25 November 2017.qxp_Cover 11/21/17 6:59 PM Page 1 25 NOVEMBER 2017 £3 www.thetablet.co.uk | Est. 1840 THE TABLET 47 9 770039 883226 Free at last? James Roberts and Janice McLaughlin consider Zimbabwe’s uncertain future Julia Langdon despairs at the turmoil in Westminster • Jeremy Dauber uncovers the biblical roots of Jewish humour • Michael W. Higgins profiles the feted and derided J ustin Trudeau PLUS ADRIAN CHILES • ALEXANDRA COGHLAN • MELANIE McDONAGH • RICHARD LEONARD 02_Tablet25Nov17 Leaders.qxp_Tablet features spread 11/21/17 6:52 PM Page 2 THE INTERNATIONAL CATHOLIC WEEKLY THE TABLET FOUNDED IN 1840 EUROPEAN he mass exodus of refugees fleeing conflicts in immigrant anti-Muslim right-wing insurgent party, POLITICS the Middle East was the biggest challenge to Alternatives for Germany (AfD), also tells a story. It is the conscience of Europe for a generation. strongest in the East, ironically Mrs Merkel’s own MERKEL’S The one European leader who stood out for heartland. And the cultural history of eastern Tthe quality of her moral leadership in that crisis was Germany is quite different from the rest. After the end BRAVERY IS Angela Merkel, the Chancellor of the Federal Republic of the Second World War, West Germany underwent a of Germany. Now she is fighting for her political life – thorough process of denazification. Extreme German very largely as a result of her vision and courage. She nationalism and anti-Semitism were largely exorcised STILL UK’S knew she was taking a political risk. And millions of from the national soul. But not in the East. Under Germans also deserve credit for supporting her. The Communism, people were told that fascism was an BEST HOPE fact that Germany took the lead in such circumstances extreme product of capitalism, not of racism and when most of the rest of Europe dithered and xenophobia. Western Germany also experienced a vast demurred speaks volumes about how far Germany has influx of internal refugees, fleeing from the East. Many travelled since the end of the Second World War. of those welcoming Middle Eastern immigrants But that is not the whole story. Mrs Merkel suffered recently are the children and grandchildren of those a reverse in the recent German election mainly earlier refugees. Eastern Germany does not have that because of a populist backlash expressly against the memory. Finally, it is significant that AfD did best immigration she had allowed and encouraged. More where in the 1930s Nazism put down its deepest roots. than a million Muslims, mainly from Syria and Iraq, So the battle for the soul of Germany is not finally sought refuge in Germany. The process brought with won. Mrs Merkel’s mainstream opponents, on being it problems both real and imagined. It is notable that invited to join a grand coalition, have conducted the some of the areas where the right-wing backlash has negotiations in search of party advantage. They see been most vociferous are not those with the highest her weakened, and have pressed the dagger in further. proportion of immigrants. It seems that those who Germany and Europe itself still need the leadership of have actually experienced a significant influx of someone who seeks the entire common good of the foreigners are more tolerant than those who merely Continent. That still includes Great Britain. Angela fear them at a distance. Negative stereotypes usually Merkel has been the United Kingdom’s most start to fade when those who hold them are faced with important ally as it travels through the long dark the reality of other people’s lives. tunnel of the Brexit negotiations, and her presence is The geographical spread of support for the anti- the best hope that there might be light at the end of it. TRANSLATING ust grin and bear it” is not a rubric that Divine Worship (CDW), the change in canon law does THE MASS appears in the currently authorised not allow bishops to interfere with translations translation of the Mass into English. already authorised. But guidance from the Roman Maybe it should. It sums up the outcome Curia to the bishops can always be challenged, and AN “J of a discussion at the latest meeting of the even rejected. Pope Francis could have been appealed Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, in the to directly, and a review of the version the bishops OPPORTUNITY light of a change in canon law giving them more themselves had commissioned and approved be authority over liturgical translations. But not enough commissioned immediately, to make it ready for use. MISSED authority, they have decided, to dispose of a seriously The bishops of England and Wales are well aware of flawed translation and replace it with a very much the unpopularity of the current translation, and of its better one – or even to allow that alternative flaws, as Archbishop Smith was candid enough to translation to be used beside the current one. concede. It includes many crude attempts to find Pope Francis’ motu proprio Magnum Principium literal equivalents in English to the official Latin text. was hailed – and recognised as such by Archbishop Some English-speaking Catholics may have become Peter Smith at the press conference at which the inured to its poor, exclusive language, and the bishops bishops’ decision was announced – as part of his may be counting on them to accept the status quo. programme of reform intended to return to diocesan They are mindful too that new missals cost money. bishops and hence to episcopal conferences their Yet England is the motherland of the English jurisdiction over such matters as the translation of the language. English Catholic bishops have missed the liturgy best suited to their territories. Under the chance to show the way forward to the other 10 previous system, translations had been imposed by nations where the Mass is usually said in English. Rome irrespective of the wishes of the bishops. That Before deciding to “grin and bear it” they could at least was wrong in principle, theologically unsound, and have consulted the others, including the bishops of contrary to the intentions of the Second Vatican New Zealand, who have already indicated they are Council. But the bishops of England and Wales, and of considering reviving the translation the Vatican every other English-speaking part of the Catholic buried. It is quite possible that bishops in other Church, felt they had no choice but to knuckle under English-speaking countries too will not take the when in 2010 Rome issued the English text of the CDW’s “guidance” lying down. Might we one day Roman Missal now in use, despite the fact that they witness the sight of the Catholics of England – who had previously agreed to a superior translation. have included Chaucer, Shakespeare, Pope, Newman, According to guidance – which the bishops said Hopkins, Chesterton, Tolkien, Waugh and Greene – they were “grateful” for – from the Congregation for being reluctantly dragged along behind? 2 | THE TABLET | 25 NOVEMBER 2017 03_Tablet25Nov17 Contents.qxp_Tablet features spread 11/21/17 6:49 PM Page 3 May Morris’ ‘Honeysuckle’ 22 wallpaper, at the William Morris Gallery, London Canadian prime minister 12 Justin Trudeau - more than just his father’s son COLUMNS CONTENTS B O O K S / PAG E 1 8 David Chater 25 NOVEMBER 2017 //VOL 271 NO. 9227 On Form MIKE BREARLEY FEATURES Brian Morton 4 / The humiliation of Mugabe Pale Rider: The dramatic events in Zimbabwe this week reminded our assistant editor The Spanish Flu Melanie of the role of the Church in resisting injustice / BY JAMES ROBERTS of 1918 and How it McDonagh’s Changed the World Notebook 5 / He could have been a hero… LAURA SPINNEY ‘As with all good A Maryknoll religious sister, who has lived and worked in Zimbabwe for more satires, Swift’s than three decades, remains hopeful for the future / BY JANICE MCLAUGHLIN Philip Crispin essay makes Larkinland 6 / Nightmare on Downing Street JONATHAN TULLOCH you consider A purposeless and enfeebled government faces political challenges things afresh’ / 7 of unprecedented scale / BY JULIA LANGDON 8 / It’s a funny old testament Persecution, cultural assimilation and diaspora have been grist to Jewish humour through the generations – but its roots go back to the Bible / BY JEREMY DAUBER 12 / Father and son A R T S / PAG E 2 0 Justin Trudeau, Canada’s media-savvy, politically astute leader, finds himself Richard Leonard more feted on the world stage than he is at home / BY MICHAEL W. HIGGINS Music ‘Christ our king is The Sixteen not found among ALEXANDRA COGHLAN earthly wealth and splendour’ / 10 Theatre Network; Quiz MARK LAWSON NEWS Radio A Burnt-Out Case REGULARS 23 / The Church in the World / News briefing D.J. TAYLOR From the Archive 14 24 / Prioritise the people, warn Zimbabwe bishops Exhibition Puzzles 14 26 / View from Rome May Morris Letters 16 27 / News from Britain and Ireland / News briefing LAURA GASCOIGNE The Living Spirit 17 Cinema Extra Time 30 28 / ‘No going back’ to the 1998 Missal Battle of the Sexes Glimpses of Eden 30 COVER PHOTO: PA/NURPHOTO/SIPA USA, BELAL KHALED ANTHONY QUINN 25 NOVEMBER 2017 | THE TABLET | 3 04-07_Tablet25Nov17 Roberts Langdon.qxp_Tablet features spread 11/21/17 5:13 PM Page 10 FEATURES / Zimbabwe in crisis PHOTO: PA/REUTERS, PHILIMON BULAWAYO as immune to self-contradiction as Mugabe, his loss of all status in Zanu-PF must have been a shattering blow, as his rambling appearance on ZTV on Sunday evening showed. He would, he assured his audience, who had been expecting to hear him announce his decision to resign, still preside over the party congress in December.