they should the bishop thanked the Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser, Colin have been,” the bishop wrote. Perkins, and the police for their work on the case. But he lament- “I apologise to those com- ed the diocese’s failure to act sooner. plainants who were not given “We are left with the question of why it has taken so long for access to the Professional these grave accusations to be taken seriously and brought to trial. Standards Director. I also What lessons do we all have to learn from this terrible catalogue acknowledge that, by not of abuse about the strength and effectiveness of our communica- referring these matters, the tion within and between agencies that have responsibility for the Professional Standards safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults?”, the bishop Director was not provided Bishop Keith Slater asked. [email protected] facebook.com/churchnewspaper @churchnewspaper 8 www.churchnewspaper.com Sunday May 26, 2013 Letters THE OF CHURCH ENGLANDNEWSPAPER Write to The Church of England Newspaper, 14 Great College Street, Westminster, London, SW1P 3RX. or you can send an E-mail to [email protected]. Tweet at @churchnewspaper If you are sending letters by e-mail, please include a street address NB: Letters may be edited Assisted dying Boosting entrepreunership Sir, It was reported that a new survey by YouGov shows that 70 per cent of Angli- Sir, Your front page (19 May) congratulates those working on “Church in new business cans and 56 per cent of Roman Catholics boost”. are in favour of assisted dying for the ter- This is a good news story, based on encouraging young entrepreneurs with ideas for Your Tweets minally ill. Most other main denominations creating growth and jobs to develop and establish new businesses. But it occurs to me were also in favour. that there is an application of spreading the advantages of the entrepreneurial spirit to I’m a Christian and I believe in a compas- training clergy in their post-ordination period, and at the start of their first incumbency. Michael Sadgrove @Sadgrovem sionate God who never intended humans What I am sensing is the recognition that church growth generally flows from lead- @BishopSherborne @c_of_e to suffer the debilitating long-drawn out ers with vision being equipped to have the practical skills for working entrepreneurial- Parishes cd consider leasing space deaths from cancer and degenerative dis- ly with certain desirable business skills. to osteopaths to give new meaning eases - many of which are caused by mod- What is needed is the recognition that these skills can come from tapping into short (& income) to Back to Church ern life. Many people would enjoy their courses, appropriate mentoring and specific support from cathedral and church net- Sunday. lives more if they didn’t have the concern works. First lesson: the network counts, and second lesson: how to open doors when that they might have a painful death and potential backers perceive that the commitment and vision is present; and third lesson: Archbishop Cranmer loss of dignity at the end of life. that the plans are worked up, robust and convincing. @His_Grace It is admitted that hospitals often don’t This is wider than fund raising, and would certainly include more about creating jobs Gay marriage brings gay have the expertise of pain relief that hos- in parish based, or parish aligned mission in their local communities. supremacy; not equality pices do, but there are not enough hos- I have been attracted by the stories of micro-enterprise, which in the UK parish con- bit.ly/YU5htq pices for everyone who needs them and text often comes down to support for creating (lay) jobs for effective development. not everyone wants to go into one. No one Clergy, especially fresh expressions/ church planters can be strong here, but I wonder Jill Armstead @radicalj should be forced to have an assisted death if there has been enough “boost” to training clergy and PCCs, and Diocesan networks, @PeterOuld Civil partnerships for if they don’t want one, but equally many to think micro-loans and micro-social enterprise for “faith” in enterprise. all not wanted because of tax costs to people think it is wrong to deny this option Dr Phillip Rice, gov if all cohabitees got hitched? to a terminally ill patient in unbearable Professional economist, London, E9 Hypocrisy/farcical or what? pain, if this is their choice. Doctors intervene in other life and death @DioceseNorwich situations – creating IVF babies & perform- Sparks. They would, I think, see the so- details as a divine mystery (again using the If your church is thinking of ing heart transplants, so why shouldn’t called “contradictions” more clearly. The correct meaning of that word in a faith con- celebrating the 60th anniversary of they intervene at the end of life, if a patient two accounts of Judas Iscariot’s death can- text). We have to bear in mind the fact that the Queen’s coronation check out requests this? not be so easily reconciled. There certainly the story as we have it is the putting into some new resources ow.ly/l5Oiq Early Victorian Christians believed that are two different instructions about the words of concepts which are no longer part pain relief in childbirth was a sin against Passover meal - Deuteronomy 16:7 “boil”, of our understanding of the world God cre- Chris Deerin @chrisdeerin God - but now Christians welcome this pain Exodus 12:8 “roast”. In my previous letter, ated - for example, the idea that a child has Cameron’s started an angry, relief! on the purchase of land by David there is a only one (male) parent who contributes to antagonistic & intensifying public Perhaps we need to create laws that wrong reference. Compare I Chronicles his or her physical and mental being, the row between the Tories’ traditional allow death to be the intimate, considered 21:25 with II Samuel 24:24 mother being merely the non-contributing and modernising wings. To what & gentle experience it should be. Colin Craston, incubator of the man’s seed - in order to end? Name and address supplied Bolton convey the experience of a vision. People who have had such an experience will usu- Mark Russell @markrusselluk ally try to explain that no actual words Jeremy Hunt says the Tories are Inerrancy Liberal values were involved, but an unlooked-for under- united on Europe. They are. United Sir, I was expecting some objections to my Sir, I do try not to rise to Peter Mullen’s standing made up of all the senses merging in opposing their leader! letter concerning the idea of total inerran- more exaggeratedly provocative phrases, into one awareness. cy of Scripture. The dispute has been going but maybe the time has come to ask that he This same approach applies to the Resur- Lambeth Palace @lambethpalace on for over a hundred years. The idea was (and some of your other correspondents) rection, the Ascension and many of the “God is in the giving business”. raised by Warfield and Hodge in America give a little more thought to what certain miracles. While it is quite possible to Watch @ABCJustin on Pentecost in the late 19th century. But, as the evan- words actually mean, rather than throwing declare one’s belief in a word-for-word bit.ly/10DizuH What does gelical historian Mark A Noll, says in The them around indiscriminately as terms of account of all these events without perceiv- #Pentecost mean to you? rise of Evangelicalism, this “idea has been ill-defined abuse. ing their significance, it requires at least as around a long time but (it) never carried By now, you have probably guessed that much faith to read them as St John intends Robb Sutherland such a central role for any Christian move- it is the use of Liberal that has caused irri- as “signs” which help us to discern the way @changingworship ment”. tation again this week. as in, “....Ascension in our pilgrimage through life. This morning I made a mess of the In this country two evangelical theolo- is the last word in the But-that-you-can’t- Liberal means generous, open, abundant altar by exploding popcorn all over gians, James Orr and James Denney repu- believe repertoire of the liberal - that is and is associated with growth –not “any- it. #Pentecost @frsimon diated Warfield and Hodge. Denny said: non-believing - modern Christians.” thing goes, permissive, do-as-you-please”. “The infallibility of Scripture is not a verbal It is ill informed to label non-believers as A liberal approach to the faith and to scrip- John Inge @BishopWorcester inerrancy or historical accuracy but an liberal - people who can be recognized by ture is therefore one that allows God to Great Pentecost confirmation at St infallibility of power to save. For a mere what they don’t believe rather than what work on our imaginations and for believers John, Dudley Wood, in the Black verbal infallibility I care not one straw. It is they do. The difference between a liberal to share their insights with one another, Country: party poppers and balloons worth nothing to me, if it were there, and it and a more literally minded Christian lies helping those who, in our age especially, to celebrate the Church’s birthday. is not”. largely in the nature of their belief and the find metaphors, symbols, poetry and even Howard Marshall as Editor of The New significance of the matter concerned. In parables, hard to comprehend. @JohnSentamu Testament Introduction (1977) says “we general, one might say that liberal Chris- One thing that Liberals do firmly believe Remember that the Holy Spirit have written as Conservative Evangeli- tians have no difficulty in believing in, for is that it is not doubt that is the enemy of moves everywhere and you can’t cals... God has not given us a Bible with example, the Incarnation, but are unwilling faith but certainty, which although prone to control it. Let your balloon go and let guaranteed text.“ to commit themselves to the exact details human error, makes faith irrelevant. I the Holy Spirit lead! Many other evangelical scholars since of the virginal conception. Belief that God would therefore ask Peter Mullen to look have backed up the anti-Warfield/Hodge became a human being does not necessari- for another more accurate term of abuse for Steven Croft @Steven_Croft position including Professor Anthony This- ly entail claiming to know how God effect- those with whom he disagrees or has no The Diocese of Sheffield is 99 years elton, a world-renowned Biblical inter- ed his presence in the person of Jesus of patience - but one which is printable in The old today! The countdown to our preter. As PT Forsyth said, “the Bible is Nazareth. Church of England Newspaper, of course. centenary begins...... infallible as a Gospel requires”. From a liberal point of view, everyone is Mrs Mary P Roe, I wish Jack Davis and Alan Machin at liberty to understand the story of the Bicester, Oxon follow us would actually read the book by Kenton annunciation quite literally or to leave the @churchnewspaper on Twitter [email protected] facebook.com/churchnewspaper @churchnewspaper Tom Wright interviewed, E5 SUNDAY, MAY 26, 2013 Bishop Graham Cray, Archbishops’ Missioner and leader of the Fresh Expressions team, looks at discipleship… Shaping disciples in he ultimate test of any local church’s ministry, whether in ‘inherited’ mode or a fresh expression, is ‘what sorts of disciples are being made?’ To what extent is that Texpression of church shaping people to be like Jesus? How effectively does it help those who belong to it to live their daily lives as Jesus would live his life? Are they a com- fresh expressions munity whose life together shows the wider community a better way of living? At the heart of the fresh expressions’ praxis is discernment, listening to God in context, learning later stage. If the fresh expression has devel- how to engage with local issues, serving appropri- oped from listening to serving to forming ately and planting a new indigenous community community, then you have a community rather than cloning from another context. before you have a worship event. If fresh Accordingly, Christian discipleship must take expressions of church are going to equip local shape. new Christians for whole-life discipleship, Those who are moving into a new context know then these new communities of faith have to that they need to follow this process because they be more than a Sunday or weekday event. are aware that they don’t know their new communi- Context will shape your precise planning but ty, but those who are planting a fresh expression in there are all sorts of patterns of smaller meet- their own well-loved home community need to fol- ings that could help. You might consider: low it as well. Many of our assumptions about local * Regular cells community prove to be misleading once we have * Prayer triplets done some prayerful listening. * A Messy Church, or other all-age approach, But how do you get started? The key is to identi- can develop materials for ‘church in the fy the issues that most concern those you are wish- home’ ing or trying to serve while, at the same time, * Occasional courses – on anything from par- prayerfully ‘reading’ the local context to identify enting to self-worth – give people the oppor- the bigger issues which the gospel needs to tunity to have time together. As long as the address. This should not be a negative exercise; content is relevant it really doesn’t matter you are not looking for things to condemn. Often what the topic is because it all creates an you will be looking for healthy longings and aspi- opportunity to build relationships rations, things that are causes for hope. * A locally appropriate rule or rhythm of life, It is this listening and looking which is vital. built around the issues, habits or Christian Once the key local issues, or the primary issues practices most pertinent but most challeng- for the network you are creating or engaging have ing in that context. This can easily be sup- been identified, it is not hard to work relationally ported by daily texts or emails. Social media towards a local light touch rule of life - focusing allows us to support one another when our the community and worship life of a fresh expres- community is dispersed and keep us in sion around these first priorities in partnership touch until the next time we gather. with local people. * Getting together in occasional gatherings I recommend two prayer-soaked approaches: of whatever shape and size offer a starting * Conversation. You need to build relationships so point, not the destination because the ask people about their community, their pressures essence of Church is it being a community. The chief Biblical metaphors are corporate: the body of Christ, the family or household of God, the people of God, and so on. It’s worth remembering that the term ‘one another’ appears more than 50 times - prima- rily in Paul’s letters and John’s gospel or let- ters. All of this leads us to ask how the partici- and their aspirations as a way of get- pants in a fresh expression can grow together as a community in order to develop personal- ting to know them. Test out how ly and communally in discipleship. Remember too that such discipleship must be ‘glocal’ – your understanding of the gospel both global and local: translates in ways that make sense Global - recognisable as an embodiment of the historic Christian faith as it is lived across to them the world. All Christians are to live the Ten Commandments and the Sermon on the Mount * ‘Participant observation’. This has and our faith must engage with the shared features of Western culture. Consumerism a greater degree of analysis, a more shapes our lives in the UK so we need to engage with it wherever we are detached and intentional approach, Local or contextual - because the gospel is not detached from ordinary life but is the which tries to identify the main fea- power of God to transform local living. tures of a culture by trying to get an And finally, here are a couple of ‘health’ warnings. We are seeking to grow warm commu- insiders’ view of it. It is a way of nities that are easy to join so don’t let the depth of existing relationships act as a wall that looking for shared patterns of keeps new people on the outside. We are to grow together as we grow in numbers. behaviour, not just knowledge of Pay more attention to how people live than what they claim to believe or disbelieve. Chris- particular people. tian character is as important as doctrinal belief and our logic about the way in which the Holy Spirit should engage with a person - or a community’s life - is not necessarily the same Set out to create community from as the way the Holy Spirit will choose to work. Once again we need to see what God is doing the very beginning rather than at a and join in! • ANDREW CAREY E2 • RUTH GLEDHILL E3 • ARTS AND MEDIA E6 •B• OOKS E7 • CROSSWORD E8 • JANEY LEE GRACE E8 E2 www.englandonsunday.com Sunday May 26, 2013 support of some long-suffering Conservative Make no mistake, the alleged remarks and activists but will not be trusted by all oppo- the dismissive attitude of this senior Tory fig- nents, some of whom have already trans- ure represents a widespread metropolitan ferred their allegiance to UKIP. and elitist snobbery to all those who don’t The Prime Minister’s problems were com- accept the politically correct wisdom of the AndrewCarey: pounded by reports that a senior figure had day. Those of us who oppose gay marriage described the Conservative Party’s grass- are regarded by many of our elected repre- roots supporters as ‘swivel-eyed loons’. The sentatives as ‘swivel-eyed loons’, as well as trouble for Mr Cameron is that there is no homophobes and bigots. ViewfromthePew credible dismissal of such an insult because In the face of such arrogance there seems this attitude is all of a piece with a general little hope for courteous and intelligent disdain and insulting tone towards any dis- debate. sent. Gay marriage headaches Coronation and hospitality A report in the Telegraph suggests there will be controversy over the next Coronation serv- ice in which it is proposed that other faiths are represented (‘A Coronation for our times’, here were intriguing developments tion to confront the government with its Sunday Telegraph, 19 May). over the weekend in both the arith- deficiencies. The writer, Cole Moreton, is right in that the participation of other faith leaders is a break Tmetic of gay marriage and the impli- There were signs that the government with tradition but it is unlikely that there will be any great opposition to the sort of ‘hospitable’ cations of the change. might seize the opportunity of a defeat to approach that is apparently being proposed. It has long been recognised that since the 1953 The so-called wrecking amendment by shelve plans for gay marriage, which have Coronation there is a much greater presence of worshippers of other faiths, in addition to one of the Bill’s chief opponents, Tim proved disastrous to its membership Christianity. Furthermore, the ecumenical climate amongst the churches has also changed Loughton, the former children’s minister, numbers. Yet given the personal invest- greatly. It is impossible to imagine that the leaders of other denominations will not now play a seeks to open up civil partnerships to ment of the Prime Minister in these pro- role. opposite-sex couples. Loughton is playing posals, any cowardice in the face of fire Yet, a multi-faith service in which syncretistic worship takes place in which other faiths are on one of the most glaring inequalities will probably destroy his reputation forev- put on a par with Christianity is not at stake. Cole Moreton acknowledges: “There is no ques- that the Bill opens up – the prospect of er. The government claims that opening tion of a multi-faith service in which all gods are considered equal. The sacred central acts of gay couples having access to both mar- up civil partnerships will have cost impli- the coronation must remain intake, and the service entirely Christian – but within that frame- riage and civil partnerships when hetero- cations that need to be consulted upon work it should be possible to ‘recognise’ other faiths, perhaps by allowing their representa- sexuals can only avail themselves of one. and could lead to the postponement of the tives to take part in symbolic acts, such as the lighting of candles.” He has taken advantage of both the Bill beyond the next General Election. I cannot foresee any significant opposition within the churches towards a sensible and botched and rushed nature of the legisla- Such a postponement might buy the respectful participation of other faiths in a future Coronation Service. Health hazard in No more humour church? There was a time when Bishops and other luminaries of the Church of England Much press attention has focussed on the EU decision to ban glass jugs for opened their copy of New Directions in fear and trembling. Was it their turn this olive oil in restaurants. From next year olive oil must be served in pre-pack- month to be held up to ridicule in the 30 Days column? In its heyday, when Sara aged, factory bottles with a tamper-proof dispensing nozzle and labelled in Lowe edited the magazine and her husband, Robbie, who once worked for Time, accordance with EU standards. Dipping bowls with bread will be outlawed. contributed articles as well as items to 30 Days, the magazine was as funny as The motive is both to protect the label and ensure that the olive oil really ‘Private Eye’. Geoffrey Kirk satirised the church in a column chronicling the does come from where it is supposed to come and also to protect public adventures of Archdeacon Armitage-Shanks, a creation worthy of the late, health. So far much less attention has been paid to the fact that assistants lamented Peter Simple (remember Dr Spacely-Trellis, the progressive, publicity- handling food in a number of shops are now wearing plastic masks. Wait- conscious Bishop of Bevindon, who could have been based upon a number of rose, which is enforcing the policy, says it is designed to stop any hairs from real life role models?). Now 30 Days has been dropped and Fr Kirk has departed the beard dropping into the food. This raises questions about clergy with for the Ordinariate, New Directions is bereft of humour. CEN acted as midwife beards. Should they wear masks when celebrating Holy Communion? The to the birth of New Directions so we feel an interest in its well being. Anglo- issue is particularly acute for Orthodox clergy who all wear beards but it is Catholics can claim that humour has been one of their great contributions to uni- also an issue for some Anglicans. Both Rowan Williams and Richard versal church. Think Eric Mascall’s ‘Pie in the High’ or John Betjeman’s poetry Chartres are known for their sympathies for Orthodoxy and both have (not least his Diary of a Church Mouse). An anonymous reader has written to beards. Have they thought of wearing a plastic mask when celebrating the the paper to lament the loss of 30 Days. There are enough ultra-serious religious Divine Liturgy? Has the Church of England considered following the lead of publications. Is it too late to plead for the return of 30 Days and even for some- Waitrose in this area? We await clarification. one to fill the slot left by Fr Kirk? The Whispering Gallery A Wake for Women A Rose by any other Papua New Guinea stopped for a Wake or ‘Haus Krai’ last week to remem- name ber the women who had been killed as sorcerers, murdered or beaten by their husbands or subject to rape. The women of the country have said ‘enough is enough’ and reluctantly the politicians have come on board. A The Christian Socialist Movement is about to change its name. In place of large gathering, including the Prime Minister, marked the event in Port CSM we will have Christians on the Left. The AGM in March gave over- Moresby last week and participants pledged to end the appalling treatment whelming support to the change and a consultation has been taking place of women that brings shame on their country. Meetings in support were among members. According to media officer, Stephen Beer, the reason for the held elsewhere in world, including the UK, where an ecumenical service change is ‘to look outwards, to reach out to people who would naturally be took place in St Philip’s, Earls Court, last Saturday. It was organised Papua members but who we have found often get stuck at the name and word social- New Guineans studying and living in different parts of the country. The ist’. CSM will still be campaigning for a society that reflects Christian Socialist homily was given by CEN’s own Paul Richardson, who stressed the failure principles but under a different name. The move is not without some opposi- of the churches to present Jesus’ remarkable teaching about women and tion and it raises wider issues of interest to all Christians. Do we abandon a describe the example he set. He pointed out that large bride prices made name that links us with great Christians of the past, in this case with the likes people reluctant to intervene when a daughter or sister was being ill-treated of FD Maurice, Charles Gore or Charles Kingsley? If a name acquires negative by her husband. Relatives did not want to have to return any of the bride connotations do we abandon it or try to redeem it? Where do you draw the price. Sadly, no one from the PNG High Commission saw fit to attend the line: if today you go for ‘Christians on the Left’ what about those people who service but there was a strong message of support form the Anglican Com- see themselves as ‘Christians on the Centre-Left’? No one could say Tony Blair munion’s women’s desk. was a real red-blooded Socialist and yet he was happy to join CSM. A con- vinced moderniser, there is no evidence he even campaigned to change the name Sunday May 26, 2013 www.englandonsunday.com E3 course I don’t always agree with what an intro or a couple of pars, they will in you write.’ effect ‘steal’ the lot and delete your name So when my name appeared on the entirely. This is becoming less common, splash on Saturday, and the hunt was on however, as the whole phenomenon of for the source of the story, many broad- social media means everybody’s name, Ruth Gledhill cast organisations assumed it was one of however junior or peripheral, has my contacts, as the name of the religious acquired a certain currency. Also, the affairs correspondent was unexpected revenge of the robbed on Twitter can be on this political story. If they had read to powerful. View from Fleet Street the end, they would have found some The other day, Sean O’Neill, our crime strong quotes from the Church of Eng- correspondent, had an exclusive that land, the Roman Catholic Church and had taken weeks of work on the former Archbishop Vincent Nichols about gay Dean of Manchester and child abuse. marriage, and that surely would have Everyone followed it up, including the explained the byline. BBC. But the BBC at first refused to But I was myself surprised to see it credit The Times, simply referring to there. That it was, was down to the gen- ‘newspapers’ on air. Sean, Nick Cohen, Whenthephonerings... erosity of colleagues. When you work other correspondents and I took to Twit- collaboratively with a team on a story, ter and Facebook and alerted our many the journalist in charge who does the thousands of friends and followers to y phone went a bit mad with ‘number dishonest to pretend here that I don’t. There final writing is normally responsible for this shameless theft of exclusive credit. unknown’ calls on Saturday morning. are limits however on that caring. I don’t mind assigning the byline credits. It would not Within hours, if not sooner, The Times M This almost always signifies broad- if my byline does not appear on a story where have been unusual for my name to have was being acknowledged by the BBC for cast organisations such as Sky and the BBC my input has been minimal, for example. been left off, simply because four names its hard work. and, in my line of work, is unusual outside the I’ve been on The Times since 1987 and, holi- is a lot to have on a story. The journalists who called me on Sat- sudden resignation of a Pope or appointment days apart, my name has been appearing in Some journalists suffer an addiction urday morning thought my name on the of an Archbishop. What could have happened? the paper on stories on a daily or weekly basis known as ‘bylinitis’. This is a crippling story was part of the whole swivel-eyed I woke from a deep slumber and stumbled, almost ever since. Since 1989 that has been need to see your name in the paper, loon source conspiracy that dominated swivel-eyed and not at all entirely there, to my largely religious stories. That gives the name which is followed by panic attacks if it our headlines over last weekend. But it iPad to find out. Sure enough, there was my a certain currency outside my own personal does not appear for a long time. This is was not. It was merely a consequence of name on The Times splash, alongside those of identity. Because I only occasionally do broad- not entirely a neurotic illness. A journal- the fact that reporters’ bylines appear on three other correspondents, with our story cast work, my face is not as well-known. ist is often deemed only as good as their stories. about an ally of the Prime Minister describing I confess to liking that, it is really nice to go last story, and disappearing for too long I’ve gone into some detail here about party activists as swivel-eyed loons. to functions in Parliament or at Church House from the public eye can be worrying in this because in journalism, especially In centuries long ago, journalists did not get or up in the north somewhere, and to be intro- terms of job security in today’s uncertain when we’ve been in it a long time, we bylines on stories in The Times. Now we do. duced and have people say: ‘How nice to meet climate. take these things for granted. We are not meant to care too much about you I’ve been reading you for years.’ There are in addition some journalists, I thought it might interest some read- them, because of the attendant problems of It is great also because with Christians in and in the business we all know who ers here to have a bit more of an insight pride and vanity that can ensue. But by and particular you can see them then stoking up they are, who are known as ‘byline ban- into how these things actually work. So, large, we do. Or at least I do and it would be their courage to say, for integrity’s sake, ‘Of dits’. Asked to rewrite stories, or to add no conspiracy. Honest! Judy West’s It makes you think Charles Wesley wrote some of his hymns to promote his brother John’s doctrine of entire sanctification. The second verse of his “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling” asks God to “take away our bent to sinning.” Notes, Quotes & Anecdotes This was too much for Calvinist Augustus Toplady. In a magazine of which he was editor, Toplady wrote an article in refutation, detailing a picture of man’s poten- Prayers answered tial for sinning. He arrived at the mathematical conclusion that a man of eighty is guilty of many millions of sins, a debt he can homas Edison invented the microphone, the phonograph, the never hope to pay but for which he need not despair incandescent light, the storage batter y, talking movies, and A keen sense of because of the sufficiency of Christ. Tmore than 1000 other things. By December 1914 he had humour helps us to over- He closed the article with an original poem. “A Living worked for 10 years on a storage batter y. This had greatly strained look the unbecoming, and Dying Prayer for the Holiest believer in the World.” his finances. understand the unconven- This poem, now one of the most beloved hymns of all This particular evening spontaneous combustion had broken out tional, tolerated the unpleas- time, we know under the title, “Rock of Ages,” was born in the film room. Within minutes all the packing compounds, cellu- ant, overcome the out of party spirit. loid for records and film, and other flammable goods were in flames. unexpected, and outlast Frederick John Gilman, The Evolution of the English Fire companies from eight sur rounding towns arrived, but the the unbearable. Hymn, Macmillan, 1927, pp. 223-225. heat was so intense and the water pressure so low that the attempt to Billy Graham douse the flames was futile. Everything was destroyed. Edison was 67. With all his assets going up in a whoosh (although the damage exceeded two million dollars, the buildings were only insured for $238,000 because they were made of concrete and Urban Myths thought to be fireproof), would his spirit be broken? Getting the Two hunters came across a bear so big The inventor’s 24-year-old son, Charles, searched frantically for his that they dropped their rifles and ran father. He finally found him, calmly watching the fire, his face glow- message across? for cover. ing in the reflection, his white hair blowing in the wind. One man climbed a tree while the “My heart ached for him,” said Charles. “He was 67 — no longer a other hid in a nearby cave. The bear young man — and everything was going up in flames. When he saw was in no hurry to eat, so he sat down me, he shouted, ‘Charles, where’s your mother?’ When I told him I between the tree and the cave to reflect didn’t know, he said, ‘Find her. Bring her here. She will never see upon his good fortune. anything like this as long as she lives.’” Suddenly, and for no apparent rea- The next morning, Edison looked at the ruins and said, “There is son, the hunter in the cave came rush- great value in disaster. All our mistakes are burned up. Thank God ing out, almost ran into the waiting we can start anew.” bear, hesitated, and then dashed back Three weeks after the fire, Edison managed to deliver the first in again. phonograph. The same thing happened a second Swindoll, Hand Me Another Brick , Thomas Nelson, 1978 time. When he emerged for the third time, Do you have a funny story, quotable quote or sermon his companion in the tree frantically illustration? called out, “Woody, are you crazy? Stay Send them to The Church of England Newspaper, 14 Great in the cave till he leaves!” College Street, London, SW1P 3RX or email “Can’t,” panted Woody, “there’s [email protected] another bear in there.” E4 www.englandonsunday.com Sunday May 26, 2013 olunteering rates in the United Kingdom are falling at staggering speed, thanks to economic Vpressures meaning people just do not have the time or money to give up their precious free hours. In Malawi though, where the majority of people survive on increasingly challenging subsistent farming, we met 16 people who volunteer to care for the sick in the surrounding villages. The Masoko village community-based organisation (CBO) was formed when the number of HIV orphans and vulnerable children in the area was noted. The group delivers homecare to those who need it most, with a vision of reducing the further spread of HIV. Though primarily concerned with nursing these sick people, the group’s work stretches far beyond nursing. “We sometimes fix the roofs of houses if there is rain coming in because if an HIV patient becomes cold and wet they can die from just a cold and sneezing,” one member told us. The CBO also off counselling for those who have just found out they have tested positive for HIV, distributing food to the sick, educating people about how to eat well and what crops and herbs to grow instead of just relying on maize. “We also spend time talking to the rest of the community about HIV so that discrimination is reduced. It used to be a big problem but now people understand more they want to help,” they said. Richard, the Vice-President of the home-based care group, explained that gaining the trust of those they are sent to help is always their first task. “We start with a prayer,” he said. These humble people dedicate hours to this work, motivated by the proven success of the group. Miriam Forgo, a 48-year-old member of the group, is one of the beneficiaries. “In this village, there are a lot of people who How a bicycle are suffering from HIV-related illnesses such as pneumonia, fever, stomach problems and anaemia, as well as the normal things like pregnancy and malaria,” she said. Christian Aid money recently bought the Masoko CBO a push bike with a stretcher, known as the ambulance, to transport those can save lives who are too sick to be treated by the volunteers. “Last year a man look after. Sometimes we need to make Miriam said: “Before we were given the died on the way to the decision about which patient should stretcher that can be attached to a bicycle, it hospital because get treatment over another,” the Chair used to take between five and six people to we couldn’t get him said. carry somebody to hospital, and they would there on time on In the stifling heat, we saw the be gone for at least a day, as the local health foot,” Miriam told stretcher in action, with group members centre is a long way from here. The people us. “He was 47- demonstrating how the ambulance works. that had to carry the patient were often sick years-old and had Even cycling the ‘much shorter’ journey themselves and this made things very five children who of one hour to the hospital in that weather difficult.” depended on him. amazed us, but being surprised by the Patients were carried on a wooden He could have been physical and mental strength of these stretcher, covered in a blanket, the seven saved if we’d had people is something you get used to in hour walk to the nearest hospital. Some of the stretcher then.” Malawi. these people sadly did not survive the long Since they were Richard said: “We are still thanking the journey. given the project for the provision of the bicycle ambulance though, ambulance but we urge the people many people have been saved, including involved to keep helping us to deliver Miriam herself: “I was myself was care to the community.” suffering from bad stomach ulcers The group are an inspiration, giving to recently and I was taken to hospital by the community despite having nothing. stretcher – it only took just over an hour And the work they are doing is paying off, and I was treated that same morning.” especially since the ambulance was given, Now fit and well, she is back to work, two years ago. “Overall, life is much chairing the group. easier here for those suffering because “Now it only takes two people, which they can get medical care much more means that we are free to carry on quickly,” Miriam said. “I believe it has farming and planting and there isn’t so already saved at least ten lives.” much disruption to the community. It is a very useful gift that we can all benefit from.” With funding from But with 37 patients in the community the UK government, depending on the care they give, lack of Christian Aid is equipment is making the difficult task supporting the even harder. The hospitals have stopped Seventh Day Adventist Church of Malawi giving out home-care packs, which to equip community groups with the tools include the medicines needed by the necessary to help their most vulnerable patients, because of the cost. members. “We are still struggling with the To donate to Christian Aid Week, give number of medical kits containing ARVs online at call 08080 006 006 or text ‘GIVE’ (used to treat HIV) and we need another to 78866 to give £5. bicycle because there are 12 villages we [email protected]/churchnewspaper @churchnewspaper Sunday May 26, 2013 www.englandonsunday.com E5 By Derek Walker or most ‘everyday’ Christians, theologians are not a topic of Fconversation at the water-cooler, or even over church coffee in green cups. They lurk in the shadows of theological colleges and libraries. Tom Wright is an exception. Mention him in a sermon and someone might sidle up to you afterwards and mention how helpful they have found his books. His quotes pop up on Twitter. Leading thinkers get excited by his ideas. When we met, he struck me as a slimmed down Terry Waite: bearded, People’s approachable, well-spoken, precise in his speech and thoughtful. Waite was a mediator between other parties, but Wright has had to mediate the tensions in his own life. His upbringing was like an English The favourite Waltons: his mother would pray with him and his siblings last thing at night; his parents would test them on the order of where one of Eric Liddell’s friends says, but maintained that he is one of many who that stuff in between!’ So my vision of books in the Bible, and on Sunday they ‘No regrets?’ and Eric Liddell says, ‘I’ve have got their theology straight. what that stuff in between is about is: This might sing hymns around the piano. He plenty of regrets, but no doubts.’ That’s a He also insisted on its importance, is what it looks like when God is taking admits it was, “delightfully old-fashioned. tough thing to say. Tomorrow I’ll be going because the way we understand the charge. That was the 1950s; that‘s how we were.” back home on the train and I will not afterlife affects how we live in this one, as “People are scared of that, particularly This background has proved to be both know whether to look out the windows as the book’s subtitle about the mission of in the western world, because they don’t a resource and a tension. He knew that he I go through County Durham at all those the Church makes clear. want theocracy.” wanted to be ordained as early as seven or church spires – I know the people who are His latest book, How God became King, Is that because of the fear that Sharia eight years old. This was the fruit of a ministering there; I pray for them still. continues the tread of emphasising the law engenders? family stuffed with clergy, which made They’re my people, as it were, and I’ve had need for the church to grasp the “No, it goes back to the 18th century,” half of his career choice easy. “Faith – no to hand them over. So huge regrets importance of how we live on earth. he replied, referring to President Thomas problem; ordination – no problem. The actually; I miss that very much.” “The basic point is that for generations, Jefferson’s claim to be an Epicurean, and real problem I ran into was discovering I There is no way of telling whether he most Western Christians have read the approach of Enlightenment wanted to be an academic. has reached more people with his writing Matthew, Mark, Luke and John as a book rationalism that made religion into “From an early age I wanted to be a than he would have done had he that tells us how Jesus died for us so that something private, directing social and classicist, because some wise older friend, continued at Durham, but the ripples we go to heaven. They’ve assumed that political matters towards a secular who discovered I wanted to be ordained, caused by his 2008 book Surprised By that’s what it’s about. environment. said, ‘Oh, that will be fun, because you’ll Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, “In fact, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John “The result is that even Christians have have to learn Greek, so that you can read and the Mission of the Church have steadily quite demonstrably are talking about how made their peace with that and have the New Testament’. It went quite deep spread outward. God actually through Jesus became king thought that religion and politics don’t with me. The thought of studying the Before long, a spate of high-profile on Earth as in heaven and that’s a story mix; that as long as they’re saying their Roman Empire and the Greek civilisation eschatological books appeared, such as that I never heard growing up; it’s a story prayers, going to church and living a and so on – I’ve always been fascinated by Paula Gooder’s Heaven and Rob Bell’s which I know a lot of other people haven’t basically moral life, they can be building that, since I was about 13.” Love Wins. heard. the Tower of Babel during the week and it So began the big tension in his life. He “I don’t think I’m responsible for a “Most Christians have the creedal doesn’t matter – or they can be running an assumed that he would follow the family revival of interest in it,” he told me. “I framework, where as long as Jesus was empire, which involves killing a lot of line into parish ministry, but he knew that simply grew up with hymns, prayers, etc, born of a virgin and died on the cross, he people, or whatever, and that’s fine. he “didn’t want to be someone who ran a all talking about going to heaven when we really could have done nothing in between “The enlightenment desire is to keep parish, but someone who very specifically die, and then, as I was studying the New and it wouldn’t have mattered. Now, if the running of this world firmly in human would have a Bible teaching ministry.” Testament – and particularly studying the that’s so, then it’s very, very odd. grasp and tell God he can have our Early on, he showed the initiative to resurrection of Jesus – realised this isn’t “When you write a piece, if somebody spiritual bits, if he wants. Basically, the kick-start his academic journey. His what it’s about. said the only things that matter are the Gospels ought to call ‘time!’ on that and school did not teach RE, but he taught “The gospels are not about ‘Jesus has first chapter and the last chapter, you’d that’s what I’m trying to say.” himself and “somehow scraped a pass.” died on the cross, therefore now he’s gone say, ‘Well I worked extremely hard at all It was at Oxford University that he to heaven, and so will we.’ No, the experienced the full pleasure of academic resurrection stories are saying, ‘God’s life. “I realised that you could go deeper new creation has begun and you’re invited into things and then deeper again and ask to be part of it.’ That’s something that I That’s right, you can bigger questions and that there was no don’t think I ever heard growing up. subscribe to the print end to this and it was hugely exciting,” he “Conceivably, in CS Lewis’ book edition and have it sent to you by post recalled, adding with a chuckle, “That’s Miracles, Lewis is one of the few writers in every week for three months what I’ve wanted to do all my life.” the 1950s who actually took the for just £17.50. When he left university, the tension resurrection and the new creation Subscribe grew. “I was told at theological college seriously and was working with it that I would have to choose whether I imaginatively as well as poetically and to the print Email [email protected] wanted to be an academic or a parish theologically. So in a sense, I’m trying to or telephone 020 7222 8663 priest. I decided in the room at that carry that on. edition for moment, ‘I’m not going to make that split, “People have sometimes said to me, In addition to the print thank you very much. These two belong ‘Isn’t this what the Jehovah’s Witnesses edition you will also get together.’” say?’ I say, well, heresy is what happens £17.50 full access to our website at Buoyed by the Church of England’s when the Church forgets a bit of its churchnewspaper.com tradition of people being both, Wright teaching; somebody else picks that up and balanced the two worlds throughout his makes a whole system out of it. career until he ended up as the Bishop of “You can track this: I used to work at Durham. Despite the title and Westminster Abbey and if you look at the responsibility, writing had become his grave stones, up to about the early or drug of choice. Once he realised that middle 18th century the tomb stones are continuing in the role would mean saying things like, ‘I will arise; I’m resting sacrificing some major projects, he now, but I’ll be back.’ Into the 19th headed back to academia, passing the century, they talk about ‘Gone home’ or diocese on to Justin Welby. ‘Home at last with the Lord.’” I wondered how often he thought about Tackling such a cultural shift is an open his resignation and whether he regretted invitation to be criticized. Wright admitted it. that he often faces comments like, ‘Tom Wright did not hesitate. “There’s a Wright thinks nobody got the gospels moment in Chariots of Fire right until he did,’ [email protected] facebook.com/churchnewspaper @churchnewspaper Sunday May 26, 2013 www.englandonsunday.com E6 Trying to put the Great into the story of Gatsby... t’s nearly 40 years since Francis Ford Coppola’s version of The Great Gatsby, Istarring Robert Redford. The first was a silent version in 1926, not long after its first publication. I finally read the Great American Novel last year – and didn’t think it was that great. There are other claimants to the title, but The Great Gatsby is probably most associat- ed with the idea. Baz Luhrmann (Romeo + Juliet, Moulin Rouge) gives his latest adaptation (cert. 12A) a very literary treatment, the script often faithful to F Scott Fitzgerald’s writing, but adds his own vibrant visuals – though for the 3D version the dark glasses may spoil some of the effects. When Tom Buchanan (Joel Edgerton) refers to the pink suit worn by Jay Gatsby (Leonardo DiCaprio), you have to take the glasses off to verify the hue. The narrator of the story, Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire) is writing his own Ameri- can novel, and the story of his rich Long Island neighbour becomes his subject mat- er), the wife of mechanic George (Jason The set was designed so that the ter. Carraway has rented a worker’s cottage Clarke). cameras were outside the “suite” next to the mansion owned by Gatsby, The parties Gatsby holds, in the Prohibi- looking in through the windows, whose background takes on more interest tion era, typify both decadence and the con- leaving the cast to relate to each than merely the contrast between “old tinuing American Dream, but Fitzgerald other and to the recreated 1920s décor. Fitzgerald’s text by putting the words on money” and “new money”. finished the book in France, staying in The music is a curious but effective screen at crucial moments. This extends to Buchanan owns the mansion across the Antibes, just along the coast from Cannes fusion of modern pop, hip-hop and contem- the final example, the last line of the novel, bay, and the central conflict is over where the movie was shown at this year’s porary sounds, with Bryan Ferry of Roxy “So we beat on, boats against the current, Buchanan’s wife Daisy (Carey Mulligan), film festival. The sumptuous occasions are Music fronting his own jazz orchestra to borne back ceaselessly into the past”. and her connection to Gatsby. Daisy tries to matched by Luhrmann’s larger than life provide the bulk of the soundtrack. Still, Those words form the epitaph on link Nick with golfer Jordan Baker (Eliza- camera angles. Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, synchro- Fitzgerald’s gravestone. I still don’t know beth Debicki) – a relationship largely The tense, claustrophobic and revelatory nised to one of the party scenes, is the most what it means. ignored in this film - while Buchanan is hav- scene in New York’s Plaza Hotel, setting up dramatic sound. ing an affair with Myrtle Wilson (Isla Fish- the final tragedy, is the dramatic highlight. Luhrmann emphasises the reliance on Steve Parish Duke really proves to be Special Duke Special mainstream work. If there is any theme to Oh Pioneer, it is Under the Dark Cloth and Oh, Pioneer a feeling of longing. Wilson describes Always Been There as “an attempt to his week, Greenbelt announced Duke Special as a put words to the longing which seems to attach itself to all headliner for this year’s festival. His latest two of us. Impossible.” Talbums show the range of his artistic skills. These are songs about trying to grab hold of something New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art commissioned better, which Wilson senses is available, but just too far him to put sound to an exhibition of its work by photo- away to touch. graphic pioneers Alfred Stieglitz, On the polished pop of the opening Stargazers of the Edward Steichen and Paul Strand. World Unite, he describes friends on a roof, staring at the Working with Boo Hewerdine and the sky and sharing their dreams. Knowing that there is more, RTÉ Concert Orchestra, a year he ends it by insisting, “I wanna get to a good, good place.” immersed in the images produced songs The feeling is more pronounced on My Lazy Saviour, that catch either the moods of specific inspired by visiting the RBS bank in London just after the pieces or the thoughts of the pioneers Occupy movement had turned it into their ‘bank of themselves. perfectly captures the smoky heaviness of dreams’. Based on Stieglitz’s Dancing Trees, a Stieglitz’s 1902 “Hand of Man” picture. The album’s rich sonic palette features tuned percussion close up of overlapping branches, his Spiritual America is based on the picture of a har- and Ben Castle’s sax, flute and clarinets to add to its mildly eponymous opener has a beautiful filmic nessed, castrated horse and is a commentary on quirky, dreaminess. While most of the tracks are romantic quality as it treats the trees as people in spiritual power trussed up by a materialist culture. in style, there are forays into gothic circus. relationship. Pete Wilson (who is Duke Special) and Hewerdine blast Probably the most striking track is a simply constructed Similarly, Cherry Blossom Girl echoes the softness of the the young nation for leaving the poor behind as the land list song about the contradictions of being human, includ- snow-laden setting of Paul Strand’s Winter, Central Park, goes to “corporate thugs and their fat city boys” and ing ingenious lines like, “I’m an extra /I’m Director / I’m a New York and his vaudevillian tendencies surface in Wash- reminds America of its original vision of freedom. pin-drop / I’m Phil Spector.” erwoman. Much lighter, a song named after the Kodak slogan, The collection has an easy pop sensitivity and several But the Duke broadens his scope to social and spiritual “You Press the Button and We’ll Do the Rest,” is a riotous strong hooks. New examples of its wordplay and creative matters. Orchestrated brass blasts the listener into a world lyrical romp through some audacious rhymes. production appear with successive listens. where industrialization behaves like a beast unleashed as it A line from that album becomes the title of the current Derek Walker [email protected] facebook.com/churchnewspaper @churchnewspaper Sunday May 26, 2013 www.englandonsunday.com E7 The pick of the new paperback releases DLT is a Christian publishing com- important even in a secular age. Alexander Lee looks at ines the subject in God Impassible and Impassioned pany with a distinguished record. A why prayer is important in The Prayer Principle (DLT). (IVP), arguing that that is possible to hold to the view that couple of years ago it looked as if it What draws us to God and why do we turn to God when all God is impassible while doing justice to the biblical lan- would not survive but now it is pub- else fails? This is a very readable book that raises many guage about the divine emotions. This is an important lishing a range of interesting new interesting questions. work of evangelical theology. books. Simon Parke, an Anglican In Psychology for Pastoral Contexts (SCM) Jessica Graham Orr and his wife, Alison, have a great deal of priest who was a script writer for Rose draws on a range of sources to show how a knowl- experience as missionaries in Japan with OMF. In Not So Spitting Image, has published a new edge of psychology can help in pastoral work. Jessica Rose Secret (IVP) he looks at how we can reach even those detective novel featuring Abbot taught at Ripon College, Cuddesdon, for a number of who seem to be without any interest in religion with the Peter as the sleuth. In A Vicar Cru- years. This will be a valuable resource for all involved in gospel of Jesus Christ. cified (DLT) he has to investigate pastoral ministry. There is much interest in the path Pope Francis is likely the death of a vicar found crucified What do eating and drinking, sex and sleeping, rest and to follow as leader of the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics. in the vestry of a seaside parish. play have to do with the Kingdom of God? The distin- Robert Moynihan (editor of Inside the Vatican magazine) James Cary is a writer for the Radio 4 comedy Think the guished New Testament scholar Ben Withrington looks at examines the new Pope’s thinking and life so far in Pray Unthinkable. In Death by Civilisation (DLT) he has a these subjects in the light of biblical teaching on the King- for Me (Rider). humorous look at those who run the country and suggests dom of God in The Rest of Life (Eerdmans). He argues In 1965 Enzo Bianchi founded an ecumenical communi- reasons why they are so hopeless. The blogger Archbish- that the normal activities of life should all be done for the ty at Bose. His book Words of Spirituality (SPCK) was op Cranmer gives the book his seal of approval. glory of God. first published in 2002 and has now been re-issued. It is a Fabrice Muamba’s collapse and the incredible wave of Does God suffer? This has proved to be one of the good introduction to someone Rowan Williams described prayer it unleashed have taught us that intercession is hottest topics in contemporary theology. Rob Lister exam- as ‘one of the most significant Christian voices in Europe’. The Global Diffusion of Dain, who worked hard to bring initially sceptical Heidegger on Death: A Critical Theological Evangelicalism people from the UK like John Stott on board. Lau- Essay Brian Stanley sanne is now regarded as a great triumph for Stott George Pattison IVP, hb, £19.99 who played a key role in drafting the final text of the Ashgate, pb, £17.99 Covenant but Stanley makes sure that other actors According to the author this such as Rene Padilla and Orlando Costas receive Mortality is not exactly a polite topic for conver- volume in IVP’s history of their due. sation. But if death cannot ultimately be avoid- evangelicalism has been too A great strength of this book is the skilful way ed, then how do we confront our own mortality, many years in the making Stanley analyses theological currents in evangelical- when we are still alive? What resources are at our but it is not hard to see why ism. As well as figures normally discussed in this disposal to face death? If we cannot get inside our this should be so. Brian Stan- context such as Edward J Carnell or Carl FH Henry, own death, then do we even know what death is? If we ley’s subject is the history of Stanley also turns the spotlight on Alvin Plantinga cannot grasp our death (or another’s), then what becomes of our evangelicalism in the second and Lesslie Newbigin. It is good to see Anthony Christian hope which is founded on the Risen Christ? half of the 20th century when it grew into a global Thiselton getting the attention he deserves and These pastoral questions might be generated in wider conversa- movement. The IVP series is meant to be a history Stanley gives an excellent summary of the dispute tions about the quality of health care and hospice, but it was in the of evangelicalism in the English-speaking world but, over hermeneutics among evangelicals and its rele- writings of the German philosopher, Martin as the author recognises, English became a global vance to the issue of the ordination of women. Quite Heidegger, that the question came to the language in this period and many theologians from rightly he discusses one high church Anglican who forefront of existential philosophy in the Africa or other parts of the world write in English. had more influence on evangelicals than any other 20th century — and, more or less, Christian Air travel makes it easier for evangelists to travel theologians have been consciously working the world and trends that originate outside the West to get out from underneath Heidegger’s have influenced evangelicals in Britain or North shadow ever since. America. George Pattison is undoubtedly one such Another factor Stanley does not mention is that in theologian who remains the best theologi- some ways it is harder to write about the recent past cal reader of Heidegger today. In this book, than about the more distant past. With the passage Pattison delivers a highly original and of time it often becomes easier to identify the events accessible reading of one of Heidegger’s and movements that have long-term significance. central ideas, and critiques it by reading it Trends that seem important for a time can easily closer to its suppressed theological inheri- disappear and leave little trace behind them. tance. Pattison says that he “seeks to meet In this book there are some surprising omissions philosophy on its own ground and to explore what possibilities for a but there are also penetrating accounts of some genuinely hopeful response to death might be opened up from with- developments that are likely to prove of long-term in modern philosophy’s most consistent portrayal of human exis- significance. Billy Graham tence as thrown towards an ineluctable death from which there is First, the omissions. It is surprising that Stanley neither appeal nor deliverance,” (p. 6). has so little to say about the Religious Right or the In doing so, Pattison shores up the relevance of theology to Hei- role evangelicals have played in American politics. theologian: CS Lewis. degger studies, as well as underscores the challenge that Heidegger There are signs this is coming back to haunt them Another good chapter traces the spread of Pente- still confronts theology with today. Pattison is also one of the best as the number of Americans with no religious alle- costalism and the charismatic movement although interpreters of the Danish philosopher and theologian, Søren giance grows, probably in reaction to the political Stanley is not afraid to raise questions about Kierkegaard. Hence, it is no coincidence that Pattison is able to offer role of the churches. Stanley refers to the Civil whether in parts of the world Pentecostalism is too such a persuasive critique of Heidegger’s work because it is precise- Rights campaign and the attitude of evangelicals concerned with the search for blessings and wealth. ly the theological import of Kierkegaard’s writings that is the con- such as Billy Graham but he does not discuss a Unfortunately his reluctance to probe the social cealed muse of Heidegger’s genius. point made by Mark Noll that Southern evangelical roots of religious change means that he does not Pattison is a prolific writer in his own right, who, within the past religion was able to spread to the rest of American examine the links between expressions of Pente- year alone, has published illuminating works like God & Being (OUP and beyond once it was stripped of racist overtones. costalism in Africa and the Pacific and traditional 2013), Kierkegaard and the Quest for Unambiguous Life (OUP 2013), Arthur Blessitt and the Jesus People also deserve religion. Sometimes it seems as if a powerful sub- and Kierkegaard and the Theology of the Nineteenth Century (Cam- a mention. They were prominent for only a short terranean stream of traditional religion is coming to bridge 2012). This delightful ‘essay’ was only hinted at in Pattison’s period but they helped make possible an important the surface in Pentecostalism. Thinking about God in an Age of Technology (OUP 2007) and his cultural shift in evangelicalism. Another important All the criticisms I have made really amount to a guidebook to The Later Heidegger (Routledge 2000). However, Patti- shift that began in America but is beginning to wish the author had written more and that is a trib- son offers here the ripened fruit of sustained reflection and teaching spread elsewhere was a thaw in relations between ute to this stimulating and also very readable book. about Heidegger’s question of mortality, which contributes to its evangelicals and Roman Catholics. JI Packer has Modern evangelicals will do well to ponder the accessible form — a hard-won virtue that is found wanting in many had a major role to play in the evangelical-Catholic question Stanley raises about whether the global contributions to contemporary Heidegger studies. Those readers dialogue beginning with the first Evangelicals and diffusion of evangelicalism will lead to its disintegra- interested in an incisive introduction to a crucial debate across the Catholics document. tion. As a reviewer I can report few errors although blurred boundary of philosophy and theology during the 20th centu- But if some developments are left out, other I did wonder about Jean Stone following her hus- ry would do well to pick up this thoughtful and engaging book. changes in evangelicalism are analysed in a master- band and being ordained in the Syrian Orthodox Joshua Furnal ly way. There is a good chapter on the Lausanne Church (page 242). Some mistake here, surely! Conference of 1974. Stanley’s hero is Bishop Jack Paul Richardson [email protected] facebook.com/churchnewspaper @churchnewspaper E8 www.englandonsunday.com Sunday May 26, 2013 ‘Fish Oil can restore the brain after junk food’ was the headline last week and I’m guessing many a burger and fizzy drink lover shrieked in delight – until of course they faced the reality of actually consuming enough fish oil. Scientists say that a decade of research shows that high-fat diets can Janey Lee Grace disrupt the body’s process of generating new nerve cells. Researchers have discovered that foods rich in Omega 3, such as fish oil, can stop the damage to the brain by stimulating the area that controls learning Live Healthy! Live Happy! and memory. It has been widely documented that children who take fish oil supplements have improved concentration levels. We all know the importance of essential fatty acids (that’s why they are essential) and fish oils in particular, but we are also very aware of the impurities in some fish oil capsules, also in order to get the dosage needed. It’s tricky to get kids to take fish oils and I’m not crazy about needing to down three or four myself! Fortunately I’ve recently found out about Krill Oil, which is more eas- ily absorbed than fish oil, yet provides significantly better DHA and EPA uptake in the body – 59 per cent better in fact – this allows one Themiracleoffishoil small capsule a day to have the same effect as larger or a greater quan- tity of fish oil capsules. Krill Oil has now been evaluated and directly compared to fish oil in a number of clinical trials and in all cases krill oil outperformed fish oil in terms of efficacy. The brand I recommend is Cleanmarine Krill Oil (I’m not on commis- sion) which has been shown to have the same clinical benefits as fish oil for heart health, brain function and joint health but at much smaller doses and has been shown to have superior benefits for PMS, vision and weight loss. Sustainability is a concern too, but coming from the cleanest ocean – the Antarctic, and being low down in the food chain ensures the purity of Cleanmarine Krill Oil without the need for the cleaning and process- ing that fish oils require to be consumable. And it was the first marine Omega 3 Oil in Europe to be certified by the Marine Stewardship Coun- cil as being sourced from a sustainable and well-managed fishery. It contains a powerful anti-oxidant, Astaxanthin, that gives krill their reddish colour and provides a healthy anti-oxidant boost and keeps it fresh, preserving its delicate Essential Fatty Acids. Best of all these capsules have no fishy repeat! As the Omega 3 is in phospholipid form, which is the same form found in our body, it doesn’t need converting before being absorbed by the body. The Omega 3 in fish oils are in Triglyceride form and require con- verting before being absorbed into the blood stream. It is this conver- sion process that produces the “fishy burp” that is often associated with fish oil consumption. Fortunately the Krill Oil doesn’t produce this repeat. That’s a relief - wish I could say the same for the burgers and fizzy drinks! www.cleanmarinekrill.co.uk PRIZE CROSSWORD No. 850 by Axe Across being stolen by the Philistines [1 Sam] (4) 7Judge of the Hebrews whose 5'Nor should there be obscenity, name is said to mean 'Mighty foolish talk or ------joking...' Warrior' (6) [Eph/NIV] (6) 8Greek god of light (6) 6Hebrew prophet featured in both 9Adherents of a 5000 year-old reli- books of Kings (6) gion (6) 13 Part in many traditional church 10 Opinion or doctrine at variance organs (4,4) with the official or orthodox posi- 15 'Then returned they unto tion (6) Jerusalem from the mount called 11 'He makes my feet like the feet of ------' [Acts/KJV] (6) a ----' [Ps/NIV] (4) 16 The greatest of all the gods of 12 Esther's uncle (8) ancient Egypt (6) 14 City of modern SW Turkey 17 One of Job's three friends (6) where Paul addressed a letter to 18 '...if the witness ------to be a liar...' its church (8) [Deut/NIV] (6) 17 Hill town where Jonathan came 20 'Blessed are the ----, for they will to encourage David who was hid- inherit the earth' [Matt/NIV] (4) ing from Saul [1 Sam] (4) 19 Prophet who sang in praise to the Solutions to last week’s crossword Lord for the crossing of the Red Sea [Exod] (6) Across: 7 Greece, 8 Azekah, 9 Ankh, 10 21 Cyprus town visited by Paul on Matthias, 11 Herodias, 13 Sick, 15 his first mission [Acts] (6) Step, 17 Seraphim, 19 Sadducee, 22 22 Nationality of Heber, husband of Ripe, 23 Joanna, 24 Rastas. Jael [Judg] (6) 23 Reverent petition to a deity (6) Down: 1 Transept, 2 Jethro, 3 Seam, 4 Bap- tiser, 5 Cephas, 6 Gaza, 12 Issachar, The first correct entry drawn will win a book of the Editor’s choice. Send your entry to Down 14 Caiaphas, 16 Pudens, 18 Parish, Crossword Number 850, The Church of England Newspaper, 20 Amos, 21 Ezra. 14 Great College Street, Westminster, London, SW1P 3RX by next Friday 1'...allocate this land to Israel...and ------it...among the nine tribes...' Name [Josh/NIV] (6) 2Someone who may give the les- Address sons in a church service (6) 3Runaway slave owned by Phile- mon (8) 4Where the Ark was taken after Post Code Leader & Comment Sunday May 26, 2013 www.churchnewspaper.com 9 Comment Need to centre Church institutions on the Gospel Celebrating the Oh dear, statistics for the Church of England don’t look good. Elderly congregations, growth of atheism among the young and the ongoing growth of secularisation and of minority faiths, notably Islam. The Tele- graph has also told us that the heir to the throne desires a kind of multi- cultural coronation service, and that Rowan Williams’ resistance to that has been overridden by the new management – notwithstanding Trinity today that this is a constitutional monarchy that has no power to change any- thing itself. The Dean of Westminster is reportedly one of revisionists. Andrew Brown in and of the Guardian has made some forthright ing universal creative rationality, they rendered the points about this situation, speaking of the failure of the Church of Peter Mullen world intellectually understandable. By this they England despite its ‘tariff of advantages’, including its own schools, col- laid down the basic intellectual foundation for natu- leges, cathedrals, bishops in the Lords and institutional presence in the ral science. nation. Alas, what he says has much truth in it, and ought to prompt Trinity Sunday coming up again. You can’t blame By contrast, our contemporary arguments about very serious questioning in the top management tier of the Church, preachers for steering clear of the doctrine of the science versus religion are shallow, contemptible indeed ‘blue sky thinking’. Why, for example, do Anglican schools fail Trinity. It’s not rocket science. It’s more difficult and childish. There is no conflict between science to inculcate and foster Christian faith, indeed some surveys conclude than that. So we take refuge in comparisons with and Christianity. The conflict is between Christiani- that they tend to do the reverse? They are good schools academically three-leaf clovers. I recall Forty Years On, an early ty and ideological atheists such as Rousseau, and popular with the middle classes, but in term of propagating Chris- play by Alan Bennett and still, I think, one of his Voltaire, Diderot and TH Huxley, right down to that tian faith, well that’s not their thing. Presumably the reason for this is best. It’s set in a prep school and the young Confir- prince bigot of our own time, Richard Dawkins. It is that staff are not that interested in fostering the Christian mind, or only mation candidate asks the Chaplain about the Trini- not only that there is no conflict between Christian- a very liberal version that blurs into secularism and relativist multi- ty and he replies: “Oh three-in-one and all that – see ity and science: without Christianity – specifically faith theory. The Dean of Westminster of course headed up the Church your maths master!” But, as St Augustine said, the doctrine of the Trinity - there would be no sci- of England education department. Christian chaplaincies seem also to Christianity begins and ends with the Trinity, so we ence. No other civilisation or culture, ancient or have embraced the multi-faith approach. It may be that our Church has ought to make the annual effort. modern has invented science – only the Christiani- slowly but surely moved its centre of gravity towards this relativist lib- Trinity is the mysterious festival of the Being and ty of the early Fathers. This is because Christianity eral position in its non-parish institutions. Persons of God himself. And it’s perfectly accept- has declared since the opening verse of St John’s Andrew Brown may be missing out some factors reversing the ‘tariff able simply to contemplate the Trinity as Father, Gospel that God is reasonable. And this reasonable of advantage’, notably the great advantages now bestowed by the state Son and Holy Ghost; and by this to mean that we God made the world in his own reasonable image: on minority interests and religions, leading to prayer rooms in police believe we were created, redeemed and sanctified. to be discovered and understood by the rationality stations, special dietary and ablution provision, and protection from Blaise Pascal in his night vision famously saw “not he has implanted in us by his Spirit. academic critical scholarship. Home Office-funded projects to help end the God of the philosophers, but the God of Abra- Specifically, as RG Collingwood pointed out in his establishment continue, as do projects to show that Christians are not ham, Isaac and Jacob.” But I wonder if I might take An Essay on Metaphysics, it is the doctrine of the subject to any ‘chill factor’. But the C of E management has generally a little space to think about the philosophical signif- Trinity, as set out in The Athanasian Creed, which gone along with such ideological change, as the new coronation pro- icance of our faith. provides the paradigm that makes science possible: posals indicate. Perhaps the most worrying disadvantage of estab- Christianity is a powerful moral force, but it is “By believing in the Father, the doctors of the lished status is a growing sense that evangelistic mission is a rather also a magnificent intellectual achievement that church meant absolutely presupposing that there is disreputable idea, indeed abusive of other faiths. Secularists are freely enabled us to think of the world in an entirely new a world of nature which is always and indivisibly issuing their criticism of Christianity, but the Church of England is and creative way. The early Fathers of the Church one world. By believing in the Son they meant expected to keep quiet about the gospel message of salvation in the were among the greatest philosophers and intel- absolutely presupposing that this one natural world person and work of Jesus Christ. Happily many of our bishops do lects of all time. They lived in the first four centuries is nevertheless a multiplicity of natural realms. By indeed preach Christ crucified and risen unashamedly and effectively, after Christ in a long period of moral decay and also believing in the Holy Ghost they mean absolutely and in the public forum, not just in pulpits. But a creeping Christologi- of intellectual decay. And by their brilliance and presupposing that the world of nature, throughout cal embarrassment can be discerned in official ethos, and establish- tenacity, they showed us how to put this right. its entire fabric, is a world not merely of things but ment entails the real danger of the role of a ‘ministry of religions’, a The late Roman Empire was a polytheistic, pagan of events or movements. troubleshooter for sorting inter-faith claims. Management needs to society. Worse, it was in the grip “These presuppositions grasp anew the apostolic faith, and harness all Anglican institutions of debilitating superstition. They must be made, they said, by unashamedly to Jesus Christ. worshipped many gods. Believ- anyone who wished to be ing in many gods meant that It is not only that there ‘saved’; saved, that is to say, they could not see the world as a is no conflict between from the moral and intellectu- unity. They had no concept of a al bankruptcy, the collapse of The Church of England Newspaper unified world of nature. Every- Christianity and science and civilisation, with Celebrate magazine incorporating The Record and Christian Week thing was under the separate which was overtaking the Published by Religious Intelligence Ltd. jurisdiction of what you might science: without pagan world.” Company Number: 3176742 call the departmental gods. Christianity – It wasn’t the barbarian inva- Publisher: Keith Young MBE Without presupposing a unified sions that brought down the world of nature you cannot have specifically the doctrine Roman Empire: it was faulty what we take for granted and metaphysics. And the men of Publishing Director & Editor: CM BLAKELY020 7222 8004 that is natural science. What can of the Trinity - there the time, scholars, knew this. Chief Correspondent: The Rev Canon GEORGE CONGER 00 1 0772 332 2604 you have instead? Well, you are would be no science Again Collingwood explains Reporter: AMARIS COLE 020 7222 8700 forced to have what the Romans this neatly for us: had: a belief in luck or fortune. “Christian writers in the Advertising: CHRIS TURNER 020 7222 2018 The poor benighted Roman time of the Roman Empire Advertising & Editorial Assistant: PENNY NAIR PRICE 020 7222 2018 pagans actually thought that luck was a real, posi- asserted, and no historian today will deny, that in tive or negative force – something like the force of the late Roman time the metaphysics and civilisa- Subscriptions & Finance: DELIA ROBINSON 020 7222 8663 gravity. And they went on to reason that your luck tion were moribund. And because philosophy and Graphic Designer: PETER MAY020 7222 8700 was your destiny: all in the hands of supernatural civilisation, organised thought in its theoretical and forces beyond your control. So they tried to under- practical forms, stand or fall together, the meta- The acceptance of advertising does not necessarily indicate stand, placate and manipulate these forces by physical error which killed pagan thought killed endorsement. Photographs and other material sent for publication means of astrology, runes, incantations, wizardry pagan civilisation with it. This metaphysical error are submitted at the owner’s risk. The Church of England Newspaper and witchcraft. There were lucky days and unlucky was corrected by Christianity.” does not accept responsibility for any material lost or damaged. days – the Ides of March maybe. These notions cast Specifically, the corrective was the doctrine of the Christian Weekly Newspapers Trustees: Robert Leach (020 8224 5696), the Romans into intellectual paralysis. What a horri- Trinity: the unified but self-differentiating Being of Lord Carey of Clifton, The Rt Rev Michael Nazir-Ali, The Rt Rev Pete Broadbent, ble world in which the whole of your life is con- God whose image, imprinted on the world, makes Dr Elaine Storkey, The Rev Peter Brown, The Rev Cindy Kent trolled by capricious, often malevolent, and science possible. Don’t take my word for it. Don’t immutable forces of destiny and fate! just take the word of a Christian priest. Here is one The Church of England Newspaper, The Christian Fathers said that the world is not of the most outstanding scientists of the last centu- Religious Intelligence Ltd like that at all. They said the world was created by ry, AN Whitehead, co-author with Bertrand Russell 14 Great College Street, London, SW1P 3RX the one true God by the power of his Word, Jesus of Principia Mathematica. Whitehead said: Editorial e-mail: [email protected] Christ, the Second Person of the Trinity. And they “There is but one source for science: It must Advertising e-mail: [email protected] used the old Greek term for word, logos, the very come from the Medieval insistence on the rationali- Subscriptions e-mail: [email protected] principle of reason which they said is from God and ty of God.” is God. By presupposing – though they didn’t call it Consubstantial. Co-eternal. While unending ages Website: www.churchnewspaper.com presupposing, they called it faith – by presuppos- run. [email protected] facebook.com/churchnewspaper @churchnewspaper 10 www.churchnewspaper.com Sunday May 26, 2013 Feature By the Rev Dr Alan Palmer declare the praises of him who called you out of dark- On the other hand was Isaiah a member of what the www.9adayorg.uk ness into his wonderful light.’ We are to live out prac- Oxford English Dictionary lists as ‘the growlery’ – a tically what we have been called to be. small group that gets together to have a good moan, ’ve spent several days over the last few weeks JI Packer in his book Rediscovering Holiness usually about work and the boss? Or was Isaiah prone reflecting upon Isaiah’s encounter with God in the writes that ‘there is a need to blow the whistle on the to bouts of carping criticism around the Temple ITemple (Isaiah 6:1-8). I asked myself two major side-lining of personal holiness that has been a gener- precincts? Our words are important in terms of build- questions that I think are relevant for Western Chris- al trend among Western Christians’. ing others up and not tearing others down. You know, tians in the 21st Century. Packer refers often and with approval to the classic like praying for our pastors instead of pulverising on this subject, Holiness by JC Ryle. I would suggest them verbally. Let’s explore exactly what Isaiah’s ‘lip and life’ problem was a little more. Perhaps now it might become even more uncomfortable. Might the prophet have had a problem with profanity? When What does Isaiah things went wrong did he utter expletives? Is that what he meant by ‘unclean lips’? We know that Peter started to swear and curse when under pressure in terms of being associated with Jesus (See Mark 14:71). have to say about Now I know that the psychologist Steven Pinker in his book, The Language Instinct writes that swearing is simply an evolutionary based response to pain or frustration, like the bark of a dog if you stand on its tail. I also know that experiments have shown that our porn culture? humans can tolerate more intense pain if we let out a few well chosen swear words. However, I recognise that swear words are often couched in language that demean the most intimate of physical relationships, Have we forgotten that God is holy? In the Temple Isaiah discovered again that God is holy. The ancient Jews wouldn’t even voice the Name of God – it was considered to be too holy to be vocalised. They used the sacred Tetragrammaton, YHWH or they used the phrase ‘Kingdom of Heaven’ instead of Kingdom of God (See Matthew’s Gospel). The ancient Jewish scribes carefully copying texts would change their quills when it came to writing down the name of God. They had one pen for mun- dane words and a special pen for the sacred name of God. In contrast to this tortuous and scrupulous respect for God, our ‘faith talk’ often seems some- what breezy – light-hearted and sometimes down- right disrespectful to God. We need to remember that God is ‘other’ than us; he is absolutely, pure and pow- erful. Again, as the writer says, ‘it is a fearful (or dread- ful) thing to fall into the hands of the living God,’ (Hebrews 10:31). God is not to be taken lightly! that it is well worthwhile reading Ryle’s words again and that they often use God’s name as an expletive. today. He has much to say to the cosy Western Chris- Swearing is often obscene, profane or blasphemous Have we neglected personal holiness? God is holy tianity of the 21st Century. as Bill Bryson notes in his book Mother Tongue, and he demands that we live ‘holy lives’. Peter states Can we suggest that there has been a spiritual “Swearing seems to have some near-universal quali- that ‘But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, ‘power cut’ in the West because we have ignored the ties. In almost all cultures, swearing involves one or a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may call to be holy? more of the following: filth, the forbidden (particular- ly incest), and the sacred, and usually all three.” Isaiah’s response to the vision It is beyond doubt that some Christians find it hard of God’s awesome holiness and to break this verbal habit. Did Isaiah fit into this par- purity is not a ‘Wow’ moment of ticular category? Were his words filthy? That’s right, you can subscribe to the print spiritual exaltation but a ‘Woe’ Or perhaps there is something even more distaste- edition and have it sent to you by post moment of personal humiliation. ful here. When Isaiah speaks of his lips being every week for three months for just Isaiah 6:5 says ‘Woe is me I am ‘unclean’ was he referring not to profanity, but to £17.50. undone. Not only have I seen the pornography? In the New Testament Jesus uses the living God but I have a problem Greek word pornea in the context of his teaching Subscribe with ‘unclean lips’. about divorce (See Matthew 5:32). It is translated as Email [email protected] What is that about? Did the ‘marital unfaithfulness’ (adultery). However, we to the print or telephone 020 7222 8663 prophet have a problem with his might expand the meaning in our modern context to mouth? Well, Isaiah knew what include ‘virtual unfaithfulness’ (pornography). edition for In addition to the print most of us seem to forget, that our There have been pornographic pictures and litera- edition you will also get lips betray the reality of our interi- ture around since time immemorial. This may have £17.50 full access to our or lives. As a Canadian preacher been the prophet’s problem, we can’t know for sure, website at once said, ‘What’s down in the but it certainly is many people’s problem today, churchnewspaper.com well will come up in the bucket’. including Christians. This admission by the prophet We live in a ‘pornified culture’, to use the words of of guilt seems strange because the executive chairman of CARE, Lyndon Bowring. looking at the exterior life of Isa- Tim Chester states emphatically in his excellent book iah he was for all intents and pur- Captured by a Better Vision that, ‘Today there is an poses a ‘super saint’. From a epidemic of pornography’. spiritual perspective he seemed to In the UK today we are literally awash with sexual have everything together – so and sensual imagery. It is almost unavoidable. Unlike why this desperate outburst? when I was a teenager, when pornography was limit- What was the problem regarding ed to books, magazines and X-rated movies, today Isaiah’s ‘lips’? Was he a gossip? porn and hard porn are ubiquitous. We don’t even Was he someone who was found have to leave our home, office or hotel room to around the Temple courts pass- access this spiritually toxic material. ing onto others sensitive informa- tion about other worshippers? Continued on page 13 [email protected] facebook.com/churchnewspaper @churchnewspaper 12 www.churchnewspaper.com Sunday May 26, 2013 The Register NSM (Assistant Chaplain), Clapham Holy APPOINTMENTS ANGLICAN CYCLE OF PRAYER Trinity and St Peter (Southwark): has resigned with effect from 21 April 2013. Sunday 26 May. Trinity Sunday. Psalm 1, Mt 17:24-27. Glory be to the Father, and to The Rev Kenneth Madden, New Archdeacon of Stoke-on-Trent the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be, NSM (Associate Priest), Newent and Gors- The Rev Matthew Parker, World without end. Amen. North West Australia - (Western Australia, Australia): The ley with Cliffords Mesne (Gloucester): has Rector, Leek and Meerbrook; and Rural Rt Rev David Mulready resigned with effect from 13 May 2013. Dean, Leek Deanery (Lichfield): to be The Rev Caroline O’Neill, Archdeacon of Stoke-on-Trent (same dio- Monday 27 May. Psalm 2:1-8, Mt 18:1-14. Northern Argentina - (Southern Cone): Chaplain, Westonbirt School (Gloucester): cese). The Rt Rev Nicholas James Quested Drayson has resigned with effect from 15 December The Rev Paul Butler, 2012. Rector, Deptford St Paul (Southwark): to Tuesday 28 May. Psalm 3, Mt 18:15-20. Northern California - (VIII, The Episcopal be also Area Dean, Deptford Deanery Church): The Rt Rev Barry Beisner LAY & OTHER (same diocese). APPOINTMENTS The Rev Jonathan Elcock, Wednesday 29 May. Psalm 4, 2 Kgs 18:1-8. Northern Indiana - (V, The Episcopal Assistant Curate, Salford All Saints (Man- Church): The Rt Rev Edward Little Mrs Lucy Docherty, chester): to be Rector, Failsworth St John Lay Chair, Portsmouth Diocesan Synod (same diocese). Thursday 30 May. Psalm 5:1-8,11-12, 2 Kgs 18:13-25. Northern Izon - (Niger Delta, (Portsmouth): to be Lay Canon, The Rev Sandra Emery, Nigeria): The Rt Rev Fred Nyanabo Portsmouth Cathedral (same diocese). NSM (Assistant Curate), Minchinhampton Capt Paul Fitzpatrick, CA: with Box and Amberley (Gloucester): to be Friday 31 May. Psalm 6:1-9, 2 Kgs 19:1-19. Northern Luzon - (Philippines): The Rt to be Lay Worker (Community Evangelist), NSM (Associate Priest). Rev Renato Mag-Gay Abibico Vauxhall St Peter (Southwark). The Rev Peter Hall, The Rev John Geary, Vicar, Fareham St John (Portsmouth): to Saturday 1 June. Psalm 7:1-11,17, 2 Kgs 19:20-37. Northern Malawi - (Cen- NSM (Assistant Curate), Heywood St Mar- be Priest-in-Charge, Crookhorn; and Assis- tral Africa): The Rt Rev Fanuel Emmanuel Magangani garet and Heap Bridge (Manchester): is tant Curate, Purbrook; and Assistant now NSM, Bagillt; and NSM, Flint (St Curate, Portsdown (same diocese). The Rev Janet Hallam, The Rev Charles Andrew Pell: Cumnor (Oxford). NSM (Assistant Curate), Newport St John; to be Vicar, Forcett and Aldbrough and The Rev Simon Witcombe, CORRECTION and NSM (Assistant Curate), Newport St Melsonby (Ripon and Leeds). Vicar, Codsall; and Rural Dean, Penkridge Thomas (Portsmouth): to be also Chaplain, The Rev James Ridge, Deanery (Lichfield): to be also Priest–in- Isle of Wight NHS Primary Care Trust Chaplain, HM Prison Chelmsford Charge, Bilbrook and Coven (same dio- The Rev James Ashton, (same diocese). (Chelmsford): to be Managing Chaplain. cese). Team Vicar, Merstham, South Merstham The Rev Paul Hutchins, The Rev Deborah Sandercock, The Rev Nicholas Wynne-Jones, and Gatton (Southwark): to remain Team Team Vicar, Swinton and Pendlebury NSM, (Assistant Curate), Chadderton St (Retired): is now NSM (Resident Priest), Vicar. (Manchester): to be Priest-in-Charge, Matthew with St Luke (Manchester): to be Theale and Englefield (same diocese). Southport St Luke (Liverpool). Assistant Curate. DEATHS The Rev Jonathan Iddon, The Rev John Simmons, RETIREMENTS & Assistant Curate, Glascote and Stoney- NSM (Associate Priest), Iwerne Valley RESIGNATIONS delph (Lichfield): to be Vicar, Fazeley; and (Salisbury): is now also Rural Dean, Milton Miss Marion Betty Humphries, born 29, Vicar, Canwell; and Rector, Drayton Bas- and Blandford Deanery (same diocese). Open Univ BA84. Selly Oak College 51. sett (same diocese). The Rev Reginald Sinclair, The Rev Canon David Adams, Deaconess 80 Deacon 87 Priest 94. New- The Rev Jonathan Kissell: Team Vicar, Atherton and Hindsford with Vicar, Longwell Green (Bristol): to resign market St Mary w Exning St Agnes: St to be Assistant Curate (Vicar), Surbiton St Howe Bridge (Manchester): to be Bor- with effect from 31 May 2013. Edmundsbury & Ipswich 80-82; Acomb St Matthew (Southwark). ough Dean of Wigan (same diocese). The Rev Christine Bainbridge, Stephen and St Aidan: York 83-86; Scarbor- The Rev Andrew Leach, The Rev Anne Stratton, Rector, Deptford St John with Holy Trinity ough St Martin 86-93; Parish Deacon 87-93; NSM (Assistant Curate), Painswick, Priest-in-Charge, Belper St Peter (Derby): and Ascension (Southwark): to retire with C Cayton w Eastfield 94; Retired 94; Per- Sheepscombe, Cranham, The Edge, Pitch- to be Vicar. effect from 31 May 2013. mission to Officiate Norwich from 95. Died combe, Harescombe and Brookthorpe The Rev Jennifer Taylor, The Rev Alison Cooper, 14th May 2013 aged 83 (Gloucester): to be NSM (Associate NSM (Associate Team Vicar), Chalke Val- NSM (Assistant Curate), Limpsfield and Priest). ley (Salisbury): is now Team Vicar. Tatsfield (Southwark): to resign with effect THE 2013 The Rev Marcus Maxwell, The Rev Gareth Thomas, from 31 May 2013. BIBLE CHALLENGE Rector, Heatons (Manchester): is now also Assistant Curate, Atherton and Hindsford The Rev Ruth Farrar, Area Dean, Heaton Deanery (Manches- with Howe Bridge (Manchester): to be NSM (Assistant Curate), Leesfield (Man- ter/same diocese). Priest-in-Charge, Daisy Hill; and Team chester): has retired with effect from 28 The Rev Peter Micklethwaite Vicar, Westhoughton and Wingates (same February 2013. Day 146 Enjoy hearing the Scriptures read (Portsmouth): to be NSM (Assistant diocese). The Rev Michael Fisher, aloud in church Curate), Sheet (same diocese). The Rev Canon Gregory Webb, NSM (Associate Minister), Stafford St Day 147 1 Chronicles 4-6, Psalm 116, The Rev Hilary Alice Monaghan, Priest-in-Charge, Sudbury and Chilton (St Mary and Marston; and NSM (Associate Romans 3 NSM (Assistant Vicar), Malmesbury with Edmundsbury and Ipswich): to be also Minister), Stafford St Chad (Lichfield): to Day 148 1 Chronicles 7-9, Psalm 117, Westport and Brokenborough; and NSM Rural Dean, Sudbury Deanery (same dio- retire with effect from 31 May 2013. Romans 4 (Assistant Vicar), Great Somerford, Little cese). The Rev Peter Michael Hand, Day 149 1 Chronicles 10-12, Psalm 118, Somerford, Seagry, Corston with Rod- The Rev Patrick Wheaton, Team Vicar, Winchcombe (Gloucester): to Romans 5 bourne (Bristol): to be Chaplain, Weston- Assistant Curate, Shill Valley and Broad- retire with effect from 30 September 2013. Day 150 1 Chronicles 13-15, Psalm 119: 1- birt School (Gloucester). shire (Oxford): to be Assistant Curate The Rev Dr Alan Harding, 32, Romans 6 The Rev Jonathan Page, (Associate Vicar), Cheltenham St Mary NSM (Assistant Priest), South Hartismere Day 151 1 Chronicles 16-18, Psalm 119: 33- Priest-in-Charge, Belper Christ Church with St Matthew and St Luke (Gloucester). (St Edmundsbury and Ipswich): to retire 72, Romans 7 with Turnditch; and Rural Dean, Duffield The Rev Dr David Wenham, with effect from 3 June 2013. Day 152 1 Chronicles 19-21, Psalm 119: 73- Deanery (Derby): to be Vicar. (Oxford): is now NSM (Associate Priest), The Rev Richard Jones, 112, Romans 8 region, is rather “retro”, and partly takes one back to those sweeter days. It appears to be only Wine of the Week sold by Tesco, is imported in bulk and bottled in the UK. It’s retail history is rather curious, as it Ocean’s Edge has been frequently on offer at two or even three Sauvignon Blanc 2012 bottle deals at very favourable reductions. Now it Want to advertise Tesco £10.99 is again at full price, perhaps over so, to make future offers seem even more attractive. Serve Here’s something of a only lightly chilled. Water-clear in the glass, on in this space? curiosity. New World the nose there’s ripe melon, then, on first sip Sauvignon Blancs when there’s a light crisp introduction, which quickly is they first appeared some overtaken by strong ripe fresh fruit, peaches, email our ad team decades ago on wine melons again, a hint of fruit salad about it all. shelves were generally If you are looking for a sweeter Sauvignon, a bit sweeter than the classic like old times, this is one to try. There’s a pleas- French bottles. ant persistent finish. Alcohol by Vol. 13%. It But New Zealand’s makes a good aperitif, and would go quite well [email protected] Marlborough soon with white battered fish (use plenty of ripe established itself as world class by going dryer. lemon), salads and with light, vegetarian pastas. Now, this bottle from that Graham Gendall Norton [email protected] facebook.com/churchnewspaper @churchnewspaper Anglican Life Sunday May 26, 2013 www.churchnewspaper.com 13 made time for God and if I did it was always with God before going about evangelism to me asking him to do things or to give me others.” An adventure with God things. I feel that I have grown so much because I have stopped, listened and been Rosie Elwood, 19, from Nottingham expectant to hear from God. It’s also been “Spending time in Romania was really great to spend time with the other Xplorers encouraging and I worked at the social Church Army’s Xplore gap year pro- – we get on so well and have had some enterprise, DECE, where vulnerable gramme for 18- to 25-year-olds offers young great adventures together.” women are taught to crochet hats and people the chance to do mission in Roma- scarves that are then sold online. As well as nia, Ireland and the United Kingdom. This Peter Coombs, 19, is from Wantage in spending time with the women, I also year’s Xplorers tell Hannah Gray about Oxfordshire and is in his second year helped with the administrative side of the their experiences and what God has been of Xplore. project; writing letters to potential cus- teaching them “I joined Xplore in September 2011 after tomers and editing photos for the website. hearing about it at the Next Generation The teaching I’ve received as part of Xplore Aimee Jess, 22, from Lisburn in youth conference in Oxford. I’ve had a bril- has also been really challenging as we’ve Northern Ireland liant time so far with Xplore where I’ve tackled subjects such as prayer, obedience “My gap year with Xplore started with a been given the space and opportunity to and idolatry. Back in the United Kingdom, six-week placement in Romania, which discover my gifts and grow in them. During I’ve been working at Church Army’s turned out to be an amazing time. We both of my trips to Romania I have been Greenwich Centre of Mission in south Lon- stayed in a town called Siria where we part of the building team helping some of don, helping with kids clubs, community worked with a community of Roma gypsies. Europe’s poorest communities. I have also drop-ins and outreach services for the I was part of the school team where I been working at Church Army’s Southamp- nearby housing estates. My involvement helped to run the after-school homework ton Centre of Mission on the Weston hous- with Superkidz has been a highlight for me club, which included helping the children burn Centre of Mission in Northern Ire- ing estate where I’ve got involved in a – it is just great to see how much the kids with their academic work and doing more land working alongside Evangelists John variety of ministries. These include a reno- enjoy it and how they share their hearts practical activities such as art, drama, gar- O’Neill and Karen Webb. So far I have been vations project where we decorate people’s with you in such an honest way.” dening and woodwork. involved in leading school assemblies, homes who are struggling physically or “We also washed their hands, faces and after-school puppet clubs, and children’s financially and a weekly lunch club for the If you would like to apply for Xplore or find teeth, which was a real novelty for them as groups and youth groups. elderly and isolated. The Xplore teaching out more, please visit http://bit.ly/JJQplJ they didn’t have the facilities to do this at “I have been very challenged this year sessions have also been helpful and one of telephone 08445 853575 or email home. Since returning to the United King- about spending time with God and hearing the biggest things I’ve learnt is the need [email protected] dom, I’ve been based at Church Army’s Lis- his voice. Before Xplore I never really and importance to be in a right relationship http://bit.ly/JJQplJ When making these movies the ‘porn stars’ are often high sioned – sent out with a message. When we find cleansing continued from page 10 on drugs and the shooting has to stop because the ‘actors’ and freedom in Christ it is not so we can sit about feeling have to go and vomit! ‘holy’. We are, in the words of the old-time slogan, saved to As Bill Gates predicted we are indeed now a ‘three screen In The Republic, Plato gives his famous Analogy of the serve. We are now to go into the ‘zone of unknown’ (Bill society’. We have our TVs, Laptops/PCs and hand-held Cave. Inside this cave that represents this world of shad- Hybels’ words not mine!) and tell other people the ‘good devices – phones and tablets, etc. And this multibillion- owy illusions he places a fire that is a counterfeit version of news’ (gospel) that purity and freedom are readily avail- pound industry can ensure that it can deliver the very lat- the Sun (The Form of the Good). Pornography is the coun- able through faith in Jesus. est and filthiest porn available right to us in an instant. terfeit fire. It is a false surrogate for true intimacy. We need to remember that the risen Christ works Jim Conway in his book Men in Midlife Crisis writes: “It Gordon Macdonald writes in When Men Think Private through his people the Church. The Church surely should is possible to connect to hundreds of pornographic sites, Thoughts, “that when men find themselves cut off from be the place where people who have been enslaved, some of them live. The paying client, who may live in (true) intimacy, they are likely to struggle with tempta- wounded and almost destroyed by pornography should go Toronto, London, or Sydney, types the instructions while tions toward fantasy, masturbation, pornography, promis- and receive grace and healing (Luke 15 Parable of the the model in southern California does as she is instructed. cuity and abuse”. Like drinking salt water these activities Good Samaritan). This remote sexual experience has been described as the never satisfy our real thirst for authentic intimacy. Unfortunately, the Church has a reputation for being ultimate safe sex.” No delayed gratification here then! Richard Watson in his fascinating book Future Minds extremely judgmental and unforgiving when it comes to Men in particular are visually stimulated. Sexual images speaks about what he calls ‘the reset generation’. We now issues related to sexual sin. Dwight L Carlson in his book tend to burn themselves onto the retina of our minds. We have a generation of young, and not so young people who Why do Christians Shoot their Wounded?, says the joke can see these pictures in our minds eye for days, weeks believe that when life goes wrong all we have to do is press about Christians shooting their wounded is not a joke at all and months after the initial viewing. These doubtful icons ‘reset button’. However, it’s not quite that simple. – sadly it is often true. can make a reappearance at the most inopportune When we become enslaved to porn, or to any other com- I am still struck by the story that Philip Yancey tells in moment – when praying or in church for example. pulsive and addictive behaviour, ‘those parasitic colonies the opening pages of his book, What’s So Amazing About There are estimates that worldwide up to 50 per cent of of habit’ that we allow to form in us, to use Francis Grace. He tells of a friend who was having a conversation Christian men are in some manner addicted to viewing Spufford’s phrase, we don’t need to be reset, but released. with a prostitute. She was in a monetary and moral mess. pornography. Christian women are not immune either Fortunately this is exactly what Jesus promised in John When Yancey’s friend suggested that she might seek help (some suggest 40 per cent of Christian women have a 8, ‘If the Son of Man shall set you free - you will be free from a local church the woman looked askance and said, problem with accessing and addiction to pornography). indeed’. In this case, Jesus does indeed Spell Freedom! ‘“Church”! “Why would I ever go there? I was already feel- In his book, When Good Men are Tempted Bill Perkins But first we need to admit and confess that we have ing terrible about myself. They’d just make me feel worse.’ talks about the sexual ‘dragon within’. This reminded me messed up – big time! Often the approach that Jesus used with the woman of a book I used to read to my boys when they were little. It This is expressed powerfully in his book Unapologetic caught in adultery is sadly absent from the Church’s was about a family who found a cute baby dragon outside where Francis Spufford writes poignantly and with great method of dealing with sexual failure (John 8). We Chris- of their front door. They took it in, fed it and cared for it, insight when he says, “The bad news is bad news about us, tians need to remember that the Church is not a show- and it became one of the family. However, over time the not just other people. And when the conviction of it settles room for super saints, but a hospital for sick sinners. We dragon grew and grew until it took over the whole house. in, when we reach one of those stages of our lives where don’t have to fillet fish before we catch them. In the same way porn is invasive – it grows to take over the sorrow of our failure hangs in our chest like a weight… There are steps to take to be released from the addictive your life. It is also subtlety addictive. Once you start view- if you don’t give the weight in your chest its true name you or compulsive behaviour. Admit that you have a problem ing it you want more and you want a stronger version. can’t even begin.” Confession leads to release and cleans- to a trusted Christian friend of the same sex. Agree to be Addiction to pornography has many familiarities to ing. accountable to each other – praying for and with each being addicted to drugs. Jesus was right, when we commit Isaiah was cleansed by ‘the burning coals from off the other. Get together and go over the previous weeks and sin, we soon become a slave to it (John 8:34). When you altar’. His lips were touched and his life cleaned up. If you talk about when you won the battle and when you lost. If are a slave you have little choice about what you do. and I have problems with gossip, moaning, profanity or you feel you can, talk to your pastor or one of the elders of Bill Perkins again writes: (While) “Christian men know pornography we need God to clean us up – to wash us your church. If you need professional help go to a counsel- they should remain pure, many of them end up looking too clean. lor, or have a chat to your GP. long at a skimpily dressed girl at the gym, surfing the Dr Bruce Walkte of Regent College, Vancouver in a lec- Don’t stay trapped in addiction and guilt. Don’t stop com- Internet for erotic sites, visiting strip clubs, flirting with a ture on Psalm 51 referred to the ancient practice of monks ing to church because you feel bad. These are times when co-worker, or sleeping with their girlfriend.” taking vela that had pornographic words written on them we need each other. If you are a church leader and you are Pornography doesn’t help intimacy in marriage: it and how they washed them clean so that it could be set to trapped by an addiction to pornography (and a number of wrecks it. It leads to unrealistic fantasies of what sex can a new use – having the words of scripture inscribed on pastors are!) seek a trusted friend or colleague and talk it be like and it can easily turn your partner in to an object of them. through, pray together and get professional help if neces- selfish satisfaction rather as the focus of your love. This practice is echoed through verses in the Old and sary. Young men in particular are growing up with a view of New Testament, for example. 1John 1:7 ‘and the blood of Lastly, our churches ought to set up some kind of sup- sex that is both unrealistic and possibly damaging to their Jesus, God’s Son cleanses us/purifies us from all sin’. I am port group for people who are going through a struggle in future relationships. We need to realise that these sexual personally grateful that all our porn (uncleanness) can be relation to pornography. The situation is growing worse by Olympians that are viewed in pornographic films are replaced by Jesus’ purity. the day – it is time to put practical and personal holiness make-believe. They are frequently suffering from drug The last part of Isaiah’s experience in the Temple was back where it belongs, at the centre of our lives and at the addiction and are the property of organised criminals. his commission. He was cleansed in order to be commis- core of our churches. [email protected] facebook.com/churchnewspaper @churchnewspaper 14 www.churchnewspaper.com Sunday May 26, 2013 Features Celebrating inter-faith ties at Yad Vashem By Barbara Dingle morally challenging”. We don’t study the Holocaust just for what It was in Israel that I met Noam happened in the past but also for and Genya, a lovely couple now our day. well into their 80s who met nearly “These in-depth seminars are a 70 years ago in Schindler’s facto- life-changing experience”, she ry and were thus saved from per- added. “For many it is the first ishing in the Holocaust. time they encounter in person the They survived the war, moved historic reality that Christians to what was then British Mandat- played an underlying role in ed pre-State Israel where they preparing the ground for the Nazi subsequently married there and extermination of Jews.” had children and now have four Yad Vashem is considered the grandchildren too. most revered institution in Israel, I met them when we visited the having been officially tasked with grave of Oskar Schindler, termed preserving the memory of the six a “Righteous Among the Nations” million Jewish victims of the Nazi for saving the lives of Jewish peo- Holocaust, and with teaching its ple during the war, and met universal lessons to future gener- these two “Schindler survivors”. ations. It was in mid-April, when I was invited by the Christian Friends Barbara sitting next to Barbara Dingle worships at St of Yad Vashem and the Interna- the two Schindler Michael’s, Chester Square, in tional School for Holocaust Stud- survivors central London. ies at Yad Vashem, Israel’s For more information or to sup- Holocaust Memorial and Muse- port the vital work of Christian um. I had joined a group of 23 monies held in Warsaw Ghetto uing through the Middle Ages toric issues related to the tragic Friends of Yad Vashem: clergy and lay leaders from Square on the Yad Vashem Cam- including the expulsion of the legacy of Christian anti-Semitism. http://bit.ly/13AAP9i around the world to participate in pus in the presence of the Presi- Jews from Britain from 1290 until Indeed, we all came away Or [email protected] a special week-long training semi- dent and Prime Minister of Israel 1657 and the Inquisitions and strongly motivated nar on Holocaust education and together with other dignitaries forced conversions. to share all that we teaching on how to combat the and many elderly Holocaust sur- We need to learn about this his- had learned espe- At Israel's National Yom HaShoah event resurgence of anti-Semitism vivors. tory lest we become a generation cially in the light of (Holocaust Memorial Day) today. We stood in silent remem- that repeats the mistakes of the the growing anti- The seminar was made possible brance as we heard the siren that past. Semitism in Britain by a donation given by German marks this solemn day through- I was already an advocate for that seems to be Christians through the Interna- out the land. This year marked Israel, and, yes, of course as feeding the hostile tional Christian Embassy the 70th anniversary of the War- Christians we should love the boycott and divest- Jerusalem (ICEJ). saw Ghetto Uprising and the 60th Palestinian people too and some ment movement This Christian Leadership Con- consecutive year of this memorial of my best friends are Palestini- against Israel. We ference featured an array of lec- day which was first placed on the ans – but concerning Israel I learned about the tures by top scholars from the calendar in 1953, at the instigation know we can’t be silent again. things that went Hebrew University and Yad of Israel’s first prime minister, My prayer is that I will be able to wrong in the past Vashem, moving encounters with David Ben-Gurion. speak up in the right situations and how Christians Holocaust survivors as well as For many years I have been and stand up for the Jewish peo- can be a part of the tours of key biblical and historic studying the Jewish roots of ple. solution in the sites in Israel. Christianity, to get to really know In cooperation with the Interna- future. This annual conference is my faith as it was given to us by tional School for Holocaust Stud- Dr Susanna organised by Christian Friends of Jesus and the Apostles. Sadly, the ies, the Christian Desk at Yad Kokkonen, Director Yad Vashem to coincide with Yom Holocaust also includes the story Vashem seeks to take Christian of Christian Friends HaShoah – the annual Holocaust of churches that cut themselves leaders and enhance their knowl- of Yad Vashem, Remembrance Day in Israel. We off from those Hebraic roots star- edge on the Nazi genocide described the semi- had the great privilege of being ing with the early church in the against the Jews, as well as their nar as “intellectual- present for the official state cere- first and second centuries, contin- ability to address moral and his- ly, spiritually and PRICES HELD Subscribe to the Annual Subscription rates: UK £65, online edition for Retired: £60 (UK only) Subscribe today! just £25 a including free online edition year Europe: £90 (€140), Rest of World: £110 (US $220), I wish to pay by ❏ cheque ❏credit card ❏ debit card ❏ other Please make cheques payable to Religious Intelligence Ltd Online edition: £25 Or call 020 7222 8663 With an annual subscription you can I enclose £ ____ ($____ ) or I authorise you to debit my account with the amount of £ ……….. ($...... ) have full access to our website with regularly updated news. Card number: __ _ _/_ _ _ _ / _ _ _ _ / _ _ _ _ Expiry Date:…...... /…...... 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John 3:19 because the darkness fosters fear and guilt where the light liberates us to freedom and In the mid-1800s three young artists got By the Rev Dr Liz Hoare trust. together and formed the Pre-Raphaelite Opening that door requires a huge Brotherhood. They wanted to paint things change of heart from fear to trust and trust ‘as they were’ and not ‘as they have always because by this time he was losing his eye- can enter into his life-giving light. often begins in a small and faltering fashion been.’ sight. ‘The light of the world’ is based on There is a strong sense in John’s Gospel because it involves openness to another. One of them, Holman Hunt is famous for Rev 3:20, ‘Listen! I am standing at the door that judgement is as much about this world Trust, however, can grow — and grow like his painting ‘The light of the world’ which knocking’, a verse that is addressed to the as the next and that the way to bring judge- a tight bud opening into a wide flower of he painted at night by the light of a special- church at Laodicea but Hunt made it evan- ment on ourselves in this life is to reject the great beauty. The Gospel is about growing ly designed brass lantern that could not gelistic and it has been pointed out how the light of the world. When we stand in the in trust in Jesus the light of the world, easily be extinguished. While he was paint- door in the painting can only be opened light it is a good place to be, a place of free- opening the door to let in the light and ing his picture, Hunt abandoned his agnos- from the inside. dom. We may quickly forget what it is like bathing in it. In time the light changes us ticism and became a believer, as many Refusal to open to the light of the world in the dark and wonder why on earth any- from the inside out so that as John others who have looked at this painting is to choose to remain in the darkness with- one would choose to stay there. And yet explains, ‘it may be clearly seen that their have done so since. in. Jesus holds a lantern that lights up his people do. deeds have been done in God.’ There are two originals of the painting face, his person, the door and the way John goes on to explain that the dark- The Rev Dr Liz Hoare (nee Culling) is tutor and when Hunt worked on the second he ahead. He wants to flood the interior and ness hides many things including evil. The in prayer, spirituality and mission at made it four times bigger than the first the face of the person inside so that they darkness keeps God on the other side of Wycliffe Hall SUNDSUNDAYAY SERVICESERVICE Do we need more Sunday Readings for June 2, 2013 Trinity 2 - Year C songs of lament asks 2 Samuel 11:26 – 12:10, 13-15 Galatians 2:15-21 Steve Morris? Luke 7:36 8:3 I was at a Christian camp last year and it And somehow in a tent filled with so David had united the kingdoms of Israel and Judah, establishing Jerusalem as his capi- was amazing. Very good and beautifully many people who seem so ecstatic the lone- tal and fortress, defeating all the enemies of his people. His name will always be spoken done. liness and pain seem amplified. I felt like with awe and reverence on account of his many achievements. David knew that he But it was something of a personal battle. the one soldier marching out-of-step. But I owed everything to God, whose favour had placed him on the throne. But even this On the Sunday before the event my can’t be alone in this, can I? great man forgot his duty to God when he contrived the death of Uriah the Hittite, so beloved father-in-law died. I had known this For me, just dragging myself to the big that he might take the beautiful Bathsheba as his own wife. Lord Acton’s well-known amazing man for the best part of 34 years. tent was an act of faith. But the sense of my comments about the corrosive effects of power were written in the context of a discus- He’d shown such courage battling and sur- family suffering so badly and the great loss sion about power in the Church: those who fear God should remember David, and his viving cancer and then a freak turn for the I felt drove me back to the Psalms. betrayal of everything that he stood for. Faith does not inoculate anyone against the worse and he died. The Jewish people had a catalogue of insidious temptations which occur to the powerful, to use the authority which has been And so I arrived at the camp heavy-heart- songs and poems and stories of lament and given to them for the common good, for purely selfish ends. ed and knowing that I was heading back to pain to keep them going. They knew that At all times we must have the humility to recognise that our justification in the sight of Manchester on the Wednesday to conduct life wasn’t always a bowl of cherries and God is not our own achievement, but a free gift which we have received by grace, the funeral. they let God know all about it. through faith in the blood which Christ shed for us sinners on the Cross. It is a perfect But that wasn’t all. The day before we got But perhaps we feel a bit self-conscious and full redemption to which we can add nothing of our own. We depend on him from to New Wine my 13-year-old daughter’s about this, or as if we let the side down by hour to hour and day by day to sustain us in this wholly unmerited state of grace, to lead best friend was involved in a head-on car saying we are struggling with emptiness us on the way of the Cross, so that we may be forgiven and sanctified by the indwelling crash on her way on holiday. Her mum was and grief. power of the Holy Spirit. If we put our trust in our own unaided efforts, then we are very seriously injured. The children in the Look… I know that an updated lamenta- bound to fail, for we remain mortal and fallible, and incapable of saving ourselves. We back of the car all grievously injured. tions won’t be a crowd-pleaser at vibey must learn to set aside the pride which convinces us that we can go it alone, and instead My own girls were in charismatic churches. trust entirely in the power of God. pieces and, to be fair, so was But I am wondering The human tradition to which Simon the Pharisee belonged had come to define whole I. whether we need times categories of people as “sinners”, and what is worse, a definition in which he certainly I have faced great suffering I am wondering at the big events to truly did not include himself. The combination of a legalistic interpretation of the scriptures in my life and the fact that I’m lament all that is gone and spiritual pride ensured that someone in his frame of mind was unlikely to acknowl- now a priest in the Church of whether we need and all we have lost. edge his need of repentance. We all need to understand that however powerful, diligent, England is a minor miracle. I times at the big I’m not talking about ingenious or determined we are, however high the position which we hold in society or came to faith late – aged 40 at confessing our sins in even in the Church, as human beings we are sinners who fall far short of the glory of an Alpha Course. I am evan- events to truly particular or praying for God. Jesus gently corrected Simon by opening his eyes to see that the woman he cate- gelical through-and-through. lament all that is wholeness and restora- gorised as unclean was actually far closer to God than he was, for she had taken the nec- I believe that God heals and tion. I simply wonder if essary first steps towards salvation: she is sorrowful for her sins. She is forgiven, as all that he is close. But this time gone and all we we need to have a space can be forgiven who know their need of repentance and of grace to lead a new life in I felt very distant from God. for lament. Christ. If Simon wishes to be reconciled to God, he must recognise that he too is a sin- Not doubting, but shell- have lost A place we can be sad, ner, and exchange his false confidence in his position for trust in God alone. shocked. I just was in an odd without trying to close The Rev Stephen Trott place and one that felt rather the circle too quickly dead. Perhaps rather than dressing it up I and move onto the upbeat stuff. should just acknowledge the fact that I was Christian gatherings are rather wonder- HYMN SELECTION grieving. ful. They are joyous and make me smile. So how to respond to the camp? It was The music is world-class. But I suppose I great to have a short break and great to be am issuing a plea for Christian songwriters Hymns for Trinity 2 among friends and with my parish. to reflect how we are as much as how we’d O God of earth and altar All was well until I got to the evening like to be. Judge eternal, throned in splendour meeting. The upbeat songs, the joy, the cel- And perhaps at the big festivals we need And can it be ebration I found so hard. Not because I to be sensitive to those who are suffering Love divine, all loves excelling doubted God, but because I needed to sing loss. O Lord, my God, when I in awesome wonder a different song – a song of lament and I know that God has met me in this odd Father, Lord of all creation pain. I was in no place to be happy and and lonely place. It is odd feeling lonely Many times I have turned clapped. among an army of believers. Guide me, O thou great redeemer Now modern worship songs aren’t very As the great Manchester pop band James In full and glad surrender good in this area – except perhaps Blessed sang: Love songs from heaven be Your name. They frequently talk about “those who feel the touch of sadness, sit Jesus as a neo-boyfriend. Or they talk of down next to me, those who feel the touch God’s armies on the move or revival or giv- of madness, sit down next to me.” ing our all. But they rarely talk about the Let’s find some time to lament all that is numbness of bereavement. gone. Knowing all that is to come. Milestones The consecration of the first Anglican Asian Bish- op in Latin America took place when Archdeacon Raphael Samuel was formally consecrated as the Diocesan Bishop of Bolivia at a Sunday morn- ing service of the Eucharist at Cristo Luz Del Mundo… The Church of England Investment Bodies are nominated for a global reporting award for responsible investment, with the win- ners announced at the RI Europe conference in London on 11 June… The Common Worship Lectionary - the resource which lists references for the daily Bible readings used in Common Wor- ship services - is more popular than ever in its printed and digital formats, ranked number seven in the Top 20 Religion: UK book chart for 2012… when debt hits 90 per cent. RR have been seen as providing intellec- tual support for austerity politics but a care- PAUL ful reading of their critics shows that they, too, concede that growth slows as debt RICHARDSON rises although they suggest that this takes longer than RR admitted. Perhaps some Church and World more wide-ranging questions need to be asked than simply calling for a revision of statistics. How reliable are any statistics based on a short period of time and quite a small number of countries? What allowance should be made for different kinds of debt? A crisis for the Money borrowed to build roads and air- ports will have a different impact from spending on welfare or pensions. Economics can never be the exact sci- ence some economists would like it to be. ‘ political parties? All too often the old truth that correlation As many commentators have point- resemblance to reality. David does not always equal causation is forgot- ‘We do not believe it ed out, Ukip’s success in the recent Cameron seems out of touch with ten. Behind the argument about figures is would be acceptable local elections forms part of a pat- ordinary people, a man from a privi- an argument about values. Economics and for marriage registrars tern in which populist parties or par- leged background who is happiest politics cannot be divorced. who are in post prior ties that are against the ‘system’ are working with chums from the same Economists are also often bad at predict- to the Bill’s enactment doing well in many parts of Europe. circle. Ed Miliband has failed to con- ing how people will react. To argue they will to face disciplinary Disillusion with mainstream politics vince the voters that he is a decisive consume more when government spending actions or redundancy is at an all time high. In Britain it is leader ready for power. falls because they expect taxes to drop (voluntary or reflected not only in the rise of Ukip But behind the political crisis lies attributes to most people a degree of involuntary) simply as but in the low turn-out at elections. an economic crisis that shows little sophistication they do not possess. a result of their Almost 70 per cent of the electorate sign of going away. America may be Experience suggests that cutting spend- conscientious views on ing costs across interlinked economies marriage’. damages growth. In the 1920s and 1930s Church of England Britain, the US, Germany and Japan all tried briefing on same-sex to make cuts to secure growth and it didn’t marriage proposals work. We need to remember that austerity ‘ hits those at the bottom of society most severely and in Southern Europe unem- ployment figures stand at very high levels. People Germany must Germany must realise that its model of an realise that its economy achieving surpluses by exports model of an cannot apply to everyone, not even every- The Dean of Washington DC, The Very Rev economy achieving one in Europe. It is time for a rethink. This Gary Hall, will be visiting Manchester from 14-16 surpluses by doesn’t mean it must become acceptable May 2013 as a guest of the Dean of Manchester, exports cannot again for Greeks to avoid paying taxes or and during his visit will be meeting with religious apply to everyone, for housing allowances in Britain to sub- leaders and local politicians in order to learn new not even everyone sidise inflated city rents. Modified austerity ways that The Church can build even stronger in Europe. should mean spending on projects that will links with community groups... Manchester not only stimulate the economy but secure Cathedral’s Volunteer Programme Manager, Lau- long-term rewards. ren Bailey-Rhodes, won the Adviser of the Year stayed away in the recent poll. seeing improved prospects of In Britain we are hindered by the time it award at the Employment Related Services Asso- The number of people who can be growth but Europe remains stuck in often takes to get such projects up and run- ciation... bothered to join a party is going the doldrums and Britain is limping ning. Ed Balls wants another short–term down rapidly. Labour has seen a badly, avoiding a triple dip but enjoy- cut in VAT but while that will stimulate con- slight rise since the 2010 election but ing only slight growth. sumer spending it does not represent long- Next Week’s News the Lib Dems and the Tories have A growing number of voices in the term investment. Housing, transport and both registered decline. As a result, IMF and elsewhere are blaming aus- energy are all areas that cry out for invest- the parties are under pressure to terity for the failure of European ment in Britain. Private investors such as World Environment Day will be celebrated on 5 yield to opinions held by activists countries to recover from the eco- pension funds are warning that their June, with this year’s theme of Think.Eat.Save, an that have little appeal to the elec- nomic crisis. Their case appears to resources for such projects are limited. The anti-food waste and food loss campaign that torate as a whole. have been strengthened by the dis- Government needs to be more active, guar- encourages you to reduce your ‘foodprint’, as, Various explanations are offered covery of a statistical error in a paper anteeing investments or investing itself. according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organ- for the decline of conventional poli- by two Harvard economists that What appears to be a technical debate ization (FAO), every year 1.3 billion tonnes of tics. The digital age favours the rise argued growth reaches a slowdown about austerity among economists can food is wasted - the equivalent to the same amount of single-issue campaigns and when debt reaches 90 per cent of sound frightening to laypeople who, in this produced in the whole of sub-Saharan Africa, and protest groups, not political coali- GDP. The two economists, Carmen case, include church leaders. But behind with one in every seven people in the world go to tions attuned to the compromises Reinhart and Kenneth Rogoff (RR), the battle over statistics lie practical choices bed hungry and more than 20,000 children under demanded by power. Few political have acknowledged the error but and political decisions. How much austerity the age of 5 die daily from hunger... Fittingly, leaders command respect. Nick claimed their main argument still can society take? This is a major issue we all Energy and Climate Change will be discussed Clegg comes across as so unreliable stands. In their latest work they have need to debate. The consequences of an in the Main Chamber of Parliament on 6 June... that he must be a nightmare as a col- analysed a wide range of countries over-rigorous economic policy are begin- The Enough Food IF campaign are holding the league if Andrew Adonis’ picture of and claim a drop in median growth ning to poison life in Britain and the rest of first rally in London’s Hyde Park on 8 June, calling him in ‘Five Days in May’ bears any from 2.8 per cent to 1.8 per cent Europe. on the G8 to take notice... © Copyright 2013, The Church of England Newspaper. Registered as a newspaper by Royal Mail. Published by Religious Intelligence Ltd, 14 Great College Street, Westminster, London, SW1P 3RX, Telephone: 020 7222 8700. Imagesetting by Classified Central Media Limited, 4th Floor, Central House, 142 Central Street, London, EC1V 8AR, 020 7216 6400. Printed by Mortons Media Group Ltd, Newspaper House, Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincs, LN9 6JR. Tel: 01507 523456. 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