*NEW* STATIONS OF THE RESURRECTION
HOPE BEYOND TRAGEDY:
STATIONS OF THE RESURRECTION
The photographs below are the near-finished images of a series of 20 new paintings produced through 20 months of near isolation during the Covid 19 pandemic. They were first shown in Guildford Cathedral 7th April to 2nd May 2022 and I hope to continue to tour them afterwards, as a memorial to all who were affected by the pandemic. They are due to be published for Easter 2024, when they will be displayed in Leicester Cathedral (more details later)
For so many months the news around the world had been so negative that I realised I needed to work on creating something that would raise both my own spirits and those of others, when we would eventually be able to meet, exhibit work and visit churches again. The initial series comprised 20 panels, following the narrative sequence of the Resurrection stories in the Gospels from Christ's Resurrection morning through to the Ascension and Pentecost. There are inevitable variations in the possible order, as few of the details in the different Gospel accounts agree, for a variety of possible reasons, discussed in my Daily Easter to Pentecost Meditations. I have now expanded the number of paintings to 26, to include both the traditional Roman Catholic themes and the additional subjects included in the Anglican liturgy published in 'Times and Seasons'.
The series is intended to commemorate all who died or have been affected in any way by the pandemic. They are especially dedicated to my friend and mentor Revd. Alan Elkins who died of cancer earlier this year.
There must have been a sense of confusion mystery, mystification and questioning in the minds who received news of Jesus' Resurrection, and those who witnessed events which convinced them that their friend and leader had returned to life. I have tried to convey the variations of such feelings in the expressions and gestures of the various individual characters, as well as the sense of joy among those who became convinced that the Resurrection was real. The physicality of the figures and their individual personalities are also intended to suggest the evidence that Jesus' Resurrection was felt by his followers to be a physically real experience, not just a mental vision in the minds of his followers. Different events in the weeks following the death of Jesus of Nazareth, somehow changed the lives and outlook of so many who had ben influenced by him in ways that led to the development of the Christian community. The whole process of studying, designing and working on the paintings and the writings that accompany them has been a significant journey for me. It is my hope that contemplating the recorded events in the light of these visual metaphors for whatever truly happened might help others to reconsider the Resurrection story and its relevance to them.
As I worked on the project, it felt to me to be the most important subject that an artist could tackle, but also one of the hardest, since I find joyful paintings much more difficult that painful ones. It is too easy to make happy religious paintings seem naïve or simplistic, whereas the reality of the theology and possible meanings behind the subjects are intensely complex. Considering the Resurrection and its implications offers the possibility of reaching out in hope and trust during this time of uncertainty, vulnerability and suffering for many.
The works are accompanied by a series of short written meditations exploring the theme. I have also produced a longer commentary on the subject, which can be found in the Easter to Pentecost Daily Meditations page [Click Link Words]. Below the picture here you will find three short essays on the development of the Stations and how they might be used for contemplation.
If anywhere would like to host this exhibition for a period, please contact me:
[email protected]
STATIONS OF THE RESURRECTION
The photographs below are the near-finished images of a series of 20 new paintings produced through 20 months of near isolation during the Covid 19 pandemic. They were first shown in Guildford Cathedral 7th April to 2nd May 2022 and I hope to continue to tour them afterwards, as a memorial to all who were affected by the pandemic. They are due to be published for Easter 2024, when they will be displayed in Leicester Cathedral (more details later)
For so many months the news around the world had been so negative that I realised I needed to work on creating something that would raise both my own spirits and those of others, when we would eventually be able to meet, exhibit work and visit churches again. The initial series comprised 20 panels, following the narrative sequence of the Resurrection stories in the Gospels from Christ's Resurrection morning through to the Ascension and Pentecost. There are inevitable variations in the possible order, as few of the details in the different Gospel accounts agree, for a variety of possible reasons, discussed in my Daily Easter to Pentecost Meditations. I have now expanded the number of paintings to 26, to include both the traditional Roman Catholic themes and the additional subjects included in the Anglican liturgy published in 'Times and Seasons'.
The series is intended to commemorate all who died or have been affected in any way by the pandemic. They are especially dedicated to my friend and mentor Revd. Alan Elkins who died of cancer earlier this year.
There must have been a sense of confusion mystery, mystification and questioning in the minds who received news of Jesus' Resurrection, and those who witnessed events which convinced them that their friend and leader had returned to life. I have tried to convey the variations of such feelings in the expressions and gestures of the various individual characters, as well as the sense of joy among those who became convinced that the Resurrection was real. The physicality of the figures and their individual personalities are also intended to suggest the evidence that Jesus' Resurrection was felt by his followers to be a physically real experience, not just a mental vision in the minds of his followers. Different events in the weeks following the death of Jesus of Nazareth, somehow changed the lives and outlook of so many who had ben influenced by him in ways that led to the development of the Christian community. The whole process of studying, designing and working on the paintings and the writings that accompany them has been a significant journey for me. It is my hope that contemplating the recorded events in the light of these visual metaphors for whatever truly happened might help others to reconsider the Resurrection story and its relevance to them.
As I worked on the project, it felt to me to be the most important subject that an artist could tackle, but also one of the hardest, since I find joyful paintings much more difficult that painful ones. It is too easy to make happy religious paintings seem naïve or simplistic, whereas the reality of the theology and possible meanings behind the subjects are intensely complex. Considering the Resurrection and its implications offers the possibility of reaching out in hope and trust during this time of uncertainty, vulnerability and suffering for many.
The works are accompanied by a series of short written meditations exploring the theme. I have also produced a longer commentary on the subject, which can be found in the Easter to Pentecost Daily Meditations page [Click Link Words]. Below the picture here you will find three short essays on the development of the Stations and how they might be used for contemplation.
If anywhere would like to host this exhibition for a period, please contact me:
[email protected]
This book will be published in January 2024 and contains copies of all the pictures in this series, with texts by the Bishop of Chelmsford and sonnets by Malcolm Guite. For link to the publication, click below.
chbookshop.hymnsam.co.uk/books/9781781404539/stations-of-the-resurrection
The New Testament gospel writers record nineteen resurrection appearances, from the first encounter with Mary Magdalene on Easter morning to Paul’s life-changing experience on the Damascus road. Stations of the Resurrection offers reflections on each of these episodes from the bestselling poet Malcolm Guite and the much admired writer and bishop, Guli Francis-Dehqani, accompanied by colour illustrations from the priest-artist Iain McKillop. Bishop Guli draws on her first hand knowledge of Middle Eastern culture to explore these stories and Malcolm Guite offers a sonnet in response to each of them – many published here for the first time - with reflections on the texts that inspired them. This imaginative and inspirational resource also includes the complete Stations of the Resurrection liturgies from Common Worship Times and Seasons that commemorate each of the nineteen events, allowing the book to be used for both personal devotional use and liturgical celebration.
chbookshop.hymnsam.co.uk/books/9781781404539/stations-of-the-resurrection
chbookshop.hymnsam.co.uk/books/9781781404539/stations-of-the-resurrection
The New Testament gospel writers record nineteen resurrection appearances, from the first encounter with Mary Magdalene on Easter morning to Paul’s life-changing experience on the Damascus road. Stations of the Resurrection offers reflections on each of these episodes from the bestselling poet Malcolm Guite and the much admired writer and bishop, Guli Francis-Dehqani, accompanied by colour illustrations from the priest-artist Iain McKillop. Bishop Guli draws on her first hand knowledge of Middle Eastern culture to explore these stories and Malcolm Guite offers a sonnet in response to each of them – many published here for the first time - with reflections on the texts that inspired them. This imaginative and inspirational resource also includes the complete Stations of the Resurrection liturgies from Common Worship Times and Seasons that commemorate each of the nineteen events, allowing the book to be used for both personal devotional use and liturgical celebration.
chbookshop.hymnsam.co.uk/books/9781781404539/stations-of-the-resurrection
THE TRADITION OF RESURRECTION STATIONS
AS A DEVOTIONAL PRACTICE - Iain McKillop
The term ‘station’ derives from military sentry duty. In the early church it may have initially been used in connection with the practice of Christians keeping vigil by martyrs’ tombs. It developed into a devotional tradition of taking time to stop and contemplate the spiritual significance of a certain place and aspects of faith represented there, especially contemplating the experience of Christ’s passion. Following Stations of the Cross as an ancient tradition in the early Church; Stations of the Resurrection are a fairly modern development, expanding upon this. However, series of images of the resurrection story date back to early Church murals and sequences can be found in illustrated mediaeval manuscripts, works by Duccio, Giotto and Fra Angelico and many subsequent series of images of the Life of Christ.
We do not know exactly when the practice of walking stations of Jesus’ passion or ‘The Way of the Cross’ began. Archaeological evidence in Palestine shows that early devotion developed in sites associated with Christ’s life and death as early as the 2nd Century and possibly before. Christian pilgrimage to Jerusalem increased after the Church of the Holy Sepulchre was erected in 335 C.E. in the reign of the Emperor Constantine, at the site where Jesus’ tomb was believed to have been. Several early pilgrims to the Holy Land like the Pilgrim of Bordeaux (the earliest surviving written account), Sylvia, or Egeria (4th Century C.E.) and William Wey (5th Century) mention following processional routes in Jerusalem, especially as Friday and Holy Week devotions. As details within these descriptions vary and Jerusalem’s streets have altered over centuries, these routes and sites probably differ from the Via Dolorosa followed today.
For many Christians the process of taking a meditative journey through Christ’s experience of passion is a meaningful spiritual exercise. By the 5th Century, for believers unable to journey to Jerusalem, European religious centres began to set up replicas of the pilgrim’s stopping-points on the Way of the Cross. Liturgical words, devotional texts and images developed, to enhance prayerful meditation, imagination and contemplation of the benefits achieved through Jesus’ self-offering. Often these incorporated a short scriptural reading, a brief commentary, a prayer, perhaps a hymn or poetic verse and a response such as that adapted from St. Francis: ‘Adoramus Te...’: “We adore you O Christ and we bless you for by your Holy Cross you have redeemed the world.”
Contemplating the Way of the Cross as a devotional practice, particularly during the Lenten penitential season, expanded between the 12th and 14th Centuries. It was encouraged by Bernard of Clairvaux, Francis of Assisi, St. Dominic, Bonaventure of Bagnoregio and the German mystic Henry Suso. Franciscans were given official responsibility for holy sites in Israel and promoting Stations of the Cross elsewhere. The Stations tradition grew in European churches in the 15th and 16th Centuries, when access to the Holy Land was blocked by the Turkish administration and Christian pilgrimage discouraged. In the Low Countries, especially during the 16th Century, many devotional books were published with devotional prayers for stations of Christ’s passion and engraved illustrations.
By the 17th Century Stations of the Cross were a feature of most Catholic churches. As the practice developed, between 7 and 37 stations were used, occasionally more. The 14 subjects for Stations of the Cross that have become traditional were regulated by Pope Clement XII in 1731. Other subjects from the biblical story have been included since the mid-20th Century, while certain scenes not found in the scriptural narrative have been omitted. Pope John Paul II devised ‘The Scriptural Way of the Cross’ in 1991, based only on biblical scenes. This was formally approved by the Roman Catholic Church in 2007.
The traditional Stations of the Cross ended with the entombment of Jesus’ body and did not include his Resurrection. In the late 20th Century it became more common to add an image of the Resurrection as Stations 15, to give a focus of hope at the end of the poignant, penitential spiritual journey through Christ’s passion. A Salesian priest in Rome, Fr. Sabino Palumbieri, promoted the theology of developing an official series of Resurrection Stations. He claimed that Stations of the Cross can limit believers’ understanding of salvation to what Christ achieved through suffering. He argued in his book ‘Give Me a Firm Footing’ [1999] that the Resurrection story, needs to be given equal emphasis to explain the reason for Christian hope and joy. Palumbieri convinced the Roman Catholic Church to adopt ‘The Way of Light’ (‘Via Lucis’) to complement ‘The Way of the Cross’ (‘Via Crucis’). Due to his enthusiastic promotion, ‘The Way of Light’ developed as a contemplative and devotional practice in the Roman Catholic Church during the Easter season - the fifty days from Easter to Pentecost. This devotional exercise was first blessed on Easter Sunday 1994, at Becchi, Turin, the birthplace of Saint John Bocso, founder of the Salesian Order. For this the sculptor Giovanni Dragoni created the first series of images.
Palumbieri told the Resurrection story through the following 14 ‘Way of Light’ stations:
1. Jesus rises from the dead [Matt.28:5-6].
2. Women find the empty tomb [Matt.28:1-6].
3. The risen Lord appears to Mary Magdalene [Jn.20:16].
4. Mary Magdalene proclaims the resurrection to the apostles [Jn. 20:18].
5. The risen Lord appears on the road to Emmaus [Lk.24:13-27].
6. The risen Lord is recognized in the breaking of the bread [Lk.24:28-32].
7. The risen Lord appears to the disciples in Jerusalem [Lk.24:36-39].
8. The risen Lord gives the disciples the power to forgive [John 20:22-23].
9. The risen Lord strengthens the faith of Thomas [John 20:24-29].
10. The risen Lord commissions Peter to "Feed my sheep" [John 21:15-17].
11. The risen Lord sends the disciples into the whole world [Matt.28:16-20].
12. The risen Lord ascends into heaven [Acts 1:9-11].
13. Jesus’ disciples wait in prayer with Mary in the Upper Room [Acts 1:12-14].
14. The risen Lord sends the Holy Spirit at Pentecost [Acts 2:2-4].
It is difficult to arrange Jesus’ resurrection appearances in the four Gospels into a clearly unified chronology. The Gospel accounts differ and details sometimes vary significantly since the writers presumably compiled their narratives from varied sources. For example, was Mary Magdalene alone in the first meeting with Jesus [Jn.20:14] or with a group of other women when Jesus first appeared [Matt.28:9]? Luke places all the encounters in Jerusalem or on the road to Emmaus, while in other Gospel accounts Jesus first appears to the disciples in Galilee. The discrepancies do not worry me; they suggest that the Gospels contain collected memories, stories and impressions circulating in the early Church. Too much editorial harmonisation might be suspicious. The basic agreement that Jesus reappeared convinced many early converts to believe in Christ’s resurrection. These early Christians should not be considered naïve, many like Paul and Nicodemus were intelligent religious leaders, so one cannot imagine them following an invented faith. Their beliefs were severely challenged and often, as with St. Paul, their lives were under threat. The resurrection narratives in the Gospels and Paul’s evidence contain convictions that enthused and emboldened early believers to spread their faith. Such assurance and determination is sometimes diluted in the post-Enlightenment modern Church, which is one reason why it is so important for Christians today to consider the significance of Jesus’ resurrection to contemporary belief.
It is my hope that journeying through the subjects of these stations may encourage people to think-through and recognise the importance of the Resurrection to Christian faith. Painting the scenes has challenged my own beliefs and deepened my consideration of the evidence for Christ’s Resurrection. Many today find it hard to believe in miracles, God, Christ and the spiritual world. But if even only a few of the miracles among the Resurrection narratives were true, the implications of this great mysterious event should be considered thoughtfully.
,
Unlike the 14 traditional Stations of the Cross, from the inception of the idea of Stations of the Resurrection, the Roman Catholic Church did not stipulate the number of subjects. As a result several variations of The Way of Light have developed since the 1990s, though the 14 themes above have become common. Several Protestant churches recognised the value of such stations and adopted or adapted the idea. In 2006 the Anglican Communion included Stations of the Resurrection in its Liturgical book Common Worship: Times and Seasons for Easter.
Rather than 14 Stations, 19 were selected for Times and Seasons. Its variant scenes offer a different narrative sequence, suggesting a slightly theological, pastoral and ecclesiological emphasis to the Roman Catholic series. Some are not easy to represent visually. They include the Earthquake, and more scenes that emphasise Jesus’ promise of the Spirit, including the same verses twice as Stations 9 & 10. Some of its exclusions may seem surprising: Mary Magdalene finds the empty tomb but her first meeting with the Risen Christ (one of the most poignant scenes in religious art), is not included. Presumably she is intended to be represented by the scene of Jesus meeting the other women witnesses. The addition of the Conversion of Saul as the last Station is an unusual way of ending the sequence. It implies that St. Paul’s meeting with the risen Christ after his ascension, described in 1Cor.15:8 and Acts 9:3-8, was a physical manifestation of the risen Saviour rather than a visionary encounter. Its inclusion, however, helps to remind us that Jesus’ ministry continued beyond Pentecost in Jerusalem to spread throughout the Gentile world through inspired teachers like Paul. He and the disciples laid the foundations of the apostolic church which includes all Christians. We are encouraged to follow Paul’s example to help others beyond our own circles to develop a relationship with God through Christ.
My choice of subjects for a set of Resurrection Stations combined the Catholic and the Anglican themes. The resurrection narratives in the four Gospels contain about 42 potential scenes. From these I initially selected 18 subjects that I considered embraced the whole story, as meaningfully, chronologically and visually as possible. I wanted to communicate more than a story. These appearances were considered by multiple witnesses as convincing evidence of the reality of Jesus’ return. I hoped to convey the idea that Christ’s resurrection was a theological and somehow physical reality, despite all the supernatural mystery within it. I initially omitted details like the earthquake and the angel from Matthew’s account, with which the Anglican stations begin, which is similar to the scene in the apocryphal Gospel of Peter. I replaced it with an image of Jesus appearing from the tomb into the light. ‘Jesus discussing the future of the Beloved Disciple with Peter [Jn.21.20-23] was omitted, as it is hard to convey its theological significance visually. I combined the Anglican 8th 9th and 10th stations into one as they basically represent the same scene. They were doubtless chosen to be interpreted with varied emphases, but it is difficult to convey visually such subtle variations in meaning. I added 2 larger Resurrection and Pentecost paintings as introductions and conclusions to the series [‘Introit; and ‘Postlude’] to encourage viewers to prepare spiritually for the journey and end with reflection on the Spirit’s presence in our lives. I have now expanded my initial selection with 6 further paintings, so the complete series of 26 images now contains all the themes in the Anglican and Roman Catholic stations.
CONTEMPLATING STATIONS OF THE RESURRECTION - Iain McKillop
Over nearly 40 years I have used drawing and painting as ways of thinking-through the meaning and relevance of scripture. The process often takes a long time, allowing me to consider a variety of dimensions within the subjects. These Stations of the Resurrection involved three years of studying commentaries and theological writings, including re-exploring and reconsidering what I personally believe about the spiritual mysteries and hope offered by Christ’s resurrection. The thought-process included writing a series of 50 meditative commentaries on Jesus’ Resurrection appearances for my church congregation and my website, for each day of the Easter season.
Painting is a useful contemplative exercise: After reading, prayerfully considering and imagining my reaction if I was present within the biblical scenes, I fill many sketchbooks with potential figures, gestures and alternative compositions rather like a film director considering various camera angles onto a scene. Months of work on paintings, allows new ideas and potential meanings to develop. In the process I often alter poses, expressions, gestures, scrape out figures, faces or whole compositions to try to capture and communicate meaning as thoughts expand. The creative process is rather like a form of Lectio Divina, using sketchbooks, paint, study, meditation, contemplation and prayer.
Painting these stations became a way of exploring and considering the evidence for my Christian faith and its relevance and application to life. Many years ago, among my first biblical paintings were a crucifixion ‘The Cry of Dereliction” and ‘Resurrection: The Cry of Victory’, in memory of the struggle with cancer of my close friend, the Christian writer Kathy Keay. Through them I considered her suffering and my trust in life beyond death, both for her and for the world. Decades later, these Stations of the Resurrection have been painted while another close friend was dying of cancer: my wise, trusted mentor, Revd. Alan Elkins, who prepared me for ordination and helped to guide my future ministry. Being painted during the Covid 19 pandemic, the panels also became a meditation on the ordeal of so many worldwide who were suffering, dying, or experiencing grief. As I painted, studied and re-thought the meaning and theology behind the resurrection narratives, I was reconsidering Christian trust in the promise of life in a dimension beyond death and the relevance of such hope to myself and to many situations of vulnerability and loss.
I had previously painted several series of Stations of the Cross, contemplating what Christ achieved through the mystery of his passion. During the Covid pandemic lock-down, I wanted to focusing on a project that might positively raise both my own and others’ sense of trust, hope and faith, while surrounded by tragedy. Resurrection Stations seemed the perfect theme, though they proved to be among the most difficult subjects I have ever tackled. Since the retirement of Dr. Rowan Williams as Archbishop of Canterbury, I had wanted to paint a substantial and significant subject in personal gratitude for the inspiration and encouragement I had gained through his ministry, guided retreats and writings. In the Resurrection Stations I found such a theme and as well as dedicating these paintings to him I more personally dedicate them to the memory of my mentor Alan, his family, and all who suffered in any way during the Covid pandemic.
I do not consider that religious images should merely illustrate biblical stories. I hope they can be catalysts to encourage faith and guide viewers to explore their content, meaning and relevance in ways that might help to enrich them spiritually. In the case of both Stations of the Cross and Stations of the Resurrection one hopes that the meditative experience of those who use the works might lead to devotion and a deeper, active relationship with God through an appreciation of Christ’s achievement. As with meditating on scripture, we contemplate such images to try to enrich our feeling for, and understanding of what Jesus’ ministry, self-offering and promises mean for us and for our world. These subjects deal with a theme that is a profound mystery. We will never fully understand how Christ’s death and resurrection achieved salvation, or the full potential of what they promise. The Christian faith contains much that is mysterious and sometimes unfathomable, yet meditating on stations may enable us to focus on particular aspects of the passion and resurrection narratives and apply them to ourselves in ways that aid our appreciation and our relationship with God.
The process of using Stations of the Resurrection is different from following Stations of the Cross. Scenes of Christ’s passion encourage consideration of the physical, emotional and spiritual suffering that Christ may have endured through his willingness to achieve the salvation of humankind. We can never understand precisely what was going through Jesus’ mind during his passion, even though the ‘seven last words from the cross’ may guide our insight. Yet we may imagine ourselves within the watching crowd and empathise with him. We may imagine some of his pain: the strain, the weight of the cross, the agony from the flaying and piercing wounds, exhaustion, confusion. We might sense Jesus’ sorrow for those for whom he was suffering, the abuse hurled at him and the sadness of those who loved him. We may consider his prayerful determination to endure such suffering because he accepted, as expressed in his time of prayer in Gethsemane, that this was the only way to complete and achieve God’s plan of salvation. We may recognise Christ’s love for the world, and God’s love reaching through him as he prayed, watched the crowd and poured out his life.
Having created, thought-through and used Stations of the Resurrection, I regard their aims as rather different, since they encourage different intellectual and spiritual responses. It is hard to imagine what may have been happening in the mind of the risen Christ, because his resurrected nature is such a mystery. One might sense his joy and triumph at coming through death, being restored to life, experiencing light after darkness, and feeling the fulfilment of having achieved salvation for the world. One might imagine his love for to those who witnessed his resurrected life and how he reached out to heal their grief and embrace them in their confusion. The meetings with his mother, Mary Magdalene, Peter and Thomas feel particularly poignant. However, in considering the resurrection appearances of Jesus, our primary empathies and connections become with the experiences and thoughts of the witnesses. We may imagine their confusion, disbelief, how they might have tested to prove the reality of his reappearance, discussed their experiences and responded. Jesus’ closest circle had suffered intense grief at the loss of one who they sincerely loved and regarded as a son, intimate friend, healer, teacher, guide, leader, master, Lord – one they had hoped was the saviour of their nation. As his known followers, they must have feared persecution when they initially hid behind locked doors. Bewilderment at reported sightings of him and actual encounters with him must have furthered confusion. What had happened? People do not return from death, and he had certainly died: Roman soldiers knew how to kill and ensure that their victims were truly dead. Jesus’ followers had seen his corpse ravaged by flailing and crucifixion. Yet now their experiences convinced them that he was fully alive. The Gospel accounts describe the resurrected Christ as physical, not a ghost, delusion, hallucination or vision created from their imaginations or wishful-thinking. He travelled to meet with them in various places, ate with them, touched them, reassured, taught and commissioned them for future mission.
I have approached painting the stations by imagining the experiences and thoughts of the witnesses. They help provide convincing evidence that the Christian faith in resurrection is rooted in truth. Yet Stations of the Resurrection also present a mystery: they cannot explain exactly what the witnesses saw, what happened to Jesus, or describe his resurrected nature. These pictures are intended as reminders of the scenes, to help us consider the evidences for the events and their implications. Images can make such scenes seem too tangible and literal. I recognise that the gestures often seem over-dramatic, in an attempt to convey meaning. I paint in an expressive realist style but try to avoid over- emotionalism, romanticism or naïveté. We must remember that religious images are just metaphors. Jesus didn’t look like this; the scenes wouldn’t have been as illustrated. The pictures are intended to remind us of the witnesses’ reports, to stimulate our spiritual imaginations and prompt reflection on the evidence for the resurrection. A station encourages us to make our own response to the event or theme represented, to expand our thoughts by reaching beyond the depiction to contemplate its meaning and relevance to our beliefs.
Unlike Stations of the Cross, journeying through Stations of the Resurrection, need not necessarily be a consecutive journey through the story. The Gospels contain varied scenes of the resurrection, which cannot always be harmonised chronologically, and there are several discrepancies among them. Yet something of enormous significance must have happened which gave convincing evidence of Jesus’ physical reappearance. The conviction that he was alive built confidence among Jesus’ followers, strengthening them to persuasively attract many more to follow Christ.
The following are some of the aims which I considered in creating the Stations of the Resurrection for practical use:
- To consider and celebrate the implications of Christ’s Resurrection. Ascension and Pentecost.
- To journey through the stories of Christ’s Resurrection appearances alongside his followers, and imagine what they witnessed.
- To consider the evidence within the gospels and in our own lives that Christ is alive.
- To clarify what we believe about this evidence, while recognising that much about the resurrection is mysterious.
- To confirm and strengthen our faith and trust in God through assessing and consolidating our understanding of the evidence for Jesus’ resurrection.
- To help build in us a convincing apologetic for our faith.
- To explore what Christ’s resurrection might mean for the believer.
- To strengthen believers’ personal assurance and confidence in the benefits and promises of the resurrection for us and others.
- To dispel fear of death through trust in the promises of our personal resurrection.
- To help us consider what it means to follow, by trust, a risen & ascended Christ and a God one cannot see.
- To help believers consider how the Holy Spirit moves, guides, strengthens and gifts us in our daily lives.
- To send us out with enthusiasm and confidence to share the good news of the benefits promised by Christ to help enhance others’ lives and faith.
USING STATIONS OF THE RESURRECTION - Iain McKillop
How churches and individual Christians use and understand the stations will of course vary according to our theology, practice and interpretation of Christ’s resurrection. It is always useful to spend time reconsidering such key aspects of Christian belief from different perspectives, since we will never fully fathom them. They are mysteries that benefit from regular exploration: We can never say “I understand this thoroughly.” In selecting the subjects for Stations of the Resurrection and designing them there are several important aspects that as an artist, theologian and priest I wanted to try to emphasise:
- There is a something in Jesus’ resurrection, which isn’t fantasy, wishful thinking or a romantic ideal, even though we cannot fathom many of its mysteries. Christians should think-through their faith in this increasingly sceptical world. We need to promote a reasoned defence for our beliefs to encourage a growth in faith. Christ’s resurrection should not be merely dismissed as implausible or consigned to being regarded as just a ‘theological reality’, whatever people interpret that vague phrase to mean. Nor should we ever claim that it cannot possibly have been physical: It is a mystery, though the biblical evidence, and the experience of believers since, suggests that the risen Jesus, as perceived by the witnesses, was not a ghost, a figment of the imagination or a mental image. Something happened in the experiences of witnesses, which convinced them that Christ was still present with them. Something similar is real in the experiences of many Christians today, though our experience of the divine presence in our lives is usually more transcendental than physically tangible.
- Christian doctrine claims that somehow God was working in Christ’s resurrection to consolidate the gift of salvation and advance the development of God’s Kingdom. Jesus’ teaching, activities, passion and resurrection are all involved in the process of assuring humankind of the reality of a restored relationship with God.
- The resurrection of Jesus provides believers with evidence to suggest that there is a dimension of existence beyond death. It helps to assure believers of our future security, and reassures us that death need not be feared.
- Belief that Christ is still alive, active in a dimension beyond ours and present with us through the Holy Spirit further helps us to believe that God can be trusted in the present, as well as for whatever the future might bring.
- Christ’s resurrection is not just a series of stories in scripture: Christians believe that it has significant applications for us today. Considering the resurrection can help to reinforce the spiritual bond between the believer and God, consolidating a relationship of love and trust.
Despite two millennia of theology, we have even less understanding of what actually happened than did those who witnessed whatever Jesus’ resurrected state was. We cannot know the nature of his risen body, or what exactly occurred at his resurrection, ascension or Pentecost. But the Gospel accounts of encounters with the risen Christ and Christian experience since are evidence, which convinces many thinking people that there is truth within the story of the resurrection. The more I explored the scenes through study, meditation, painting and writing about what I have come to believe, the more meaningful the scenes have become to me and the clearer they convince me that there is truth in my faith. In some ways, Stations of the Resurrection are a visual apologetic, seeking to confirm belief that Christ’s resurrection, though mysterious, is rooted in truth. Christians vary in the ways they understand details of their faith, especially in their interpretation of Christ’s nature, his resurrection and future life in a dimension beyond this. Whatever occurred inspired confidence, determination and power, transforming Jesus’ frightened followers into people with conviction to go out into the sometimes hostile world and give their lives to promote belief in the benefits Christ offers.
Walking a large number of stations often allows only a brief focus on each scene in a devotional service. Even the traditional 14 Stations of the Cross are too large a number to focus upon meaningfully or substantially in one liturgy. The Way of the Cross forms a meditative poignant journey through Christ’s Passion considering how salvation was achieved. Following The Way of Light is a different journey. As it encourages us to considering the relevance of events and witnesses who met their risen Lord over several weeks, it is not necessary to complete the whole series in one liturgical progression. It may be more valuable and faith-strengthening to select and concentrate upon one or two resurrection appearances at a time, to focus thought, prayers, trusting faith and thanksgiving upon what each piece of evidence suggests. As some of the scenes are the lectionary texts for Eastertide, reflections on them could be used according to the lectionary calendar. If not following the Resurrection Stations as part of a progressive liturgy, it may be useful to consider them individually through a process of meditation and contemplation rather like Lectio Divina. Lectio encourages us to initially pray, then read or look intensely, to explore the meaning of the passage or scene, before consolidating it into ourselves through prayer. Practically, one might consider each station through a meditative process similar to the following:
- Pray sincerely for the scene to speak to you.
- Read the scripture passage.
- Read the passage again slowly and thoughtfully to recognise if anything in it stands out particularly for you.
- Explore the details of the picture. Does anything in it enhance or offer a new or varied perspective on the passage?
- Consider other possible content within the event depicted:
- What was happening in this scene?
- What might the various figures involved have been thinking?
- What convinced them that Christ was real, alive and present with them?
- What did that mean for them?
- What evidence for the resurrection is contained within this story?
- What was its significance to those who recorded this in scripture? What did they intend us to believe through their words?
- What does this say to you; does it convince you of anything particular concerning Christ’s resurrection?
- Is there a particular meaning or truth contained within this for you in your faith, discipleship and situation or does it change you or your thoughts in any way?
- Is this saying anything to specific situations or the world around us?
- In silence let the ideas that you have been considering sink into you.
- Following the application of our cerebral thoughts, it is useful to silently pray that the spiritual truths we have considered might become real for us and enhance our lives. Pray that the meaning might become truly significant for you to help strengthen your belief, enhance your Christian discipleship and consolidate your relationship with God and others.
I offer this as a thought-process for using the stations. It is how I personally approached the subjects and find that it helps and speaks to me. It encourages one to think-through the experiences of those who the Bible claims witnessed these mysterious events and consider their personal relevance and potential meaning for our world.
The stations’ journey through the experiences of so many witnesses may help to strengthen our conviction that these stories contain truths that can justify, sustain and empower our Christian faith. What believers understand Jesus’ resurrection to have been may vary, but something significant happened to convince not just the witnesses described in scripture, but millions of Christ’s followers since, that his life, powers, teachings and mission remain active, accessible and relevant to us today.