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p10,11 NOW AVAILABLE ON NEWSSTAND FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2014 No: 6216 Ban on clergy same-sex marriages
CLERGY WILL not be allowed to enter clergy should not offer any service of remind clergy that at ordination they content, and will further damage the into same-sex marriages and there will blessing for those who have entered into undertook to ‘accept and minister the Church’s mission, not only to LGB+TI be no services of blessing for such mar- a same-sex marriage but, as is already discipline of this Church and respect people but to all people who respect riages, the House of Bishops decided at a the case with civil partnerships, the bish- authority duly exercised in it’. truth and justice. It may seek to carry meeting held after General Synod. ops say that they do not wish to interfere Reaction in the Church was mixed. disciplinary authority, but it has no moral Pastoral guidance on same-sex mar- with the clergy’s pastoral discretion to The Rev Simon Vibert, Vice Principal of authority and cannot command respect,” riage came as an appendix to a letter to offer the couple informal prayer ‘on the Wycliffe Hall, welcomed the statement the Coalition concluded in its own state- the clergy and people of the Church of assumption that any prayer will be as a clear articulation of traditional ment. England from the Archbishops of Can- accompanied by a discussion of the Church teaching and called for ‘engag- Although traditionalists and evangeli- terbury and York. Church’s pastoral teaching and their rea- ing, winsome and articulate evangelical cals welcomed the statement by the In their letter, the two Archbishops sons for departing from it’. voices who celebrate the goodness of House of Bishops there were some ques- concede that the Bishops are not ‘all in On the subject of clergy entering into God’s design for marriage’. tions about the Archbishop of Canter- agreement’ about the Church’s response same-sex marriage, the Bishops are The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans- bury’s call in his Presidential address for to introduction of same-sex marriage but quite clear. They say that they are not gender Anglican Coalition (LGB+TI) a ‘massive cultural change’ to enable peo- they go on to affirm that the Bishops are ‘willing for those who are in a same-sex said it was ‘appalled’ by the Bishops’ ple to flourish together despite deeply in agreement ‘that the Christian under- marriage to be ordained to any of the statement and described it as a ‘heavy- held differences on such questions as standing and doctrine of marriage as a three orders of ministry.’ They also state handed and legalistic imposition of disci- sexuality and women bishops. lifelong union between one man and one quite unequivocally that ‘it would not be pline’. Lee Gatiss, Director of the Church woman remains unchanged’. appropriate conduct for someone in holy LGB+TI described talk of the Church Society, said that for evangelicals to The Archbishops say they remain com- orders to enter into a same-sex marriage, ‘welcoming’ lesbian and gay people as flourish in the Church of England there mitted to a process of facilitated conver- given the need for clergy to model the ‘ludicrous’ in the light of the Bishops’ would need to be real and serious dia- sations across the Church of England as Church’s teaching in their lives’. statement which it also described as logue with conservative evangelicals and recommended by the Pilling Report. No doubt aware of the disagreement ‘cruel and unjust’ to clergy. the appointment of 12 conservative evan- The pastoral guidelines are clear that their statement will provoke, the Bishops “The guidance is wrong in tone and gelical bishops. Guiding UK backs down over wording of Promise CHRISTIANS wel- been lifted. Last week the General comed a climbdown Mrs Glynis Mackie, Synod voted over- by the Girl Guide a 55-year-old solicitor whelmingly to ask movement that will who has led the Jes- GuidingUK to allow allow Guides to make mond troop for 25 women and girls to a reference to God in years, welcomed the promise to love God their Promise. news. when they enrolled. Although the organi- Although the The Moderator of sation stood by its Guides are keen to the General Assembly commitment to ‘one stress that everyone of the Church of Scot- Promise for all’ it will make the same land, the Rt Rev Lorna agreed that Guides Promise which has no Hood, welcomed the would be able to add reference to God, the decision to allow a ref- the words ‘in the pres- permission to add erence to God in the ence of God I make another phrase with Guide promise. my Guide promise’ religious content rep- “In Scotland, having when taking the new, resents a major con- spoken about this secular promise. cession by the Guides issue in many places I Guides at Jesmond who are clearly keen have visited as Moder- Parish Church in New- to close down a very ator, it became clear to castle were told that damaging public dis- me that those with their membership of pute. faith in the Girl Guides the national organisa- Other troops in are not a minority but tion would end on 31 Northern Ireland in fact make up a sub- December unless they were reported to be stantial number of took the new Promise ready to follow the those in the organisa- but this threat has now lead set by Jesmond. tion,” she said.
[email protected] facebook.com/churchnewspaper @churchnewspaper THE 2 www.churchnewspaper.com Friday February 21, 2014 News
York CHURCHIN The Bishop of Hull, the Rt Rev Richard Frith, is leading a group of people from across the Diocese of York to the Holy Land, and tweeting about his experiences.From 17-24 February, 50 people have been joining ENGLAND Richard to explore Bethlehem, Nazareth, and Jerusalem, as well as the West Bank and Palestinian territories. Bishop Richard said: “This pilgrimage will introduce people to the places associated with the life, teaching, death and resurrection of Jesus, and also, equally importantly, to meet members of the various Christian communities in Palestine and Israel today. We will explore the principal sights of Jesus’ ministry around Capernaum and his home town of Nazareth. Bath and Wells Visiting the place of Christ’s birth in Bethlehem, or the place of his crucifixion in Bath Abbey has teamed up with the University Of Bath to help with its Jerusalem impresses on us the reality of what we have read in the Bible. In addition to £18 million Footprint Project, which aims to preserve and extend the visiting the sites we hope to meet local Christians, visit a refugee camp and an Abbey. Four final year students replicated a section of the Abbey’s stone international cultural centre that is the pioneering work of a Lutheran Pastor.” floor and new underfloor heating system in laboratory conditions, and conducted a feasibility study into the efficiency of the scheme. In order to do this, the students tested the water temperature against seven different floor types of varying materials and thickness. If successfully applied, the new underfloor heating system will reduce energy costs as Durham well as carbon emissions for the Abbey and surrounding buildings. The Rt Rev Paul Butler, Bishop Charles Curnock, Footprint Project Director at Bath Abbey, said: “This is of Durham, was taking part in a well managed and well considered project that will be seriously useful a series of events during this in helping us design the new floor at the Abbey.” week, culminating in a service at Durham Cathedral on Saturday 22 February to mark Salisbury Derby his Inauguration of Public Salisbury Cathedral’s Lent programme Sanctuary – Rings, a fancy frock and the most romantic Ministry, Enthronement and finding sanctuary in a noisy world takes place in Trinity day of the year – the wedding taking place at Installation. Ahead of Chapel on five Wednesday evenings from 12 March St Joseph’s RC Church, Staveley on tomorrow’s Inauguration through to 9 April. No tickets are required. Canon Valentine’s Day, had all the features of a real service, Bishop Paul will take Treasurer Sarah Mullally, who has devised the wedding – except the participants were part in the traditional welcome programme, said: “A sanctuary, in its original meaning, is school children. Children from St Joseph’s to the Diocese on Croft Bridge a sacred place - a place used as a safe haven. We all need RC / CofE Junior School in Inkersall took followed by a joint Darlington places that are safe, places where we undertake journeys part in a pretend wedding ceremony as part Deanery and Darlington Civic into ourselves, which are sometimes into dark places, but of their religious education lessons. The Reception today. On Saturday, also outwards to the world and upwards to God. This ‘bride’ arrived at the church in a limousine the service begins at 11am at programme explores ways in which we can explore our and walked down the aisle to meet her Durham Cathedral. Next week, own spirituality and find places of refuge in a noisy ‘groom’ accompanied by traditional music. Bishop Paul will be visiting world.” Full information can be found at The ‘couple’ said their vows, before each of the three www.salisburycathedral.org.uk/events. exchanging rings in front of classmates. Archdeaconries of the Diocese Fr David Teasdel took the service, and said to meet the people and visit beforehand: “We have already done various local projects. preparatory work with the children in class, teaching them about marriage but thought the best way to teach them about the marriage service was for them to act it out in church. The bride and groom are both dressing for the occasion, they will exchange rings, albeit toy ones, and will release two white doves at the end of the service.”
Ely Rachel Beeson The Bishop of Ely and the Ely Diocesan Board of Education have announced the appointment of Rachel Beeson as Deputy Director of Education for School Effectiveness. Having been head teacher of All Saints Inter-Church Academy for the past eight years, she will bring a wide variety of experience gained from working in schools, many of them church schools, throughout Norfolk and Cambridgeshire. Welcoming Rachel to her new position, Director of Education Tricia Pritchard said: "We are looking forward very much to welcoming Rachel as Deputy Director of Education for School Effectiveness. Rachel brings a wealth of experience of primary education as a head teacher and nationally accredited local leader in education.” Rachel will take up her post on 24 February.
Correction the actual story. While no charges have been brought against Bishop Peter Ball, as the story The headline on our story in the edition of 7 correctly reported, the CPS is still considering February, ‘Abuse claim dropped’, did not reflect the case. We apologise for the error.
[email protected] facebook.com/churchnewspaper @churchnewspaper www.churchnewspaper.com Friday February 21, 2014 News 3 Row over welfare Churches rush to help the A REPLY by the Department of Work and Pensions to the interview with Archbishop Vincent Nichols in the Daily Tele- graph in which the Archbishop accused the Government of victims of the flooding leaving people in ‘destitution’ and branded welfare reform as a ‘disgrace’ has itself provoked a vigorous response from the CHURCHES ACROSS the South of England are building’s waterlogged foundation and save it from Churches. working to help the victims of floods and protect collapse. He is commemorated by a statue in the In a joint statement the Baptists, Methodists and United their own buildings.The Church Urban Fund has cathedral. Reformed Churches accuse the DWP of giving a carefully opened an emergency fund to support those affect- At Marlowe in the Diocese of Oxford the crypt selected ‘airbrushed’ picture of welfare reform. ed. was flooded for the first time in the church’s 170- The DWP says that 3 million will be better off because of Despite the ingenious construction of a tempo- year history. The graves were also waterlogged. universal credit but the Churches point out it fails to admit rary dam on the river Itchen four miles upstream The vicar of St John the Baptist in Egham, who is a that its own calculations show that 2.8 million will be worse off from Winchester designed to save the city, the his- trained sailor, has visited parishioners by boat. The in the new system. toric cathedral crypt has been flooded. church kitchen on the high street is offering food The three Churches argue that analysis by the Institute of The crypt was closed to the public so people were and drink and the student worker organised a Fiscal Studies shows conclusively that taken together the unable to see Antony Gormley’s statue of a man group of students to fill sand bags. changes will increase the levels of both child and working age contemplating water in his cupped hand in a spec- Other churches such as All Saints’ in the city cen- poverty. tacular setting with water up to his knees. The stat- tre of Worcester and St Peter’s, Chertsey, have also Paul Morrison, Public Issues Policy Adviser to the ue was made out of a plaster cast of the artist’s own opened their facilities to provide food and shelter Methodist Church, describes the DWP’s reply to the Arch- body and was created in the knowledge that the and helped to coordinate groups to fill sandbags. bishop as ‘disappointing and misleading’. 800-year-old crypt is liable to flooding. The parish of Busbridge and Hambledon has “The DWP states that Universal Credit will lift hundreds of Winchester Cathedral sits on peaty soil with an hosted a Rescue Command Team from Norfolk thousands of children out of poverty,” said Morrison. “Howev- underlying water table. In the early years of the brought in to support flood relief. er, the other changes that are part of welfare reform are likely 20th Century William Walker, a diver from The church hall has been given to them for to push these children straight back down again. Indeed wel- Portsmouth, worked under water every day for six accommodation and church members are provid- fare reform is the driving force behind the practical increases years placing bags of concrete to underpin the ing bedding and food. in both relative and absolute poverty in families with children over the next decade. “People are entitled to take different views on the merits of welfare reform, but they should give a clear and fair picture of Green burial sites promoted the reality. The British public deserve better than the diet of half-truths and skewed statistics they are currently being fed.” With Labour reluctant to swim against public opinion that WOODLAND burial sites could flooding. shows support for welfare cuts, the Churches are emerging as be used to help fund the upkeep He was speaking as Worcester the main opposition to the Government on this question. of the country’s forests, the Bish- was suffering as the result of op of St Albans has said. flooding which had caused the Bishop Alan Smith said it could main bridge in the City to be Lifetime bans for clergy also help to solve the “acute closed. TWO Chichester clergymen found Rideout (74) guilty of shortage of land for burial”. “The river peaks in Worcester jailed for child abuse have 31 incidents of abuse at the During a House of Lords some four days after the rain been given a lifetime ban on Barnardo’s children’s home debate on forests, he said: stops because the water comes to exercising any functions of — Ifield Hall in Crawley, “There are now around 40 wood- us as a gift from the people of ordained ministry. West Sussex — and one in land burial sites in the UK. Wales—which generally is wel- On 14 February the Rt Rev Barkingside, Essex, between “In my own diocese of St “You can have only a wooden come, but they have been some- Martin Warner said that in 1962 and 1968, and four inde- Albans we have our own St memorial — you cannot have what overgenerous in recent light of the conclusion of the cent assaults at the Middle Albans Woodland Burial Trust, stone headstones — so eventual- times. criminal cases against the Wallop army base in Hamp- which is in north Bedfordshire ly they will simply disintegrate “Attention to woodland far Revs Gordon Rideout and shire between 1971 and 1973 near the village of Keysoe. It is 12 and rot way and the woodland beyond Worcestershire will be Robert Coles and their subse- where he served as a chap- acres of land surrounded by 60 will be left as woodland. needed if floods of the sort which quent incarceration, the ban lain. He was sentenced to 10 acres of woodland. “In addition, many people want we are experiencing at the had been imposed under Sec- years imprisonment. “There is a very real and sensi- to plant a tree in memory of their moment are not to be repeated.” tion 30 of the Clergy Disci- Last month Rideout was ble concern about the economics loved one, and for that privilege pline Measure. taken from prison to a local of how all this will work - how we they are paying £100 a time. In “A sentence of prohibition hospital. He has since been are to pay for the upkeep of our other words, they are paying to for life is the most severe returned to jail, but has peti- woodlands as the surpluses from plant the forest. 3.567;4/ 17<
[email protected] facebook.com/churchnewspaper @churchnewspaper 4 www.churchnewspaper.com Friday February 21, 2014 News General Synod round-up Sham marriage concern By Amaris Cole GOVERNMENET proposals to the proper criteria. anxiety to many genuine couples. Synod criticises Guiding ‘Promise’ crack down on sham marriages “This is bound to create some “It will also undoubtedly mean The Synod has affirmed their wish to see God remain in risk sending a “dangerous mes- conflict of principle for those of us that the Government seek to the Girl Guides oath. A majority voted in favour of asking sage” about mixed race relation- who are Anglicans. remove and separate engaged that girls be given the choice to make their promises to ships, the Bishop of Leicester has “The Church, of course, wishes couples whose marital plans are God, despite recent changes from Girl Guiding UK to warned. to offer the sacrament of mar- sincere. remove faith from the pledge. Alison Ruoff moved the Bishop Tim Stevens spoke out riage, reflecting the generous “Even for those who do not face original Motion that asked why young girls are being about the Government’s Immi- grace of God, and not to raise bar- removal from the country at the asked to choose between Guiding and their faith. “I’m only gration Bill, which among other riers on the basis of nationality. end of the investigation process, asking that the girls and their leaders be accorded choice measures aims to cut the number “On the other hand, we are it will be a stressful experience. A when making or renewing their promise,” she added. of people getting married fraudu- acutely aware of the dangers of moment which should be a happy “Meeting in Church premises but being banned from lently to obtain visas. sham marriage, including harm and fulfilling time in any person’s saying ‘I love my God’, cannot be right”, Mrs Ruoff said. Ministers claim that between to individuals and to the very life has the potential to turn into a The Girl Guiding UK preferred promise of ‘being true to 4,000 and 10,000 applications a institution of marriage.” period of intense stress and pain.” myself’ is a promise to refuse to let God rule your life, year for leave to remain in the UK But he said there were ques- He said many of the provisions Alison Wynn said. “No Christian girl can now join the Girl are made on the basis of sham tions about whether the change in the Bill risked generating “seri- Guides, and no Christian parents can, in good faith, send marriages. was “necessary or desirable”. ous concern, anxiety and tension their children there.” The Bill toughens up the Home He told peers: “There is gen- among our diverse migrant com- Office’s powers to investigate uine concern here that relation- munities”. Synod welcomes Pilling marriages between Britons and ships between British residents “That may play well in parts of Sir Joseph Pilling said the ‘bewildering rate of change’ in non-European Economic Area and non-EEA nationals are now to the press, but it will not be in the society over sexuality makes the Church’s examination of nationals and extends the notifica- be seen through a prism of mis- long-term interests of social cohe- it ‘inevitable’ rather than ‘irrelevant’. Despite the Pilling tion required for marriages and trust which sends a dangerous sion in cities such as my own,” he Report not suggesting any change in the Church of civil partnerships from 15 to 28 message about mixed relation- said. England’s teaching of the right context for sexual activity days. ships in a diverse and multi-ethnic “In a global world where the being between a man and a woman, he said it was timely During second reading debate society. drivers of migration are constant- and needed work. It is more than 22 years since the last on the Bill in the House of Lords, “The Government’s impact ly strengthened, we need to review of human sexuality was published, and his group Bishop Stevens said: “We recog- statement claims that 2,500 ensure that this Bill does not did not think it was the final word on the subject, Synod nise that the strategic intention of removals from the UK will be erode our reputation for being a were told. Sir Joseph added: “After two years of work, the this part of the Bill is to prevent generated in the first year by this just and welcoming society upon group on human sexuality would say there’s no one with the use of ‘sham marriage’ to provision alone. which the prosperity and well- nothing to learn by talking and listening and that most of enable people to gain immigra- “This will doubtless cause a being of all citizens of this coun- us have rather a lot to learn.” He explained that with some tion status while circumventing large amount of stress, pain and try depend. ‘honourable exceptions’ in certain dioceses, the Church of England generally has not ‘grasped the nettle of talking and listening and pondering’. Government questioned on the living wage The Rt Rev Steven Croft, Bishop of Sheffield, praised the THE BISHOP of Worcester has questioned the Gov- He asked Treasury spokesman Lord Newby: work of the Pilling group on behalf of the College of ernment on what steps they are taking to reduce the “What steps the Government are taking to address Bishops. “It is plain that the bishops, the advisers, the number of working people in poverty. this real concern?” members of staff and Sir Joseph himself worked hard on a Bishop John Inge pointed to the Archbishop of Lord Newby said the Government was “encourag- sensitive topic that none of them had a burning desire to York’s Living Wage Commission report, which ing employers to pay the living wage where they wade in to,” the Bishop said. “The whole College of found the economic recovery would have no effect can”. Bishops was immensely grateful for the way the task was on more than five million workers unless employers “One of the key things about people in work on undertaken,” he said. When they met last month, the paid a living wage. very low incomes is that a large proportion of them College agreed it right to set the tone of the next phase of “It found furthermore that 6.7 million of the 13 mil- are working a small number of hours or a smaller reflection on this report. That is to make clear that the lion people in poverty in the UK are in a family number of hours than they would like,” he said. ‘welcome we offer to people in the church is the same where someone works - which, for the first time, is “Economic growth will mean that more of those whatever their sexual orientation may be’, and a clear more than half the total,” he said at question time in people are able to work longer hours, which will ‘repentance for any homophobia in the past’. “As a Church, the House of Lords. help deal with their household circumstances. we do ourselves and others no good if we are seen as homophobic,” the Bishop said.
Commitment to tackling climate change The General Synod pledged 7># 6! )94 )684 >5 *4.' their commitment to [email protected] facebook.com/churchnewspaper @churchnewspaper www.churchnewspaper.com Friday February 21, 2014 News 5 Appeal for indaba funding THE PRESIDING Bishop of the Episcopal Church of the USA has asked the Church’s executive council to Nigerian Church give an extra $312,000 to the Anglican Consultative Council to support the work of the continuing indaba process. At its meeting last week, Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori proposed increasing the three-year grant approved by the 2012 General Convention from backs anti-gay laws $700,000 to $1,012,000. Unless the grant were increased, the Presiding Bishop noted, the US Church would only contribute $25,000 to the ACC in 2015, as it By George Conger Catholic News Service of Nigeria, “Many people do not realise that had budgeted giving $675,000 to the London-based the press arm of the Catholic Bish- what is referred to as the homosex- organization for 2013 and 2014. FAITH leaders in Nigeria have ops Conference of Nigeria, the ual trouble is not the homosexual or Organized by the former Archbishop of Canterbury unanimously applauded the revi- Roman Catholic Archbishop of Jos, lesbian trouble but people’s refusal Rowan Williams, indaba is a project of facilitated con- sions to the country’s anti-gay law, Ignatius Kaigama, called the new to accept the Scripture for what it is, versations between the US and Canadian Churches and have denounced as imperialist, law “a bold and clear indication of authority for life and practice follow- and the Churches in the developing world. Organized racist and condescending Western the ability of our great country to ing God. and staffed by the Anglican Consultative Council in pressure to change the country’s stand up for the protection of the “In the beginning, man ques- London, the project has come under fierce criticism attitude towards homosexuality. highest values of the Nigerian and tioned the authority of God in the from conservatives and has been denounced by the Leaders of the Muslim communi- African cultures around the “institu- garden by saying ‘did God actually Gafcon movement for its perceived bias in favour of ty as well as the heads of the coun- tion of marriage and the dignity of say that you should not eat the for- the progressive agenda. try’s Anglican and Roman Catholic the human person, without giving in bidden fruit?’. While the proposal is likely to be approved by the Churches applauded President to international pressure to promote “That challenge to God’s authority October meeting of the executive council, which will Goodluck Jonathan for signing a law unethical practices of homosexual dethroned God’s power and set the budget for 2015, the request highlights a grow- banning same-sex marriage, gay unions and other related vices.” enthroned man’s power. So they ing split between the General Convention and the clubs and public displays of same- The Primate of the Anglican concluded that God has no right to executive council over the limits of authority within sex affection into law on 7 January Church of Nigeria, the Most Rev tell man what to do and that they the Church. 2014. Nicholas Okoh, stated his Church were the people who knew what to The amount budgeted for the ACC was the subject While overseas Catholic and also opposed the introduction of gay do. So man set God aside and took of strong debate at the 2012 General Convention with Anglican leaders including the marriage into Nigeria. over the command. Consequently, many deputies to the meeting questioning the value Archbishops of Canterbury and In a speech given at a banquet disaster followed,” he said accord- for money provided by the ACC. Unilaterally raising York have expressed reservations honouring retired Archbishop Peter ing to Channels TV in Lagos. the ACC budget by the executive council follows its about the new law, their Nigerian Akinola, Archbishop Okoh was The question for Nigeria was not rejection of the General Convention’s vote to sell the counterparts have endorsed the ban reported to have said the underly- merely government sanction for New York office building that houses the presiding on gay marriage. ing issue was not homosexuality sexual sin, but the decision Adam bishop and her staff, and relocate to a cheaper and In an open letter written to Presi- itself, but man’s rebellion against and Eve faced in the Garden of more centrally located facility. dent Jonathan published by the God’s law. Eden to defy God, he argued. War tears lives apart. We can piece them back together. Make this Christian Aid Week part of your church’s FEARFEAR mission and help us heal the scars of war. LESS ,#%61$6 : 2#$12 ,7:58651% -5" #;.$< 6# .%" #46 7#' : $74:$7 $1% 0< !1:6 #; 6758 &<1:+8 11–17MAY ,7:58651% -5" /<<3) $7:58651%15"*#:9*43(5%:1:<1 UK registered charity no. 1105851 Company no. 5171525 Scot charity no. SC039150 NI charity no. XR94639 Company no. NI059154 ROI charity no. CHY 6998 Company no. 426928. The Christian Aid name and logo are trademarks of Christian Aid. © Christian Aid 2014 Photo:Christian AId/Andrew Testa 14-803-J2291 [email protected] facebook.com/churchnewspaper @churchnewspaper 6 www.churchnewspaper.com Friday February 21, 2014 Letters Write to The Church of England Newspaper, 14 Great College Street, Westminster, London, SW1P 3RX. or you can send an E-mail to [email protected]. Tweet at @churchnewspaper If you are sending letters by e-mail, please include a street address. NB: Letters may be edited Synod question the Church will only grudg- splinter from others’ and Sir, If I had been an Anglican Ways to tackle climate change ingly acknowledge their rela- ignore his parable of the Phar- and a member of the recent Sir, As it becomes clear that climate change is under way, I tionships, in private. They ask isee and the publican who General Synod, I would have feel sad that the church appears to be doing so little to help for bread and are given barely went up to the temple to pray. liked to have asked this ques- reduce carbon emissions. My first choice would be to close a stone, despite the recom- Of course, we all need to tion. How many re-married all church buildings and meet in homes, but if we want to mendations of the Pilling repent many of our actions divorced clergy (including continue running large buildings facing East, then it would Report. Is it too much to hope and aspects of our lives, but it Bishops) are there currently be a good witness if their south-facing roofs could all be cov- that the Holy Spirit will use is imperative that each one ministering in the Church of ered with solar panels. It’s within our reach. Woking Bor- the promised two years of examine his or her own con- England? ough Council did it years ago. facilitated conversations to science before we confidently The answer would have The Rev Dr David F Pennant, enable more Christians to identify the sins of our neigh- counteracted the comment of Woking, Surrey imagine how things might be, bours and blame them accord- the Bishop of Sheffield, who perhaps taking a lead, as we ingly for our current protested that there has been are an incarnational faith, problems. I have never forgot- no change in the Church of “repugnant to the Word of separate states destined to from the Olympic movement? ten the words of The Rev England’s understanding of God.” unite. As a Church, we suffer from a Humphrey Beaver, conduct- marriage. In a thanksgiving “For Fair But what says the Scrip- deficit of creative imagination! ing the three-hour vigil one He seems to forget that weather” after bad we admit tures? Taking Israel as a type Taking God and the Scrip- Good Friday in the early within living memory the “O Lord God, who hast justly of a nation separated to God, tures seriously enough to 1950s: “It was not the sins of Church of England caused a humbled us by thy late plague there seems no reason why have studied theology and to the flesh which put our Lord King Emperor to abdicate of immoderate rain and other nations should not con- have become a partner of the up there, on the cross, but the over his intended marriage to waters, ... “. While the prayer secrate themselves to Christ Bible Society, I rely on the sins of pride, greed and a divorcee and that right up “For fair weather” admits “for as God and conclude they are Holy Spirit when I wrestle, as hypocrisy.” I believe he was until the 1990s, divorce and re- the sin of man [God] didst Christian nations. Finally, all must, with the many right. marriage were also a bar to once drown all the world does the Bible not envisage human ‘voices’ through which I have never heard it sug- ordination. except eight persons ... we for the Kingdoms of this world the Word is filtered. Am I gested that the Pharisees, Re-marriage is now reduced our iniquities have worthily becoming the Kingdoms of required to endorse Paul’s Sadducees, Caiaphas, Pilate, to the opinion of an officiating deserved a plague of rain and our God and his Christ (Rev. slander against ‘all Cretans’? et al. were practising homo- cleric. The Church of England waters, yet upon our repen- 11:15) and if they are Christ’s Should I go along with a sexuals. bishops may have the legal tance thou wilt send us such then they are Christian. humane practice of slavery, I cannot understand how so right to bar gay marriage, but weather, as we may receive Alan Bartley, which is nowhere condemned many of your correspondents to state they have not altered the fruits of the earth in due Greenford, Middlesex in the Bible as a moral evil? I appear to value the words of Anglican teaching on mar- season; and learn both by thy would be interested to know (eg) Amos, Isaiah and even riage is utterly ridiculous, punishment to amend our how much weight Alan Paul more highly than those given the status of their next lives, ...” Liberal warning Minchin gives to Jesus’ saying of Jesus and prefer the “You supreme Governor, and the Now to Andrew Carey’s Sir, Thank you for publishing that he had more to teach his have heard it said...” letter of thousands of divorcees who sweeping assertion “there is Paul Richardson’s article ‘The disciples than they were then the law to “But I say unto have been and are being re- no such depiction in Scripture Church and the Great War’ ready to hear, and how much you...” promise of the fulfil- married in the Church of Eng- of a Christian nation.” A good (14 February). The article he is prepared to be disturbed ment, not the destruction, of land. working definition of a nation aptly demonstrated the insta- by the Holy Spirit. the spirit of that law. Why can an unrepentant is a people united by a com- bility of liberal theology as it Peter’s Joppa vision, which The story of Noah shows us active gay person be allowed mon history, culture, lan- seeks to accommodate itself led to the no-strings attached the God of power whose pur- Holy Communion (as their guage and values. to the prevailing culture- inclusion of Gentiles, was pose is to save and redeem us pastoral guidance What if its values were pre- whether in 1914 or 2014. truly shocking in its day. from ourselves, rather than document asserts) but is not dominantly Christian and the Simon Dowdy, Serena Lancaster, the projected quick-to-take- considered suitable for mar- people were predominantly London Broadwell, Moreton-in-Marsh offence god on a short fuse riage? The whole pastoral doc- Christian? Despite the separa- who has been used by the ument is riddled with tion of church and state, it has Messy churches Thanks be to God powerful and self-righteous to inconsistencies. not stopped Justice Brewer of Sir, Whilst I uphold the Chris- Sir, My response to your Let- exalt themselves and subdue Robert Ian Williams, the US Supreme Court con- tian ideal of marriage as a life- ters page this week was, the humble believer from ear- Bangor cluding in 1892 that America long union, and have been “Thanks be to God!” – thanks liest times. “is a Christian nation”. married for over 50 years, I that I was introduced to the I have found that young peo- God and weather If this can be said of Ameri- am profoundly relieved that Christian faith by people who ple who are “too grown up” to Sir, Colin Bricher (letters, 14 ca, why not ourselves from the Church of England now believed that Jesus is the Way, take the story of Noah’s ark, February), is right to take whom they derive much of allows the dedication of a mar- the Truth and the Life, that with its pairs of tigers, pen- issue with Andrew Carey’s this Christian heritage? It was riage after divorce, where his words and example are the guins, elephants and polar innuendo that God does not our shared Christian values appropriate. Increased revelation to the world of the bears seriously, become very use bad weather as an instru- not economics that united the longevity puts a strain on mar- nature and purposes of God thoughtful when they realize ment of chastisement (24 Jan- Saxon Heptarchy, and then riage and we need a merciful, and that his teaching is aimed that “the whole world” can uary). If I may add to Colin’s the other constituent parts of messy Church, because life is at me. mean only the whole of the examples, did not God stir up the United Kingdom. messy. Many of your correspon- known world at the time of ever worsening weather until Ludwig von Mises, the It would certainly be much dents this week appear to any event or story, and are Jonah accepted his vocation as founder of the Austrian school easier for us today if God had place Jesus well down the list ready, then, to believe in God’s prophet to Nineveh? of Economics, was amazed created Adam and Eve only, or of spiritual leaders: they disre- God’s saving power. Our canon A3 assures us that despite Britain and Amer- if the gay minority was pre- gard his main message as to I can see why many of my that “The doctrine contained ica being rivals if not econom- pared to remain invisible. Mis- what we should learn from pupils used to accuse Chris- in the Book of Common ic enemies before the First fits when it comes to the norm such events as the disaster tians of having “created God Prayer ... is agreeable to the World War, the defence of for marriage, present Church recorded in Luke 13 and the in our own image.” If that is Word of God.” That it “may be common values united us as if teaching condemns them to a fall of the towers, they forget what we have done, then we used by all members of the we were a single people. He life of involuntary celibacy. his admonition to cast out the need to repent. Church of England with good suggested we constituted a When, despite the odds, they plank in our own eye before Mary P Roe, conscience” as nothing in it is single nation organised as two form loving, stable couples, attempting to remove the Bicester, Oxon [email protected] facebook.com/churchnewspaper @churchnewspaper www.churchnewspaper.com Friday February 21, 2014 Leader & Comment 7 Rome and Canterbury in the public forum: different approaches Archbishop Vincent Nichols, the senior Roman Catholic The reasons for the cleric in England and Wales, and on the list to become a cardinal soon, has hit out at the Coalition government’s welfare reforms as ‘a disgrace’, notwithstanding that Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith is a practising Roman Catholic. Nichols says that the safety net for those Great War who cannot cope is being removed, and that in a wealthy nation this cannot be right. He does not enter the debate about the lure of a life on benefits and the apparent ease of taking this is as lifestyle option with its destructive effects on people. The Church of England had previously warned that the effects of the changes were disproportionate on children. Archbishop Nichols however has ‘upped the ante’ with the tone of his attack. Here is a cleric going all Alan guns blazing into a national policy area of a democratically elected government. He has in the past won victories over governments, notably the last Labour administration Storkey when they planned to allow a greater proportion on non- Roman Catholics into state RC schools. Nichols, again using the Daily Telegraph as his medium, threatened to bring out the RC vote against Labour if this went ahead, and it was dropped. We have here a savvy and political cleric happy to shoot from the hip when his interests are threatened. In the case of the schools issue, he was argu- In 2014 we have to answer the question, Why did ing for tight exclusivity, and for use of government money we all go to war in 1914? The reason is clear. The to pay for that. His position is given by Rome and to bat for war killed some 16 million and seriously injured Roman interests in England – does this rather weaken his 20 million people worldwide. Perhaps 50 million position in calling the government policy a disgrace, as if died, weakened by war, of flu immediately after- speaking on behalf of everyone? ward. Some two and a half trillion hours were Archbishop Welby has the equal and opposite status and wasted in destructive activity and world history problem. He is the leader of a national Church, with a Gen- was set, not inevitably, on a career of war lasting eral Synod purporting to represent all sections of the down to the present. Why did it happen? established Church of England, with seats in the upper Historians look intricately at diplomacy, house of the legislature. He is not appointed by Rome, but empires, battles, the narrative of distrust, and are dangerous. But the arms companies sowed by the Queen and national Church, with legal ties to the tell the story in new ways, but really in relation to distrust and taught politicians to think in terms government. These ties were highlighted recently when the big “Why” question, there is only one argu- of weapons. And so the Great War came, and sur- the Culture Secretary Maria Miller, now undergoing inqui- ment. Weapons and the military build up caused prise, surprise, the arms manufacturers faced sition her expenses we hear, ordered the Church of Eng- the war in all the countries concerned. the greatest bonanza they had ever known – a land not to conduct ‘gay marriages’ – for the moment, There is the naval competition between Fisher tenfold increase in output. making the Church look like an ethical poodle of the Cabi- and Von Tirpitz. The Tsar, having lost to Japan, They were, as they came to be known, the net. makes and buys arms on a vast scale for Russia, “merchants of death”. Legally the Church of England now needs to show its and to suppress internal dissent. France, still In 1918 everyone knew that weapons cause radical autonomy and independence as a church of Christ, smarting from 1870, re-armed. Britain ploughed wars. Disarmament was built into the League of not as an agency of the state. As to pastoral care of ‘gay’ money into its navy and other weapons. Ger- Nations. The great statesmen, Gladstone, Lloyd people, Pope Francis has won fans by stating the current many armed strongly, especially in the last George, Cambell-Bannerman, Churchill, Lloyd Anglican position: sympathy but not ethical endorsement. decade, although not really faster than other George and Sir Edward Grey saw it clearly. As That is where the C of E should stay, not be worried by the countries. Grey, the politician at the centre of the process pressures and campaigns of Stonewall. Archbishop Welby The War came immediately because Austro- said: “The enormous growth of armaments in is anxious that people might think of the Church as racists Hungary was having a long row with Serbia over Europe, the sense of insecurity and fear caused for its policy, and the Bishop of Oxford is actually using a failed Skoda arms deal and the Emperor was by them – it was these that made war inevitable. Stonewall as a consulting agency for C of E schools on assassinated, but Germany wanted to attack Rus- This, it seems to me, is the truest reading of his- homosexuality, rather than theological anthropology.On sia before she became too strong militarily. tory.” this issue the Pope has the clearer grasp. Britain was willing to fight while Germany’s Weapons cause wars and disarmament ends Comment Navy was still weak. France believed it had the them. best Schneider built weapons, and America was It is amazing to me that Christians do not hear The Church of England Newspaper drawn in because it was selling arms in a great Christ, the Son of God, naming the truth. “Those with Celebrate magazine incorporating The Record and Christian Week weapons bonanza. It all who take the sword will perish by Published by Political and Religious Intelligence Ltd. centred on arms, and the sword.” These 10 words Company Number: 3176742 militarism. indict us of the 200,000,000 war- Publisher: Keith Young MBE For decades the great generated deaths over the long arms companies – Arm- Weapons last century. Do we not see it laid strong, Krupp, Vickers, out before us, this great false Publishing Director & Editor: CM BLAKELY020 7222 8004 Scheider, Krupp, Putilov, idolatry of militarism with its Chief Correspondent: The Rev Canon GEORGE CONGER 00 1 0772 332 2604 Skoda, Nobel-Bofors, Du cause wars smooth well-dressed priests pick- Reporter: AMARIS COLE 020 7222 8700 Pont, Remington, Ansal- ing up the contracts of death do and others had and from weak politicians? In every Advertising: CHRIS TURNER 020 7222 2018 pushed the message that war down to Syria they call the Advertising & Editorial Assistant: PENNY NAIR PRICE 020 7222 2018 states should believe in tune. But the Christ will be Subscriptions & Finance: DELIA ROBINSON 020 7222 2018 weapons. Without wars disarmament heard. The truth will out, and we their enterprise was dead are the ones called to speak it. Graphic Designer: PETER MAY020 7222 8700 in the water. ends them When the risen Christ came The acceptance of advertising does not necessarily indicate Krupp obsequiously and stood among his disciples, endorsement. Photographs and other material sent for publication courted the Kaiser. he said, “Peace be with you.” are submitted at the owner’s risk. The Church of England Newspaper does Zacharoff left wads of They were given peace and the not accept responsibility for any material lost or damaged. notes on the desks of his purchasers. “Arms will spiritual strength to pass it on by the Lord who make you strong and safe, and, by the way, we had conquered death and the fear of death. They Christian Weekly Newspapers Trustees: Robert Leach (020 8224 5696), will be selling them to the other side.” And the were to be enemy-loving folk, and clearly the Lord Carey of Clifton, The Rt Rev Michael Nazir-Ali, The Rt Rev Pete Broadbent, great powers bought the idea. Arms sales Lamb on the Throne had no bazookas. Yet, we Dr Elaine Storkey, The Rev Peter Brown, The Rev Cindy Kent increased by about 10 per cent a year, twice nor- read, “The disciples were startled and fright- mal economic growth for five decades until ened.” They were given peace and immediately The Church of England Newspaper, Europe was bristling with arms and men march- they were frightened by the resurrection, as one Political and Religious Intelligence Ltd ing up and down, and ships were ready for war. would be. But they got over it and became men 14 Great College Street, London, SW1P 3RX No great intellect is needed to see that and women of peace. Editorial e-mail: [email protected] weapons sow mistrust and are dangerous. “Let’s The answer to the question is: because of the Advertising e-mail: [email protected] shake hands, but wait until I’ve moved the idolatrous faith in weapons, and the time has Subscriptions e-mail: [email protected] machine gun over to my other hand.” When a come for Christians to be, and speak, the truth of match falls into an open box of fireworks, and it Christ against this false hope and for the peace of Website: www.churchnewspaper.com explodes, you don’t blame the match; fireworks the nations. [email protected] facebook.com/churchnewspaper @churchnewspaper 8 www.churchnewspaper.com Friday February 21, 2014 Comment Research from Cambridge University backs it up by suggesting that eating fermented yoghurt, fro- mage frais and cheese regularly could reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. We all know about the importance of probiotics and finally we’re becoming aware that bacteria is not the enemy. In fact our obsession with anti-bac- Janey Lee Grace terial cleaning and personal care products and overuse of antibiotics is the real issue. Good health starts with the gut and we need a certain level of the good bugs to help with digestion, help us feel Live Healthy! Live Happy! full and indeed help with immunity and help to reduce digestive problems. Kefir is a fermented milk that originated in Rus- sia and Eastern Europe. I was introduced to the wonders of goats milk Kefir by Shann Jones of Why I am now cultured Chuckling Goat. She has been drinking it for years and she recently cured her husband’s life-threaten- ing MRSA by applying Kefir topically (mixed with a special blend of essential oils) and this has Since my last column I have become more cul- A new book Cultured Food for life – How to make inspired a range of Probiotic skincare products. tured. I haven’t been to the opera or the ballet and serve delicious probiotic foods for better health So its culture in the form of pickled cabbage all (unless of course seeing Billy Elliot in the West and wellness by Donna Schwerk has been pub- the way now for me, I’m using the skin products, End counts!). I have however become a little more lished by Hay House. It knocks on its head the cleaning with probiotic cleaning fluid (also from knowledgeable and indeed started eating cultured understanding that pickles can be bad for us and Chuckling Goat) and about to try the fabulous vegetables, and drinking kefir. that only raw and fresh is ever good when it comes recipes from Donna’s book. I’ve yet to convince the If you are from Eastern Europe you will be well to our veggies. kids of course, but I’m ever hopeful that ‘Kefir and aware of the benefits of Sauerkraut and fermented According the book and the research I have Broccoli Sprouted Pizza’ might do the trick! milk but if you are from good old blighty it’s likely been genning up on, fermentation provides abun- that the closest you’ve got to enjoying this benefi- dant vitamins, minerals and healthy bacteria and Cultured Food for Life by Donna Schwerk is cial bacteria is from eating pickles at Christmas has been used by humans for thousands of years published by Hay House and having the odd slice of blue cheese. for nutritional, holistic health. For kefir, probiotic skincare and cleaning fluid – www.chucklinggoat.com Who will be first? No Welby in wellies Following General Synod speculation is growing about who will be the Church of These days the Church of England communicates largely through Twitter. England’s first female bishop. Andrew Brown in The Guardian has pushed the claims It issued a prayer for flood victims on Twitter, which it says got good of the Dean of York, the Very Rev Vivienne Faull, who he says has ‘slogged through 20 feedback but this wasn’t enough for the Evening Standard . It complained years of institutionalised misogyny’ to reach her present position where she is there had been no pictures of the Archbishop of Canterbury out and about responsible for a staff of 160 with 600 volunteers. Lucy Winkett, Rector of St James, in his wellies. Just about everyone else has been pictured at the floods but Piccadilly, is often mentioned, but Cole Moreton in the Sunday Telegraph has made a let’s face it: this is a decision where politicians and bishops can’t win. If they strong case for Rose Hudson-Wilkin, chaplain to the Speaker of the House of don’t visit the floods, they are accused of indifference. If they do go, they Commons, who he describes as ‘articulate’ and ‘charismatic’. A recent guest on Desert are accused of opportunism. The skill lies in making the right kind of visit Island Discs, ‘Reverend Rose’ said she had plenty of ambition. “You can’t be Jamaican that shows concern but makes no attempt to score points. Prince Charles and not be ambitious. My ambition is to enjoy life. My ambition is to do everything I do and his two sons have come out with flying colours. Bishops in flood- to the best of my ability,” she told Kirsty Young. Among the records she chose was affected areas will probably want to show solidarity with those many Many rivers to cross by Jimmy Cliff. As well as leading prayers in the House of congregations that in a quiet way are offering practical help to those whose Commons Rose is also vicar of Dalston, a tough London parish that is home to a homes have been flooded and to those who are offering relief. Justin Welby number of gangs. When the Crown Nominations Commission meets in December is right not to reach too quickly for his wellies. His diocese is not one of the there will be six episcopal vacancies to fill. It is quite likely that two or three women will most severely affected. be appointed. Theologian in peril Speaking up for the Psalms Fr Timothy Radcliffe is a well known to Anglicans. A former Master of Now that he has finally published his 1,600-page opus on Paul, the Dominicans and friend of Rowan Williams, he was a special adviser Bishop Tom Wright is turning his attention to the Psalms. He at the 2008 Lambeth Conference where his contributions were widely has just produced a new book Finding God in the Psalms. It welcomed. He has spoken to a number of Anglican colleges and would be interesting to know just how big a proportion of parishes and his books are widely read. On the liberal wing of SPCK’s total sales he is responsible for! He describes the new Catholicism he has not been appointed a bishop and at 69 may book as a ‘personal plea’ to put the Psalms back at the now be too old even though the climate appears to be changing centre of Christian worship. Too many churches he in his favour. But Fr Timothy had a narrow escape on a recent complains, reduce the Psalms to a few verses recited trip to Algeria to visit the community of Little Brothers in as a ‘filler’ between other parts of the liturgy. People the Sahara. Rioters tried to ambush the car in which don’t realise what they’re singing, he complains, and Dominican friar and the Bishop were travelling. Timothy describes his book as attempt to change things. tried to engage one of the rioters holding a large stone Wright has a big following in the emerging church with his eye so that he would recognise another human Whispering movement so it will be interesting to see if his being ‘maybe like his favourite uncle’ but the bishop comments on the kind of worship songs popular in spotted a gap in the crowd, jammed his foot on the The Gallery Hillsong, Soul Survivor and Holy Trinity, accelerator and managed to drive away. “If we had Brompton, have any impact. “The enormously delayed even more than 20 seconds we would have popular ‘worship songs’, some of which use been caught. And I have no idea what would have phrases from the Psalms here and there but most happened then,” Timothy confessed. He added: “It is of which do not, have largely displaced, for a minor incident. The kind of thing missionaries thousands of regular and enthusiastic worshippers often endure.” the steady rhythm and deep soul-searching of the Psalms themselves,” he complains. For good measure he adds that “to neglect the church’s original hymnbook is, to put it bluntly, crazy”. [email protected] facebook.com/churchnewspaper @churchnewspaper www.churchnewspaper.com Friday February 21, 2014 Comment 9 Getting it right on marriage Andrew Carey The House of Bishops’ recent pas- for clergy to model the Church’s out in the Bible, in tradition, in View from the Pew toral guidance on same-sex mar- teaching in their lives.” canon law, in the marriage service riage concedes way too much The statement acknowledges a and in the resolutions of General ground to revisionists but on the tradition of conscientious dissent in Synod. fundamental issue of marriage has the Church of England but never- There can be absolutely no ques- things about right. theless urges clergy to “act consis- tion that minority theological views A diversion I have been arguing for some time tently” with their ordination oath to in support of gay marriage have any that David Cameron has set off a “accept and minister the discipline sort of equal validity. They are cam- ticking time bomb for the Church of of this Church.” paigning views. They are attempts to from mission England with his legislation on gay In other words, there is the possi- change the doctrine of the Church marriage. By permitting civil part- bility that clergy who enter into of England. As such they have to ners to convert their arrangement to same-sex marriages could face disci- argue their case and seek to con- Sadly, it looks like the Church of England faces years a civil marriage licence he has laid a pline for doing so. At least one cler- vince the Church of England to of debilitating debate on the issue of same-sex mar- trap for the Church of England. Mar- gyman has indicated his willingness change its teaching through the riage with the recent announcement of so-called ried gay and lesbian clergy and bish- to face the bishops down by proper channels. They have not ‘facilitated conversation’. These set-piece concilia- ops could soon become a feature of announcing his wedding plans, but it done so. tion exercises will have little or no relevance to the the ecclesiastical landscape. is unlikely that there will be any but The other dishonest thing in the business of parish churches up and down the land The House of Bishops statement a very small number of clergy seek- debate is the pretence that public and will be of passing interest to the vast majority of attempts to close off this option ing this sort of confrontation. opinion has any relevance. A statisti- Anglicans. The Bishops have said that the ‘conversa- through the appendix to their pas- That said, the howls of outrage cal analysis of whether 40, 50 or 60 tions’ have no predetermined outcome and are mere- toral statement. They write: “The from many liberal clergy and laity is per cent support gay marriage is nei- ly aimed at having ‘good disagreement’. house [of bishops] is not, therefore, surprising. One of the most dishon- ther here nor there. The fact is that ‘Good disagreement’ is about agreeing to differ willing for those who are in a same- est things about this contemporary most people have never had that and moving the conversation on to some other sub- sex marriage to be ordained to any debate in the Church of England is strong an opinion on the matter and ject. So please, when we’ve done with ‘facilitated con- of the three orders of ministry. In the pretence that there are two it is only minorities on either side versations’ can we have a moratorium on the addition it considers that it would divergent views worthy of equal who spend any time at all campaign- subject? not be appropriate conduct for some- respect in the Church of England. ing about the issue. The Church, With that in mind, I promise to keep the subject one in holy orders to enter into a This is completely untrue: the posi- however, should be prepared to be out of my columns for as long as I can – at least until same-sex marriage, given the need tion of the Church of England is set counter-cultural if needed. some further major controversy crops up. Questions of Paul Richardson nationalism Church and World Nationalism comes in different forms. An old distinc- church. It is when people start to feel loyalty to one Salmond likes to talk of following Scandinavian social tion between ethnic and civic nationalism remains use- overwhelming identity that violence can occur. democracy but the SNP really seems to want to make ful. Ethnic nationalism stresses unity of culture, One of the advantages of living in a country that was Scotland one large tax haven. It unrealistically promises ethnicity and language and was responsible from many formed out of a number of nations united under one more in social care and pensions while insisting there of the conflicts of the 20th Century. Civic nationalism crown should be that we all grow up accepting plural will be no tax rises. The power of the Scottish Parlia- signifies a community based on shared laws and institu- identities. Unfortunately, as Gordon Brown realised, ment to raise income tax has never been used. Salmond tions existing within a defined territory. the case for Britain stopped being made once it ceased was wedded to ‘Lafer curve’ economics, believing in tax For Doug Gay, a Church of Scotland theologian who to be an imperial power. His solution was to stress cuts and endless growth, long after the crash of 2008. supports independence, nationalism is ‘work in British values. These values, which we share with oth- Look behind the rhetoric and it is hard to see the SNP progress’. In a new book Honey From the Lion (SCM) ers, are important but so, too, are our shared history as a party of the left. he argues that people who see themselves as a commu- and institutions and the nature of the British state as Quite rightly David Cameron is accused of taking a nity with their own laws and traditions have a right to one that encompasses a number of nations. contradictory stand in trying to defend the union with govern themselves, although he is keen to stress that Critics will say that this ideal picture of Britain has Scotland while undermining Britian’s place in the EU, ‘nations’ are ‘approximate, relative and provisional com- never been a reality. Protestantism united England, but Salmond is also guilty of a contradiction. He often munities, which resist both entrie denial and exact defi- Wales and Scotland and divided them from Ireland. talks about Scotland as ‘independent in Europe’ but nition of their existence’. Irish nationalism, which was of the linguistic and cultur- probe a little deeper and it is apparent that the SNP In common with many contemporary theologians al variety, was a response to misrule from London. As wants to cherry pick the parts of Europe it likes. The Gay avoids clarity and spends a good deal of time dis- Gay points out, even the Scots have felt justifiable logic of the SNP position is that Scotland would be bet- cussing the work of others so it is difficult to pin him resentment at unthinking English arrogance and the ter out of the EU as well as the UK. down but the Scottish independence campaign raises assumption even Barack Obama makes that the whole Although only one poll (commissioned by the SNP) issues that all Christians need to consider. For many country can be described as ‘England’. has shown support for separation, fears are growing politicians it boils down to an argument about econom- But Britain is still evolving. Mistakes can be correct- that Salmond will pull off another electoral victory. All ics. Will Scotland be better off outside the union? Can ed and devolution and the N. Irish peace accord have will depend on the turnout. In 2011 he won the Scottish Scots keep the pound? Will an independent nation be been important steps in the right direction. Separation election on a 50 per cent turnout with support from 22.5 able to afford all the bribes Alex Salmond is offering? would mean less of the mutual exchange that enriches per cent of the electorate. It is a scandal that the 800,000 Important those these questions are, there are other all the nations of the UK. Scots living in England do not have a vote. issues at stake. Gay never really addresses the matter of Gay sees a problem in the fact that for the past 50 Cameron is right. Those of us who live in the rest of multiple identities, which is the Achilles heel of all years the Scots have voted for parties of the left and do the UK should speak up for the union and we should forms of nationalism. In my case, I would say I am a not like being governed by English Conservatives. The challenge the views of nationalism that lie behind the Cumbrian who now feels a loyalty to London where I loss of Scottish support by the Tories is certainly signif- SNP campaign. live, an Englishman who is also proud to be a British cit- icant but opinion polls show that on issues such as wel- As Danny Alexander put it: “I’m a highlander, I’m a izen, a European who also feels ties to the Common- fare popular views in England and Scotland are not far Scot, I’m a Brit, I’m a European and all those identities wealth, and a Christian who belongs to a universal apart. sit comfortably in one UK.” [email protected] facebook.com/churchnewspaper @churchnewspaper 10 www.churchnewspaper.com Friday February 21, 2014 Feature In Lenten companion Jesus – His Home, His Journey, His Inspiring resources to Challenge, David Bryan explores crucial questions about Jesus that relate to our own faith journeys: Where did Jesus start from? What did he meet along the way? How did these encounters shape his life and message? prepare for Lent ‘David Bryan’s face-to-face presentations in local churches, helping them connect with the human story of Jesus, transfer Lent is an important time for all Christian publishers as we seek to bring you our most inspiring very successfully into this book. His own devotion to Jesus, resources for reflection and discussion. his scholarship carried lightly and an ever-present strain of At SPCK, we are proud to offer a new trio of distinct titles to challenge, delight and enrich our humour, invite us to encounter the challenges that Jesus readers as they explore and deepen their faith. brought to those he first met. He starkly brings us close to Barefoot Prayers by Stephen Cherry, the highly acclaimed author of Barefoot Disciple, is a the tough realities of life and strife at the time of Jesus, sequence of beautifully crafted prayer-meditations, providing simple yet profound spiritual raising questions along the way to stimulate consideration of nourishment for the Lenten season. The book gives an engaging introduction to the different the reader’s own beliefs and values. Poetry, archaeology and ways that prayer can work in the lives of even the busiest of Christians, and is also the selected politics are woven together as Bryan invites us to reconsider title for The Big Read 2014. Visit The Big Bible website for FREE house-group resources and to our identity in the world of today in the light of Jesus’ dream participate in daily activities, or join discussions through Facebook and Twitter. of the reign of God. This is an excellent resource for groups Barefoot Prayers is about being as real as one can be in prayer. It is a wonderful resource. or personal study.’ Stephen Cherry expresses succinctly and profoundly everyday experiences and desires. He sets Robin Greenwood, Research Fellow in Applied Theology, the ball rolling for us with his openness and honesty, rhythm and cadence, thereby enabling us Durham University to engage in our own prayer at a deeper level.’ Caroline Welby, Lambeth Palace Andrew D Mayes’ new book, Beyond the Edge, is for those who wish to go deeply into the spiritual life, for spiritual directors, and those who walk with others on their prayer journey. Jesus calls his disciples to follow him, but where does he lead us? Responding to Jesus’ summons, we find ourselves leaving familiar certainties and securities behind as we step out boldly in faith. Old boundaries dissolve as we are led into exhilarating situations, new places of discovery and radical spiritual growth. In such experiences Christ reveals himself to us anew. The place of risk is the threshold of the divine. ‘This book is a welcome companion for anyone who is serious about the venture of Christian faith.’ Martin Warner, Bishop of Chichester All SPCK Lent books are available now and can be purchased online or at your local bookshop. Lent books galore! #bigread14 978 0 281 07125 8 £8.99 Official selection for The Big Read 2014! Available from all good bookshops and online. www.spckpublishing.co.uk ! @SPCKPublishing [email protected] facebook.com/churchnewspaper @churchnewspaper www.churchnewspaper.com Friday February 21, 2014 Feature 11 Preparing for your Lenten journey The Amazing Cross has the cross made on my personality?” and “Do I The Nail IVP live in the light of the freedom that it has won for SPCK Husband and wife Jeremy and Elizabeth me?”, the McQuoids drive their reader to examine Focusing on Christ’s crucifixion, the Nail follows seven McQuoid, have produced a delightfully their own everyday choices. different key characters throughout its seven chapters thought-provoking read about the Produced as a part of the Keswick series, “The describing their own experiences of passion. The title of importance of what was accomplished Amazing Cross” contains a fair amount of quotations “The Nail” is tied into the text as the starting point for for us when Christ took to the Cross. from sermons preached at past Keswick each of the character’s reflections as Stephen Cottrell Combining real-world experiences with Conventions by the most famous speakers. As Lent begins by having each of the seven reflect upon the biblical examples, the McQuoids approaches, this book reminds the reader what it nails that killed Christ. Fully clad with Bible passages, explain the importance of the events in terms that truly means to appreciate the sacrifice that Christ hymns and reflections, this book takes a more serious their audience can understand. Asking ever- and God made for us. Its pages provide a new approach to the Lenten time. An intriguing and important questions such as: “How deep an impact perspective on the season. informative read. Another Story must begin Darton, Longman and Todd Blob Lent: 40 Days, becoming More than a Carpenter Lovers of the classic book and musical Les Blobtree.com Authentic Miserables rejoice; this lent book was written for Blob Lent is the perfect companion for With over 15 million copies sold, the quality of this you. This little Lent course, based upon Victor guiding you through Lent this season. With a book truly speaks for itself. This revised version of Hugo’s work, draws on themes from the beloved multitude of exercises and reflections aimed the old classic is now brimming with current tale and applies them the Lent season that is to engage the reader throughout these 40 questions raised by common atheist writers today. now almost upon us. This course is based upon days, the author truly engages the reader in Written by a former sceptic, this down-to-earth book five sections that pull themes from the book’s most famed the process of Lent. This book is more than answers realistic questions about the validity of the characters and teases out the ideas of redemption simply a book; it is a guide. Each day of Lent Bible. Chapter by chapter, McDowell examines the incorporated into them. Another Story takes an entirely new presents the reader with a new page and a deepest concerns of the Christ sceptic and thereby route in regards to educating the public on the season and it new topic for contemplation. The book is allows his audience to decide for themselves is entirely refreshing. Whether you complete the novel simple, which makes its contents ideal for whether Christ was “a liar, lunatic or the lord.” independently or in a group, you will be enchanted by all that children and teens but can be an enjoyable Positively eye-opening and smart, this novel its pages have to offer. read for adults as well. provides a refreshing approach to aid those who may Ian Long and Pip Wilson have created a feel doubt. McDowell gives the audience answers guidebook for Lent that will send their that go beyond the traditional “it is true because the Moments of Grace: Reflections on readers on a unique journey for personal Bible says so.” This book is an informative, Meetings with God reflection throughout these 40 days. Colour, intelligent, and unforgettable read. McDowell’s BRF write, or sketch upon the book’s pages: each creations will most definitely continue in its Another read not just for Lent but for the reader gets as much out of the book as they popularity for years to come. whole year round, “Moments of Grace” is a put in. thought-provoking book that connects themes of God and the journey of life we all 40 Days of Grace experience. This uplifting book explores an Lion Hudson Rhythms of Remembering array of topics broken up into five subtopics This book is more than a book: it is a journey. 40 days of grace is SPCK of Exploration and Discovery, Struggle, a more mature guide through the days of Lent that presents its A perfect little book not just for Lent, this is a Celebration, Gospel Moments and Pondering. readers with a difficult challenge; to change with the ways of guide to prayer for every day. This modest gem Each section filled with overwhelmingly grace or to revert. Structured in a day-by-day format, each provides its readers with a template of prayers beautiful prose and reflection, this book is a chapter ends in prayer and open-ended prompt, allowing the for everything from holidays to the most wonderfully uplifting read for the Christian audience to reflect upon what they have just taken in. Rich mundane Monday night. The handy guide audience. These reflections provided by Miller’s novel is based upon the premise that somehow reminds the audience how important it truly is Anglican priest Joy McCormick display an throughout the course of time most of us have lost our way from to incorporate Christ into their everyday lives. acknowledgment of the divine in the most grace. We stand and shout for God’s attention as opposed to The prayers on each page are far from complex likely and unlikely of places. A beautiful little simply letting grace be apart of our lives. This witty and and easily understood, making Hannah Ward’s book, it provides those who are willing to intriguing novel presents an alternative view for the reader and and Jennifer Wild’s creation a book for every commit the time to truly pondering it’s aids them in finding there own way to a more grace filled path. type of Christian. Small and compact, the book contents with an enriching new view of their Not only educational but entertaining as well, Rich Miller’s book is portable, making it the perfect religious religious and everyday life. The book is a is the perfect read for this upcoming season of Lent. companion to be carried everyday. time consuming process but it is well worth it for the uplifting reward. 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By Jeremy Moodey The Archbishop of Canterbury met last month with lead- ers of the Council of Christians and Jews (CCJ). Accord- ing to a Lambeth Palace press release, the meeting discussed a number of topics, including “the need to con- front a worrying increase in anti-Semitism”. No further information was provided, but it is possible that the CCJ had in mind a recent survey of almost 6,000 Jews in nine European countries by the EU’s Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA) which had suggested that three out of four respondents, 76 per cent, believed anti-Semitism had increased over the past five years. There was particular concern about anti-Jewish postings and pages on social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter. If there has been a rise in anti-Semitism, then this is of course to be deplored. But it is important to highlight several major caveats with the FRA report. The first is that the Jewish people who were polled were self-select- ed, rather than randomly sampled. A second is that the survey was based on the subjective perceptions and experiences of the individual respondents, rather than on absolute figures of anti-Semitic incidents. Finally, the report relied on each respondent to determine his or her own definition of anti-Semitism. No single definition was provided for use by all respondents. This may be because no one – not even the EU - can ever quite agree what actually constitutes anti-Semitism, over and above the simple dictionary definition of hostili- ty towards Jews. Many Jewish people feel that criticism of the State of Israel is intrinsically anti-Semitic. This definitional confusion came to mind when I read a recent intervention in these pages from a Canon Michael Paddison (letters, 7 February 2014). Mr Paddison took exception to my defence of St James’s Church in Piccadil- ly and its ‘Bethlehem Unwrapped’ festival over the Christ- mas holidays. What most exercised Mr Paddison was my use of the word ‘occupation’. In his view Israel was per- fectly entitled to expropriate land that it militarily occu- pied in 1967, and to argue otherwise was “blatantly anti-Semitic”. Since anti-Semitism is an expression of racial hatred, and thus a crime in the UK, this is a very serious accusa- tion. Needless to say, I utterly refute the claim that my com- ments were in any way anti-Semitic. For a start, my use of the word ‘occupation’ is entirely consistent with interna- tional practice and law. Both the International Court of Justice and repeated UN Security Council resolutions have declared Israel’s presence in or effective control of East Jerusalem, Gaza and the West Bank to constitute ‘occupation’. Our own Foreign Office refers to the ‘occu- pied Palestinian territories’. It is the fact that the occupa- tion has lasted over 46 years and effectively become an annexation that makes it illegal, since international law expressly forbids nation states from acquiring territory through military conquest, even if this is ostensibly in self-defence. So in what possible sense was my citing of international law “blatantly anti-Semitic”? I wrote in this newspaper on 24 January, and am happy to repeat again: the battle against genuine anti-Semitism is devalued when it is widened to include non-violent efforts to persuade the State of Israel to comply with its obligations under international law. The long-term secu- rity interests of the State of Israel would best be served by the ending of its occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem and its blockade of Gaza. Jeremy Moodey is Chief Executive of Embrace the Middle East. www.embraceme.org/syria2014. www.churchnewspaper.com Friday February 21, 2014 The Register 13 THE 2013 BIBLE CHALLENGE ANGLICAN CYCLE OF PRAYER (Birmingham), to be Vicar, Hill, St Bridget Wavertree (Liverpool) on 27 James (Birmingham). March. He will be licensed as Priest in The Rev Janice Sharp, Charge to the parish, continuing as Day 52, Numbers 9-11, Psalm 43, Luke Friday 21 February. Psalm 49: 1- to be licensed as Assistant Curate to the Chaplain to the Fire Service 1 13, Prov. 18: 10-24. Badagry - new Benefice of Easington with Day 53: Numbers 12-14, Psalm 44, (Lagos, Nigeria): The Rt Rev Joseph Skeffling, Keyingham, Ottringham, LAY & OTHER APPOINTMENTS Luke 2 Adeyemi Patrington, Welwick and Winestead with Day 54: Enjoy hearing the Scriptures Saturday 22 February. Psalm 90: effect from 1 February 2014 (York). read aloud in church 1,2,12-17, Prov. 22: 1-12. Bukuru - The Rev Martin Woodard Stephen- The Rev Richard Atkins, Day 55: Numbers 15-17, Psalm 45, (Jos, Nigeria): The Rt Rev Jwan son, broadcaster and producer for BBC Luke 3 Zhumbes Vicar, Hall Green, St Peter Radio Gloucestershire, to be an Day 56: Numbers 18-20, Psalm 46, Sunday 23 February. Epiphany 7. (Birmingham) (Also Warden of Readers Ecumenical Canon of Gloucester Luke 4 Psalm 5: 4-8, I Cor. 4: 14-21. PRAY and Chair of the House of Clergy of the Cathedral. Day 57: Numbers 21-23, Psalm 47, for Iglesia Anglicana de la Region Birmingham Diocesan Synod), to be Luke 5 Central de America: The Most Rev Honorary Canon of the Cathedral Church in Wales Day 58: Numbers 24-26, Psalm 48, Armando Guerra Soria, Primate of Church of St Philip (Birmingham). The Rev Gerwyn Capon, Luke 6 IARCA & Bishop of Guatemala The Rev Mark Tanner, currently Chaplain to the Archbishop of Monday 24 February. Psalm 84: Vicar at Hartley Wintney with Elvetham Wales, will be installed as Dean of APPOINTMENTS 1-7 I Cor. 5. Ballarat - (Victoria, and Winchfield and Dogmersfield, has Llandaff on February 28. Australia): The Rt Rev Garry been appointed Assistant Area Dean of Weatherill Odiham (Winchester). CORRECTIONS Dean of Norwich Tuesday 25 February. Psalm 116: The Rev Ruth Walker, The Ven Jane Barbara Hedges, BA, 12-end, I Cor. 6: 1-11. Bangor - Non stipendiary Assistant Curate, St The Rev James Howson, Sub-Dean, Canon Steward and (Wales): The Rt Rev Andrew John Mary’s, Camberley (Guildford) to be Alfriston with Lullington, Litlington and Archdeacon of Westminster, has been Wednesday 26 February. Psalm Non stipendiary Associate Minister, St West Dean (Chichester) resigned on 19 appointed to the Deanery of the 40: 8-13, I Cor. 6: 12-20. Banks & Mary’s, Camberley (Guildford). January and not retired. Cathedral Church of the Holy and Torres - (Melanesia): The Rt Rev The Rev Quentin David Warbrick, Undivided Trinity, Norwich Alfred Worek Priest-in-charge, Kings Heath, All Saints DEATHS Thursday 27 February. Psalm (Birmingham), to be Honorary Canon of The Rev Lucille Monica Arlidge, 100, I Cor. 7: 1-24. Clogher - the Cathedral Church of St Philip Bishop’s Permission to Officiate, (Armagh, Ireland): The Rt Rev John (Birmingham). The Rev Canon JCR Adams, (Birmingham), to be Priest in Charge McDowell The Rev Chris Wedge, previously holding the Bishop of (SSM), Smethwick, St Matthew & St Friday 28 February. Psalm 33: 13- Associate Rector, Boston (Lincoln), to Southwark’s Permission to Officiate Chad, (Birmingham). end, I Cor. 7: 25-40. Bari - (Kaduna, be Priest in Charge of St Mary, died on 4 January 2014. The Rev Graham Bowkett, Nigeria): The Rt Rev Idris Zubairu Prestwich, also to be Assistant Curate of The Rev Kenneth David Agnew, Priest in Charge of the Upper Itchen St Gabriel Prestwich and Assistant On Monday, 3 February, Kenneth, Benefice, has been appointed Assistant Curate of St Margaret Prestwich former Rector of Willand, passed away Area Dean of Alresford (Winchester). (including St George Simister) suddenly at Musgrove Park Hospital, The Rev Andrew Richard Braddy, Resurrection, Alton, has been appointed (Manchester). Taunton, aged 80 years. Wonderful Assistant Curate, Whitstable, to be Assistant Area Dean of Alton The Rev Chris Wingfield, husband of Agnes Audrey, father of Incumbent of the Benefice of the (Winchester). Team Rector, Bromsgrove Parish and Peter, Graham and Caroline, Wantsum Group (Canterbury). The Rev Judie Horrocks, Vicar of St John the Baptist has been grandfather of Sophia and Charlotte. A The Rev Christopher Brown, Church in Schools Development Officer, appointed as Rector of Harton (York). Service of Celebration for the life of Team Rector of Radcliffe, to be Vicar of licensed as General Preacher with effect Kenneth will take place at St. Mary’s Fishguard with Llanychaer and Pontfaen from 31 January (Manchester). RETIREMENTS & RSIGNATIONS Church, Willand, on Saturday, February (St David’s). The Rev Jackie Louise Hughes, 22nd 2014 at 1:30 p.m. followed by The Rev Dr Ian Carter, Director of Education (with Bishop’s The Rev Emma Antoine (Flood), interment at Willand Cemetery. All are Anglican Chaplain Team Leader with Permission to officiate), (Birmingham), Priest in Charge of St Werburgh, welcome. Retiring collection in memory Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, is to be Honorary Canon of the Cathedral Chorlton cum Hardy, resigned with of Kenneth for St. Mary’s Church, to become Priest in Charge of All Saints Church of St Philip (Birmingham). effect from 20 January 2014. She holds Willand, or may be sent to: Walter H. Hamer and Priest in Charge of Christ The Rev Kelvin Inglis, Permission to Officiate from that date Squires & Son, Chapel of Rest, 27 Church Healey (Manchester). Vicar of Whitchurch with Tufton and (Manchester). Higher Street, Cullompton, Devon, The Rev Sandra Cavalier, Litchfield, has been appointed Area The Rev P Jean Artley, EX15 1AJ. Non stipendiary Assistant Curate, Dean of Whitchurch in addition to his Priest in Charge, has resigned with The Rev Canon Kenneth William Wrecclesham (Guildford) to be Non other duties (Winchester). effect from 31 March 2014 (York). Brassell, stipendiary Associate Minister, The Rev Alan Jonas, The Rev Edward Cardale, Formerly Vicar of St James, Beckenham Wrecclesham (Guildford). Priest in Charge, Westcott (Guldford), Team Vicar (with special responsibility in the Diocese of Rochester; and The Rev Adam Dickens, to be also Rural Dean for Dorking for St John, Lemsford), Bishop’s Hatfield Honorary Canon of Rochester formerly Warden of the Pilsdon Deanery (Guildford). Team Ministry (St Albans), to retire Cathedral, died on 30 January 2014. Community (Salisbury), has been The Rev Carol Ann Lacey, from 1 August 2014. The Rev JNF Earle, appointed University of Derby Anglican Assistant Curate of Leicester St Anne, St The Rev Canon Nick Feist, resident in the Diocese of Southwark, Chaplain and Pastoral Services Co- Paul and St Augustine (Leicester) to be Incumbent of St Leonard Middleton and died on 3 January 2014. ordinator, and Chaplain at Derby Vicar of Brampton Bierlow Christ St John Thornham retires with effect The Rev Sidney Gilbert, Cathedral (Derby). Church (Sheffield). from 2 March 2014. He will hold Retired priest (Chester) died 30 October The Rev Ed Dines, The Rev Matthew Charles Outram Permission to Officiate in the Diocese 2013 Assistant Curate at Knight’s Enham and Lawson, (Manchester). The Rev William Hodson, Smannell with Enham Alamein, has Assistant Curate the Benefice of Bury St The Rev Pam Jennings, Retired priest (Chester) died 15 October been appointed Assistant Area Dean of Edmunds St Mary with St Peter (St Asst C, NSM, of Scarborough, St Mary 2013. Andover (Winchester). Edmundsbury and Ipswich), to be with Christ Church and Holy Apostles The Rev Colin Lee, The Rev Freda Christine Evans, Rector of the Chadbrook Benefice (York), has resigned with effect from the Bishop of Derby’s Industrial Adviser Team Rector, Erdington (Birmingham), (same diocese). 31st December 2013. 1967-1991, C-in-Charge of Ilkeston St to be Honorary Canon of the Cathedral The Rev Dr Andrew George Lenox- The Rev Bruce Lamb, Bartholomew (Conventional District) Church of St Philip (Birmingham). Conyngham, Priest in Charge of Barton with Peel 1967-1969, P-i-c of Stanton-by-Dale 1969- The Rev Robert Steven Fieldson, Vicar (Birmingham, St Luke), to be Green (Manchester), retires with effect 1976, Vicar of Ilkeston St John the Vicar, Cofton Hackett & Barnt Green Honorary Canon of the Cathedral from 27 March. Evangelist 1976-1991, who retired in (Birmingham), to be Honorary Canon of Church of St Philip (Birmingham). The Rev Diane Nicholson 1991 and held the Bishop of Derby’s the Cathedral Church of St Philip The Rev Crispin Pailing, Curate (OLM) in the Waterside Group Permission to Officiate in retirement (Birmingham). Vicar of Perry Barr St John, to be Rector (Norwich), has retired. until September 2013, died on Sunday The Rev Julia Foster, of Our Lady and St Nicholas Liverpool. The Rev Lynn Padmore, 12th January, 2014. Assistant Curate at North Waltham and The Rev Jenny Penn, Team Vicar in the Ascension Team The Rev Stuart John Lugg, Steventon and Ashe and Deane, has To be Priest in Charge of St Philip’s Ministry, to resign with effect from 31 Formerly Priest in Charge of Kempsford been appointed Assistant Area Dean in Ryegate and Anglican Chaplain of St May 2014 (Leicester). with Welford and Castle Eaton addition to her other duties Bede’s Ecumenical High School The Rev Stuart Peace, (Gloucester), died on 2 February 2014. (Winchester). (Southwark). Non stipendiary Assistant Curate, St The Ven Michael Mansbridge, The Rev Canon Dr David Jonathan The Rev Jonathan Poston, Martin’s, Dorking (Guildford), resigned (Portsmouth) died on 17 January 2014. Peter Hewlett, Associate Priest of Spondon (Derby), on 16 February, now has Permission to The Rev Canon Paul Mothersdale, Principal, the Queen’s Foundation has been appointed part-time Priest-in- Officiate (Guildford). Priest-in-Charge of Malew & Santan and (Birmingham); Canon Emeritus, Truro Charge of Wingerworth in the same The Rev Gary Russell, Canon of St. German’s Cathedral, Peel Cathedral, to be Honorary Canon of the diocese. Priest-in-Charge, St Albans, St Mary, (Sodor and Man), died on 18 January Cathedral Church of St Philip The Rev Anugrah Daniel Ramble Marshalswick (St Albans) to retire from 2014. (Birmingham). Chaplain, Aston University and Assistant 1 April 2014. The Rev Canon Grant Ockwell, The Rev David Hinks, Curate, Erdington Team Ministry with The Rev William Sanders, (Portsmouth) died on 11 December Associate Vicar at the Benefice of the responsibility for St Chad, Erdington retires as Vicar of St Thomas and St 2013. 14 www.churchnewspaper.com Friday February 21, 2014 Sunday r r Holy God, when our memories blot out your kind- cumstances of life. Linked to this psalm it ness and we ignore your patient love, remember becomes a prayer for all of us who recognise SUNDAY SERVICE o us, re-make us, and give to us poor sinners the failure and sin and our inability to conquer our rich inheritance of Jesus Christ our Lord, amen. fickle hearts by ourselves. t (Prayer accompanying Psalm 106) We see the patient love put to the test over Sunday next before Lent - Sunday 2nd March and over again in Psalm 106 as the writer 2014 c Anyone following the Church of England’s rehearses the history of God’s people from the lectionary over recent days and weeks cannot time they were slaves in Egypt to the present Exodus 24:12-18 e have missed the focus on God’s holiness in experience of being subjected to their enemies 2 Peter 1:16-21 r Leviticus. God is holy and that has conse- and scattered among the nations in exile. It is a Matthew 17:1-9 i quences for us. This prayer reminds us of this weary and repetitive story of a wayward people at the outset and ‘poor sinners’ is how it refers who persistently turned away from the God Our readings this week focus on the glory of the Lord d to us. When we pray these words we acknowl- whose hand had reached out and saved them. and the consequent necessity of listening carefully to l edge that God is holy and we are not and we They sinned (v6) and rebelled (v7), they for- his word. By the Rev Dridentify Liz Hoare with other sinners who, like us, have no got God’s deeds (v13), they put God to the test In Exodus 24, Moses goes up to Mount Sinai in hope unless we throw ourselves on God’s (v14), they made an idol (v19), they scorned response to God’s command, while others worship the a mercy. God’s word (v24) and ‘murmured’ against him Lord from afar. They have agreed to obey the Law of There are seasons in a human life when the (v25), they angered the Lord (v32) and finally the Lord, and have made sacrifices to him. The elders u outlook can seem very bleak indeed. Despair they sacrificed their own children and mingled of Israel have actually seen the God of Israel and the t over our condition threatens to overwhelm us with the nations around them (v35ff). The pavement of sapphire beneath his feet, and eaten with i to the point of being unable to recall God’s kind- psalm is clear that the people had brought dis- him in peace. Now Moses goes to receive the Law on r ness and faithfulness towards us in times past. aster on themselves just like their forebears tablets of stone and be instructed about the building of i We can neither feel his love now, nor remember and it was only when they acknowledged their the tabernacle. The key thing here, then, is not just the what it used to be like. This beautiful and sin and cried out to God for mercy that there magnificent and awe-inspiring appearance of God’s deceptively simple prayer acknowledges such was any hope for them. glory, but the delivery of God’s word to his people in p times and looks to God to come to us with the Just as God first made a people for himself this context. How often we simply consider that word life that is forever renewing and able to restore and brought them out of Egypt, so the psalmist to be a familiar background part of our lives, and forget s us to help us begin again. is now asking him to re-make his people and the graciousness of its revelation to us, and the height The very same kindness that our situation gather them from the nations once again. So we from which it comes. Yet a word whose arrival is so e has blotted out looks on us with pity and comes too come with the knowledge of the cost of that majestically trumpeted is worthy of our weightiest con- to our aid. This is a prayer that could be prayed re-making but also the riches of our inheritance sideration. h by anyone weighed down by depression, a bur- as sinners re-born and re-made in the image of Peter, James and John also see the glory of God, in t den of guilt or simply the overwhelming cir- Jesus Christ. the face of a transfigured Jesus Christ. His face shone like the sun and his clothes became dazzling white. Moses himself, the bringer of the Law, and Elijah, the chief of the Prophets, appear to testify to the signifi- Young people and the churches cance of this new revelation. Peter wants to enjoy the moment, but again, that is not the point. The point is Bob Mayo made clear to us by the word from above, a bright cloud overshadowed them and the voice of the Father The answer to the question of why was heard. “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I young people are not in church lies am well pleased.” in the different communities of Although the disciples may have started to doubt, which they are a part. The explana- because he had spoken of going to Jerusalem to die, tion of why young people are in Jesus is identified as the Son of God that they hoped church lies in the fact that the and longed for, as he had been at his baptism. Despite church can’t hold on to the chil- his seemingly depressing announcements, which dren and young people it has let Peter had satanically attempted to counter, the Father alone reach out to those outside was pleased with him so they should not be displeased. the church. The Evangelical Moses and Elijah had both suffered rejection, and this Alliance tells us that there is a bet- new revelation, this Word, would fare no better in him- ter chance of survival on the Titan- self. The command from on high is startlingly clear ic than a child’s faith in our and simple: “Listen to him!” Listen to his teaching. Lis- churches (www.eauk.org). This is ten to his prophecies of the future. Listen to his hint of a situation that needs our urgent a new day soon to dawn on the far side of death and attention. The second community of which not simply walk into a church betrayal. The first community for children the young people are a part is their building. Prime contact needs to be Peter clearly got the message, though his thick skull and young people is the family. It is school. The points of greatest fall- made outside of the church build- took some time to penetrate (as ours often do as well). not simply the case, as has been in away are the transition from pri- ing. This will happen electronically In his second letter he speaks of being an eyewitness of previous generations, that friends mary to secondary school and or in places that young people natu- Christ’s majesty (as Luke spoke of those who were are the new family now family are from secondary school to universi- rally congregate. As the evidence “eyewitnesses of the Word”). He recalled the voice of the new friends. A friendship style ty or further education. If these grows that more and more people the “Majestic Glory” and the great honour and glory it of parenting has left young people transition points are not managed know less and less about the conveyed upon Christ. This was, he says, “the prophet- comfortable relating across the well then young people will see Church there is less inherent hos- ic message more fully confirmed.” Jesus was the fulfil- generations. The family is the natu- Church as an experience from tility and more natural opportunity ment of all prophecy, and his power and coming were ral place for young people to learn their previous school and some- to talk about the faith than in previ- the hope of all. And his application? Listen to the about the faith, (As says Deuteron- thing now to be left behind. ous generations. prophetic word. “You will do well to be attentive to this, omy 11:18-19 - Fix these words of The activities arranged for an All- It is now 15 years since I trained as a lamp shining in a dark place.” mine in your hearts and minds; tie Age Service are designed to appeal my first youth worker. There is a Men and women moved by the Holy Spirit spoke them as symbols on your hands to Year 6 and below (Primary glimpse of magnificence in the from God in the self-interpreting pages of scripture. and bind them on your foreheads. School) and can alienate Year 7 and words spoken to me by Stu, a youth This is sufficient to guide and lead us until we no Teach them to your children, talk- above (Secondary School). An All- worker friend – “I am a youth work- longer live by faith but by sight. This is no “cleverly ing about them when you sit at Age Service puts pressure on the er. I am used to staying up late”. devised myth” but a sure and certain hope, a precious home). weakest joints of the young per- With residential weekends along word that equips us with all things for life and godli- When only 36 per cent of Angli- son’s growth in the faith, which is with open and detached youth ness. So, let us listen. can parents, as recently surveyed, their transition year from one work the opportunities for keeping Lee Gatiss is Director of Church Society and Editor of say that they see it as important to school to another. open the possibility of faith for the NIV Proclamation Bible teach their children the Christian In my own experience I have those who would never otherwise faith it is evident that youth minis- found that being an (inner city) have considered it are endless. ters need to invest in parents. youth worker took me too far out of The Rev Dr Bob Mayo Youth Ministry has metamor- the church but being a vicar has (@RevBobMayo) is Vicar of St HYMN SUGGESTIONS phosed into Family, Young People taken me too far in. Being a chap- Stephen and St Thomas Shepherds and Children’s Work. The task of a lain has left me well placed on the Bush with St Michael and St Sunday school is to supplement, threshold between church and George White City Speak O Lord not to replace, the family’s role in society. In my current position I am ([email protected]) & How firm a foundation nurturing their children in the faith chaplain to the local police, football was previously the Director of the Your word is a lamp unto my feet and the Sunday school becomes club and school. Centre for Youth Ministry at Ridley You are the king of glory divisive if it is treated as a de-facto The third community of which Hall. Let the vain world applaud or frown child care facility enabling parents young people are a part is their nat- Bob features as an Agony Uncle at to worship in church on their own. ural peer group. Young people will Ask the Doctor www.thebridge-uk [email protected] facebook.com/churchnewspaper @churchnewspaper www.churchnewspaper.com Friday February 21, 2014 Reviews 15 New books to An unusual delight everyone A magnificent book on a magnificent building: Royal Academy Publications (via Thames and Hudson) have pro- duced a wonderfully illustrated vol- ume Matisse: The Chapel at Venice by Marie Therese Pulvenis de Seligny, love story which will be read with interest by anyone interested in religious art or in Matisse. Derek Osborne has written what Bishop David Pytch- Her (cert. 15) is the last of the ing with their top pocket comput- es calls a ‘unique spoof of church life’ in Roddy Goes to Oscar® best film nominees er, then to come out of the Cor- Church, which takes a humorous look at the problems of released in the UK (and the last nerhouse cinema into a street Roddy and his friends with their local church in a small reviewed here) and for me it’s the where a man was loudly announc- town. There is a wordy Archdeacon and an enlightened weakest of the nine (it used to be ing his next rendezvous to his bishop. This short pamphlet could be a very good dis- five). It’s still a fascinating look at phone and to everyone around. cussion starter. Published by White Tree Publishing in modern relationships in a slightly Theodore’s friend Amy (Amy Bristol it is available from Cromer Parish Church and the futuristic age, though people relat- Adams) has her own way of inter- Norwich Christian Resources Centre. ing to their computers or robots is acting with her OS, but the OSs Congratulations to SPCK for republishing Lesslie New- a well established sci-fi genre. are getting together, and come up bigin’s The Gospel in a Pluralist Society in their ‘Classics’ Theodore Twombly (Joaquin with a new identity – a British series and to Lutterworth Press for republishing Alan Phoenix, unluckily missing out on philosopher who died in 1973, Wilkinson’s fascinating study The Church of England and a best actor nomination) writes Alan Watts (Brian Cox’s voice). the First World War. This is a timely reprint as we cele- “beautiful handwritten” letters for Watts once commented on people brate the 100th anniversary of the start of the war. a living. Customers pay, he com- rushing home to the “real point” Lutterworth has also published a study Catherine poses, the computer writes and of life – watching an electronic Booth by John Read, which looks at the achievements of prints and sends. from somewhere to match the ris- reproduction of life on TV. Catherine Booth, the husband of William, as a revivalist, a Separated from his wife Cather- ing passion of man and machine Writer-director Spike Jonze has social reformer and a champion of women’s rights as ine (Rooney Mara), he’s strug- (who presumably is faking it). Fol- certainly provided a thought-pro- well as her work as a co-founder of the Salvation Army. gling with other relationships. lowing this through leads to a voking film, and as a commentary Among SPCK’s latest publications are: John Pritchard: When he buys a new computer weird interlude with a “surrogate” on our relationship with machines Ten Reasons Why Christianity Makes Sense (highly rec- operating system, OS1, featuring – a real woman (Portia Double- (and each other) it may well repay ommended); Jonathan Lawson and Gordon Mursell: artificial intelligence, he finds the day) that Samantha sends round further study - including why he Hearing the Call (stories of vocation); Jenni Williams: system’s personality is rather easi- to Theodore, but this feels weird wasn’t satisfied with Samantha God Remembered Rachel (Women’s stories in the Old er to relate to than real people. even to him. first being voiced by Samantha Testament and why they matter); Katherine Smith: Naming herself Samantha (the Weird too is the 3D computer Morton. It’s just that I couldn’t Recovering from Depression (with a foreword by Jane voice is Scarlett Johansson) OS1 game with a funny but foul- shake the feeling that this might Williams): and Andrew T Lincoln: Born of a Virgin. Pro- quickly gets to know Theodore, mouthed blob as guide. It was also have been the way Dave and his fessor Lincoln has written what one scholar hails as a culminating in virtual sex, as the odd to see a voice recognition computer Hal could have gone in ‘masterly literary and historical analyses of the traditions screen goes dark and music rises future where everyone is convers- 2001 A Space Odyssey. relating to Jesus’ birth in the New Testament and beyond to offer theological and hermeneutical reflection at its best’. Among the new books from IVP are two welcome reprints of books by John Stott, Balanced Christianity and Challenges of Christian Leadership. Two important new books from the same publisher are Christopher J Wright: The Message of Jeremiah and David F Wells: God in the Whirlwind (‘how the holy God of love reorients our world’). These two authors are well known and well respected Christian thinkers. Sound Bites by Richard Everett (Monarch) contains a number of short plays lasting about five minutes for use in church or youth groups. Richard Everett was a profes- sional before becoming a playwright. The book has a foreword by Bishop James Jones and the plays are described as ‘poignant and funny’ by Bishop Rowan Williams. The Lego Movie (cert. U), a stop-motion animation going in a superb family film that Phil Lord and using Lego figures, has taken $140m in its first two Christopher Miller as co-directors and writers have weeks at the US box office. Its lovely plot idea is that crafted from the most unlikely of raw material – toy a nondescript construction worker Emmet Brick- building blocks. owski (voiced by Chris Pratt) is called on to save the The final interaction with humans is just brilliant, world in fulfilment of ancient prophecy, explained and it must be in line for the animated film Oscar by Vitruvius (Morgan Freeman). next year. Best song may be the thumping theme Emmet is aided by a female figure, Wildstyle song “Everything is Awesome” (Elizabeth Banks), who rapidly realises he’s not that (www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6lHm-stXdM) special. The destroy-the-world baddie is Lord Busi- The lyrics are part of Lord Business’s mind con- ness (Will Ferrell), whose henchman sidekick Bad trol to keep the workers happy, as is the trashy Cop (Liam Neeson) becomes Good Cop by a twist of game show “Where’s my Pants?” What next? A the head, and even sings Danny Boy. Lego version of Metropolis? There’s a lot happening – Shakespeare, Abe Lin- Should you need an reminder of next weekend’s coln, Gandalf, Dumbledore, a Star Wars sequence, Oscar contenders, the Lego version of the posters is and a major role for Batman (Will Arnett) – “I only at www.dashburst.com/oscar-nominees-lego-movie- work in black. And sometimes, very, very dark posters grey.” Such smart writing keeps the adult interest Steve Parish [email protected] facebook.com/churchnewspaper @churchnewspaper Commentators often complain that Christianity is presented negatively COLLEGE STREET in the media, with Vicars often being the ‘baddies’ in murder mysteries and views of the faith being termed old-fashioned. But once in a while, SW1 something new comes along, challenging the way we display our faith in this country. This week, College Street’s intern Cindy has CITY OF WESTMINSTER looked at one such show, available now on Netflix. She explains why it’s worth a watch. their audience that if they and London, where religion ‘Beware of Christians’ themselves had grown up in is a bit more subtle. The London, they believed that beauty in London’s religious This past weekend I In an effort to drop their they would be less Christian sector is that it allows those stumbled across a hidden biases on Christ, the four than they are today. The four who wish to be a part of it, gem in the documentary travel to 10 European cities concluded that it would be participate and leaves those section of my Netflix throughout the course of the too difficult to be religious who don’t to make their own account; a quirky little film film to explore what being a here. decisions. entitled Beware of Christians. Christian means to them. While it is true that a great In its entirety the film is This film follows the journey Topics discussed are along number of Londoners do not extremely entertaining, of four American teens, Matt, the thought processes of affiliate or strongly affiliate especially for Christian Will, Alex, and Michael on materialism, sexuality, with a chosen religion, it youth. Personally, I believe their journey to Europe to entertainment, alcohol and does not mean it cannot be that their judgments follow the path of more. Cities visited by the found. If the four had really occasionally came out a bit Jesus.Intriguing, hilarious, rambunctious quadruplet looked they would see that too fast but granted they did and uplifting, Beware says include places like Rome, began by asking real Christianity is a thriving only spend a brief 10 minutes something very interesting Budapest and, of course, Londoners what it was to be community especially for of airtime in each location. about Christianity today. London. Christian here. Most of the young people here in Either way, it’s contents got Beginning with the While I found that after answers they received London. This rash me to truly think about a dialogue between the four most of the cities the conveyed a very similar assumption on part of the topic that I haven’t given Bible-loving boys, it is American teens visited, they message of, “it’s not a huge boys highlights a lack of notice to before. How much revealed to the audience that drew the proper conclusions, part of everyday life here.”, understanding in the does the location of our they are on a journey to I found that after London I which for most Londoners is difference between cultures upbringing determine our explore how the Jesus that was feeling a bit shocked an accurate statement to of the deep south of the religious practices? Would they were raised to believe in about the assumptions they make. It was what the boys United States, where Jesus look the same if we is quite less glamorous than made. said afterward that surprised billboards spouting Bible had been brought up the one depicted in the Bible. Their journey in our city me. The four explained to quotes line the highways, somewhere else? FREE CEN ONLINE FOR ALL STUDENTS! Email your course details to [email protected] nia, capital Susa [Gen; Isa; Dan; Acts] 5'The first living ------was like a lion...' (4) [Rev/NIV] (8) PRIZE CROSSWORD No. 887 by Axe 13 Member of an ancient Jewish sect deny- 6Type of Jewish zealot some claim John ing the resurrection and the existence the Baptist to have been (6) of angels (8) 12 Where Jacob saw God's angels before 15 Town of Benjamin, east of Bethel [1 reuniting with Esau [Gen] (8) Sam; Ezra; Neh; Isa] (8) 14 'And Jesus, when he had found a young - 19 Where Moses commanded Joshua to --, sat thereon...' [John/KJV] (3) build an altar [Josh] (4) 16 '...you have no authority to ------taxes, 21 '...seventy years, the ---- of a king's life' tribute or duty...' [Ezra/NIV] (6) [Isa] (4) 17 Woman often accepted to be the wife of 22 The OT book of sound advice, with Philemon (6) instructions on many themes (8) 18 '...I will give you ------of bronze.. ' 24 Umbrian home of the founder of the [Mic/NIV] (6) Greyfriars (6) 20 Head of a convent (6) 25 'You, therefore have no ------, you who 23 '---- silver plate weighed a hundred and pass judgment on someone else...' thirty shekels...' [Num] (4) [Rom/NIV] (6) Solution to last week’s crossword Down Across: 1 Pigeons, 5 Jacob, 8 Blossom, 9 Synod, 10 1OT book in two parts (6) Inner, 11 Ninian, 13 Lambeth palace, 16 Israel, 18 2Crazy driver, from the charioteering Arles, 21 Smith, 22 Planned, 23 Abner, 24 Rectory. king of Israel [2 Kings] (4) 3'------why it has been called the Field of Down: 1 Publicly, 2 Grown, 3 Observe, 4 Simon the Blood to this day' [Matt/NIV] (4,2) Leper, 5 Jason, 6 Cantata, 7 Body, 12 Feast Day, 14 4'------be anyone who eats food today!' [1 Mission, 15 Aramaic, 17 Asher, 19 Lando, 20 Asia. Sam/NIV] (6) T h e f i r s t c o r r e c t e n t ry d ra w n w i ll w i n a b o o k o f th e E d it o r’ s c h o i c e . S e n d y o u r e n t r y to C r o s s w o r d PRICE £1.35 / 1,70€ / $2.20 Nu m b e r 8 87 , T h e C h u rc h o f E n g l an d N e w s p ap e r , 14 G r e a t C o ll e g e S t r e e t, W e s tm i n s te r , L o n d o n , S W 1P 3R X b y n e xt F ri d ay Across (6) Na m e 9Caesar who ordered the census 7'------married two women, one which brought Mary and A d d re s s named Adah and the other Zil- Joseph to Bethlehem [Luke] (8) lah' [Gen/NIV] (6) 10 Shepherd cut down in Genesis P o s t C o d e 8'...he may bring ------to those (4) who live in Babylon' [Jer/NIV] 11 Biblical country east of Babylo- [email protected] facebook.com/churchnewspaper @churchnewspaper © Copyright 2014, The Church of England Newspaper. Registered as a newspaper by Royal Mail. Published by Political and Religious Intelligence Ltd, 14 Great College Street, Westminster, London, SW1P 3RX, Telephone: 020 7222 8700. 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