S T AUGUSTINE’S COLLEGE O F THEOLOGY S T AUGUSTINE’S COLLEGE O F THEOLOGY Benedictine Latest Staff Hospitality Publication S T AUGUSTINE’S COLLEGE OF THEOLOGY NEWSLETTER EDITION 2 WINTER 2018-19 Over the past year or so, the Benedictine The Bible Reading S T AUGUSTINE’S Community of St Mary at Malling has Fellowship has launched an COLLEGE O F THEOLOGY welcomed new guests into its home: the St exciting new series of Transforming formation Benedict’s Centre and St Augustine’s College ‘Really Useful Guides’ to the he’s also convinced that renewed attention attitudes and moving wills to action, the Church of Theology. St Benedict himself invites us to books of the Bible. Each Guide will be a short, From the Principal to the doctrine of creation gives Christians a has far greater significance than we sometimes ‘to welcome all guests as Christ’. This accessible guide to a book of the Bible, vital foundation for addressing environmental realise (or that politicians and the ‘opinion hospitality brings both the giver and receiver intended to help people read a biblical book Sleeping Giant urgencies. Our attention to the natural world, forming’ media would like us to realise). As into the presence of God. It is an essential for themselves, understand it and make use of he told me, should be neither anthropocentric Stephen put it, as regards environmentalism, I probably spent too much of the first half of element in our monastic ethos, an ethos we it. Simon Stocks is the OT series editor and St Augustine’s College of Theology nor fear-driven but, while realistic as to present the Church of England is a “sleeping giant.” In hope is shared by all who live and work at has produced the first Guide in the OT series, my life lounging about inside my own head dangers, should recognise that our terms of our credibility, though, we have Malling Abbey. on the Book of Psalms. because it took me a very long time to wake responsibilities are a joyful privilege, an obstacles to overcome: Christians are widely up to the existence of the natural world. I invitation to delight in and care for the life in thought of as ‘anti-science’ and hostile to Who is ‘the guest’, though? All of us. We are The Guide is intended for a general Christian noticed it, of course, bumped into it, fell over which God himself takes pleasure. Promoting worldly life; moreover, many contemporary all guests because God has called each one of readership, home group leaders, lay readers Malling Abbey it (a lot!), and not infrequently got stung by it. ecological concern within the Church of spiritual movements that focus around us – nuns, employees, members of Pilsdon, and anyone who just wants to know a little bit 52 Swan Street By and large, though, I tended to think about England, though, still demands an uphill climb. environmental concerns understand the Centre and the College – to this place of more about the Psalms. It is simple but West Malling nature as just background to the interesting Good things are happening, both locally and Christianity as a root cause of nature’s plight. peace and God-centred quiet. We are authoritative, laid out in an easy-to-read Kent ME19 6JX human stuff. That changed decisively on the nationally. More parishes are joining Over time, we can change this, through therefore to welcome each other as ‘God in format, with not too much text on the page edge of an extinct volcano some way into a ‘eco-church’ and using A Rocha’s resources to consistent action, humble listening to the Christ welcomed us’. and plenty of headings, bulleted lists, bold desert in Arizona. Everywhere, I looked - and audit their environmental impact, lower their suspicious, gentle correction of the caricatures, type and diagrams where helpful. It is not I could see for miles – humanity had made no energy consumption, work with ‘green’ and a confident offering of our theological, Trinity House mark, which left me the one, and entirely Our community also has a ministry of a technical commentary or introduction, but 4 Chapel Court companies and agencies, and promote spiritual, and artistic vitality in relation to God’s welcome which extends to all whom we gives just enough background and context, insignificant, human creature on the landscape. Borough High Street environmental education, theological good creation. The challenge Stephen leaves meet: the postal worker, delivery staff, medical along with a user-friendly summary of the key Red rocks and grey sand, heat rising, turkey reflection, and spirituality. Nationally, the us as a theological college is to help wake up SE1 IHW personnel, shop assistants, and the Big Issue features of the book in question. vultures hanging about an unrelenting sky, Church of England, together with the London the giant by developing our curriculum, seller. We take a real interest in them, pray for scraggy bushes, and creosote trees older than School of Economics, has developed a way of enriching our worship, keeping discussion of them, always being ready with a smile when Simon says ‘I’m really pleased to be involved Anglicanism. Hostile, crushing, and entirely measuring the environmental impact of major environmental matter on the agenda, and, in we pass in the street. All these encounters are in this project with BRF. Reading the Bible is beautiful. Above all, I felt the tension between companies against the Paris agreement. This becoming an ‘Eco-College’, putting our money opportunities to welcome God in our midst. one of the most basic ways for people to grow grandeur and delicacy, the immense and the information is used to guide investors and put where our mouth is. We need your help, so I’d in their faith, and I am keen to overcome T 01732 252 656 vulnerable; small sticks of life and flickering pressure on boards. In terms of investment the appreciate hearing your comments and A journalist once asked me ‘What are nuns anything that makes that difficult. I’ve made it E [email protected] lizards and boulders chucked from here to the CofE is a relatively small player, but our national suggestions. The good thing about a sleeping for?’ The answer came unbidden: ‘We remind short and easily accessible, explaining things horizon. This was sufficient a shock that, since initiative to join with major investors to giant is that, when poked enough to wake it up, the world of joy.’ Our Benedictine ethos of that might otherwise be off-putting, and then, even sparrows strike me as mysterious influence the practices of oil companies is everybody’s going to hear about it. welcome, of being truly present to another demonstrating how the Psalms can be useful and privy to some stuff God doesn’t care to exercising a genuinely powerful force. On the person, adds, I believe, to the world’s store of in contemporary Christian life. I hope that this share with us. So, when Stephen Taylor, other hand, still too few parishes have joined The website address for Eco-Church is joy. Please pray for us and for the diffusion of new series can be made available to as many Archdeacon of Maidstone, contacted me Eco-Church, despite the economic benefits of https://ecochurch.arocha.org.uk/ joy and confidence in God to our local churchgoers as possible.’ about environmental awareness and @StAugustinesCollegeofTheology doing so, and, though the environment is community, through the lives of our oblates, theological education, I was keen to hear what certainly on the national agenda, it doesn’t God bless. by way of our neighbours at Malling, and on See the BRF website for further details and we have to learn as a college about perhaps seem to have the priority it has elsewhere in Yours, into the world. sales at www.brf.org.uk the most urgent concern in a world not short the Anglican Communion. Stephen provided Revd Dr Alan Gregory Principal of desperate issues. the rather sobering example of preparations for Mother Mary David OSB the next Lambeth Conference. The agenda Stephen is a member of the Church of committee asked the Primates to name the Treasurer position England’s national environment group, an @StAugustinesCo two most important items on their regional adviser on ecological issues for Canterbury agenda. Within our global communion, only sought (voluntary) diocese, and he has collaborated with the the Church of England failed to put the Christian charity ‘A Rocha UK’ in promoting environment as one of those top two priorities. St Augustine’s requires a voluntary their ‘Eco Church’ project. Stephen Treasurer to join its board of Trustees. remains encouragingly hopeful, enthusiastic The Church of England has a huge reserve of about such changes as introducing ‘soft power’, the power to influence, inspire, The person appointed will need to be ‘Creationtide’ into the Church’s liturgical year; available for meetings normally 8 times a galvanise and guide. When it comes to forming year (week days) in West Malling and I am married with two teenage girls, so with London. The role will require on average Welcoming our new all four of us I am kept very busy. In addition, one day a month (including meetings). All I am the Chair of Governors for a local reasonable expenses will be reimbursed. academic registrar primary school. I’ve been the Chair for a The College invites expressions of number of years and am passionate about interest, with details of relevant I am Alison, the new academic registrar. I the role of governance and the support that experience by 31st March 2019.