The Time to INSIDE Doctor check and your CS Lewis, Vitamin D p9 p13

THE FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2013 No: 6204 www.churchnewspaper.com PRICE £1.35 1,70j US$2.20 CHURCH OF ENGLAND THE ORIGINAL CHURCH NEWSPAPER ESTABLISHED IN 1828 NEWSPAPER Church urged to evangelise

By Amaris Cole ing of the Bishops, Archbish- proud of, because they are not ops’ Council or PCCs out of suitable for much of their con- THE ARCHBISHOP of York order, adding this is not about gregations who have received a stressed the importance of saying: “Here I am Lord – but limited education. evangelism in the life of the send my brother or sister!” He also spoke of new church Church when he took part in This paper is not about ‘wal- plants: “It puzzles me how the a debate on the subject at lowing in discussions about the majority of new church planters General Synod on Tuesday. inadequacy of the Doctrine of go for areas where the fruit is The Most Rev Dr John Senta- Salvation’ or some other doc- hanging low.” mu said that the subject of evan- trine, and supporting the A vital priority for this task gelism was ‘nearer to my heart motion will signal a lasting cul- group must be why this is so, than any other’. ture of change, and a fresh com- he stressed, asking for contex- Next to worship, witness is the mitment to make Christ known tually appropriate evangelistic primary and urgent task of the in this generation, Archbishop models and techniques, while Church, he said. Sentamu promised. not losing hold of the emphases “Compared with evangelism, The Task Group will be to transform not just individual everything else is like re- ‘made up of people with a lives but whole communities. arranging furniture when the proven record for making disci- Zahida Mallard, who spoke as house is on fire,” the Archbish- ples’, he said, including mem- a first generation convert, op went on, admittihat not bers of the Church Army. spoke of her dismay at speaker every Christian was an evangel- He closed with the ultima- after speaker talking about the ist, but urging all to be a wit- tum: “Evangelise or fossilise!” great commission. ness. Father Philip North stood to “We are part of the community The motion sought to sup- support the motion. that makes up the Church of port the formation of an Arch- “I am a huge enthusiast of England,” she said, “We need to bishops’ Task Group on this paper, which is outstand- be part of the cultural change.” Evangelism, with the first prior- ing,” he began. “Those who come to faith need ity of this group being a new But he had a question for the to be involved with growing and call to prayer, and then forming group to work on when it was supporting Christ-like commu- a seven-discipline programme formed, asking: “Why is our nities,” she concluded. of discipleship. evangelism failing the poor?” One Twitter user suggested The Archbishop told the Father North spoke of how that asking the General Synod Chair he must rule any member many inner urban clergy found to approve this open, flexible who stood in opposition to the they cannot use new literature, Rev Dr John Sentamu debate to suggest just a meet- which the rest of the Church is Continued on page 6 Archbishop defends political involvement

“THE COMMON GOOD of the commu- In a speech that set out the basis on point to injustice and to challenge others to Temple – ‘close friends’- in the creation of nity and justice are absolutely central which the Archbishop seeks to intervene in join us in righting it,” he announced. the post-war welfare state. to what it means to be a Christian,” political debates, he drew a distinction While accepting that there are many He suggested the post-war reforms with Archbishop Justin Welby claimed in a between party politics as a ‘mechanism we Christians who are deeply engaged in party their interweaving of the influence of keynote address to the Church Urban use as a society to make decisions about politics and describing this as an ‘important Christian and secular thinkers showed that Fund’s ‘Tackling Poverty Together’ who governs’ and politics in a general task’, the Archbishop described politics in the concept of a purely secular society does conference. sense as ‘the art and science of securing general as ‘something from which none of not work. When the church spoke out on such the common good of the community us should seek to escape participation – if “Our history has too many strands, some issues as money and credit unions or the through government’. we respond to the nature of God’. Christian, some based on other convic- rising cost of energy it was told to stick to He argued that when churches work to The Archbishop praised the role of the tions, which are woven into the way we God but the Archbishop pointed out that secure human flourishing this is politics in Church Urban Fund in making a ‘tangible think and the way we act – into our ethics. ‘loving God and loving our neighbour go the general sense but not party politics. difference in local communities where it Our structures of understanding cannot be together like the warp and woof of a piece “We have responsibilities to speak, even really matters’ and drew attention to the picked apart into secular and spiritual, and of fabric.’ when it might be easier to stay quiet, to role played by Beveridge, Tawney and the latter discarded.”

PETER MULLEN 7 • COMMENT 7 • LETTERS 8 • ANDREW CAREY 10 • CLERGY MOVES 14 • NEW WINE 15 • PAUL RICHARDSON 16 2 www.churchnewspaper.com Friday November 22, 2013 News Inside... Tesco removes provocative ads The original Church newspaper

UK News ...... 1-4 World News ...... 5 after priest lodges complaint Comment By Cait Flynn down and will be reviewing our guide- Anglican Life ...... 6 lines.” Leader ...... 7 TESCO HAS removed adverts on bus Ms MacLaren went on, however, to Peter Mullen ...... 7 shelters after an open letter filed by write, “Quite apart from making me shiver Letters ...... 8 the Rev Clare MacLaren complained just to look at her, in this chilly weather, Dr Who anniversary ...... 9 about the images of scantily dressed these adverts are completely culturally Andrew Carey ...... 10 women appearing outside local pri- insensitive. Ours is a majority Muslim Whispering Gallery ...... 10 mary schools, churches and mosques. community, where Christians and Mus- Films ...... 11 Ms MacLaren, the Priest-in-Charge at St lims live and work happily and respectfully Books ...... 11 Martin and St Barnabas Church, Bradford, together. Janey Lee Grace ...... 13 wrote: “within a quarter of a mile radius, “Both Christians and Muslims believe there are seven larger-than-life images of a that it is right for men and women to dress young white woman wearing nothing but a with modesty in public - and would certain- The Record bra, pants and fishnet tights. Several are ly not be seen at a bus stop in their under- Classifieds ...... 12 - 13 right outside St Martin’s Church, Heaton wear - so why should we have this image Clergy Moves ...... 14 Primary School and our local Mosque.” inflicted on us?” Crossword ...... 14 Following her protest five of the seven Recently much fuss has been made Spiritual Director ...... 15 adverts have subsequently been removed. about the social acceptability of niqabs, Sunday Service ...... 15 A representative from Tesco responded hijabs and burqas and Ms MacLaren Anglican Life ...... 15 to the complaints: “We always try take into hopes to prompt a discussion about the Paul Richardson ...... 16 account any sensitivities when we put up lack of outrage from the immodesty pasted People ...... 16 posters and are very sorry that on this on billboards across the city: “Perhaps it’s Milestones ...... 16 occasion the location of these adverts has time that voices were heard in objection to Next week’s news ...... 16 caused offence. We are taking the posters the opposite extreme.” Church Winchester Cathedral Your News from your diocese to host Tavener funeral THE FUNERAL SERVICE of Sir John Tavener, the musi- cian who died on 12 November in Dorset, is to take place Southwell and Nottingham: Archbishop Bernard in Winchester Cathedral on 28 November. A notice placed Ntahoturi of Burundi recently visited the Diocese of in The Times said that applications for tickets could be Southwell and Nottingham to meet the Rt Revd Paul made through Emma Law (emma.law@winchester-cathe- Butler, the Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham, as dral.org.uk) with the deadline 9.00am on Monday 25 well as MP’s, church members and students to exam- November. ine the work of Bishop Paul since his visit to Burundi Tavener was brought up in the Presbyterian Church and was earlier in the year, and to discuss a link between appointed organist at the Presbyterian Church in Kensington at Gedling Deanery and the Archbishop’s own Diocese the age of 15 and played regularly there until the 1970s. of Matana. “It was terrific to be able to hand Arch- He was well known for his religious works and converted to bishop Bernard the first copy of the joint report from Orthodoxy in 1977, after which Orthodox liturgy and spirituality the Parliamentary and Church group visit to Rwanda became a major influence on his music. He wrote a setting for the and Burundi this summer,” said Bishop Paul. The Divine Liturgy of St Chrysostom, the main Eucharistic service bishop and his fellow Parliamentarians are working used by the Orthodox Church. He wrote a special work to cele- to share the report with the Commonwealth Parlia- brate the millennium of the Russian Orthodox Church. mentary Association, Department for International The Veil of the Temple, which he described as his ‘major work’ Development and the Foreign Office and with non oughs of Kensington and Chelsea, the London Bor- was first performed in the Temple Church in London. governmental agencies like Christian Aid, Oxfam, ough of Hammersmith and Fulham and the City of He became well known to the general public when his ‘Song for Tearfund, Handicap International and others. Said Westminster, and has extensive experience in the Athene’ was performed at Princess Diana’s funeral in Westmin- Bishop Paul of the Archbishop’s church, “The team field, having qualified as a social worker in 1995. The ster Abbey. noted lessons that the wider world can learn from Bishop has said of Kate’s appointment, “I am delight- In recent years, Tavener started to explore the musical poten- Burundi... The team also highlighted the encourag- ed that Kate Singleton is to join the Diocesan team as tial of other religious traditions outside Orthodoxy although he ing way that church and community are working she will enable us to ensure that we continue to be at insisted that he remained ‘essentially Orthodox’ and a Christian. hand in hand to build hope for the poorest in the the forefront of best practice in safeguarding our chil- In 2007 he composed ‘The Beautiful Names’, a musical setting of nation. Here too there are lessons for the church and dren and vulnerable adults. I look forward to working the 99 names of God in Islam which is sung in Arabic. community in the UK. All concerned are committed with her on this important area of mission and wider During a BBC News report of Tavener’s death John Rutter to taking partnership between our nations and community engagement.” Kate Singleton will take up described him as having the rare gift of being able to bring an churches forward for the good of all in the coming her post on Monday 27January 2014. audience to silence. Prince Charles was among those who paid years.” During his visit, Archbishop Ntahoturi also tribute to him. explored with the staff and students at St. John’s Col- Truro: Truro Cathedral will stage a reconstruction lege, Bramcote, whether there might be an ongoing of the first ever “Nine Lessons” service on Tuesday partnership with the Matana Theological Institute, 17 December at 7.00 pm. Every December, Cornwall which holds ordination training for all of Burundi. residents celebrate their special claim to a Christmas The Archbishop hopes that a partnership might tradition, as it was here that the “Nine Lessons and enable an interchange of tutors, a sharing of Carols” service was devised and begun by Bishop resources and a possible scholarship scheme. Edward White Benson on Christmas Eve in 1880. The format of the service quickly spread to other church- es and became a lasting favorite once it was adapted Southwark: The Bishop of Southwark, the Rt Revd for King’s College, Cambridge from where it has Christopher Chessun, has appointed Kate Singleton been broadcast almost annually on Christmas Eve to succeed Jill Sandham at her retirement in January since 1928. Those who are reconstructing the service 2014 as the Bishop’s Diocesan Safeguarding adviser. aim to make it as similar an experience to the original Kate Singleton currently serves as Head of the Com- service as possible. The service is free and will be bined Safeguarding, Review and Quality Assurance webcast and available the evening of 17 December. Service for Children’s Services in the Royal Bor-

[email protected]/churchnewspaper @churchnewspaper News Friday November 22, 2013 www.churchnewspaper.com 3 NEWS IN BRIEF Archbishop invites new Scottish secularists target schools The Scottish Secular Society has submitted a petition prompting the Scottish Government to address the concerns of minority religious chil- Community to Lambeth dren in schools. They’re challenging the idea of modern Religious Observance citing that in Scottish schools children are given strictly Christian lessons with the threat of isolation if they withdraw, or without By Amaris Cole Palace’ that it will bring. the option to withdraw at all. The Most Rev Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of MEMBERS FROM an international ecumeni- Westminster, said: “This is a clear and bold sign of cal community will reside at Lambeth Palace the importance of prayer in the search for visible Dr Philip Nitschke, also From 12-4pm on Saturday 21 from January, to share in the daily round of Christian unity. Such unity is a gift we are most ❏known as ‘Dr Death’, is to ❏December, Back on Track prayer and worship, the Archbishop of Can- likely to receive on our knees in prayer.” open Australia’s first euthanasia Stroke Rehab Service will be host- terbury announced this week. The community living at Lambeth Palace will clinic in Gilberton this week to ing a charity Christmas Fayre at From the beginning of 2014, four members of consist of a married Anglican couple, Ione and end the lives of seriously and ter- the Chippenham Olympiad Chemin Neuf will ‘further the ecumenical and Alan Morley-Fletcher; a Lutheran training for min- minally ill patients. Leisure Centre. Activities will international dimensions’ of the Most Rev Justin istry, Oliver Matri; and a Roman Catholic conse- include arts and crafts, games, raf- Welby’s work. crated sister, Ula Michlowicz. fle, and an appearance from Santa The Community of the Chemin Neuf is a Fr Laurent Fabre, founder and Superior General Claus himself. Catholic ecumenical community, composed of of the Chemin Neuf community, said: “On the long male and female Christians from all denomina- and difficult path towards unity of Christians, Moorlands College will be opening a new study centre will cater to tions, created in 1973 and now boasts 2,000 mem- there have often been surprises. It is with great joy prospective students of theology to complete their three-year course bers, both lay and those who have taken vows. that we are responding to the amazing invitation of whilst continuing their full time work or ministry. The Moorlands Mid- Archbishop Welby said: “The church is con- the Archbishop of Canterbury to live and pray lands Centre will allow students in the Midlands area to pursue a BA in stantly called to realise its God-given unity. daily in Lambeth Palace, in the heart of the Angli- Applied Theology from Moorlands College, with validation from the Uni- “The Holy Spirit blows through our lives and can Communion. It shows courage and wisdom. versity of Gloucestershire. our structures and impels us into new ways of “Courage in inviting a Catholic Community with learning to love each other as Christ loves us. an ecumenical vocation to this place. And wisdom Churches in Northern Ireland have voiced their “deep concern” “I am deeply moved that in God’s grace Chemin for being quite simply like the disciples ‘together over the new Girlguiding oath, calling for the old promise within Neuf have agreed to this radical and exciting new in the same place’ and for praying with Jesus Girl Guides Ulster to be reinstated. step of coming to live as a community of prayer, ‘Father, may they be one so that the world may hospitality and learning at Lambeth Palace. We believe’ (John 17:21).” pray that this step of obedience will bear fruit For the past 24 years, a line of sisters from the Scottish MSP relaunches assisted suicide plans among us, and for the church.” Anglican Religious communities of the Order of Margo McDonald, the independent MSP, re-launched proposals to intro- The announcement has also been welcomed by the Holy Paraclete, the Community of the Holy duce assisted suicide in Scotland last week. Under the plans, patients can the Roman Catholic Church in the UK, saluting Name and the Sisters of the Love of God have opt for a physician-assisted suicide if they have a progressive degenera- the invitation by the Archbishop for the ‘riches of served at Lambeth Palace, and these new resi- tive condition or terminal illness that makes life “intolerable”. Christian traditions of prayer to the life of the dents will follow in their footsteps.

A document issued by the European office of the World Health Organization (WHO) advocates teaching children aged 1-4 about “masturbation” and children aged 4-6 about “same-sex relation- ships”. Clarification on school stance 2014 will mark 50 years since Frontier Youth Trust (FYT) was estab- ARCHBISHIOP JUSTIN WELBY issued a clarification lished and plans are underway to celebrate half a century of mission after the was reported in a front page story in The Times with young people at risk. saying there was a steady move in Church of England Launched in 1964 as a movement on the frontiers of the contemporary schools moving away from selecting students on the missionary task, FYT was founded to share a common vision of God’s basis of their religion. CHURCH TEXTILES concern to meet the total needs of young people, particularly those on “What you are seeing in the Church schools is a deeper and !09@H90) 1@C &9 0I(07709(0 49 the edges of society, and to serve Christians working with young people. deeper commitment to the common good,” he claimed. D0CG4(0, BF&74EP &9) AC@)F(E Bishop Roger Sainsbury, involved since FYT’s inception and now its “There is a steady move away from faith-based entry tests.” C&920' 70&D0 G4D4E @FC H0' President, said: “The significance of FYT in its early days was that it A press statement from Lambeth Palace made clear that the D4E0 E@ D00 D@80 @1 @FC offered a base for fellowship for Christian pioneer youth workers, many Archbishop was not attempting to tell church schools how 0I(4E492 )0D429D' of whom were facing new challenges. It also encouraged fresh thinking they should decide on admissions. on urban mission which was shared with the wider church through “I fully support the current policy for schools to set their %0 DA0(4&74D0 49 Michael Eastman’s involvement as a member of the commission that own admissions criteria, including the criterion of faith,” he (@884DD4@90) A40(0D &9) produced ‘Faith in the City’, now seen as the most significant mission said. “Nothing in my wider comments to The Times on the &7D@ @110C DE&9)&C) )0D429D @9 report of the last 50 years.” subject should be seen as ‘revealing’ any changes nor dissent- 4E08D DF(3 &D ing from current policy.” The Archbishop was reported by The Times as saying that Banners, stoles, there was no need for selection criteria to have a good school. “There are unbelievably brilliant schools that are entirely altar frontals open to all applicants without selection criteria, apart from andpulpit falls. residence where you live, and which produce staggeringly good results. “It’s a question of – and you can point to them all over the place – it’s a question of outstanding leadership.” Careful reading of the Archbishop’s comments showed that he claimed to be talking about a trend in admissions rather than calling on schools to change their criteria but this did not stop The Times running an editorial the following day calling on Archbishop Welby to clarify his views on school selection. The newspaper warned of the danger of abandoning reli- gious practice as an entry criterion. “In practice, Mr Welby may be guilty of overestimating the degree to which faith schools thrive thanks to their teaching rather than their . ' 0' &* intake,” it opined. “A faith school which was wholly blind to 3%(% ,' ' faith, in other words, might soon find that its results began to ! 0CH09E FD490DD 09EC0, dip.” 7&C60 "EC00E, The Accord Coalition, which campaigns for state-funded 0C'P, # !$' schools to be open to all regardless of religious allegiance, Q #070A3@90 %#TT! TPPR% Q &I %#TT! !!# welcomed the Archbishop’s views as expressed in The Times Q 8&47 53(E(3FC(3*E0IE470D'(@'F6 but called for stronger leadership to make sure that the its schools become ‘open and inclusive’. www.church-textiles.co.uk

[email protected] facebook.com/churchnewspaper @churchnewspaper 4 www.churchnewspaper.com Friday November 22, 2013 News U-turn on ‘Update sex education banking debate DEBATE ON the Government’s banking reforms have been delayed following complaints that for the Internet age’ General Synod would prevent the Archbishop of Canterbury attend- THE BISHOP OF OXFORD has urged more to us than our relationships and how ing. the Government to update the sex and we form them. This is a new age for people Dr Justin Welby was a member of relationship guidance issued to schools as they form their relationships. the Parliamentary Commission on to take account of advances in technol- “Building a network of friendships and Banking Standards and has been a ogy. exploring more intimate relationships with vocal critic of City ethics. Current guidance was issued in 2000 and particular people are hard tasks for young Peers including former Chancellor does not refer to the impact of mobile people today because they have been made Lord Lawson of Blaby had urged the phones, the internet and online bullying. extremely complex by the rapid changes in Government to reconsider their Bishop John Pritchard, the chairman of technology. planned scheduling of the report stage the Church of England’s board of educa- “It is in fact some 13 years of revolution of the Financial Services (Banking tion, supported a Labour amendment in the since the last guidelines were produced. Reform) Bill. House of Lords to the Children and Fami- This is a fascinating world, but it is a jungle, The Government had brought con- lies Bill that would require Education Sec- and our young people have to navigate it. sideration of the legislation forward to retary Michael Gove to convene a panel of “A rare consensus seems to be building Monday 18 November to fill a gap in experts to update the guidance. work was not taken up. around the need to update the guidelines, the House of Lords timetable, but fol- “The Mothers’ Union, the Children’s “The purpose of education is not simply so it is vital that we seize this opportunity. lowing complaints moved the date to Society and a further 70 different organisa- to present children who can pass exams, “As part of its commitment to addressing Tuesday 26 November. tions that are involved in and have some but to create an opportunity for young peo- these issues, the board of education that I When peers first complained about knowledge of this area all support the pro- ple to take control of their lives and values, represent has been compiling resources for the timing the Bishop of Norwich, the posal,” he said during the Bill’s committee and to realise their hopes through their use in church schools and any other Rt Rev Graham James, said Synod stage. approach to life. schools to help combat homophobic bully- would spend a great deal of time deal- “It was a few years ago now, but the board “It is a much larger task, and for that ing. That is an important piece of work, but ing with proposals for women bishops of education that I represent worked with social, emotional and spiritual intelligence the problems go much wider. Given that, I and therefore the Archbishop would the Sex Education Forum to try to produce is important, along with academic prowess. want to say briefly that we need to get on be tied up with that and unable to some new guidance, but unfortunately that When the chips are down, nothing matters the case urgently.” attend the debate. Bishop’s warning over New Euro coalition to fight euthanasia A NEW COALITION has ers, including the disabled and born babies are euthanized been launched in Brussels the elderly. under the Groningen Protocol young asylum seekers to combat the growing threat Dr Kevin Fitzpatrick, Coordi- on grounds of ‘their perceived of euthanasia across Europe. nator of EPC-Europe, promised future suffering or the suffering THE BISHOP of Oxford has cation and safety. That was the The Euthanasia Prevention that the organisation would of their parents’. backed a move to improve thing they kept on saying: ‘We are Coalition Europe (EPC- highlight cases such as that of He added that in the Nether- rights for asylum seekers who safe’. Europe) will bring together two 45-year-old identical twins lands deaths by euthanasia come out of the care system “The Children’s Society told me those campaigning against who were euthanized because increased by 64 per cent aged 18. that this is the time of maximum euthanasia across the conti- their eyesight began to fail, or between 2005 and 2010 and con- In the House of Lords, peers happiness. From that point on, it is nent. another case where a man died cluded ‘EPC-Europe brings peo- urged the Government to prevent all downhill, with 95 per cent of the The UK, Germany and France in front of TV cameras after a ple from a wide variety of migrants who came to this country young people who come there hav- are all considering legislation botched sex change operation. backgrounds together to as children becoming destitute ing to go back at the end of a while euthanasia and assisted Dr Fitzpatrick claimed oppose the legalisation of when they reach adulthood. process that in many cases will lead suicide is already legal in the euthanasia had begun in Bel- euthanasia and assisted suicide, Bishop John Pritchard backed to destitution. Netherlands and Belgium. gium for organ donation and for promote the best care and sup- calls to change the law to make a “That, of course, has many impli- Opponents argue that where prisoners. He warned that Bel- port for vulnerable people and person’s immigration status irrele- cations for physical health, as a euthanasia is legal under what gium was considering extend- help people find meaning and vant to their rights to support if result of being malnourished and are theoretically strict restric- ing euthanasia to children. In purpose in the face of suffering they came to the country as a child. not being able to get access to a tions it is soon extended to oth- the Netherlands disabled new- and despair’. Under the current legislation the doctor. It leads to illegal work, sex- automatic entitlement to support ual exploitation and all kinds of from the local authority ends when problems. Row over free school bus provision in Wales young people who have not been “There must be another way, a granted leave to remain in the UK more humane and civilised way, of CHURCH SCHOOLS in Wales are being dis- The Rev Edwin Counsell, education adviser for reach 18. handling vulnerable young people advantaged by local councils withdrawing the Church in Wales, has issued a statement Bishop Pritchard warned the who have all their lives before funding for free school buses. This will make about the withdrawal of free transport. current situation could lead to “sex- them. it difficult for many pupils to attend church “This short-sighted attempt to save money will ual exploitation”. “It seems crazy that, at the age of schools. have a huge impact on the ability of parents in “The Refugee Children’s Consor- 18, everything should just turn Neath Port Talbot council has already decided Wales to make an informed choice to send their tium, a coalition of more than 40 over. Their needs for education and to withdraw free transport for secondary school children to a Church school,” he said. NGOs that are involved in this safe housing are basic things. students going to a faith school. Bridgend and “Church in Wales schools are firmly estab- sphere, is very concerned about “The age of 18 should not be so Conwy are considering the measure and a public lished within the education system in Wales. this legislation and is looking for critical that it makes people desti- consultation is to begin in Bridgend next month. Unfortunately we can’t provide a church school in changes,” Bishop Pritchard said tute. This is a really important It is claimed that the council could save more than every community, so families may have to travel a during the committee stage of the amendment and we need to take it half a million pounds a year if it goes ahead and little further if their parents make that choice. Children and Families Bill. seriously. Destitution is not the ends free transportation. The Learner Travel Measure encourages local “Three or four weeks ago, I was answer.” In Flintshi re the council has decided to with- authorities to make transport available to the with a group of four young people For the Government Baroness draw funding unless pupils can prove their beliefs nearest suitable school to a pupil’s home, with in Cowley in Oxford; 16 years old, Northover argued that children with a baptism certificate. Wrexham council has Welsh medium and denominational schools avail- three were from Eritrea and one who turned 18 should not face an withdrawn funding for all pupils attending schools able as realistic choices. from Somalia. “abrupt withdrawal of support”, but that are not the closest to where they actually live. “The Measure asks that denomination provi- “They were so pleased to be at the Children’s Commissioner was The Church in Wales has 162 schools, including sion should be a realistic choice; but these pro- the end of a journey that had taken currently examining the practice of three secondary schools and one shared Anglican posals will make it an unrealistic dream for many months, and to have access to edu- local authorities. – Catholic secondary school. parents seeking the best for their children.”

[email protected] facebook.com/churchnewspaper @churchnewspaper News Friday November 22, 2013 www.churchnewspaper.com 5 Methodist banking figure suspended over drug claims

METHODISTS LOST NO TIME in tak- spokesperson said. ing app, Flowers spoke of picking up ‘ket’ “At the lowest point in this terrible peri- ing action over Sunday newspaper Flowers was chairman of the Coopera- in London and ‘getting wasted’ in Manches- od, I did things that were stupid and wrong reports that a minister, the Rev Paul tive Bank and was widely criticised after he ter. Davies handed the texts and video and I am sorry for this, and I am seeking Flowers, could face criminal charges appeared before a select committee of the footage of Flowers speaking of buying coke professional help and apologise to all I have after he had bought cocaine and crys- House of Commons when he was unable to to the ‘Mail on Sunday’ because he said he hurt or failed by my actions,” he said. tal meth. say accurately how big the Bank’s assets was disgusted at the hypocrisy of such Flowers has been a superintendent West Yorkshire Police announced that were. He guessed at £3bn when in fact they behaviour in a man who chaired the anti- Methodist minister and a Labour council- they had opened an investigation and a were £47bn. drug charity Lifeline and wrote newspaper lor in Rochdale and then Bradford. He has spokesperson for the Methodist Church Flowers resigned from his £132,000-a- columns about the evils of drugs. He said a reputation as a skilled politician but has announced that Flowers had been sus- year position in June to accept responsibili- he had smoked cannabis with Flowers and admitted that his only banking experience pended for three weeks and would not be ty for a short-fall of £1.5 bn in capital that seen him smoking crack cocaine. dates back 40 years when he worked in a available for ministerial duties. He was also meant the Co-op had to hand over a 70 per In a statement issued on his behalf by the bank after leaving school. He was a mem- suspended by the Labour Party. cent share in the bank to a group involving Methodist Church Flowers said that this ber of the Advertising Standards Authority. ‘We expect high standards of our minis- US hedge funds. year had been ‘incredibly difficult’ because He was also on a finance and advisory ters and have procedures in place for when In text messages to a friend, Stuart of death in the family and the problems at group set up by Ed Miliband. minsters fail to meet those standards,” the Davies, who he first met through a gay dat- the Cooperative Bank. Bishop’s Vatican ban on divorcees Archbishop looks receiving Communion move DIVORCED AND remarried Roman Catholics THE BISHOP of London may not receive Holy Communion, the Vatican has appointed the Rt Rev has told the German Catholic church. Stephen Platten to be rec- beyond banking inquiry In letter dated 21 October, 2013, the prefect of the tor of the medieval Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF), church of St Michael’s By Amaris Cole recent typhoon in the Philippines. Archbishop Gerhard Ludwig Müller, directed the Cornhill in the City of The support for suffering sisters and Archdiocese of Freiburg im Breisgau to retract its London. THE ARCHBISHOP of Canterbury will brothers in the affected countries was asked pastoral guidelines that permitted priests to Bishop Platten will take up be ‘delighted’ when the Parliamentary for by the Archbishop, adding the issue of “respect” the wishes of divorced and remarried his appointment following Commission into Banking Standards how these violent attacks were understood Catholics who chose to receive the Sacraments. the merger of the Diocese of (PCBS) is ‘buried’, he revealed in a and confronted was one of the ‘greatest of The new policy introduced following the retire- Wakefield into the new Dio- presentation to the General Synod. our age’ for Christians. ment of Archbishop Robert Zollitsch on 17 Septem- cese of West Yorkshire and Archbishop Justin Welby was glad to have The reality of the love for Christ and each ber 2013, said if divorced and remarried Catholics the Dales on Easter Sunday the opportunity to be involved in the report, other found at the World Council of Church- had made a “responsible moral decision” to receive 2014. but says ideally it will end ‘with a stake es ‘surprised’ the Archbishop, he admitted, Communion, their consciences should be respect- Bishop Platten said: through its heart and garlic between its having believed the propaganda about the ed. “Eleven years is the longest I teeth’ when the 1,000-page document is gathering being ‘useless’. The new policy was contrary to Church teaching have ever served in one released next week. Archbishop Welby also spoke about the and “would cause confusion among the faithful place and one puts down real The committee has worked for far longer pleasurable time he had in Nairobi ahead of about the Church’s teaching about the indissolubil- roots so I shall be sad to say than expected, with the group’s findings ini- Gafcon with the primates who had arrived ity of marriage,” Archbishop Müller wrote in his let- farewell to so many people tially scheduled for last Christmas. for the conference. ter, published in the German Catholic newspaper and friendships in and well The Archbishop spent much of the presen- Archbishop Wabukala, leader of Gafcon, Die Tagespost on 11 November, 2013. beyond the Church of Eng- tation briefing Synod about how he has ‘was as gracious as could be wished’, despite However, Cardinal Reinhard Marx of Munich, land. spent the last few months, mentioning the many opposing opinions being held. told Die Tagespost Archbishop Müller’s letter was “I shall also miss all those time spent on Same-Sex Marriage, meetings “There were naturally different views not the final word. familiar and beautiful views with political leaders and ongoing dialogue expressed, including about me, not invari- “The prefect of the Congregation cannot end the in the landscape of such a with the Bishops. ably warm, but I am most glad to have had discussion,” Cardinal Marx said. “We will see that fascinating diocese - thanks The ‘terrible atrocities’ in Peshawar and the opportunity to meet, and the general this is discussed further, but with what result, I do to all who have given me so Nairobi were also noted, along with the response was very kind,” he explained. not know.” much!” In addition to his parish post, Bishop Platten will serve as an honorary assis- C2- 42D0. -/-8EECIFD4 .GF/AAA tant Bishop in the Diocese of London. In January 2014 he J#>:%#) @A7@9#=I9& )7F' GII9?%D&#> DI@ )AI% &#> will also assume the chair- 4%" 7 9?@@9I DI'5 ;#'I@A?%D 9?:I @A7@ H>7?%@ 2*2/ manship of the Hymns @A7@ A7C $#C& F##'C 7%" "#IC 7 DFI7@ 6FI7:G7C@/ Ancient and Modern charita- 6>@ "#IC%1@ 6FI7: @AI 67%:< #F )AI% 7 GF?I%" FIGIFC ble trust. He will also contin- 7 @F7"IC!IFC#% @# &#>/ )A# @>F% #>@ @# 6I I($I99I%@/ ue in his post as chairman of the governors of the Angli- 6>@ 79C# FI9?769I/ G7?F 7%" @#@799& A#%IC@, 8@ GII9C D##"/ can Centre in Rome. "#IC%1@ ?@5 Born in London and edu- cated at the Stationers’ Com- 8G &#> )#>9" 9?:I @A7@ C7'I GII9?%D )AI% 9##:?%D G#F &#>F pany’s School in Hornsey %I(@ '#@#F $7F/ @F& BF?#F& 3>@#'#@?=I/ @AI& #%9& C>!!9& @# and the University of Lon- 09IFD& 7%" 0A>F$A 'I'6IFC C# &#> $7% 6I D>7F7%@II" don, Bishop Platten trained @AI =IF& 6IC@ 7@@I%@?#%, EG $#>FCI/ I=IF& $7F ?C $7FIG>99& for the ministry at Cuddes- CI9I$@I" 7%" G>99& !FI!7FI" @# @AI A?DAIC@ C@7%"7F"/ 6>@ don Theological College and &#> )?99 79C# GII9 @A7@ &#> 7FI @79:?%D @# GF?I%"C, BF?#F& Trinity College, Oxford. $7%1@ C7& ?@ 7%& 6I@@IF @A7% 07%#% .7=?" 07!F#% )A# He served as a priest in FI$I%@9& )F#@I+- Oxford, Lincoln and Portsmouth dioceses and as )7:4#:& ,35#'#542< :<'#2<8 /00 56< 6/880< (6<% Tutor of Ethics and Chaplain .3&4%9 / $/:* 16<& 042< 3! 5# 56<4: !:#'48<8 /%" "<042<: at Lincoln Theological Col- : $/: 5# : ;:#%5 "##: /5 56< /9:<<" 54'< /%" 4% lege, before becoming the 54!+5#! $#%"454#%-* then Archbishop of Canter- bury’s Secretary for Ecu- F& H<5 J<5K) K!M( 6< 7(( J"@6 6"(H +@= )< menical Affairs in 1990. In &<9 H<5B O576 $!3( 6"(> @ :5!+M +@KKA 1995, he became Dean of Norwich and was enthroned 1K(@7( +@KKL ?,,' *%%N#N# as the Bishop of Wakefield in <9 3!7!6 JJJA;9!<9H@56<><6!3(A+<> July 2003.

[email protected] facebook.com/churchnewspaper @churchnewspaper 6 www.churchnewspaper.com Friday November 22, 2013 News & Comment Evangelism: continued from p1

motion on evangelism was like bership of the Task Group. asking ducks to take to water. Gavin Oldman says if his ‘Help persecuted But the Rev Mark Ireland amendment was not adopted said it was necessary to make and more is not done to clear how this motion would be engage with 20-to-30-year-olds, financed, and who would be the Church of England would asked to stand for the group. be in danger of being He said money was needed for ‘squeezed out’. Christians,’ say MPs change, and volunteers who His amendment asked that are already tired from there the Church of England fulfil its By George Conger the Middle East the victim will be current work on this could not duty to proclaim the gospel killed. That is the stark reality that be expected to do more. afresh to each generation, not- CHRISTIANS ARE IN danger of we are facing...” The Rev Angus McCleay ing the ‘significant fall in its being driven out of the Middle The member for Rutherglen and moved an amendment support- affiliation with the younger age East, MP Fiona Bruce warned Hamilton West, Tom Geatrex ed by the Bishop of Willesden, cohorts of the population’. last week, urging the British (Lab.), warned of problems facing who said Task Groups are dif- Archbishop Sentamu pre- government to aid the victims Christians in Malaysia, where a ferent from committees, and so ferred the motion to cover of the campaign of terror waged court “has effectively outlawed the the amendment was valid as it evangelism to all ages, but Sis- by militant Islamists. Bible, particularly in the eastern asks to bring people on board ter Anne Williams said it was In remarks made at a Westmin- states of Malaysia”, after ruling with expertise, rather than just important to focus on young ster Hall Adjournment Debate on that the word “Allah” may only be key figures. people, something she has the persecution of Christians in the ardy.” used in the context of the Muslim “It gives us a steer to the fact learnt from her experience Middle East, Mrs Bruce, the mem- “We should be crying out with faith. that there’s a different way of with the Girls’ Brigade, as talk- ber for Congleton (Cons.) high- the same abhorrence and horror Other members of Parliament working,” he argued for the ing to children about the lighted findings of a newly that we feel about the atrocities spoke of the persecution Chris- amendment. gospel often leads to their par- released report prepared by the towards Jews on Kristallnacht and tians faced in Iran, Egypt, Syria “Otherwise it will just be a ents coming to church. Catholic charity Aid to the Church on other occasions during the Sec- and Turkey. Mrs Bruce observed talking shop at national level Dr Philip Giddings argued in Need (ACN). The report, “Per- ond World War,” she said. the problem of militant Islam was and won’t have any effect on the amendment offered noth- secuted and Forgotten? A Report The member for Upper Bann, not confined to the Middle East. the parishes, which is where ing more than was already on Christians oppressed for their David Simpson (DUP), told the “Western Muslims are going to evangelism takes place.” present in the motion, and Faith 2011-2013”, found that intol- gathering: “Every hour, a Christian fight alongside jihadists in Syria... Despite the Archbishop of scolded Synod members for erance had grown in 20 of the 30 is tortured and murdered some- returning home to become poten- York asking whether this ‘trying to make every motion countries surveyed. where in the world. tial jihadists themselves. amendment was really neces- as long as possible’. “In virtually every country in “Surely, in this day and age, “Western countries are not fully sary, it was clearly carried by The amendment was lost. and around the [Middle East], something more can be done to grappling with this problem,” she the Synod. The Archbishop stood Christians report suffering either protect people and their faith,” he said. An amendment by the Rev before the vote, asking that high, high to extreme, or extreme said. Foreign Office Minister, Hugo Stephen Platt was also carried, Synod carry the motion so that persecution,” she said. David Burrowes MP said: “The Swire MP, said the government asking for staff of Anglican the Task Group, may promptly Christians “have suffered from a term ‘Christian persecution’ is was aware of the problem and home mission agencies with be formed, taking note of the domino effect of violence that sometimes bandied about careless- noted that “protecting human expertise in helping local Synod’s views on membership. began in Iraq, spread to Syria and ly... if there is Christian persecu- rights, including religious free- churches engage in evangel- The motion was overwhelm- overshadows Egypt, leaving the tion in this country then at worst dom, is an important part of ism be included in the mem- ingly carried. survival of the Church in jeop- its victim is likely to be sued, but in British foreign policy.”

By Lee Gatiss expression of changing English culture; nor was it designed as a pluralistic melting pot of various contradicto- Recently I’ve heard a few people asking “what is an ry persuasions. As John Stott rightly asserted in 1970, evangelical?” Particularly, “what is an Anglican At the very “according to its own formularies, this church is reformed evangelical?” It’s one of those perennial problems of and evangelical” (in Christ the Controversialist). identity and definition that comes around every so What does that mean in practice? There is a lamentable often. Because our new Archbishop, Justin Welby, lack of enthusiasm these days for defining what we mean describes himself as such, I’ve even had media by “evangelical.” But “Anglican” should be easy. If Angli- researchers on the phone asking me what “evangeli- least, an can evangelicals are at least Anglican, does it not mean cal” means and how they should define it for the that they should all be entirely trustworthy on the classic, benefit of their audiences. What would you say? orthodox doctrine of God? Should it not mean that any There is of course the famous “Bebbington Quadrilater- Anglican who claims to be evangelical should hold tena- al” which supposedly gives us the clues we need to sniff ciously to Reformation soteriology (salvation sola fide, sola out an evangelical. In his now classic book, Evangelicalism Anglican gratia, by faith alone, by grace alone), including penal sub- in Modern Britain: A History from the 1730s to the 1980s, stitutionary atonement? (For such is clearly taught in our Professor Bebbington tells us that the four qualities of an Articles, Homilies, and Prayer Book). evangelical are biblicism (a particular regard for the useless when someone says, “I am an evangelical” and the Would this not also mean that every Anglican evangeli- Bible), crucicentrism (a focus on the atoning work of first thing that pops into your head is “What kind of evan- cal could be relied on to hold to the Reformed doctrine of Christ on the cross), conversionism (the belief that human gelical?” predestination and free will (Articles 10 and 17)? Could it beings need to be converted), and activism (the belief that Particularly when John Stott was at the height of his not reassure us that evangelicals who are Anglicans have a the gospel needs to be expressed in effort). influence, evangelicals in the Church of England were Reformed view of the sacraments, and have not lapsed into Defining a movement is never a simple task, and it united in their firm belief in the classic (Anglican) doctrine a default Zwinglianism, credobaptism, or ceremonial pre- would be easy to criticise this “quadrilateral” for being too of penal substitutionary atonement. We rejoiced when tentiousness? imprecise and bland: could not a Roman Catholic, for Stott summed up the Bible’s teaching on this as, “in and This has been the elephant in the room during many example, also claim to be concerned with changing lives, through the person of his Son, God himself bore the penal- conversations amongst evangelical leaders over the last expressing the gospel in action, having a regard for the ty which he himself inflicted” (Cross of Christ, page 159). few years. What is an evangelical? Are we all evangelicals? Bible, and looking to the cross? Yet even if we treat Beb- Nowadays, however, this is denied and even derided by Yet I think if we were to re-focus the question and try to be bington’s imprecision more charitably, all of these evangel- some who claim the name evangelical. Is the only thing loyal to the Anglican side of our heritage, that would actu- ical distinctives are deeply rooted in the Reformation and that unites evangelicals now some kind of shared opposi- ally cut through a number of issues and make things clear- were certainly a part of Puritan religion well before “evan- tion to liberal sexual morality? er. Any Anglican who claims to be an evangelical needs to gelicalism” was supposedly “created” during the Enlight- In this anniversary of 1563, there is a better way to tack- be at least an Anglican, defined by the theology of our Arti- enment. le this identity crisis. In my view, I think that at the very cles, Prayer Book, and Ordinal. Today the word “evangelical” is something of a wax least an Anglican evangelical ought to be an Anglican. By Sometimes I think many people who want to claim the nose, which can be moulded to suit the user’s own prefer- which I mean they ought to believe the Thirty-nine Arti- name Anglican Evangelical are not very evangelical. We ences but doesn’t really communicate anything on its own. cles, which are celebrating their 450th birthday this year. may also find, underneath that, another quite worrying We have open evangelicals, conservative evangelicals, This is something that those great evangelicals in the 18th problem. It may also be that on this definition, they are not charismatic evangelicals, Catholic evangelicals, and century insisted on, along with people like Ryle in the 19th really Anglican either. according to one Anglican document I read recently century and Stott in the 20th. “Headship evangelicals” (though I have never heard any- By constitution the Church of England is a Reformed, Lee Gatiss is the Director of Church Society, and co-author one describe themselves in this way). The dividing lines Protestant, and Evangelical denomination. In its original of Reformed Foundations, Reforming Future with Peter are as divisive as ever. We know that the word is becoming foundation it was never intended to be merely the religious Adam (Lost Coin Books)

[email protected] facebook.com/churchnewspaper @churchnewspaper Leader & Comment Friday November 22, 2013 www.churchnewspaper.com 7 Comment So what happens to The strength of a constitutional monarchy

We congratulate the heir to the throne, Prince Charles, on his 65th birthday, an event evoking loud applause in the press, especially from us when we die? Jonathan Dimbleby who rightly praises his work ethic and advocacy of important causes. It must be a frustration to the Prince that he has now passed normal retirement age for men in the UK, and yet still waits for Peter Mullen the job for which he was born. Her Majesty the Queen, a robust Christian disciple herself, takes her vow to serve as Queen for life with total seriousness. Her extraordinar- ily flawless record as a constitutional monarch in the modern and post November is the month of Remembrance and very modern eras attract the deepest gratitude from her people for her total appropriate, given the autumn colours, the quicken- commitment to them, through her all consuming duties. As Christo- ing chill and the shortening of the days. Such pher Lee says in his important new book, Monarchfridayy: “The things are powerful intimations of our mortality. Queen’s primary role during more than 60 years has been to protect The month starts with All Saints and All Souls and the system of constitutional monarchy. Opinion polling suggests she proceeds to the great Festival of Remembrance, the has succeeded.” two minutes silence and the Last Post. And another aspect of that success has been her pivotal role in the When I was seven, I pestered my mother with Commonwealth, still an important clustering of nations across the con- unanswerable questions including, “What happens tinents aspiring to common values of equality and respect and virtue in to us when we die?” She replied: “You leave your political life. And now we see, in the light of the Scottish referendum body behind and your soul goes to live with God in about complete secession from the UK by Scotland, just how much of a heaven.” And I persevered: “But what’s my soul?” personal bond Her Majesty the Queen has in binding together Great At this point my mother understandably told me to Britain and Northern Ireland as a coherent political entity. The SNP be quiet. dare not suggest that she cease to be the head of state of a new, totally The soul has been much discussed by philoso- separate, Scotland, such is her popularity. phers and theologians over the centuries and Rene The heir to the throne, according the Guardian’s editorial, may be Descartes (1596-1650) believed that it resided in preparing a very different version of monarchy than his mother’s clas- the pineal gland – “the principal seat of the soul” – sic background role, a much more unelected activist, campaigning for where it performed the function of co-ordinating his own special causes, cultural, religious and environmental. But the mind and body. Sometimes the words soul and secret of the British monarchy has been its powerlessness, formally, in mind are used to refer to the same entity. the constitution. Having this monarchy means we do not have a power- But the supposition that the soul or mind inhabits ful president, and executive who can do as he or she wishes. The con- the body is an error, an example of what Gilbert stitution prevents absolute executive power being vested in the Ryle (1900-1976) in The Concept of Mind called “a government – since it is vested, entirely formally and not really, in the category mistake.” If one were to say, “She arrived Crown. This depends on the actual monarch of the day abiding by this in a bath chair and a flood of tears,” it would be a do not mean that, we do not mean anything. Indeed law of self-denial and self-effacement, being content with the role of similar mistake to imagine that the flood of tears there could hardly be such a thing as meaning.” historic trustee, not beneficiary, of power. was an actual accompanying waterfall. As RG So can I get any further than my mother did Prince Charles’ best work has been in the Prince’s Trust, his most Collingwood said in The New Leviathan, “Childish when trying to answer the question of what hap- controversial in his religio-cultural interventions, for example his bro- it certainly is; for nothing can inhabit a house made pens to us when we die? Any possible answer kering of the Finsbury Park Mosque, and of a Royal Charter for the of matter except something else made of matter. requires a certain amount of philosophical-theolog- Oxford Centre of Islamic Studies. The Prince used his influence for Man’s body and man’s mind are not two different ical humility. For, while we may describe human unique planning permission and gained the millions to fund it from the things. They are one and the same thing, man him- beings as mind and body, we should not think that Sultan of Brunei – who has just imposed Sharia Law on his country. self known in two different ways.” these terms and this definition entirely explains The Prince wishes to write his own Accession Service promises, mov- So we are bound to conclude that when the body what a human person is. ing a multi-faith constitutional position, basically occluding the Church dies, the mind or soul dies with it. But what about We cannot understand ourselves fully because of England, with no electoral mandate. We trust the Prince will not risk the Christian promise of the resurrection to eternal what tries to do the understanding is only a part of the stability of the monarchy with a radical attempt at personal monar- life? To be precise, the Creed speaks of the resur- the whole it is purports to explain. We are necessar- chical power. rection of the body. Are we really supposed to imag- ily limited by our subjectivity. The complete under- ine that at the judgement the dead will rise from standing of what I am belongs to what is not-I, to their graves? Then what of those who died so long something beyond me. The Creed says that we ago that they are no longer even bones? Or of those believe this to be God and so the answer to the The Church of England Newspaper cremated? question about life after death can be answered with Celebrate magazine incorporating The Record and Christian Week Theologians have tried to explain that by the res- only by God. Published by Political and Religious Intelligence Ltd. urrection of the body, the Creed means that God According to the scriptures, God has promised Company Number: 3176742 will restore the dead in all their essentials in some- the resurrection. What precisely will be resurrect- Publisher: Keith Young MBE thing like the reconstitution of the personality. But ed we are not equipped to say. It boils down to this leads only to fresh difficulties, for what nebu- whether we choose to believe God’s promise or not lous thing is the personality? What is the mind? Just for, as we are not the origin of our own being, we Publishing Director & Editor: CM BLAKELY020 7222 8004 as the body renews its molecular structure from are also not the origin of our own meaning. As the Chief Correspondent: The Rev Canon GEORGE CONGER 00 1 0772 332 2604 microsecond to microsecond and its constitution is Psalmist explains, the answer to the question What Reporter: AMARIS COLE 020 7222 8700 altered by what it imbibes and evacuates, so the is man? is Thou (God) is mindful of him. For God is mind is a thing infinitely changeable according to the centre and not the Cartesian I, still less the indi- Advertising: CHRIS TURNER 020 7222 2018 what it is thinking about at the moment. vidual personality. I exist not because I think, but Advertising & Editorial Assistant: PENNY NAIR PRICE 020 7222 2018 The mind is a thing much like time itself: what it because of the mind of God. was, it is no longer; what it might be, it is not yet; I believe in the resurrection of the dead and the Subscriptions & Finance: DELIA ROBINSON 020 7222 8663 and its existence in the instant is literally momen- life of the world to come – while my understanding Graphic Designer: PETER MAY020 7222 8700 tary. The concept of the personality is even more of what these things mean is incomplete. I am con- elusive. It is no more than an aesthetic and social tent to repeat the words of the Apostle Paul: The acceptance of advertising does not necessarily indicate convenience and we recognise the personalities of ‘Behold, I shew you a mystery: we shall not all endorsement. Photographs and other material sent for publication our friends rather as dogs recognise one others’ sleep, but we shall all be changed. In a moment, in are submitted at the owner’s risk. The Church of England Newspaper smells. the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the does not accept responsibility for any material lost or damaged. CH Sisson writes a cautionary note about these trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised Christian Weekly Newspapers Trustees: Robert Leach (020 8224 5696), things in his Sevenoaks Essays: “The real difficulty incorruptible, and we shall be changed.’ Lord Carey of Clifton, The Rt Rev Michael Nazir-Ali, The Rt Rev Pete Broadbent, of the Creed is the first word I – the number and And the creatures who inherit the kingdom of Dr Elaine Storkey, The Rev Peter Brown, The Rev Cindy Kent person of the Credo. The ergo of Descartes, like heaven will be beyond our present partial defini- many others before and since, now looks like a con- tions – mind-body duality, personality, spiritual The Church of England Newspaper, fidence trick. body, soma-pneumatikon and all the rest. 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Workplace chaplains Pressure on parishes Sir, I am glad Dorothy Jones has drawn attention to the Sir, I have recently been made aware of a new appoint- many chaplains now active in the workplace - such as here ment being made within the Winchester Diocese, car- in Taunton. rying a level of an annual salary of some £50,000 per Now in its fourth year the Taunton Town Chaplaincy year plus pension and expenses. Trust has a half-time paid Lead Chaplain and 14 volunteer In these present day circumstances with rising costs Your Tweets chaplains who visit some 30 workplaces or more. In gener- of living and drastic cut-backs to services, what exam- al the chaplains have been welcomed by employers and ple is the Church of England showing? Marcus Dysch @MarcusDysch employees alike. The Diocese of Winchester, as I am sure other dio- Cornelius Gurlitt, who hid 1,400 paintings in his The Trust is financed by donations from many different ceses, are bleeding parishes with increasing parish Munich flat, tells Der Spiegel: “I want my art denominations, plus voluntary gifts from supporters. shares payable to the diocese each year, when many of back” A prayer team provides backup up and prayer support for its churches have difficulty in surviving, with decreas- the chaplains in their visiting, and any specific requests ing congregations and with running costs increasing. Steve Jenkins @SteveLJenkins relayed to them by the chaplains. Total confidentiality is Some parishes have suffered also from long inter- @CofEGenSyn All the best for a good #synod. always enforced. regnums with no appointed parish priest; during those Thinking of you. My own practice, when a full-time industrial chaplain, periods no salary/stipend has had to be found by the was to visit every new minister or pastor in my area to diocese, but the parish share is still taken. Paula Gooder @paulargooder encourage them to contact and regularly visit at least one Parishes are expected to keep the buildings in good And so to General Synod! There is hope in the air place of work in their parish or area - just as they might repair, pay all running costs and, hopefully if any funds that this time the legislation for Women Bishops minister to a local Nursing Home. remain, help the homeless and hungry, as is our Chris- might just work... please pray! Ken Jamieson, tian duty. Taunton It seems that the rule is that if a parish cannot afford The Church Mouse @thechurchmouse to pay its share then the diocese would consider clo- Interestingly, the draft declaration from the HoB sure, even if the membership numbers were growing. would ban the Church Society from having a Annex questions No chance is given for growth if this levy continues. male only policy when executing their patronage Sir, The Report from the Steering Committee for the Draft What chance have we when every penny is demand- Legislation on Women in the Episcopate (GS1924) contains ed by a committee headed by a bishop in Winchester Steven Croft @Steven_Croft (Annex A) a Draft House of Bishops’ Declaration which to continue God’s work in the world? The legacies that Hopeful that Intentional Evangelism is the first includes a preamble on the ‘five guiding principles’ as fol- may have been left to churches are diminishing rapid- item on the @GenSyn agenda today. Praying for lows: ly with huge costs having to be met after recent lead a good debate and clear outcomes ‘5. The House reaffirms the five guiding principles which thefts from many of our churches. it first commended in May 2013... They need to be read one Many people think all of this has been paid for by Father Shane Wood @FrShane with the other and held together in tension, rather than the diocese, certainly not so: each church has had to With the debate about women bishops going on being applied selectively’. raise funds for this and meet the costs with a very so long my only comment is, Do it, do it now! Principles 1 and 4 are: ‘Now that legislation has been small proportion claimed from the insurers. Even then passed to enable women to become bishops the Church of the diocese has presented parishes with large bills Kate Bottley @revkatebottley England is fully and unequivocally committed to all orders from architects and faculties to ensure that the most Idea from @rachywakey could @CofEGenSyn of ministry being open equally to all, without reference to expensive substitute was used. debates be solved by bushtucker trials? I’ll get gender, and holds that those whom it has duly ordained Perhaps the bishops should look at the Ten Com- bits of a kangaroo, who’s going to tell Pru? and appointed to office are the true and lawful holders of mandments: ‘Thou shalt not steal’. the office which they occupy and thus deserve due respect I regard that this is no more than stealing. Do the Sally Hitchiner @SallyHitchiner and canonical obedience; dioceses wish the church to survive or die? This week the Church of England General Synod ‘Since those within the Church of England who, on Mr CD Watkins, will be discussing “Women Bishops”... or as I call grounds of theological conviction, are unable to receive the Poole them “Bishops” ministry of women bishops or priests continue to be within the spectrum of teaching and tradition of the Anglican Sally Hitchiner @SallyHitchiner Communion, the Church of England remains committed to the revealed will of God. We won’t be discussing whether to have women enabling them to flourish within its life and structures’. Phil Almond, bishops, that’s a given. The issue is how much What is the ‘theological conviction’ mentioned? For Preston independence will the minority who disagree some, I suggest, it is the conviction that the ordination of get? women in 1992 was contrary to the revealed will of God. So what is the fourth guiding principle really saying? Hooker’s principles David Walker @BishManchester Is it saying that the theological conviction that the ordi- Sir, Mary P Roe (letters, 15 November) appeals like many Mentioned God’s gift of himself to us in Jesus on nation and consecration of women is disobedience to God before her to Hooker’s three principles of Scripture, Tradi- BBC breakfast TV. Good start to a day when we is ‘within the spectrum of teaching and tradition of the tion and Reason. But see how many difficulties there are in discuss evangelism at @GenSyn Anglican Communion’ and the Church of England remains such a view, each of which requires a direct answer. committed to enable that conviction ‘to flourish within its First, in most cases the oldest and most authentic ‘Tradi- MichaelWhite @MichaelWhite life and structures’? The fourth guiding principle is not tion’ will be found in Scripture anyway. Second, even where Major parties reject daft calls to lower age of about convictions flourishing but about people flourishing. it is not, nothing is ever true by virtue of being traditional, consent to 15. Hurrah! Reject votes at 16 too! But surely the two go together. only by virtue of being accurate. Third, neither is anything Kids still vulnerable to predatory adults If the conviction about disobedience is outside the ‘spec- true by virtue of being found in Scripture, because every trum’ how can those who hold it flourish within the Church truth in Scripture was already true on other grounds Catherine Fox @FictionFox of England? So either the conviction about disobedience is before it was written down. Fourth, if one assumes the There’s no male equivalent to the patronising within the spectrum or it is outside. If it is outside, then the truth of Scripture wholesale, it becomes impossible to little suffixes women have to put up with, the fourth guiding principle offers no assurance to those hold- argue in favour of it, since one cannot simply assume what esses and ettes. *delivers punchette to jaw* ing that conviction that the Church is committed to enable one sets out to demonstrate. them to flourish. If it is within, we need to read the fourth As for Reason, I am entirely in favour of it: it is at a pre- Jack Palmer @jackpalmer88 principle alongside the first guiding principle. mium in this anti-intellectual, relativist, and postmodern Unusually chipper train driver this morning: “No The Church of England cannot be ‘fully and unequivocal- age. To find truth is firstly a matter of examining and one likes Mondays, but without them you ly committed to all orders of ministry being open equally to researching what is already to be found in the world, in wouldn’t know how good your weekend was” all, without reference to gender’ while at the same time written documents, and in human experience; and second- being committed to ‘enabling them to flourish within its life ly a matter of rationally analysing that data. and structures’ who hold the theological conviction that Dr Christopher Shell, follow us @churchnewspaper on Twitter the ordination and consecration of women is contrary to Hounslow

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CS Lewis programme. Taking faith first; a typical Doctor Who story such as Rose — the first story in the 2005 revival — has a new companion meet the Doctor and become enamoured with his other worldly knowledge. They meet a crisis head-on and Rose has to save the day by reaching deep within herself and believing in her own abilities. The trigger is the faith the Doctor has in her to achieve which she trusts by taking a leap of faith in him. This idea is very frequently used; in many stories a character makes a sacrifice after a moment of apotheosis and is transformed by their trust in the Doctor. The power of love is also often used. There have been several stories where a parent has needed to save a child from a terrible fate by drawing on the love that they naturally feel for them. An example of many is the story Closing Time from 2011 in which Craig is captured and fed into an alien conversion machine. The Writer, the Box The Doctor encourages him to fight but he is unable until he hears his young son Alfie crying over the intercom. The power of his emotions is such that he recovers his humanity and in so doing destroys the alien machine. and the Time Lord In these and many other ways then the TV show does indeed

By Tony Jones with a large wardrobe but is also and have their adventures. The bigger inside. It is also the means first time a companion enters the n Friday 22 November by which the Doctor and his TARDIS is also the point at which 1963 the writer CS Lewis companions travel to mystical they leave their normal lives Opassed away following two worlds behind, much as Edmund and years of kidney problems. His Lucy did when they first entered death was overshadowed by two the wardrobe. others the same day – Aldous There was even a recent Huxley and, of course, the Christmas story (2011) called assassination of JF Kennedy. The Doctor, the Widow and the On a lighter note the next day, Wardrobe which had many Saturday 23 November 1963 saw visual similarities to the classic the first broadcast of Doctor Narnia story. Who. Apart from the near Apart from the most facile of coincidence of dates, what other comparisons is there a deeper connections might there be resonance between the two between the creator of Narnia stories? Could we consider the and the Time Lord? possibility that the Doctor is an For all his many academic achievements and serious There are two writing CS Lewis will be forever known as the recurring themes William Hartnell as creator of the in Doctor Who the first Doctor Who Narnia stories. To that are fully most people Doctor’s path. remind us of the power of both this means in line with More recently in 2007 there faith and love. The Lion, Christian values was a two-part story (Sound of November 2013 sees the 50th The Witch and Drums/Last of the Time Lords) anniversary of both CS Lewis’s the Wardrobe, the most in which the Master trapped The death and the first transmission recognised of the seven Aslan (or Christ) figure? Are Doctor as a wizened creature in a of Doctor Who. The former will be Narnia novels. there any familiar Christian cage. The Doctor’s companion marked by a memorial stone in The wardrobe of the messages in Doctor Who? Martha spread the word on Poet’s Corner in Westminster title which provides both It is certainly possible to Earth that The Doctor needed Abbey; the latter by the the route to Narnia and view the Doctor, an alien their help. At a certain time all of culmination of 11 months of the border between from an advanced race, as humanity prayed for the Doctor exploration of the show’s past, the everyday world something akin to an and he was re-born back in his new stories and a 3D TV special. of World War II angel. In the 1970s he normal form and defeated his Both events will have cultural England and the was brought face to enemy. All visually compelling significance but it seems fantastical word of face with a foe from his and almost too Messianic; if we inevitable that the latter will Eternal Winter, the own kind, The Master. look harder we can find a more dominate the media coverage. I, White Witch and Visually there was more subtle and powerful message. however, like to think that there enchanted than a touch of the There are two recurring will be those who see the animals. diabolic about The Master themes in Doctor Who that are connection between the two and Turning to Doctor with a clichéd widow’s peak fully in line with Christian values: look forward another 50 years Who; he too has a and neat, trimmed beard. He the power of faith to transform when both will be remembered magic cabinet, the was forever wreaking evil and and the power of love. These are for their positive impact on TARDIS, which is of a size putting temptation in the almost part of the bedrock of the society.

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duct financial, legislative, General Synod. Synods lines in the media. And legal, canonical and admin- should not be talking steer clear of electing istrative business for the shops but should narrowly those who like the sound of Church of England. It is conduct the business their own voices and want mainly boring and unglam- which is necessary and General Synod to do more. AndrewCarey: orous. It needs to be con- which we, the parishioners The best General Synod ducted properly under of the Church of England, member is, largely, a reluc- Parliamentary rules pay for. tant one who realises that because some of the Synod I have no doubt that the main purpose of Synod ViewfromthePew measures will become Acts there are reforms to Gen- is logistical support for the of Parliament. eral Synod that could real work that goes on in The more exciting, news- improve its workings. But parish ministry. They want worthy and interesting beware the siren voices shorter and more busi- stuff such as the environ- that call for General Synod ness-like agendas because Reforming General Synod ment, international peace to ditch its parliamentary they want to get back to the and justice should rarely, if procedure and set its agen- front-line as soon as possi- I regularly attend committee meetings – beyond what is reasonable. New members at all, be on the agenda of da according to the head- ble. particularly school governors and PCC — will be co-opted and added to the commit- and find that the attitude of the majority of tee. Those who have a busy life will disen- those in attendance is a healthy one. We are gage and go back to their much more all keen to resume normal life as soon as interesting lives. Bishop’s good ideas possible by getting through the agenda as Then someone will have an idea for quickly, though properly, as possible. reforming the committee. And so they cre- The Bishop of Willesden has written a blog post with 20 ‘quick hits’ for changing the The trouble with most committees is that ate a sub-committee to reform the proce- Church of England. His no-nonsense approach and some of his ideas are likely to there will always be those who like the dures. There will be new and different become increasingly influential (bishopofwillesden.blogspot.co.uk). sound of their own voices and believe the elections. There will be new standing His modernising suggestions are mainly practical measures to reduce over-regula- committee should be doing more. Conse- orders. There will be fewer members of the tion, bureaucracy and spending. For example, he suggests that dioceses in need of fund- quently, much that was hitherto considered committee and there will be reorganisation. ing from the Church Commissioners should find ways to reduce overheads and unnecessary will now be done by the com- But unless the reform returns the com- administrative costs as a precondition of receiving funding. mittee. And there will be a proliferation of mittee back to its original purpose there will His suggestions remind me of the mood in 2010 when the new coalition government sub-committees and reports. More money be no point to it. So as General Synod sets announced its bonfire of the quangos and the announcement of a Repeal Act to take will be spent and consequently more money its sights on its own reform it must be pretty unnecessary legislation and regulation off the statute book. None of these initiatives will have to be raised. The meetings will go clear about what it is there for. The sole rea- came to much, but a wholesale simplification of the Pastoral Measure, and other legisla- on for hours and the agenda will lengthen son for having a General Synod is to con- tion, might free up the time of clergy and lay leaders to lead evangelism and mission.

Defender of Faith Under the spotlight Prince Charles’ 65th birthday prompted an article in the Daily Telegraph on his religious life. Tom Rowley described the Prince’s interest in Islam and its BBC 4 kicked off a series on English Cathedrals with a programme on Wake- culture and the high regard in which he is held in the Muslim world. He also field. It was filmed before a final decision had been taken to merge the three revealed that the Prince has studied Judaism, attended Catholic masses, West Yorkshire dioceses and the Dean, the Very Rev Jonathan Greener, made sought wisdom from Eastern gurus, and made a retreat on Mt Athos while clear he did not welcome the prospect ahead. He had some good lines: “The remaining a committed Anglican. Bishop James Jones considers the chapel Church of England has never favoured arranged marriages.” “How can one dio- at Highgrove a ‘holy place’ and Lord Carey thinks the Prince’s ‘green cese have three mother churches?”, “Being a professional Christian does take instincts come from a profound Christian origin’. Rowley describes the some of the enthusiasm out of my faith.” Asked what Jesus would do, Jonathan importance of Laurens van der Post but he omits one person the Prince has cleverly turned the question round to ask what Jesus would do if he was Dean of said had a big influence on him and after whom some people think he named Wakefield. What clearly weighed with the Dean was the probably well-founded his son: Fr Harry Williams CR, Dean of Trinity when Charles was an under- worry that the Church Commissioners will not go on funding three cathedrals graduate. Williams was a notable preacher and a radical theologian who for one diocese. In that he is probably more clear-sighted that the chapters of the made a famous contribution to ‘Soundings’. In a foreword to Williams’ last other cathedrals he called to Wakefield for some discussion. The programme book, Charles praised his ‘irrepressible approachability’, his ‘memorable ser- also covered the refurbishment of the Cathedral and we were shown a splendid mons’, his ‘wonderful parties’ (especially when attended by his friend, John new altar being installed but the plan for the dioceses overshadowed everything Betjeman), his ‘humanity and warmth’, his humour, and his ‘willingness to and no one was allowed to balance the Dean and put the case in favour. The con- open up his inner soul and being’ and speak about ‘the vicissitudes, the com- gregation looked predominantly elderly and white. “Are cathedrals the meeting plications and the agonies of life’. Williams wrote to the Prince every Christ- places between heaven and earth or anachronisms in a secular world?” we were mas and Charles visited him at Mirfield where he became a monk. asked at the beginning of the programme. No clear answer has yet been given. The Whispering Gallery Praise and blame for Welby Still Shining Archbishop Justin Welby had mixed reviews last week. After sitting next to him at a dinner for the Association of Corporate Treasurers, Clare Balding Billy Graham has celebrated 95 years and Prince Charles has qualified for his couldn’t hide her enthusiasm. She tweeted that he was ‘fabulous company’. state pension but ‘Shine Jesus Shine’ has just turned 25. As Ian Bradley put it The Evening Standard reported her saying that he asked if he could drink in a special article in The Times it is loathed and loved in equal measure. her coffee when he saw she hadn’t touched it. “Of course I said yes and he Bradley doesn’t mention the fact but it was voted tenth in a 2005 survey of pop- gulped it down in one go. ‘Good’ the Archbishop said, ‘that’ll keep me ular hymns by Songs of Praise. Cliff Richard praised it and was one of the first awake’.” Not that he had any chance of sleep. Clare ribbed him mercilessly to record it in an album thCrossword 14 and he didn’t nod off. He has a brilliant sense of humour, she reported. Less at appeared in 1989. Damian Thompson labelled it as ‘the most loathed of all enthusiastic were an editorial writer in The Times and Giles Fraser in The happy-clappy hymns’ but that comment was mild compared to Quentin Letts’ Guardian. The Times detected in the Archbishop’s U-turn on school admis- judgement that ‘the jazzy chorus of Shine Jesus Shine is particular agony, sions ‘a worrying discrepancy between what the Archbishop believes and accompanied, as it often is, by a couple of emotionally incontinent show-offs in what he wants his Church to think he believes.’ ‘Tortured twists and turns’, the front pews raising their arms and swinging them from side to side’. Author we were told, were a feature of life under Rowan Williams and Welby should Graham Kendrick is probably used to the criticism but he can take pleasure be careful not to lose his reputation for bringing a new sense of clarity to from the kind words about both him and his hymn by Ian Bradley, surely one Lambeth Palace. Ouch! Giles Fraser was less outspoken in criticism. Fraser of the leading experts on British hymns. Bradley praises the combination of faces a £750,000 bill to repair a redundant tower that stands beside his post- fine poetic imagery and sound theology ‘in a way that recalls Watts and Wes- war church and fears the days are running out for inner city parishes. The ley’. He finds echoes of Charles Wesley in the hymn and sees strength in the money is going because suburban churches are not going to pay up under way it straddles the divide between worship song and traditional hymn. the voluntary contribution for parish share pioneered by Welby in Durham. Kendrick, 63, the son of a Baptist pastor, has been awarded two honorary doc- Like Dean Greener, Giles has money worries. torates for his work. Some predict he will join Watts and Wesley in the list of great hymn writers.

[email protected] facebook.com/churchnewspaper @churchnewspaper Arts/Books Friday November 22, 2013 www.churchnewspaper.com 11 BOOKREVIEW The story of the Butler Thomas Aquinas, Denys Turner Yale, hb, £18.99 In this stimulating and beautifully written and civil rights in the US book Denys Turner gives us both a por- trait of Thomas Aquinas the man and an outline of his thought. He is concerned The Butler (cert 12A) is based on the life of Eugene with both the saint and the theologian Allen, who served presidents from Truman to but it is easier to explain Thomas’ ideas Nixon. Allen becomes Cecil Gaines (Forest Whitak- than it is to give sketch of his life. er) in this heavily fictionalised story which invents a Humility meant that Thomas was keen quasi-slavery childhood on a cotton farm in Georgia, to keep himself out of the picture. As an extra son, and a career progression where he’s Turner puts it, “his life is a sort of hoax, working in a posh Washington hotel and is head- the hoax of the genuinely humble who hunted as a butler (Allen simply applied for a kitchen will not make a fuss even out of persuading people that he is not job at the White House). worth making a fuss of. He just disappears, and his texts appear, as The reality is more prosaic, but it hardly matters if authorless.” as the film rattles through a potted history of the Despite the difficulty, Turner does succeed in bringing Thomas civil rights movement, with Cecil’s life a mere back- to life. Poverty and the life of a Dominican friar were central to his drop to events. Most of the black history is seen vocation. In the ‘Summa’ he shocked some by stressing the pover- through his elder son Louis (David Oyelowo) who ty of Christ so that the life of the friars could be seen as the way to goes through non-violent direct action (sitting in follow him. segregated areas of diners and suffering the conse- Thomas possessed an enormous capacity for work and his out- quences) to joining the Freedom Riders (inter-racial put is amazing but Turner stresses that it all flowed from a life of groups ignoring blacks at the back of the bus rules deep prayer although Thomas hid his prayer life and specifically and suffering the consequences) to membership of after her brilliant turn in The Color Purple, with only told his brethren that if they witnessed anything out of the ordi- the Black Panthers (suffering the consequences of a a few cameos or animation voiceovers in between. nary in his prayer experiences they should not tell anyone. rift from his father). Director Lee Daniels has essentially got an Friendship was important to Thomas and he made great use of Younger son Charlie (Elijah Kelley) takes the upstairs downstairs version of The West Wing, and friendship in his moral theology and in his theology of grace. Draw- patriotic route and goes to Vietnam. By now we’ve maybe as a TV series it would have run and run. ing on the gospels, Thomas described the relationship between already been past Eisenhower (Robin Williams) and Covering the period it does, it’s a feat to get it into a human beings and God as one of ‘friendship’. Legend has it that Kennedy (James Marsden) – the story of being bit over two hours, but even then some of it feels like Thomas dictated a commentary on the ‘Song of Songs’ on his given one of Kennedy’s ties by Jackie (Minka Kelly) padding. deathbed but none has come to light and Turner doubts the story. seems to be true – and into a crude portrayal of Lyn- Certainly the idea of Cecil’s son Louis eventually The ‘Song of Songs’ was popular with medieval theologians but it don Johnson (Liev Schreiber) as America goes into a running for Congress, and his father joining him in a was not Thomas’ style. He preferred the language of friendship to disastrous war. street protest, would be good if true but feels just too that of erotic love. Nixon (John Cusack with a dodgy prosthetic nose) neat. Underlying it all though is a very valid tension Modern theologians have worried that Thomas begins with a is portrayed in a way that caricatures his downfall, of the “two faces” Cecil feels obliged to show, as the neutral ‘God’ rather than the Christian doctrine of the Trinity but Ford and Carter are ignored, and Ronald Reagan subservient black man knowing his place (and Turner sees good reasons for this. Unless we have a correct under- (Alan Rickman) is seen as racist for opposing sanc- which side his bread is buttered) and as the close standing of God, it is easy to make mistakes. The late John Hick, tions against apartheid, after which Gaines decides observer of some of the great moments of history, for example, would not have claimed that to say Jesus was divine to resign. Reagan’s family, and most commentators, including the advancement of black people in Ameri- was like saying that one and the same shape could be a square and think the portrayal unfair, even if mitigated when ca. a circle if he had understood that while humans are a certain kind Nancy Reagan (Jane Fonda of all people) invites the The original story came from journalist Will Hay- of being there is no kind of being that God is. butler and his wife to a state dinner as guests, recog- good in an article for the Washington Post (Google “a Turner is not afraid to take modern theologians and philoso- nising his years of service (Allen never took a day butler well served”) and the screenplay is by Danny phers to task. As well as Hick, he dismisses Anthony Kenny’s claim off sick). Strong. Lee Daniels hasn’t quite touched the nerves that the third of Thomas’ five ways in which Turner maintains That dinner is shown as the first occasion that as he did with the harrowing story of abused black (against some other interpreters) that the Angelic Doctor does set Gaines has shown his wife Gloria into his workplace, woman Precious (2009) and some of it is specifically out to prove the existence of God is guilty of a logical fallacy. perhaps because of her addiction to booze (another about American racial attitudes, but it has plenty of Thomas does not say (as he is often represented as saying) that fiction) and perhaps because Cecil wants barriers drama to add to its history lesson feel. every chain of causes must stop somewhere, therefore there is between the job and his home. Oprah Winfrey plays somewhere where every chain of causes must stop. His argument Gloria, and it’s a brilliant turn that comes 28 years Steve Parish is that ‘if every constituent element of the universe is contingent being, and so can go out of existence and go out of existence in time, it could not be the case that a contingent totality is all there is. On the contrary, it follows that something or other must not be contingent’. It is a tribute to Thomas’ greatness as a thinker and to Turner’s skill as an expositor that every chapter of this book makes a contri- bution to current theological debate. Not only is Hick’s Christology refuted, his theodicy (and that of many other modern theologians) is challenged by an understanding that sees no competition between divine action and human freedom. Philosophers who have seen the soul as a guarantee of continuity between the earthly body and the resurrection body will find little support in Thomas. Wide-ranging though this book is it does not cover every aspect of Thomas’ thought. Turner tells us that much of Thomas’ writing was taken up with moral theology and that he had a good deal to say about the virtues. There is not a great deal of moral theology here although Turner does point out that for Thomas the heart of the moral life was finding out what it means to be human. Human beings need to learn what their true desires really are. For most of the time we go after things that deep down we really do not want, like children who say they would like six ice cream cornets. A surprise for some readers with little previous knowledge of God is how much of his theology was written with an eye to what Muslim and Jewish theologians were saying. As Turner points out, from question 3 to question 26 in the ‘Summa’ Thomas does not take a step a Muslim theologian couldCrossword 14 not take. Just one of the many aspects of his work that make Thomas an astonishingly relevant figure today. Paul Richardson

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VACANCY IN THE SEE OF GIBRALTAR IN EUROPE Following the announcement of the retirement of The Right Reverend Geoffrey Rowell, Time to check Bishop of Gibraltar in Europe, the See fell vacant on 8 November 2013. The Crown Nominations Commission will meet on 6 February and 10/11 March 2014. Any person wishing to comment on the needs of the diocese, or the wider Church, or who wishes to propose candidates, should write by the 8 December 2013 to: Vitamin D Caroline Boddington Archbishops’ Secretary for Appointments The Wash House Lambeth Palace Now its officially winter I hope I can urge diet. You’d need to drink 80 glasses of London SE1 7JU you to look at your vitamin D levels: I’m milk a day to maintain a healthy level of or sure you saw the recent reports about the vitamin D! [email protected] return of rickets in children. It’s thought that we have a worldwide The Chief Medical Officer, Professor epidemic of Vitamin D deficiency and in Dame Sally Davies, has said that it should the northern hemisphere we simply don’t APPOINTMENTS & SITUATIONS VACANT be a wake-up call to parents and the NHS get enough sunshine to boost our levels that children are dying needlessly every all year round. Add to that the fact that *%) ')1+5"4) .3 day. She has called for all babies and chil- when the sun does come out, children 1+,)0."/) "4 2$#* dren under four to be given free vitamins. (and adults) are lathered in chemical sun- &))!(/ "//-) "/ This of course promoted huge debates screens. THE DIOCESE OF DURHAM on TV and radio with experts arguing The recent National Vitamin D aware- www.durham.anglican.orgwww.durham.anglican.org %) '$ over which foods contain vitamin D and ness week survey found that a massive "!#('& whether we can produce enough without proportion of people suffering with any- A place of supplementation. Vitamin D is found in thing from migraines to joint pain could diversityy and challenge eggs, oily fish and some meat but the be helped by exposing more of their bod- ... whwhereherree anything is possible quantities are minimal, only 10 per cent of ies to sunlight. Three quarters of people our essential vitamin D comes from our who say they suffer from regular headaches are getting less than two DIOCESAN SECRETSECRETARYTAARY hours sunlight each day. Eating oily Similar trends were uncovered for joint fish contains pain and bone condition sufferers, plus WWee want to see God at work throughthrough Vitamin D people with mental health problems like the grgrowthowth of His churchurch,ch, and to serve depression, seasonal affective disorder our communities and in particular and insomnia. their most most vulnerable vulnerable members. members. People’s shocking lack of vitamin D ‘know how’ was also exposed in the sur- vey, with nine out of 10 mums to be say- WeW e arra e lole ookokinkiing ffoorr anan inspirinspirraatioa it onnaa l lead l ae ered r ababllee ing they were never told to supplement, toot prrp ov i ided e stratets ar et giig c dc diid rer e ctitc onoi anddn suus ppopp rtro t ffoforor even though pregnant women and breast- thht issi mississ ioonn.. feeding mothers have long been consid- YoYou willl l woow rkr k inni colloc ll abal orob r raatioa it nno withht ourruo newen w ered an at-risk group by the Department BishiB hs oppo , thh,t e Seni S ne oroi rTTe eamam anand Ke Key Ad A viivd sorsos r rss of Health. tot ofo fo rmr m ullu atta e a strate s rt ta gige ig c vi v sionoi nfo for gro g or wttw h and a dn I was shocked when after years of fofor ser s vivre ngni gou our com c mo muum niin tiit es,se , anand hhaveva ethe t eh telling women to check their vitamin D knnk owwo leel dge,ddgge,sk skkiilli ll s an and attr a att r riibi utub eset sto tode de liil veev r it.t.ri levels (because it is well documented that low levels can mean an increased risk of breast cancer) I finally got checked Does This Role Haveave YYoourur Name On It? myself and found my level was 12 – the suggested levels are between 55- 80 according to conventional doctors and far higher ideally. I got myself some sun- VaVacancacanciescancies in Durham shine and took an oral supplement spray WWoorthrth mormoree than just Better You DLux 3000. Within about five months the GP was impressed to see my scanning over! levels at a healthy 160. So my advice would be get yourself YoYourur Faith And ImaginationImaagination RequirRequiredede checked, you can get a DIY test and then supplement if necessary. Unless of Full Details Can Be Found On Our WWeebsitebsite course you have a second home some- Or Call 01388 602576 where sunny and exotic… in which case please invite me!

breathe”. I frequently rant in this col- lo, Italy’s finest red. Wine of the Week umn the importance of decanting There’s fruit, red cher ry, and some many red wines, and this is an exem- spice, lasting on to a quite delicate fin- plar. ish. It was delicious. However, it did not Contea di Castiglione Pour this into a jug, leave for two stand up to being put in the ’fridge Barbaresco 2009 hours, and lo! a transformation. The overnight: the next day the dominating Morrisons £9.99 nose, before so faint, has a hint of roses. tannins, though not so strong, had www.morrisonscellar.com In the glass, deepish red. And now, on returned. But, treated as recommend- the palate, that horrid bitterness has ed, excellent with roast beef or with Ugh!!! Open the bottle, sip, and, hor- vanished. The tannins have smoothed strong cheese. Alcohol by Vol. 14% rors, massive tannins invade the mouth. out. They come from the grape, black- A Bronze Winner at this year’s Inter- Put down the glass. Alas, the back label skinned Nebbiolo, from Piedmont, national Wine Challenge. does not repeat what Morrisons say on north-west Italy and two years spent in their website: “give it an hour or so to oak bar rels: it’s a close cousin of Baro- Graham Gendall Norton 14 www.churchnewspaper.com Friday November 22, 2013 Register

THE 2013 Rural Dean of Newcastle; ceased Smalley and Horsley Woodhouse, ANGLICAN CYCLE OF PRAYER to be Sessional Chaplain to Harp- with special responsibility for BIBLE CHALLENGE lands Hospital on 8th October Horsley Woodhouse, and Priest- 2013 (Nottingham) in-Charge of Loscoe, (Derby), Friday 22 November, Psalm: 47 Isa 56:1-8 Wangaratta - (Victoria, The Rev Sue Martin, will resign his post with effect Day 319 – Amos 6, Psalm 112, Australia) The Rt Revd John Parkes Curate in the Gayton Benefice is from 15th December, 2013 Matthew 14 Saturday 23 November, Psalm: 48 Isa 57:14-21 Warri - (Bendel, to resign and has been appointed (Derby). Day 320 – Amos 7, Psalm 113, Nigeria) The Rt Revd Christian Esezi Ideh to a new position as Volunteer The Rev Canon Susan White- Matthew 15 Sunday 24 November, Pentecost 27 Psalm: 49 Jn 15:1-11 Wash- Hospice Chaplain at the Norfolk house, Day 321 – Enjoy hearing the ington - (III, The Episcopal Church) The Rt Revd Mariann Edgar Hospice (Norwich). who has retired from the Scriptures read aloud in church Budde The Rev Laura Jane Benefice of Penhill (Ripon and Day 322– Amos 8, Psalm 114, Monday 25 November, Psalm: 50:1-15 Jn 15:12-17 Wau - (Sudan) McWilliams, Leeds), to become Canon Emeri- Matthew 16 The Rt Revd Moses Deng Bol (Vicar of Seamer with East tus of Ripon Cathedral (Ripon and Day 323 – Amos 9, Psalm 115, Tuesday 26 November, Psalm: 51 Jn 15:18-25 Wellington - Ayton), has resigned to be Team Leeds). Matthew 17 (Aotearoa NZ & Polynesia) The Rt Revd Justin Duckworth Rector of Billingham Team Day 324 – Obadiah, Psalm 116, Wednesday 27 November, Psalm: 52 Isa 58:1-12 West Ankole - Parish, (Durham). LAY & OTHER Matthew 18 (Uganda) The Rt Revd Yona Katoneene The Rev Marion Simmons, Day 325 – Jonah 1, Psalm 117, Thursday 28 November, Psalm: 54 Isa 59:9-16 Soroti - (Uganda) will retire on 31st August 2014 APPOINTMENTS Matthew 19 The Rt Revd George Erwau West Buganda - (Uganda) The Rt Revd (Liverpool) Godfrey Makumbi The Rev John Smith, presently Assistant Curate at The Rev Canon David Gait, APPOINTMENTS William Davies, of Skelton w Upleatham (held in Holy Trinity, Idle in the Diocese has been appointed as Canon Priest in Charge of Alsagers Bank plurality with Boosbeck and Ling- of Bradford, to be Vicar of the Emeritus of Liverpool Cathedral and Vicar of Audley; to also be dale), has been appointed Rector Benefice of Pannal with Beck- (Liverpool) Priest in Charge of Talke (Lich- of the Benefice of Skelton with withshaw (Ripon and Leeds). Mrs Elizabeth Lang, The Rev Elaine Irene Ander- field) Upleatham and Vicar of Boos- The Rev Stephen (Steve) who holds a Readers’ Licence in ton, The Rev Vivienne Gloria Hat- beck and Lingdale (York). Smith, the Salisbury Diocese, has been Curate of Perton Local Ecumeni- ton, The Rev Patrick Eshuchi John presently Vicar of All Hallows appointed Lay Chaplain at St cal Partnership; to be Chaplain to Vicar of Chasetown; to be Assis- Mukholi, Leeds and also Area Dean of Michael’s Hospice, Basingstoke Compton Hospice (Lichfield) tant Curate (Interim Minister) of Penhill Pioneer Minister has Headingley (Ripon and Leeds), to (Winchester) The Rev Karen Elisabeth Shenstone and Stonnall (Lich- become also Assistant Curate be Priest in Charge of Mabe and The Rev Roger Quick, Cribb field) (SSM) within the Benefice and Ponsanooth, (Truro). was licensed as Chaplain to has been appointed SSM Associ- The Rev Helen Hayes, Parish of St Peter, Penhill and the The Rev Julian Martin Stani- Homeless People in Leeds ate Vicar, Sheffield St Mary Bra- is appointed Curate NSM in the Benefice and Parish of St Philip, forth (Leeds) mall Lane (Sheffield) Benefice of the Bradgate Team Upper Stratton (Bristol). resigns as Assistant Curate of The Rev Lorraine Georgina (Leicester) – Ratby cum Groby Herne (Canterbury) with effect Apps-Huggins with Newtown Linford as Non- RETIREMENTS & from 10 March 2014. DEATHS appointed Associate Priest of Sell- Stipendiary Pioneer Priest RESIGNATIONS The Rev Terry Williams, ing with Throwley and Sheldwich amongst the homeless in West Priest-in-Charge of Codnor, with Badlesmere and Leaveland Leicester Mission Partnership. The Rev Terence Bernard Priest-in-Charge of Horsley and Rev William Morris Storey, (Canterbury). The Rev Valerie EMB Haynes, Bloor, Denby, Assistant Curate in the Retired, Christchurch Surbiton, The Rev Preb Peter Timothy Priest-in-Charge of the Benefice Priest in Charge of Basford and United Benefice of Morley with has died.

20 Daughter of David [2 Sam] (5) 15 ‘With what can I ------you, Daugh- PRIZE CROSSWORD No. 875 by Axe 21 Place Paul visited in Turkey on his ter Jerusalem?’ [Lam/NIV] (7) arrival from Cyprus [Acts] (5) 16 Peoples whose capital in the NT 22 ‘...many people came to him from was Antioch (on the Orontes) Judea, Jerusalem, ------and around [Acts] (7) Tyre and Sidon’ [Mark/NIV] (7) 17 Major Judean 5 (6) 23 ‘By the power of your arm they will 18 ‘In that day the Lord will snatch be as ----- as a stone’ [Exod/NIV] away their finery... the fine robes (5) and the ----- and cloaks...’ [Isa/NIV] 24 NT letter calling for back-tracking (5) Jews to re-commit to Jesus (7) 19 Where the Israelites defeated the king of Bashan before entering the Down Promised Land [Num; Deut; Josh] 1One of the twelve apostles, known (5) as ------the twin [John/Acts] (7) 20 ‘Moses slaughtered the ram and 2‘She ------wool and flax and works put some of its blood ...on the ----- with eager hands [Prov/NIV] (7) of his [Aaron’s] right hand...’ 3God in Islam (5) [Lev/NIV] (5) 4Vendor of the cave Abraham bought, where Jacob was buried Solution to last week’s crosswordAcross: 7 [Gen] (6) 5OT character who is an interpreter Across: 1 Hope, 3 Scythian, 8 Blade, 9 of the will of God (7) Ordinal, 12 Therein, 13 Yards, 14 Mount of 6‘Don't call me -----, call me Mara, Olives, 17 Roman, 20 Holy See, 22 Harbour, because the Almighty has made 24 Every, 25 The first, 26 Is it. my life very bitter’ [Ruth/NIV] (5) 7Joyful religious song celebrating Down: 1 Habit, 2 Plateau, 4 Crown of thorns, the birth of Christ (5) 5 Today, 6 Asa, 7 Repent, 10 Nor, 11 Loses, 13 In Tobit, one of seven archangels 14 Myrrh, 15 Lilies, 16 Vespers, 18 Mar, 19 (7) Naomi, 21 Egypt, 23 Ash.

The first correct entry drawn will win a book of the Editor’s choice. Send your entry to Crossword Number 875, The Church of England Newspaper, 14 Great College Street, Westminster, London, SW1P 3RX by next Friday Across [Col/KJV] (5) 1‘In the thirty-ninth year of his reign 10 One of the minor 5s and an OT Name Asa was afflicted with a ------in his book (5) feet’ [2 Chron/NIV] (7) 11 One of the first Israelite judges Address 5‘On that day I will strike every who stopped his people worship- horse with ----- and its rider with ping Baal [Josh/Judg] (7) madness’ [Zech/NIV] (5) 12 Canaanite commander killed by 8Woman whose name is given to Jael [Judg] (6) those considered to be dangerous- 14 ‘Am I a dog, that you come at me ly seductive [Judg] (7) with ------?’ [1 Sam/NIV] (6) Post Code 9‘But I have all... an ----- of a sweet 18 One who met Jesus on the road to smell, a sacrifice acceptable... Emmaus [Luke] (7)

[email protected] facebook.com/churchnewspaper @churchnewspaper Sunday Friday November 22, 2013 www.churchnewspaper.com 15

God our deliverer, as you led ing and shaping his people SUNDAY SERVICE our ancestors through the THE SPIRITUAL there and how his faithful- wilderness, so lead us ness is such a contrast with through the wilderness of this their fickle trust in his pro- 1st Sunday of Advent world that we may be saved DIRECTOR vision. It is a sobering cata- (Sunday 1st December) through Christ forever. logue of faithlessness and Amen. (Prayer accompany- rebellion. ing Psalm 78:1-39) By the Rev Dr Liz Hoare These are our ancestors Isaiah 2:1–5 in faith and so we need to Romans 13:11–end Two things immediately keep our eyes firmly on the strike us in this prayer. First generations to come the transferred ... into the king- Lord Jesus Christ if we are Matthew 24:36–44 the way that it talks about praises of the Lord and his dom of his beloved son,’ not to repeat the sins of our ‘our’ ancestors and second power and the wonderful (Colossians 1:13). The fathers and mothers. The beginning of a new church year comes in Advent, the way it refers to this works he has done,’ (v4). reminder from Colossians At a different level it is as we prepare to remember in our readings the humble world as a wilderness. How It was vitally important to that the power of darkness possible to give thanks for birth of our saviour, and look forward to his coming in are the people of Israel our Israel that the memory of is at work in the world goes the wilderness aspect of the glory. ancestors and in what sense God’s deliverance was some way to explaining world in that it does indeed Jesus tells us in Matthew 24 that his second coming is this world a wilderness? passed on down the genera- why the prayer talks about teach us dependence on the will be sudden, unexpected and overwhelming. It can- Psalm 78 is a long histori- tions because by recalling the ‘wilderness of this only one who can deliver not be predicted or foreknown; even the angels do not cal account of the Old Tes- how he had saved them world.’ Wilderness places us. The first part of the know the day or the hour (not that this means they do tament history of the they would be less likely to are barren, harsh land- psalm speaks of a deliverer know the year or the month!). He uses the great flood people of Israel from the forget him or his command- scapes where survival is who controls the elements, from Genesis as a parallel - another all-encompassing time God led them out of ments. So the prayer draws critical. who provides our basic moment of cataclysmic judgment, and salvation for the Egypt onwards. It may have attention to the nature of At one level the recogni- needs for food and drink, elect, which came quickly on an unsuspecting, undis- been recited on formal this God in its opening tion that we inhabit a hos- who protected them and turbed world. As the waters came to sweep all away, so occasions when the whole address to ‘our deliverer.’ tile landscape ought to kept them hidden by his will the Son of Man on that day. community remembered What was true for Israel drive us closer to the one cloud and who guided them The smaller yet devastating disasters that have come their national history and is true for every Christian who can deliver us, yet it is by the light of his fire. We upon our world in floods, storms, tsunamis and earth- the beginning of the psalm because of the saving work clear from Israel that even too may experience ‘a table quakes are a reminder to us to be ready for what is explains why this was such of Christ. We, like them, this does not guarantee that in the wilderness’ (v19) and approaching. Some will survive, some will not, when an important thing to do. have been delivered (res- we will remain close to him. in doing so know the salva- the Lord returns. The illustration of the two workers in ‘We will not hide from their cued) by God ‘from the Reading the psalm itself we tion that is our through the field and the two women at work are not designed children but will recount to power of darkness and can see how God was test- Christ. to convey to us a sense of proportion, but a sense of urgency. We must stay awake, ready and prepared for what will happen. He comes like a thief in the night: to tell us much more in advance would defeat his object. Paul also speaks of the second coming, and uses it to urge us to live godly lives as we await the glorious day. We need to wake up, and realise that our salvation is closer now than when we first believed. The dark ages Christmas beliefs of sin and death are gone; the daylight of glory approaches. Therefore, we must put aside the deeds of By Simon Coupland What’s more, Luke states that his darkness. By this he means not just drunkenness and New Wine material is trustworthy because he debauchery - classic sins of the night - but also things has gone back to the earliest sources we often overlook, more respectable sins such as quar- It’s that time of year when people in and tracked down eyewitnesses (Luke relling and jealousy. Gratifying the flesh, our sinful my church sometimes ask me, as 1:1-4). The reason he has included a nature, should not make it onto our list of priorities at their vicar, “Do I have to believe in the report that Jesus’ conception was all, nor be provided for in our diaries, budgets, or imag- virgin birth?” In a scientific age, do we miraculous is because he has found inations. have to take literally the Apostles’ reliable evidence for it. Interestingly, Paul uses clothing imagery twice to Creed: ‘I believe in Jesus Christ, his Going deeper, if we accept the describe our preparation for the day: we are to put on only Son, our Lord, who was con- underlying Christian claim that Jesus the armour of light, and put on the Lord Jesus Christ. ceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the was unique – in his life, death and res- What we wear as we go out to meet the coming Lord Virgin Mary’? urrection – why is it hard to believe will reveal how much we value and honour him. At one level the answer is that the that his conception was unique as Isaiah also urges us to walk in the light of the Lord. virgin birth – or more accurately, the well? The fundamental principle at the He looks forward from centuries before Christ to a day virginal conception – isn’t central to heart of the Christmas story, and when the word of the Lord would emanate out from our faith, since it’s not in the evangel- Christianity, is that in Jesus God took Jerusalem to Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth. istic sermons in Acts, the gospels of on flesh. That surely is the biggest In his vision, that word of instruction, that Torah, Mark or John, or the New Testament claim to swallow! If we accept that, breaks down barriers between the nations as it goes, as epistles. It evidently wasn’t seen as an can we not see that the God who light comes to the world. Is this a prophecy just for the essential tenet of faith or crucial to sal- and bear a son’ … Mary said, ‘How spoke the universe into being could eighth century BC, or for the first century AD when vation. So why do we believe it? can this be, since I am a virgin?’ The also do the same with a human baby? the Light of the World truly did arrive and from his ear- Is it because the prophets said that angel said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will I love the story of the nativity play liest days taught the word from his Father’s house? the Messiah should be born of a vir- come upon you, and the power of the written by a group of schoolchildren. And does it not also point forward to the day when he gin? After all, Matthew 1:22-3 says: Most High will overshadow you… For As it began, nobody was visible on shall reign in glory over all the nations, who will cease “All this took place to fulfil what the nothing will be impossible with God,” stage, just some bales of straw from their fruitless wars and in the name of the Prince of Lord had said through the prophet: (Luke 1:31, 34-35, 37, NRSV). behind which moans and groans were Peace begin again to plough and prune and steward ‘The virgin will be with child and will The clear implication is that what coming. Moments later the boy play- God’s perfect creation? The promised one has come. give birth to a son, and they will call happened was humanly impossible. ing Joseph hurried on with another He will come again to judge the living and the dead, him Immanuel’.” Yet Luke doesn’t make a big deal out child who was wearing a white coat and his glorious kingdom will have no end. No, it’s not, the scholars tell us, of this, nor describes it as fulfilling and carrying a black bag. The two of because that wasn’t the expectation prophecy like Matthew, nor refers to them disappeared behind the straw Lee Gatiss is Director of Church Society and Editor of for the Messiah at the time of Jesus’ it later, except in passing: “Now Jesus and there was more moaning and the NIV Proclamation Bible. birth. In Isaiah 7 it was a sign for King himself was about 30 years old when groaning. Then the ‘doctor’ reap- Ahaz, not the distant future, and the he began his ministry. He was the peared with a smile on his face, word translated ‘virgin’ in the Greek son, so it was thought, of Joseph…” cradling a doll in his arms. He held it could simply mean a young woman in (Luke 3:23). up and announced, “It’s a GOD!” HYMN SUGGESTIONS the original Hebrew. It’s interesting to note that critics of That’s the scandalous, unbelievable, So why do we believe it? The simple the early church seem to have accept- impossible message of Christmas. answer is, because Matthew says ed that Joseph wasn’t Jesus’ father. In Accept that, and we accept that noth- that’s what happened: “Now the birth the second century Origen quoted the ing on earth will ever be the same of Jesus the Messiah took place in this slander of an opponent of Christianity, again. To paraphrase what the angel Great is the darkness that covers the earth way. When his mother Mary had been Celsus: “When [Mary] was pregnant said to Mary, that anything is possi- engaged to Joseph, but before they she was turned out of doors by the ble. And surely that includes a virginal Hark! A herald voice is calling lived together, she was found to be carpenter to whom she had been conception! Christ triumphant, ever reigning with child from the Holy Spirit,” betrothed as guilty of adultery, and How lovely on the mountains (Matt. 1:18, NRSV). Matthew saw a she bore a child to a certain soldier Simon Coupland is vicar of St Paul’s, deeper fulfilment of the sign to Ahaz. named Panthera.” Celsus didn’t Kingston Hill, and leads a local New Hills of the north, rejoice Luke, too, independently says that believe that Jesus was the son of God, Wine network in southwest London. He that is what happened. “The angel but did acknowledge there was some- has regularly given seminars at the said, ‘You will conceive in your womb thing unusual about his conception. New Wine summer conferences

Milestones

‘Together in Service’, a new £180,000 grant programme funded by the Department of Com-

munities and Local Government, was launched by the Rt Hon Eric Pickles MP on 21 November, beginning the two-year programme, which will be delivered by FaithAction, a national network of faith-based and community organisations, to highlight and support new and existing multi faith social action projects and provide grants to faith groups... The Hawaii Senate has approved ‘ a bill introducing same-sex ‘marriage’ in a vote of 19 to 4... ‘We have responsibilities to speak, even when it might be easier to stay quiet, to point to injustice set out to destroy them. Asir men used to and to challenge others to grow their hair long and adorn it with flow- join us in righting it,’ P A U L ers. Asir women were dressed in what Ahmed calls ‘flamboyant stripes of colour not Archbishop Justin Welby R I C H A R D S O N normally associated with Islam such, as bright blue, yellow and red’. Church and World The Saudis made a determined attempt conform to a strict Wahabi form of Islam. People‘ Men were made to cut their hair and women had to take the veil. The Asir were left feeling degraded strangers in their own home. The Bishop of Despite their long Islamic pedigree going Rochester, the Rt back to the Prophet, the Saudis treated them Rev James Tactics in tackling as heretics. As a result the Asir sought inter- Langstaff, is to be national outlets for their discontent with the next Bishop to many going to fight against the Soviets in Her Majesty’s Pris- Chechnya or Afghanistan. Osama Bin ons, the senior Laden’s roots also lie in a tribal background. church advocate for the terrorists He belonged to the Yemeni Kenda tribe, a Christian values in once powerful tribe that had greatly declined the criminal justice by the twentieth century. It was not difficult system in England So much has been written about the for him to identify with the Asir. and Wales, succeed- events of 9/11 that it might seem Ahmed claims that the insensitive treat- ing the Rt Rev James impossible for anyone to find any- ment of the Pakistani tribal peoples explains Jones, who retired as thing new to say. One scholar of the much of the trouble in Waziristan today. After Bishop of Liverpool Islamic world has managed that they lost a force of perhaps as many as 16,000 in August... Paul feat, at least as far as I am con- in Afghanistan in 1842, the British learnt to West, former Chief cerned. deal carefully with tribal peoples, respecting Constable for West Akbar Ahmed currently teaches their customs and dignity. Ahmed pays trib- Mercia Police has been appointed Adviser to the Islamic Studies at the American ute to Colonial administrators like Lord Cur- Bishop of Worcester on Penal Affairs, provid- University in Washington and in the zon and to anthropologists such as EE ing independent advice to Bishop John Inge on past he was Pakistan’s High Com- Evans-Pritchard. One of his heroes is Sir Olaf penal policy and reform as well as the wider missioner in London but the two Caroe, Governor of the NW Frontier aspects of the criminal justice system and will also facts about him that make him Province just before Partition became inde- be a spokesperson for the diocese on issues in uniquely qualified to comment on pendent and author of major studies of the these areas... The Rt Rev Christopher Chessun, 9/11 are that he is a distinguished Pathans. the Bishop of Southwark, has appointed Kate anthropologist and that he has Ahmed criticises the Americans for failing Singleton to be his Diocesan Safeguarding Advis- served as a District Officer in the to understand tribal culture and blames er, succeeding Jill Sandham, who retires at the tribal areas of Pakistan. Musharraf for enflaming them by his mili- end of January 2014... The Society for Promoting Anthropology and practical expe- tary push. He claims that the recent killing of Christian Knowledge (SPCK) announced that its rience have given Ahmed insight Pakistani Taliban leader, Hakimullah General Secretary and Chief Executive Offi- into the tribal peoples of the Islamic Meshud, in drone attack will have little long- cer Simon Kingston is to retire on 31 December world, the people he describes as term impact. A new leader will take his place 2013... The Funeral Service for Sir John Taven- living on the periphery. As well as just as Meshud took the place of Baitullah er, who passed away on 12 November, aged 69, Afghanistan they are to be found in who was also killed in a drone attack in 2009. will take place at Winchester Cathedral on Thurs- such places as Waziristan in Pak- Tribal discontent is not the only source of day 28 November at 11am... istan or the Asir region of the Arabi- terrorism and conflict. We also have to reck- an peninsula. In Ahmed’s opinion, it on with sense of alienation felt by many Next Week’s News is not a ‘clash of civilisations’ young Muslims in the West, an alienation between the West and Islam that which often cuts them off from traditional has fuelled conflict and terror leaders in their own communities as well as Some 500 experts, policy makers and religious attacks but a failure to deal sensi- from Western society and which has been leaders working in the fields of education and reli- tively with tribal peoples and studied by Olivier Roy. gion will meet at a high-level forum on interre- respect their culture But Ahmed does put his finger on a weak- ligious and intercultural education in Of the perpetrators of 9/11 it is ness in Western policy. Drones make it possi- Vienna, Austria, on 18 and 19 November Mohammed Atta who has received ble to strike without the kind of losses the 2013. Participants from 90 countries are expect- the most notice but less attention British once endured in Afghanistan but ed to attend the KAICIID Global Forum on has been paid to the fact that ten of Drone attacks cannot bring lasting peace in The Image of the Other. This is KAICIID’s flag- the bombers came from the Yemeni ples. They approach God through Afghanistan or Pakistan and instability in ship programme and a multiyear initiative explor- tribes of Asir. Those commentators the heart, not through the head, those countries and in other parts of the ‘trib- ing how “Others” - people of different religious or who have noticed the Asir dimen- and have little taste for fundamen- al periphery’ is destabilising for rest of the cultural backgrounds - are depicted in the spheres sion have claimed that tribes from talist theology. Many of their cus- world. of education, media and the Internet… The Bish- this area are followers of a Wahhabi toms are written off as ‘un-Islamic’ In the end, the West needs to negotiate op of Derby will host more than 200 sixth form version of Islam. by the literalists. Very often tribes- with leaders, not kill them off. History has students for an afternoon of lively political debate Ahmed argues in his new book people equate their customs with made Americans suspicious of colonialism at Derby Cathedral on Wednesday 20 November The Thistle and the Drone that in Islamic faith and put the main and Empire. As a result, America has been an as part of the national Parliament Week cam- fact the kind of Islam practised by emphasis on following the Prophet imperial power in denial. Denying that it paign, focussing on the subject of “Women in the Asir tribes is very different from rather than the study of sacred ruled an empire, even if indirectly, it has Democracy and Society” and will be chaired by the fundamentalist type of Islam texts. never sought to recruit a colonial civil serv- the Rt Rev Dr Alastair Redfern. The Rt Hon Dame promoted by Saudi Arabia. He Wahabi clerics did not approve of ice with the knowledge and skills necessary Margaret Beckett MP will open the event with a claims this is true of all tribal peo- many of the customs of the Asir and to do the job properly. keynote address...

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