THEOLOGICAL MEDITATIONS DURING THE 2020 COVID PANDEMIC
The following written meditations were among the many that I wrote for the daily thoughts to be published on my church website during the pandemic, though not all were published. As well as painting for hours on my new series of ‘Stations of the Resurrection’ I was writing down the pastoral and theological considerations that came to mind each day as I remembered and prayed for the congregation in social isolation.
DECEMBER MEDITATIONS
These are daily meditations for Advent, Christmas and Epiphany and can be found on the 'ADVENT MEDITATIONS 2020' on this website.
NOVEMBER MEDITATIONS
FAITH EXPLORED THROUGH IMAGINATION Iain McKillop
The human imagination has been important throughout the development of spirituality and the Christian faith. We cannot see or touch God or prove most spiritual things that believers consider to be realities. The imagery and symbolism in the Tabernacle in the Wilderness and Temple, the Psalms, Prophets, Wisdom and Apocryphal literature and Christ’s Parables, provide metaphorical ways of reaching into the mysteries of God. Theology since Richard Hooker (died 1600) has maintained that we find God through Scripture, Reason, Tradition and Experience. Yet we are capable of thoughts far beyond the limits of our knowledge. Faith is based on trust not empirical proofs: “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things unseen” [Heb.11:1]. Yet in imagining God we must be careful not to form false ideas or spiritual untruths as some unorthodox beliefs and artworks have done over millennia.
Christians have not ‘invented God’, as sceptical critics sometimes suggest. Rather we are using human faculties to relate to a spiritual reality in which we trust. Our faculties of ‘intuition’, ‘inner perception’ and ‘imagination’ are not easily measured or tested. Yet in faith, trust in these often becomes stronger than reason and experience in developing a fulfilled relationship with God. Faith is not governed by intellect, though none of us should believe naïvely. Intuition, insight and imagination are more like ‘God’s Spirit witnessing to our spirit that something is true’ [Rom.8:16]. Traditionally some Christians have been wary of imagination and intuition, as flights of fancy have often misdirected the Church into idolatry, false beliefs, the quest for novelties or invented legends [Eph.4:14; 1Cor.12:2; 2Cor.11:3; 2Thes.2:l1; 2Tim.4:3].
Scripture warns against idolatry of any kins, making many Christians wary of visual representations of faith [Ex.20:4; Deut.4:16-25; Ps.106:19; Isa.40:19; 1Cor.8:4 etc.]. John Chrysostom (347-407) recognised that God is beyond our understanding: “Let us evoke God as inexpressible, incomprehensible and unknowable. Let us affirm that he surpasses all power of human speech, that he eludes the grasp of every mortal intelligence, that the angels cannot penetrate him, that the cherubim cannot fully understand him. For he is invisible to the principalities and powers, the virtues and all creatures. Only the Son and the Holy Spirit know him.” [Treatise on the Incomprehensibility of God]. Martin Luther warned: “the trust and faith of the heart alone make both God and an idol. If your faith and your trust are right, then your God is the true God. On the other hand, if your trust is false and wrong, then you have not the true God.” [The Book of Concord. Transl. T.G Tappert 1949 Philadelphia: Fortress Press, p.364]. Thomas Merton similarly wrote: “We should live as if we are seeing God face to face, but we should not conceive an image of God. On the contrary, it is a matter of adoring him as invisible and infinitely beyond our comprehension and realizing him in all.” [Hidden Ground of Love p.63-64]
Yet human beings were created with the faculty of imagination as a positive gift for promoting human advance. Imagination helped to develop the Christian Faith, even if it sometimes led down false or heretical paths. Several major Christian doctrines developed through applying imagination. The concepts of ‘Trinity’, ‘Christ’s divinity’, ‘the priesthood of all believers’, ‘justification’ ‘ and Salvation’ all developed from imaginative interpretation of scripture. Imaginative imagery in great literature, art and music has expanded our spiritual sensitivity and insight. Creative liturgies and artworks help people reach deeper into faith. I believe that our imagination is as necessary as reasoning in awakening and expanding faith. Practical faith needs to keep updating and applying Christ’s teachings to the contemporary world. We do not necessarily need to ape contemporary styles and forms of communication; the best traditions often still resonate. Our imaginations and lateral thinking can devise missional ways of communicating the reality and presence of God to our contemporaries.
Though trained with degrees in Art History and Fine Art, I came from a Christian Brethren background where the Bible was supposedly the foundation for all belief and many were suspicious of the visual or the intuitive. I was shocked when, during theological training, the Bible came alive to me visually. Immersion in scripture inspired sketch-books-full of images, which I found also conveyed aspects of faith to others. Nearly 40 years later my imagination still opens scripture and enriches my relationship with God.
This has been true of art over centuries: Mediaeval and Renaissance artists often brought scripture alive by setting biblical figures in the dress of their own times and environment as have Stanley Spencer to Roger Wagner more recently. Artists like Mantegna and Piero della Francesca attempted to recreate the classical past. Holman Hunt, James Tissot, David Roberts and Henry Ossawa Tanner travelled to Palestine to paint scriptural subjects with topographical, historical and cultural accuracy, aiming to convince sceptical, late C19th society about biblical truth. I personally give my figures relatively non-descript clothes and settings to suggest the biblical past while trying to show that the emotions and beliefs are relevant today. Others try to convey the numinous more abstractly. Different minds find varieties of ways to explore and express their faith and experience.
It is dangerous to try to squeeze too much meaning into one artwork. A picture is not a doctrinal statement, treatise or sermon; it is a metaphor to convey ideas in different ways from words. Religious images are not the reality, just reminders of biblical passages or themes, asking the viewer to reflect or meditate upon the ideas or feelings within. A critic once said that to truly understand a picture, one must take at least as much time considering it as the artist took in creating it. That’s not necessarily true, but one should certainly think about a work of art in context and spend time exploring its detail and potential meaning. You can read a picture in a similar process to Lectio Divina, but always consider what it meant when first created, before considering its meaning to you. In my role as an Art Historian who researches the context of art deeply. I must admit that I am sometimes frustrated by the inaccuracies and naivety in some Christian writers who pontificate on the meanings in paintings without much background knowledge or research. Their interpretations can be as erroneous as commentating on scripture without considering its context.
Painting a picture takes a long time. My altarpiece for the Lady Chapel of Gloucester Cathedral took three years of contemplative prayer and painting. A set of Stations of the Cross or my recent Resurrection Stations take me 2-3 years. Working on a painting for months is an intense form of meditation, thinking thoroughly the subject, meaning and relevance of the theme. Ideas change as pictures develop. The creative process is also similar to Lectio Divina: I pray, read, fill pages of sketchbooks with notes, ideas, compositional variations, possible figure poses and gestures. Like a film director or choreographer I imagine the scene from different angles and under different lighting and atmospheres, to develop a composition that conveys maximum meaning and feeling. The master at this is Rembrandt; he chose exactly the right point of a narrative and the best light effects and poses to convey spiritual meaning subtly (e.g. Joseph confronted by Potiphar’s Wife, The Supper at Emmaus, Return of the Prodigal Son or his painting and etching of Abraham’s Sacrifice of Isaac.)
Even well-planned paintings often change drastically during the painting process as my thoughts develop. Over months the scenes and characters gradually come to life. A slip of the brush can alter an expression, gesture or focus my mind on new potential meanings to follow. The slightest expression in an eye, mouth, angle of an arm, hand or finger can change the sense of what a figure is doing or thinking. An invented face might remind me of someone, and help me consider the character I am producing. I paint on panel to more easily scrape out and make multiple alterations. I regard my paintings far more as meditations through which to explore and convey truths, than illustrations of biblical scenes.
The process of interpreting my faith through painting helps me consider my relationship with God more intimately. I am not just exploring what scenes may have looked like historically: images are only metaphors. The painting process primarily involves living with the subjects for months and finding how they speak to me and the contemporary world. The more I have lived with, studied, and think through my work, the more complex I realise that faith is. Art can become a catalyst for exploring its meaning. The best art opens us up and sensitises us to considering realities that we might not be able to explain tangibly by logic or reason.
In my paintings I am not an illustrator, commentator, preacher or propagandist. Propagandist art can sometimes be unsubtle and insensitive, and in some art of the Reformation, Counter-Reformation and Communist Revolutions. I want to create images that help others discover truths for themselves when they meditate upon the image or theme, as I have done in creating the paintings. I would like to communicate something of what I have discovered, but it is more important that the viewer engages their own ideas and imagination. I would love to help people to find a relationship with God and explore truths that bring them spiritually alive, and I hope that sometimes my art might be a catalyst for this. But my main aim is to create an image that enhances the viewer’s visual and spiritual sensitivity. Engaging, imaginative imagery can encourage viewers to find their own spiritual and visual responses.
Emile Zola wrote that ‘art is reality explored and conveyed through the senses.’ Sensitivity is a key to conveying meaning and encouraging response. I try to understand the thoughts, responses and relationships of the figures I am painting. Think of Abraham’s facial expression in Rembrandt’s painting ‘The Sacrifice of Isaac’. Only in four of my own works (‘The Return of the Prodigal Son’, ‘The Gloucester Cathedral Lady Chapel Altarpiece’ ‘The Reconciliation of Peter’ and my recent ‘Resurrection Altarpiece’), do I consider that I have I so far communicated with sufficient sensitivity, but I’ll never approach Rembrandt’s mastery!
Christian works of art are not spiritual realities in themselves. They are catalysts through which a viewer may gain insights into spiritual truths. Orthodox Christian theology regards icons as containing historic spiritual realities: they are visual representations of spiritual truths, ‘visual theology’, though not those truths themselves. I, like many Christian artists try to create metaphors for spiritual reality, vehicles through which viewers may consider the truth within the stories, figures and ideas that I represent. It is fairly straightforward to imagine and depict Jesus’ human suffering in paintings of Christ’s Passion. Painting joyful images is far harder; they can seem simplistic or naïve. My most recent Resurrection Stations are the hardest images with which I have ever struggled. How can one depict the mystery of the Resurrection, Christ’s resurrection form and the hope that the Resurrection offers, let alone the joy of Pentecost? I am creating metaphors for really complex ‘mysteries’. Yet the words of the theologian Helen Oppenheim encourage me: “We are not trying to pronounce about what God can or cannot be, but about how God can be found in our world… God’s people have the hopeful responsibility of being the presence, the ‘findability’ of God upon earth… Our diversity should enable God to be found in all areas of life in our world… The word multi-faceted comes to mind. The Church may be a prism breaking up the white-light of God’s dazzling majesty.” [Helen Oppenheim, Theology 93 1990 p.133-141).
I hope that my paintings can be ‘facets of truth to shine for a few people’. Artists, and all creative people, as well as preachers, minsters and congregations have the responsibility to use whatever gifts, experiences and spiritualities they have to shine light and colour into the world that may help others recognise aspects of God’s truth.
TRUTHS IN CHRISTIAN ART? Iain McKillop
As someone who has been studying, practising art and writing about art and art-history for decades, I should easily write about ‘Christian Art’ but the theme is as diverse as the arts themselves. Christian art can have several definitions: any art produced by Christians, art with a specifically biblical or religious theme, art created with a Christian worldview or principles. Some art on Christian themes but produced by someone who does not believe might not be considered ‘Christian Art’. Francis Bacon and Picasso’s Crucifixions might be examples. Equally art constructed on dodgy doctrine, or by an artist with a less than perfect Christian life might be dubious: Caravaggio and Stanley Spencer come to mind, but their art can be moving spiritually. All believers are meant to be witnesses to their faith. Yet Christians artists in any medium do not need to produce art specifically based on faith; they may witness through other aspects of their lives. The arts, artists and Christians are so diverse, so different people to come to different conclusions as to what they create. Just because I personally spend much time painting specific meditations on my faith does not mean that I expect other Christian artists to do so. Nor would I consider someone who produces art based on religious subjects to be a better Christian or a better Christian artist than one whose art uses secular themes. Most of my Christians friends working in the arts produce secular work; very few work with themes influenced directly by faith.
I remember as a student exploring such topics, sitting at the feet of the wise Dutch Christian art-historian and theorist Hans Rookmaaker. One of our group asked: “Professor, what should we be painting as Christian artists?” He took a few thoughtful sucks on his pipe and responded gently: “You’ve come to me, ‘the great professor’ to consider what Christian artists should create.. Of course, I’ve thought over this for years, and I think know what I might be creating if I were an artist. BUT I’M NOT GOING TO TELL YOU!... YOU are the artists; you need to find what YOU should be creating.” That was the wisest advice and guidance to give. Rookmaaker wrote a significant essay “Art Needs no Justification” in which he reiterated his belief that in the arts Christians don’t need to specifically reference their faith; it is enough to create good ‘art’. Does a Christian surgeon stitch up a cut with crosses, or a Christian refuse collector work out the Christian theory of collecting bins? Both are as necessary as art, perhaps more so in their contribution to society. Would one expect a Christian comic to tell just religious jokes? If so, their material might be very limited, even boring!
Part of the mandate of being human is to use the materials of the earth creatively, even sometimes extravagantly or expansively, though as responsible stewards, developing the resources of our minds as well as using our materials wisely. We might want to advance society by creating works to inspire or challenge. I try to do that. But sometimes it is enough just to delight, entertain or create something relaxing: Matisse considered that a painting should be to a viewer “like a good armchair’! Neither does Christian art need to be a great profound statement; some of the best and most moving art is as small and humble as God’s creation of the violet, the butterfly wing, or pollen under the microscope: Consider how Fabritius’ painting ‘The Goldfinch’, e.e. cummings’ poem ‘somewhere i have never travelled’, about love opening him up like a rose, or a Chopin Etude can awaken our senses and enhance our sensitivity! Those aren’t Christian works yet they elevate the soul.
A primarily value of art is to communicate through the senses. Experiencing a work of art is not to be confused with true ‘spirituality’ as Christians mean the term, which opens us to communication with the spiritual dimension in our relationship with God. A visit to a gallery, play, poetry recital or concert is a ‘sensuous’, not a ‘spiritual’ experience. However, works of great religious art like Fra Angelico’s San Marco frescoes, Bach’s St. Matthew Passion or George Herbert’s poem ‘Love bade me welcome’, can use the senses to open us to spiritual truth. On a much less competent level, that is what I strive towards in my own art.
One might expect a Christian to be producing art that exhibits certain qualities: I don’t believe that we should waste the earth’s resources, deliberately insult, create false religious propaganda, damage or desecrate the environment, devalue human beings or any creature through what we produce. The Christian graphic designer Philip Miles encouraged keeping to the principles of the Advertising Standards Authority – ‘Legal’, Decent’ ‘Honest’, ‘Truthful’ but added to the list ‘Holy’, since we have spiritual as well as ethical standards to maintain, especially in today’s challenging world. However, sometimes a Christian artist might feel inspired to challenge normal boundaries to make people think. The committedly Christian artist Georges Rouault’s paintings of prostitutes, atrocities of war and representations of suffering society were condemned by his Christian friends and mentors as indecent and ugly, yet he sought to honestly represent inner truths about the human condition. Messaen’s music often challenges the ear, yet it is charged with emotive religious content and meaning. Gerard Manley Hopkins’ or William Blake’s poetry was once considered worthless, clumsy or naïve by some Christians, including Hopkins’ Jesuit masters, yet we recognise now that both contain profound insights. Modern art principles have shown that art does not need to be beautiful to inspire. In fact many conventionally beautiful works are shallow, and many ‘ugly’ works are can be expressive in ways that challenge us to think of their application: Compare our response to a Raphael Crucifixion and Grunewald’s Isenheim Altarpiece. Both are equally great works of art, but the latter moves one to a more profound spiritual response.
For years I have been trying to write a book exploring the varieties of ideas about ways of using art in prayer, which have been developed in world culture. I am particularly fascinated by: the concept of praying through the imagery of icons; the Dominican theological teaching that influenced Fra Angelico; Carmelite contemplative prayer that inspired the writings of Francisco de Osuna, John of the Cross and Teresa of Avila or Luther and Calvin’s consideration of the value of the arts to inspire faith, despite their recognition of the danger of distracting from the true focus of faith and worship. The Council of Trent and later papal encyclicals encouraged artists to use the power of art to inspire devotion and promote faith, but the ways this could be interpreted were as diverse as Guido Reni, Caravaggio, Graham Sutherland, Eric Gill, David Jones and Christopher Fry. Pietism influenced the emotion in Rembrandt, who is for me the most moving exponent of Christian art. All these demonstrate the diversity of ways in which faith can be enhanced and elevated by works of art. Sometimes it is enough for just the artist to create as part of their private reflection; sometimes we design to uplift others.
The problem of all prayer, devotion and religious art can be where we place our focus. No prayer, worship or contemplation is entirely ‘true’ unless it focuses on God “in Spirit and in truth” (Jn.4:24). In private or public worship one’s focus may be distracted by an artwork, music or activity. We may be distracted from true worship by the surroundings or atmosphere, the charisma of the president, beauty or discomfort in the liturgy, characters in the choir or congregation. Any or all of these can contribute to corporate or individual worship, or turn our worship idolatrously away from God. It is also easy to place too much emphasis on our own feelings or our personal relationship with Christ, rather than focusing our worship towards the wholeness of God, to which Christ opens us.
The human mind, soul and spirit are complex. Some of the most creative discoveries have come through lateral thinking. God’s truths usually communcate through our peripheral senses more than by direct communication. I am often moved by a phrase or idea in a sermon which the preacher did not intend to communicate. Similarly we may pick up atmosphere, feeling or a minor detail in a work of art, which may speak more profoundly than the most well-crafted intention of the artist. One of the main values of studying the arts is the way that they can enhance lateral thinking. Recently I have been studying the foreground plants of Piero della Francesca’s Baptism and Nativity in the National Gallery, and the fruit in Mantegna’s San Zeno Altarpiece. Realising that each symbolically represents an aspect of ‘salvation’ expanded my own appreciation of the meaning of what Christ achieved.
Some of the best Christian art subtly ‘alludes’ to meaning, rather than confronting the viewer dogmatically. Art that promotes Christian thought or devotion is rarely direct or propagandist. The Reformation and Counter-Reformation initially tried to use art as propaganda but found that more subtle art communicated faith more profoundly. Putting a biblical text or Cross on a picture, poster or card does not make it a vehicle for profound religious communication or evangelism. It often trivialises both the image and the text, and can seem naïve.
In recent years several religious writers and preachers have turned to reflecting on works of art to communicate faith. Their interpretations are sometimes good, but to those who truly know their art-history many feel naïve, simplistic, contrived or false. Interpreters too often impose their own predetermined ideas on works, rather than seeking to understand their true context. Sincere preachers would not interpret a Bible text out of context (though many preachers still do!), so we should not do the same with artworks. Of course when we look at, read or experience a work of art we are almost always experiencing it out of the original context in which it was created, especially in works displayed in galleries rather than in the churches or private devotional settings. To truly understand a work it is usually valuable to consider where, when, for whom and why it was painted. The disfigurement of Christ on the Cross in Grunewald’s Isenheim Altarpiece, for example, conveys completely different meanings when one recognises that it was created for a chapel of a monastic infirmary where patients were treated for Ergotism, a condition which caused severe nerve agony, internal cramps and physical distortions like those reflected in the distorted body of Christ. The work stops seeming physically ugly and suggests Christ’s intense empathy and identification with suffering humanity: He too experienced pain like the Isenheim patients and us.
Some of the best art about faith, which evokes contemplation and devotion, touches the context in which we live. During the recent Corona 19 pandemic I painted a large series of panels depicting Christ’s Resurrection appearances. It might have seemed more appropriate to paint Jesus’ Passion but the daily news was tragic enough; we did not need more tragedy. Even Grunewald’s Isenheim masterpiece includes a dynamic Resurrection image and other panels and sculptures, which relate to God’s ability to bring healing.
A key to creating the best Christian art is to have something valuable to say and to find contemporary forms that communicate. Too often contemporary artists just want to express themselves, to be innovative and novel for their own sake, to draw attention or push themselves forward, not elevate those who experience their work. The best art considers the audience and their possible response, has a subject worth communicating, a style that communicates, and promotes values designed to enhance the life, environment or thoughts of the viewer. Christian art is not about just representing a subject of faith, and particularly not about ‘preaching’. It represents the truth of human spiritual experience in ways that communicate faith as it really is, with its mysteries, challenges, subtleties, incomprehensibilities and wonders.
REMEMBRANCE - A SPIRITUAL LEGACY OF LIFE AND WAR Iain McKillop
Remembrance is a key feature of Christianity as it was of the Hebrew religion. Many of our liturgies call us to remember key points in the history of salvation. The seasons of the Church year, like the liturgical seasons of the Jewish calendar, encourage us to consider significant events, people or themes that are at the root of our faith and culture. The Eucharist is probably our most important service of remembrance, recalling regularly the magnitude of what Christ achieved for us. In it we also remember that we are one in the Body of Christ: “Whenever two or three are gathered in my name, there I am in the midst of them” []. |Remembrance can unite us.
Remembrance also encourages us not to be proud. We remember our sins and failings, asking forgiveness for them. Remembering can be a source of healing, not just a cause of regret or grief. If we remember times when we have failed we are meant to do something about them, not just try to cover them up or move on. Some try to justify their wrong deeds by pretending that they were intentional right actions in a larger and greater plan. (We’ve see that in government proclamations and U-turns during the Covid crisis.)
Recollections of the centenary of the burial of the Unknown Warrior this year have been poignant. They remind us that it is not just ‘heroes’ who have died in war, and plenty of other disasters, but millions of unknown, often innocent individuals. In memorable lines the poet Steve Turner wrote: “History repeats itself: Has to!,,, No one listens!”
In the decades after the Second World War you might have thought that a spiritual legacy of war was pride in winning, not shame that we had ever needed to go to war in the first place. Films and documentaries celebrated war-leaders, heroes and heroic events. With time and historic research, some figures and events have proved rather different from the propaganda then circulated. That is true of every war. We can be thankful that people cared enough for the freedom and safety of others to offer their lives to protect good and to fight evil. In our own communities we are thankful for those remembered on our war-memorials, not necessarily that they ‘gave their lives’: that was tragedy, but that they lived in the first place and contributed for a time to the world by being alive. In one of the churches where I served my curacy, we were grateful for our connection with Barnes Wallace, with his mind for technical innovations that helped end the war. But amid our pride in the creativity which supported the dam busters we also remembered with sadness the lives lost on all sides in air raids on all nations. Remembrance is about taking pride in what is good and learning from the past, resolving not to revive the bad. A documentary reminded me of the horrific tragedy in Coventry during the Blitz, but we had done similarly to decimate Munich shortly before, and Wurzburg and Dresden.
Gradually, in the late 20the Century, maybe under the influence of conscience, growing understanding of our universal responsibilities, the nuclear disarmament, anti-Vietnam protests and human rights movements, the legacy of war became regarded more as one of shame. Shame recognises the innocents killed. People recognise how shaming are the atrocities done to others, the despoiling of nations, cities and artefacts. In many cases nations should be ashamed also where all avenues to peace were not properly attempted before war was declared and so many died. We now know that atrocities of war and the holocaust were being covered up by those with knowledge, even at times by the Church. War can bring the best out of some, but the worst out of others. Propaganda is not always for the people’s good.
Yet some causes of pride remain, particularly the ways that comrades and communities supported one another through danger, deprivation and grief. The spirit of people bringing cheer to one another in a grey world seemed to outweigh the selfishness of profiteers in arms, black-market goods and looting. The self-centred attitude of much of today’s society contrasts to the community spirit engendered under suffering. We have seen a revival of some of that wartime spirit of community responsibility for others during the Covid 19 crisis, which is SO encouraging. People in recent years have lived more isolated from neighbours, humour has become more cynical and sardonic than cheering; self-advancement, money and cheap fame have become more important than helping one’s neighbour. The welfare state and world aid were such a cause for pride as society rebuilt after the Second World War. But it stopped some from realising that they still retained as much responsibility for their neighbours. We are suffering from that now with the polarising of wealth in today’s Britain, where some are rolling in money while others struggle on shrinking benefits, below-minimum-wage employment or zero-hours contracts. I heard a couple complaining on Money-Box on the radio yesterday that they couldn’t survive on their joint wage. It was £69,000! What were they spending their money on, while others are neglecting themselves to afford to give their food to their children?!
Perhaps the greatest legacy of the war was the declaration of just war principles, in an attempt to dissuade nations from too quick declaration of hostilities. “Blessed are the peacemakers!” But that revolutionary move towards attempting world peace does not seem to be considered, and has even been ridiculed by certain presidents in recent years. Nations increasingly ignore the United Nations and attempts at peacemaking and reconciliation are often neglected or disparaged. Britain, America and Russia seem to value selling armaments far more than working to prevent the need for their use. We should be thoroughly ashamed of lack of intervention in the Yemen, the Palestinian conflict, Saudi Arabia, several African conflicts, etc., especially when we do so for our own dodgy national political alliances or financial gain. Nations do not remain neutral by their silence or by inadequate protest; they actually contribute to and encourage the continuation and escalation of aggression. It is the same with the culture of bullying or abuse: if it is covered up, legally those who do not speak out can be as culpable as the actual bully or abuser.
War is never a cause for pride; we should be ashamed that human beings still need to posture over power. Land and rights, and fight to kill rather than negotiate peaceful resolutions of differences. We are meant to care for all. One of the important legacies of the world wars was the recognition that so much in our world is interconnected. Political, social or financial pressures in one area of the world cause tensions elsewhere. World communication and trade have advanced so far that all nations are far more interconnected even than when Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated in Sarajevo or Hitler invaded Poland. This gives all the more reason for thinking of our global responsibilities. Peace and welfare and the valuing of all are essential if we are to prevent wars and help the whole earth to flourish.
Great ideals went into establishing the United Nations, World Health, Human Rights and World Trade organisations. It is not right that super-powers or lesser powers consider themselves above international agreements, able to ignore human rights declarations, defy the accumulates will of the majority in the world or, for self-centred ends, or veto proposals of those who seek peace. Neither Guantalamo Bay nor British, Russian or American arms-support of terror regimes (legal or illegal) in the world are acceptable. The legacy of thinking globally is more important. Neither does ‘globalism’ mean primarily making a global market for our goods; it means that we have responsibilities towards all those with whom we trade and those with whom we do not. We are meant to be responsible stewards of all in the world. “Who is my neighbour?” Christ shows in the Parable of the Good Samaritan that the neighbour for whom I have a responsibility is the one who I regard as a stranger, even an enemy, as much as my friend, compatriot or the one with whom I share faith.
REMEMBERING ALL SAINTS Iain McKillop
All Saints-tide is a tremendous time for remembering and demonstrating what should be our unity as the Body of Christ – both the unity of the present Church and our unity with the saints in glory, those who have lived and died and struggles with and celebrated faith before us. It also shames us slightly in that Christians are often so divided among ourselves, but also over what we do about saints. I remember in my Evangelical past thinking the remembrance of saints as ‘cultic’ and a definitely dodgy practice. But thankfully my theology broadened and became wiser. What would the Church be like if we didn’t have any saints? Many of them are our models for faith, doctrinal understanding and Christian practice. If I hadn’t met a few people who were trying to live like saints in my life I wouldn’t be here now, as someone who believes and wants to try to live righteously myself.
On the funny side, we wouldn’t have so many peculiar names; to think… who on earth would call their child that?...St Alphege, St Ciwa, St Eulogius, St. Gandalf of Binasco (I wonder if that is where Tolkein got the name from?), St. Slemun the Weeper.. .All those are real saints! Nor would we have such a variety of names by which to call our churches... We’d all be called Christchurch, Holy Trinity, or something like that.
On a bright side, we also wouldn’t have the big argument that has been going on between some Protestants and some Catholics for years about whether we should involve the saints in our prayers. Some churches don’t dare mention saints at all, just in case they stray into idolatry or heresy. How sad!
I felt similarly once, until a close friend remarked that the saints are like ‘our family’. What would we lack if we didn’t have saints. First, we wouldn’t have the same wealth of examples to follow for our Christian lives. We’d just have to follow Jesus, which IS a great idea. Wouldn’t the Church be wonderful if we all kept close to Jesus’ teaching and lived as much like him as possible, holy, totally servant-like, other-people orientated. But unfortunately the state of the Church worldwide shows that we don’t do that sufficiently! It is the very few saintly people around who give hope that the Church might change for the future through their influence.
The saints set us wonderful extra examples to follow. We see in them real people who often struggled like us to apply Christ’s teaching to their world and live out Jesus’ example in their lives. The more you read about the saints the more you also uncover their eccentricities and peculiarities. Who in their right mind would sit on a pillar in the desert for nearly 70 years like Simon Stylites? St Paul with his drive for the truth must have been a real trial to live around. - St Augustine of Hippo even more, with his hang-ups about his past, his controlling mother St Monica, his guilt over his sexuality and his cleverness with intellectual rhetoric.
In fact, St Paul and St. Augustine probably had as many irritating habits as we do! The oddities of some saints shows there is hope for all of us! Yet the church may never have grown so strong without those two amazing power-houses of spiritual thought working out the foundations of Christian doctrine. Even more Christian saints over the centuries have re-thought those doctrines for the changing world in which they lived, so that we can be secure that the Christian message withstands all the test of time.
How less rich the worship of the Church would be without the poetry and hymns of Ephrem the Syrian one of the first great hymn writers, Charles Wesley, Isaac Watts, the Russian composers of the great Kontakion hymns, the poetry of George Herbert and Thomas Traherne. How much less courageous and active on world issues would we be without the examples of Dietrich Bonhoeffer or the peace initiatives in our time of Desmond Tutu encouraging us to challenge today’s wrong powers and false influences?
How much less caring for the world and the environment might we be without the example of St Francis’s love of creation or his ministry to the sick the poor and the leper, shared by St. Clare. How much less might we preach the good news without the example of St Dominic, St Francis, John Wesley, John Newton, George Whitfield, Martin Lloyd Jones, Billy Graham, John Stott. The list of examples that the Saints give to us is almost as endless as the great company of saints, described in Revelation as ‘a vast throng, which no one could count, from all races and tribes, nations and languages, standing before the throne and the lamb..’ [Rev.7:9].
Another sadness that occurs if we discount saints is the dissolution of such a sense of mystery or majesty in the Church. Imagine that wonderful vision of Revelation 7 - an innumerable throng around God’s throne from all races, drawn from millennia of human history. They are ‘the Church Triumphant’, worshipping in heaven, while we ‘the Church Militant’, the Church active on earth are called to follow their example and to spread Christ’s Good News throughout the world in our generation. We don’t just join our praises with theirs as we worship together.. We are called to build on their foundations and their example to build the Kingdom of God here and now. We don’t just wait for Christ’s reign to be fulfilled in heaven. The saints show us how we can build effectively now.
The contemporary Church has largely stopped calling itself ‘The Church Militant’. This may be partly because we are ashamed of the horrors of our ‘military’ religious past, with crusades, papal and Protestant armies trying to expand power and put down dissent, the glorification of war,, etc. But that shouldn’t stop us being holily ‘militant’, active, missional Christians. The very existence of the company of heaven encourages us to join them as trainee saints, their ‘apprentices’. Wherever we live and work, we are, as Paul says.. “called to be saints” [ICor.1:2]; called to allow God’s Spirit to work in us to make us holy, and called apart for the service of God. We know from the way some letters told the early churches off for unsaintly behaviour, that many were far from perfect, but in addressing them as saints Paul was emphasising what God has called us to be.
In some mysterious way we may not yet recognise, we ARE made saints already by Christ’s redemptive power, though I guess we are all (or we should be) VERY aware of our failings and inadequacies. Yet our membership of the company of saints isn’t to be questioned. It is to be humbly acknowledged and lived out. That gives us quite an incentive to live up to the holiness and activity which God expects of us.
The saints in their redeemed and holy state, enjoying worshipping God in the presence of glory, can be a huge incentive to us to become thrilled by the mysteries of heaven and to join our praises, our prayers and our work with theirs. We don’t just worship in our individual churches alone. Every time we worship we are united with all the churches on earth and with all the saints in heaven, as the Body of Christ, sharing in his identity and his salvation. That’s quite an incentive to enjoy and put meaning into our worship!
But MUCH greater than all these is the truth that because we are assured that saints live in glory we can be assured of Christ’s promise that Resurrection from death awaits us and awaits those who we have lost and loved. Christ rose from death and has promised that where he is we will be also. Redeemed by Christ and brought to life by his Spirit, we will join that great visions of heaven in the Book of Revelation. The glory of God awaits us after death. The existence of saints adds to this assurance that we need not fear death, because Christ is with us and after this life is over we will be with him where he is [Jn.14:3].
“Seeing that we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us throw off every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith…” [Heb.12:1-2]. We are not alone in trying to live as good Christians in today’s world. We are linked to generations who have gone before us, who have worked out how to live as Christians in their time. To grow towards sainthood we need to encourage believers to grow in faith and maturity, with good examples all around her.
“Saint” means someone who is called to be holy, set apart by God for holy service, and commissioned to serve God in their lives. As we say in the baptism service, saints are called to “shine as lights in the world”, for Christ & for the good of the world. That’s what we were all commissioned for at our baptism. We are meant to set ourselves apart for holy, righteous living and to follow the life and teachings of Christ. Ultimately a saint is one who follows as closely as possible the example and teaching of Christ and applies Jesus’ teaching to their own times, showing our world Christ’s way of truth.
The saints in heaven lived like that (or have been forgiven for not living like that!) and have received the reward of everlasting life, enjoying the presence of God. We celebrate their memory remembering that God has called us to share the same resurrection life with them.
OCTOBER MEDITATIONS
REMEMBERING ALL SOULS Iain McKillop
All Souls commemoration is a time to support each other and to remember loved ones who we have lost, surrounded by the love of God and in the light of that great promise of resurrection given by Jesus. It isn’t an easy time for any who have endured significant and intimate losses. We each feel with different forms of grief, have different ways of remembering and different levels of belief about the future. Even for those with the deepest faith, loss can bring questions, doubts as well as longings. Most people, even the most committed Christians have times of struggle to know what to believe about God’s promise of life after death.
We shouldn’t worry about our questions: One of my favourite verses in the Gospels comes
from a man who, in praying for his desperately ill son, cried out to Jesus “I believe, help my unbelief.” And Jesus supported him. The God in whom I believe is characterised by love and understanding. God knows our confused feeling well, not just because he knows us, but also because Jesus experienced such confusion in his own Passion, and also in the grief of losing his friend Lazarus [Jn.11:35-36].
Those of us who believe, are sometimes called to carry faith for those who are struggling. That’s partly what we offer in our funeral services, All Souls and remembrance services. Grief and remembering can be such confusing emotional states to go through. None of us experience loss in the same way. On minute you may be just sad, then full of happy memories, then empty or lonely, then relieved our loved one isn’t suffering. Sometimes feeling panic, then comforted, then feeling guilty, occasionally feeling angry with our loved one for leaving us, then feeling loved and warmed by their love and happy memories of the past. We shouldn’t be worried about any of this. We know it’s all natural, an outworking of pain and of our love, yet it’s confusing. The more complex our relationship with the one who’s gone, the more confusing our emotions may be. The more we’ve loved someone,
the more confused our emotions can be.
The fact that we can feel like this is wonderful and beautiful. Grief is a sign of love and it is part of the intricate, beautiful complexity of human beings and human relationships.
The more I have shared in people’s grief, the more I have often grows to love them. Charles Dickens wrote in Great Expectations: "Heaven knows, we should never be ashamed of our tears, for they are rain upon the blinding dust of earth overlying our hearts. I was better after I cried… more sorry, more aware of my ingratitude, more gentle...”
All Souls tide and any funeral or remembrance service is a chance for all of us to stand together, to offer mutual support, recognising the complexity in each of us. Some may be newly bereaved, some further in the past. Time may not always have softened or resolved our loss, since we all take different time over grief. But remembering those we love and expressing our love for them in a service and beyond can bring us warmth. We can fill our sense of hollowness with happy memories, remembering with thanks those who have brought blessings to our lives. Deepening our sense of gratitude that that person was in our life can be healing. The ones we love would want us to be healed as much as they want us to remember with love.
All Souls Day and All Saints Day are festivals to emphasise. Christ taught that death is not the end - that existence continues in some way the presence of God who, as the Book of Revelation reminds us ‘can wipe away every tear from our eyes’ [Rev.21:4]. That is NOT saying that tears are wrong in ANY way… They are a loving way of releasing our emotion. Those who mourn need to be comforted [Matt.5:4]; it would be wrong to try to ‘pull ourselves together’ and carry on unmoved. I dislike the use of that poem sometimes requested at funerals with the line “death is nothing at all”. Henry Scott-Holland [1847 – 1918], a priest at St. Paul's Cathedral, wrote the lines as part of a sermon "Death the King of Terrors" which he preached in 1910, while the body of King Edward VII was lying in state at Westminster. In that context the meaning wasn’t so crass. But in the context of the grief of a family or friends it can feel insensitive. Loss is a strong feeling, the person has gone from us; we definitely do not feel that they have ‘only slipped away into the next room room… nothing has happened’, as the poem’s words suggest.
The Book of Revelation states that with God there will be no more death; mourning, crying and pain will be healed and that God’s promises renewal through Jesus [Rev.21:3-4]. None of us knows what existence beyond death is like, but we are assured by the teaching of Jesus, the only person who, Christians believe, during his life really did know what happens beyond death, that death in the arms of God, is not to be feared; it is a place of safety, a place to receive God’s love.
But to be comforted by that and find healing in knowing that, can be a long process. No one should tell you how best to find such healing, Each of us grieve differently and God brigs healing to us in different ways. We shouldn’t expect anyone to heal in the way we have. Yet we are part of each other’s lives to support each other and stand with each other in this healing process. None of us are meant to go through grief alone. God designed us as communal beings, to be supported by God, and at the same time to support each other. We can remind each other that the love of God is with our loved ones and with us.
In their funeral services we entrusted those we love into the most caring arms in the universe - our God of love and care, forgiveness and healing. After the joys and struggles of life, they and we can know peace, in union with the God of total love. It’s harder in a way for those of us who are left: We have to find assurance and peace in the midst of loss. I am assured that we can trust God, even by asking God to help us where we find belief hard. He is part of us and understands our longings. The hollow in us where our loved one has been can be filled not just with our memories, but also with knowing that God has promised to care for them and for us.
Remember the happy times, remember the blessings those who you loved brought to you, remember the things they did for you and that you did for them. Remember their eccentricities with love, and try to forgive the pains they caused you at times, as they would forgive the pains you caused them, Remember how they helped to form the person that you are. Those thoughts can leaves us positive not empty. Those you remember are still part of you and leave precious memories to hold onto.
But also let God support you in your grief. Being assured that one we love is safe in God’s care is an enormous comfort to us. And holding on to God’s love for each of US,
can be an wonderful support. With God’s love embracing us we may still miss the one we love. But we can also feel warm and cared for: What is true of those we love is true for us. To rephrase Rev.21:3-4:
“God is with us…
He can wipe away every tear from our eyes.
Death, mourning and crying need be no more,
for God can make all things new.”
A Prayer: Loving Lord, Thank you for your promise and assurance that you are with those we love and remember. Help us in our sorrow to support one another with love and sensitivity, and to find peace and healing through your care and love. AMEN
HALLOWEEN, ALL HALLOWS, ALL SAINTS & WHAT OF EVIL SPIRITS? Iain McKillop
I don’t like Halloween, not just because it is a very strange, dodgy celebration of superstition and has associations with evil things, but equally because it has been taken over by American commercialism and made into a time of sordid money-making entertainment rather than being taken seriously. I’ve heard so many people call it ‘just a bit of harmless fun’ and consider people ‘Grinches’ who complain. I even know a church that provides a children’s celebration for the day and has kids dressing up as a form of ‘holy play’. The otherwise-sensible minister justified this as providing a way for children to enjoy themselves while keeping them safe from aspects of other celebrations, but I wasn’t convinced. Why not just keep away from it and emphasise higher things?! Some junior schools seem to make Halloween a major part of their yearly creative curriculum, almost more significant than Christmas and Easter, certainly on par with them. I saw a junior-school teacher going into work in a witches hat last week. Our local superstore also had all its employees dressed as witches and wizards, which I thought was rather tasteless. The media have been more than usually full of Halloween this year, with ghost stories and the history of ghosts on many radio programmes for two weeks beforehand. Trick and Treat is an insidious activity and can be very threatening and particularly unhealthy. I have always tried to be absent on that evening, if living in an area where children are likely to come knocking, as I will not join in. Thank goodness the Corona virus threat should curb it this year - one of the very few advantages of such an awful pandemic!
I have no idea if ghosts and malign spirits exist. Hebrew and Christian Scriptures seem to be in no doubt that there are evil powers at work in the spiritual world. But in using that imagery, was Jesus talking about them to teach through using the common understanding of his day, or are we to take his teaching about evil spirits literally. I’ve had Charismatic friends who regarded everything that was wrong with someone as ‘a spirit of unhealth, doubt or unbelief’, a spirit of rebellion’, ‘a spirit causing physical illness’ etc. I can’t believe that; it smacks more of mediaeval superstition, crusades against heretics and witch-hunts than based on Christ’s teaching about the power of God. Modern reason would seem to be against such a way of viewing the world. It is certain that many of the ancient superstitions about the influence of spirits on people’s health and events in the world would now be attributed to physical or mental illness. And ‘doubt’, rather than being evil, can actually strengthen us if we work through it. Credulity is far more dangerous for Christians than healthy doubt and reasoned questioning of faith.
I would maintain that we are far more in danger from the wrong activities of our politicians, business leaders and the machinations of worldly powers than any spiritual opposition. Scripture assures us that God is FAR more powerful than any malign force that could possibly ever be against us: “I am convinced that neither life nor death, nor angels donor rulers, nor things present nor things future, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us form the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” [Rom.8:38-39].
To concentrate the imagination on things like witchcraft, ghosts and occultic ideas is unhealthy. I am not one who condemns the imagination that has gone into books like the ‘Harry Potter’ series: I enjoyed reading them myself when they first emerged, though I found Philip Pullman’s ‘Dark Materials’ trilogy most uncomfortable, as it was so obviously trying to malign trust and faith in God. There is a difference between imaginative fantasy and unhealthy focus on things that undermine faith. I remember a student at university who became obsessed by the Wicca religion to the extent that it caused deep psychological problems. There is so much dodgy spirituality around these days, and since the 1960s many people have seemed to prefer to follow the ‘esoteric’ than traditional religions. Some speak of Christianity as superstitious nonsense, yet are willing to follow far more dubious beliefs in auras, spirit guides, dream-catchers, the power of crystals etc. Others follow superstitious religions because they enjoy the sense of mystery and personal esoteric knowledge. I guess that this is possibly one of the attractions of the esoteric mysteries within Freemasonry, alongside the social advantage that its connections give to members. Other people, who might dismiss the spiritual in religion, are perfectly happy to talk about the ‘spirituality’ of their walk in the countryside, a visit to an art-gallery or concert, or within a relationship. That is surely more to do with the ‘senses’ than related to ‘spirituality’.
Some people are very susceptible to spiritual atmospheres, children and some with mental disorders especially. Animals too seem to be particularly sensitive. In all these cases some may be more psychically aware or susceptible because they do not reason things away as a more analytical mind might do. People who pick up atmosphere are not necessarily mad, disturbed or easily fooled. There does seem to be such a thing as psychic activity, though it is probably not as widespread as some claim it to be, since there is much charlatanism in the psychic and occult field. There may well be some spiritual essence or activity in the world of which we are rarely conscious, yet to which we can become susceptible. It seems to relate to or be contained in certain places, with certain associations. Some call this ‘place memory’ or ‘trace memory’, suggesting that a place can spiritually hold a memory of events that have happened there. I have no idea whether this is true, what ghosts might be or whether they exist. Scientists are sceptical about the issue, with very little firm evidence for understanding, despite over a century and a half of careful psychic research. We certainly have aspects of brain memory that enable us to remember, imagine or even think that we see things that are not physically in our range of vision. We can also leave our influence on other people and places where we have been, but whether this is spiritual or just a feeling I am unsure.
Whether there are real ghosts, spirits, demons, etc. we cannot be certain. It is probably best to keep an open mind rather than discount, over-accept or pronounce on things about which we do not understand. We do not even know what happens to our own existence beyond death. I do, however, believe in Jesus’ assurance to us that all would be well, and that we can trust him for the future [Jn.14:1-7]. All sorts of invented theories circulate to try to explain apparently supernatural events: It has been suggested that ghosts are the spirits of people who cannot fully accept that they are dead and that requiem masses said for them can help to settle situations. Others say that, in the same way that Christians believe in the persistence of our redeemed spiritual lives in some form beyond death, uncomforted souls wander restless, which accounts for ghostly appearances. The idea of poltergeists (a German word meaning ‘noisy or mischief-ghost’) has been claimed to be energy in some way becoming transferred into objects by sensitive minds, and enabling the objects to move around. It has been suggested that this can be triggered off by tension in families or individual people, and by mental disturbance. But again there is no proof and very little evidence to corroborate such theories. I just believe that it is more healthy to keep our minds away from such things, unless of course they come to impinge on our lives or those around us, when we need to set our minds to them. Some believe in the spiritual world far more than others. The wisest approach is always to keep our minds open, yet also keep away form anything dodgy. As Einstein himself admitted: “the more we know, the more we know we do not know and need to know.”
The Church of England report “A Time to Heal” contains a section on ‘deliverance from evil’. It suggests that people who ask for exorcism rarely know much about the issues. Neither do most Christians, so Christians who are involved with such situations should always tread carefully and with the greatest wisdom and sensitivity. We should always involve experts rather than rely on our own faith. Too many emotionally traumatised or mental-health situations have been made worse by well-meaning amateurs wanting to help and thinking that they can help. In many cases when people’s spirits seem oppressed the problem turns out to be nothing to do with evil powers, and certainly not ‘possession’. Even those who believe in exorcism and practice it don’t really know what is going on and all need to pray for the wisdom not to speak or act in ways make things worse for the person they are trying to help. There are far too many self-proclaimed and insufficiently trained counsellors in the Christian world who often make things worse for those they claim to be trying to support and heal. We are dealing with the unknown, so need always to tread carefully and not feel our own authority or responsibility to interfere if there are others who it would be far wiser to call in. Professional psychologists may be far more helpful in such cases than those who claim to be ‘super-spiritual’ Christians, who have amateur understanding and skills, no matter how sincere their intentions. We have to deal with the whole person in helping to resolve problems. This may involve professional doctors, psychiatrists or psychologists and professional counsellors as well as friends and family who are spiritually sincere, wise, sensitive and supportive.
With regard to Halloween, just as with objects like ‘lucky talisman and Ouija game boards, it is far wiser not to meddle in the unknown or do things that encourage others to meddle with them. It enhances wisdom and well-being, and is far more uplifting to concentrate the mind on wholesome issues. “Whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there I any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise think about these things... and the God of peace will be with you.” [Phil.4:8-9].
WHAT IS BIBLICAL TRUTH?
We have become so accustomed to the manipulation of truth in the contemporary world that many understandably treat everything that they are told with an attitude of scepticism. When leaders and social media so often falsify information, manipulate statistics, prefer invented rhetoric to telling the truth, or blatantly lie, we have to use our reasoning and wisdom to work out what to believe. People have probably always manipulated truth. Yet because we have such active international media and social media, the dispersement of falsehood seems so much more apparent at present. I often wonder why so many Christians who call themselves ‘Evangelical’ and ‘Bible Believing’ support an American President whose lies, duplicity and plots are so obvious that in other circumstances they would be searching for signs in the Book of Revelation, to check if he was the ‘Antichrist’, ‘Belial’ or ‘The Beast’. Why is his support of the current political situation in Israel or the anti-abortion lobby any more significant for people who call themselves Christians than his daily lies, bullying personality and lack of care for human rights and the environment? My own Prime Minister seems more interested in saying what he thinks people want to hear, or what will make him seem popular, than following truth.
Considering an authentic concept of God should be concerned so much with truth. It is surprising, therefore, that many Christians are so content with half-truths and do not feel guilty about their own or others’ falsehoods. Jesus stood for the truth; he told Pilate that he had come "to witness to the truth” [Jn.18:37]. When confronted by Pilate’s probably rhetorical, ironic or cynical question “What is truth?” [Jn.18:38] he remained silent. Did Pilate really want to know the truth; and if he knew the truth of who Jesus was, would he have released him? Probably not; for Pilate as a politician, the truth was what was expedient at that moment, which was the execution of an innocent man, in order to pacify the religious authorities and a crowd who they had stirred up to call for death.
In the contemporary world so many people outside religious faiths, and some inside them, are sceptical about religion, because they are not convinced that they are concerned with truth. Many believe that we who do believe are stuck in past superstitions, maintaining outdated traditions, brain-washed by institutional beliefs, naïve or unreasoning. I have reasoned through my own faith for decades, because I do not accept things easily, so I would challenge any challenge of naivety or lack of thought. Yet it is right to say that to be a sincere, authentic Christian believer we have to build our faith upon things that we trust as much as (perhaps more than) reason and proof. I know what has been true in my life experiences of faith, but I have to work out what I can trust in areas of Church traditions, doctrines and what is ‘Truth’ in scripture.
Because the Bible consists of so many different ‘genres’ of written works, written and edited over centuries and gathered together in one volume we should not regard the whole as ‘literal truth’ in the same way as we might professional evidence given in court. Compare books of history, theology or scientific understanding written 500 years ago with books written today, and it is obvious that attitudes and beliefs will have changed between the times of the Patriarchs and the later prophets, let alone in the intertestamental periods.
Those who talk of the ‘inerrancy of scripture’ often misunderstand the intended meaning of that term. Even to say that scripture was ‘inerrant as originally given’ is confusing; it accounts for the mistakes in transcription and translation over time. But history, archaeology and textual study have shown that there are a number of inaccuracies, particularly in the historical books of the Hebrew Scriptures. Thinking logically, this was inevitable. Books like Exodus, Judges, l & ll Samuel, l & ll Kings and l & ll Chronicles were not written by unbiased cyphers. Just as historians today, or Shakespeare writing ‘history plays’ they had their axes to grind, certain ideas and factions or heroes to promote and others to decry. The writers of Chronicles reshaped previous biblical histories to encourage hope for the future. They adapted material from the Torah, Joshua-Kings, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Psalms, Proverbs, as well as the written chronicles of the lives of David and Israel’s kings. They tried to make the good kings into examples for a great future king. Because the Chroniclers represented the bias of the religious elite, kings who he considered bad were those who didn’t allow the religious leaders to flourish. Scholarship has also shown that many books of the Hebrew Scriptures, especially the Pentateuch and Joshua were edited by later scribes, particularly around the time of the exiles in Assyria and Babylon, or soon afterwards. This gave extra emphasis to the exclusivity of the Jewish nation, their rights to their land and the priority of the priesthood. So editors and other writers were writing at a certain distance in time and experience from the events and people concerned. Inevitably some of the names and dating do not correspond to historic records found elsewhere, especially Mesopotamian chronicles, which appear far more precisely accurate over dating and names, though they too will have been biased and have variations. So some of scripture has to be regarded as having information which is not always literally accurate, though its writers were attempting to present truths that would be helpful to people’s faith.
If you consider the various genres of Scripture, ‘truth’ in each genre can mean slightly different things. What is ‘true’ in history recorded after the event is not necessarily exactly as something happened. The concept of what is ‘true’ in the poetic, confessional or yearning imagery of the Psalms is different from what is true in Apocalyptic imagery, which is also probably different from the detailed ways in which prophecies might be fulfilled. Similarly what is true in an epic legend is different from any real historic events that might have inspired it. What is true in a proverbial saying is different from the truth in a saying or parable by Jesus or a doctrine explained by St. Paul. So we need to be very careful not to just take a teaching in scripture out of context or we could apply it incorrectly.
The genres of scripture include:
Creation legends (a ‘legend’ is not necessarily a fictional story; it may have its origins in past events, people or beliefs, but may have developed over time to make it more iconic.)
Handed-down recollections of tribal origins - ‘tribal memory’.
Stories of the heroes (A story again, like a legend is not necessarily fictional. It may be invented to explain a question (like the story of the Fall was designed to explain the presence of sin.) It my conflate seve4ral people and experiences into one figure. It will have been related orally many times and may have altered in its detail over that time. Like the parlour game of ‘Chinese Whispers’).
Stories of the foundation of a nation
Stories of Patriarchs
Stories of exile and release and resettlement
Lists of the social and religious rules developed by the nation
History and chronicles of the rulers of the nations (History is not necessarily correct in what actually happened; it may have been miswritten, altered by the bias of the writers or tellers, or have come from oral sources that may not be totally reliable)
Prophecies and stories of the Prophets
Wisdom writings and Proverbial sayings
Narratives of the life of Jesus of Nazareth (Narratives, like stories are based on the recorded memories of those who met or had seen or heard Jesus, and also the oral handing on of these stories orally and perhaps in written form over the period of time before the Gospels formally compiled them.)
Recollections of the teachings of Jesus
Narratives of the foundation of the Church
Pastoral letters from Church leaders
Letters from Church leaders explaining doctrine and its applications
Apocalyptic literature.
We need to read these different genres in the variety of ways in which they were meant to communicate and be understood. It is a false superstition to regard the Bible as a magic book where every word is to be taken literally as though it was directly dictated by God to an accurate scribe. If that were so it would not have any mistakes. If it was literally accurate why, would Jesus then St. Paul have needed to reinterpret and alter the focus of biblical teaching on aspects like circumcision, personal injury and the Sabbath? Jesus claimed that his intention was not “to abolish the Law or the Prophets; but to fulfil them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.” [Matt.5:17-18]. Yet both Jesus and Paul emphasised that there were different ways of interpreting past scripture. (e.g. over unclean foods {Lev.11:1-47 / Rom.14:1-23], circumcision [Gen.17:10 / Gal.5:2], personal injury [Ex.21:23-25 / Matt.5:39], keeping the Sabbath [Ex.20:8 / Mk.2:27] etc. Even if Jesus’ teaching was divinely inspired and infallible it has to be interpreted in the light of present knowledge. The Gospel writers spoke often of his healing as ‘casting out demons’, where today we might attribute some to bringing peace to mental illnesses. Jesus was teaching in the context of the understanding of his time. His teachings have universal relevance, yet they may apply in different ways to different cultures and situations, as anyone involved in Christian mission knows.
The Psalms and several of the Wisdom writings and the imagery of Prophecies and Apocalyptic literature were written in poetic language and metaphors. Poetic images are not all intended to be read as literal facts. The history of various Jewish kings and their times were written down by writers of various biases. So the books of Kings and Chronicles recount many of the same lives, but from different perspectives - those of secular chroniclers and religious chroniclers, who had different factions to support and altered facts and interpretations or the character of different historical figures accordingly. Apocalyptic literature used imagery and metaphor to convey the strength, power and characteristics of God and Christ and the lesser powers of those who do evil. We are not meant to read the images in the Book of Revelation particularly as precise, literal events: They are intended to inspire believers’ imagination to trust that God is more powerful than anything else that might be, or seem to be opposed to them. The imagery is designed to help readers put faith in God for the future and to remain as authentic followers of God’s ways. When Albrecht Dürer and other artists illustrated the Apocalypse they were often too literal in the ways that they represented the imagery of monsters, two-edged-swords issuing from Christ’s mouth or his legs like metal columns. These are metaphors for powers, just as the metaphors in Song of Songs are not intended to suggest that the lover has a flock of goats on her head, doves instead of eyes or shorn sheep for teeth [S. of S.4:1-2]. Scripture was written to be memorable and used exaggerations and picture imagery just as Jesus used exaggerations to emphasise points in his parables and teachings.
As well as being written down memorably for posterity, biblical writings were composed primarily for the people of their day by the people of their day. They have the world-views, religious views, scientific, cultural and historic understanding of their time, limited by the level of knowledge of that time. If Jesus had taught about psychology or antibiotics instead of demons and healing, he would not have been understood by his contemporaries. Of course Christians also believe that the inspiration of the Spirit of God was at work in inspiring the minds that wrote scripture down. But any spiritual inspiration was given using the imagery that people of that time would comprehend. Jesus taught his followers about spiritual matters in the understanding of his time. If he had talked about creation, spirits, healing etc. in the light of the knowledge we now have, they wouldn’t have had much clue about what he meant, or have been able to convey it to others.
A wise theologian, philosopher, historian, scientist, ethicist or teacher today would not just look to ancient writers or the Hebrew or Christian Scriptures to be able to judge what is true. No matter how wise or inspired an ancient was, we have to weigh their ideas and writings in the light of the breadth of contemporary knowledge. Look at how stupid the 19th Century clerics now appear, who countered Darwin’s discoveries and theories by claiming and teaching that, at the Creation, God had put dinosaur bones in the earth to test the faith of future generations who would discover them and be tempted to no longer believe in Genesis! Yet some less-thinking Christians still maintain similar simplistic beliefs.
We have to be honest that there are several historical inaccuracies, or contradictions in scripture: The chronologies in the Books of Kings and Chronicles are different, but also the dating and names do not always correspond to the Assyrian and Babylonian chronicles. The Gospels also have discrepancies, like the number and names of the women who discovered Jesus’ empty tomb and what they did with the evidence: Matt.28:8 claims: “The women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples.” Luke 24:9 claims that they told the Eleven and to all the others”. But Mk.16:8 records: “Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid”. They cannot all be totally accurate. Many of these seeming discrepancies or contradictions throughout the Bible are understandable. The Evangelists were relying on a variety of stories handed down from witnesses. It is inevitable that some differences developed over time. If the Gospels were identical the authenticity of their message would be far more dubious, suggesting that they had been manipulated.
What matters far more than accuracy over details is whether we can trust the basic teachings and tenets of scripture. Certain things inevitably have to be taken on trust, particularly the existence of the power we call God and the source of the truth which was behind Jesus of Nazareth. But there is much in the Bible that is of invaluable use to both believers and non-believers, in both the Hebrew and New Testament scriptures: The basic tenets of most of the Commandments relate to all societies. So do most of the laws of social justice, care for the vulnerable and release from retribution. The hygiene laws were particularly important in the less sanitary conditions of tribal peoples, ye several are still applicable today. It is where some adherence to these rules becomes more cultural than practical that dangers most occur.
The majority of Jesus’ teachings apply valuably to all people and societies, believers or non-believers. His emphasis on the commandment to “love your neighbour as yourself’ is especially relevant in our often-uncaring world. There is a social truth in all that Jesus’ taught which applies in most communities, societies and individuals. People may differ in their beliefs about God, which was at the heart of Jesus’ principles, but most people found their beliefs, standards and world-view on some concept of truth. Similarly the Wisdom Books of scripture: Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Ecclesiasticus are replete with truths that could be applied universally for the good of the world. Those who deny belief in Christianity should not ‘throw the baby out with the bathwater’ by rejecting the value of scriptural teaching.
The minor inaccuracies throughout the biblical text may understandably cause some sceptics to question the claims that it is infallible, and challenge the claim of some ‘Fundamentalists’ that it is ‘the directly taught and dictated Word of God’. When did you last hear the truth revealed to you by a heavenly voice? The few times that I have felt that something was being unveiled to me by guided revelation have often needed to be tested, because they have not always proved accurate. It is very easy for charismatic experiences to arise from our own wishful-thinking, so we always need to test their source. We do, nevertheless, get instinctive feelings for what is true and I believe inspired ideas come to us by the Spirit of Truth at work in our world, our lives, minds and experience. That, I feel, is partly the way that much of the wisdom of scripture was largely inspired.
Scripture is chock-full of useful material by which to guide our lives if we contemplate its words and meaning in the light of new understanding and consider its teaching in the context in which it was written. It is ‘living’ in the sense that it still inspires and guides today. It is ‘true’ in what it is saying about the right way for human life, and in its teaching about how to keep ourselves spiritually alive, aware and in touch with truth. It is ‘God’s Word’, in the sense that it is rooted and has its source in the truth that is behind and within all that is. God is basically about all that is true: - what is true about the source of the universe; what is true about the spiritual world; what is true about how we should live and how to find abundant life and whatever ‘eternal life’ turns out to be; what is true about the past, present and future. Scripture opens up all of these for us to consider. We have scripture both to understand aspects of the past and to review our ways of living in its light. It holds a true mirror up to us and asks us to review ourselves in its light and revise our lives and understanding and relationship with God accordingly. This is just an essence of the truths to which the Bible can open us.
SELF EXAMINATION Iain McKillop
The classical teaching that ‘an unexamined life is not worth living’ feels so true. This saying (in Greek “ὁ ... ἀνεξέταστος βίος οὐ βιωτὸς ἀνθρώπῳ”) was attributed by Plato to Socrates at his trial, before being sentenced to death [Plato's Apología Sokrátous: 38a5–6]. It has been repeated by many Christian mystics and contemplatives since. All of us should be regularly assessing ourselves as though we are looking at our lives, actions and motivations through the eyes of truth. For the Christian that is through God’s all-seeing, all-knowing knowledge of our actions, thoughts and motivations. Would that more of the influential people in our world did this and modified their lives actions and words accordingly. The truth knows and sees into us thoroughly; so we should try to see ourselves through the searching mirror of truth. As a psalmist wrote: “O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways... Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!” [Ps.139:1-24].
Modern society often advocates or applauds strength and independence, so contemporary leaders rarely confess to failure or mistakes. It can actually be regarded as a strength to admit to our faults and weaknesses, especially to apologise for mistakes. It helps others recognise our honesty and integrity. St. Paul was not afraid to confess to his weakness and admit his dependence on God: ‘The Lord said to me “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.’ [2Cor.12:9]… ‘God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God’. [1Cor.1:27-29].
Admission of failure or weakness is something that far too few leaders actually do. Look at the duplicity that has damaged trust in our present government by its apparent arrogance and failure to admit its failings in dealing with the Covid 19 pandemic. To pretend that their plans, supplies of safety equipment and testing regime have been good makes them seem not only lacking in competence or care for those who have suffered but dishonest. Their responses have caused many to lose confidence in them, distrust their proficiency as well as their honesty over proclamations, consider them untrustworthy and more recently ignore their advice. Political assurances have begun to feel like the tale of ‘the boy who cried wolf’. Honest confession of failings might have helped people believe that they were truly examining themselves and were willing to learn from mistakes for the future.
Sadly, despite our call to “not bear false witness” in the Commandments, Christians are not immune to similarly failings: not admitting mistakes, justifying their actions rather than admitting to them, covering up their or others’ wrong behaviour. Some feel the need to construct false images of themselves, or wear a mask of over-sincere spirituality. The reality will usually be revealed eventually. Dishonesty rarely fools many for long and is certainly seen-through by God, the power that matters, Throughout history some have even invented lies in sincere attempts to promote faith: Bogus miracles attributed to saints and relics are not confined to past Catholicism: Evangelicals and Charismatics sometimes also have a similar tendency to invent and promote miraculous tall tales and make false or wishful-thinking attributions of miracles and healings, where the reality may be more prosaic. Christianity should encourage us to always be real and truthful in our witness. Only truth will convince people to accept and develop authentic faith. One should not attempt to ‘con’ people into belief: Such witness will never last, as it is founded on unreality: ‘A house built on sand’ cannot survive for long [Matt.24:26-7].
Increasingly today our -over-compensation orientated culture discourages admission of mistakes. But trying to cover up truth is not the Christian way. People are less likely to demand compensation if we are honest. Yet if we have damaged people we should be prepared to compensate. As well as being against truth and God’s law, covering over sins and mistakes damages our claim to witness to truth and reality. Such duplicity is seen by critics as a common failing in churches, because it is often seen in the media as a sin of those in prominent positions. When eventually forced to apologise after repeated cover-ups (as over situations of abuse), an apology is rarely considered to be faithful. We all fail, but it is my experience that the humblest in the church are often those to apologise first. A humble apology at an early stage should be a characteristic of a Christian who has failed to live up to Christ’s example. Apologies need to be seen to be honestly felt and meant, not just admitted grudgingly, or to pacify popular or press opinion. The humility of honest confession to truth should be a mark of all Christians.
That honesty should start with honesty to ourselves:
“For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one test his own work,.’ [Gal.6:3]
‘I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned’. [Rom.12:3]
Throughout the Bible are many encouragements to true honest self-examination and confession:
‘Prove me, O Lord, and try me; test my heart and my mind’. [Ps.26:2]
‘Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!’ [2Cor.13:5]
‘For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.’ [Jas.1:23-25]
Every sin, lie or cover-up separates us from the truth that is God. Self-examination in God’s light is especially important when we approach God directly in worship. Confession before worship is one significant time to begin to put things right mentally, spiritually and physically and approach God righteously, recognising our faults. It is one path to find true healing in communion with God and others. That is one of the main reasons for inclusion of a confession in most services, but it is useful to also examine ourselves thoroughly before we set out to worship, so that we are able to truly open ourselves to the truth and feel freely able to worship:
'Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself... But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged. But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned…’. [1 Cor.11:28-32]
“When you offer your gift to God at the altar, and you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there at the altar. Go and make peace with that person, and then come and offer your gift.” [Matt.5:23-4].
Making peace with another and peace with God’s truth also includes making peace within ourselves. It can sometimes, however, become unhelpful to be over-zealous in self-examination. We recognise that we are all sinful and all fail to live up to the glory that God expects of us [Rom.3:23]. Yet one can sometimes examine one’s weak nature and desperate failings and become too introspective. It is easy, when we are over-aware of our sins, weaknesses and mistakes to forget that we have a forgiving and strengthening God, with the grace to release and strengthen us, when we honestly confess and open ourselves up. God has no intention of constantly putting us down [1Jn.1:9]. Someone who is basically well-orientated should not need to visit their personal psychiatrist too often, or they may become over-dependent on another person and damage their personal security and growth! The intention of self-examination is not self-centredness or self-repression, but to lead to true confession and release, to become better, stronger disciples: ‘Let us test and examine our ways, and return to the Lord!’ [Lam.3:40]. Scripture so often encourages us to be totally honest in self-examination, not just to feel free of guilt and be better people, but to become whole in our relationship with God and others.
The result of self-examination should be our cleansing and closer walk with God, as in David’s psalm of confession after the prophet Nathan confronted him over his list for Bathsheba and his conspiracy to cause the death of her husband: “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment...” [Ps.51:1-19].
Honest confession, open before God, is cleansing : “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness”. [1Jn.1:9]. Honesty can be life-giving and peace-bringing, as it releases us from niggling recognition that underneath we are presenting a false façade to the world: ‘Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life’. [Prov.4:23]. This cleansed and open life can help to release tension or a sense of hypocrisy and bring peace. Truth can bring a peace that covering up mistakes could never provide: ‘Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus’. [Phil.4:6-7].
Finding personal peace through confession and recognition of our own sins, vulnerability, hypocrisy and weaknesses should also encourage us to be gentle, loving and caring in the way that we guide and reprove others: 1.. If anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. [Gal. 6:1]. If we treat or regard others more harshly than we treat ourselves, or judge others over things at which we ourselves fail, we are being as hypocritical as the religious leaders who Jesus and St. Paul criticised for false legalism. Opening ourselves to the truth should set us and others fee, not psychologically imprison people [Jn.8:32].
Scripture also encourages self-examination to help protect us from false ambitions:
‘Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall’. [1 Cor.10:12]
“Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” [Heb.13:5-6]
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect”. [Rom.12:2]
‘Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people's faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! … [Matt.23:12-28].
These ‘woes’ are a huge challenge to Christians today. Very soon after the birth of the Church hypocrisy began to creep into the way of life and religion which Christ had founded and St. Paul formulated. Churches developed rules and expectations of behaviour to regulate the characteristics of Christianity, but many of these became almost as legalistic as the rules Laws of the Scribes and Pharisees who Jesus and Paul criticised. And from which they wanted to free believers. The regulations of many Churches and Christian institutions today are easily as rigorous as the Jewish laws of Jesus’ time. Many are useful, but true Christianity should not be about following the law of the heart, motivated by Christ’s Spirit. Paul emphasised in the Epistle to the Romans particularly that freedom should be a major characteristic of the Christian life. The New Testament Epistles are full of criticisms of those who disobeyed Christ’s way of love and holiness and who made life and witness harder for others by their behaviour and regulations.
In examining ourselves, we should consider whether we are living the free and holy lives that God intended, rather than keeping to a set of expectations, rules and mores that may have little to do with the faith and lifestyle which Jesus intended. ‘An unexamined life is not worth living’ but a truthfully and lovingly and honestly examined life can free us and can help to free others.
THE TYRANNY OF SELF Iain McKillop
This sounds a rather melodramatic term, but I don’t think it is too much of an exaggeration when one considers some of the leaders in the world today. If we consider our own motivations too, the self is often at the centre of our decisions and actions. This is quite a contrast to certain of Jesus teachings like:
“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” [Mk.8:34]
“The first shall be last and the last shall be first” [Matt.20:16], “seek first the Kingdom of God” [Matt.6:33],
Other scriptures include: “consider others better than yourself” [Phil.2:3];‘If anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself” [Gal.6:3].
The Hebrew nations were instructed to look after the vulnerable, the poor, the widow and orphan and the stranger in their midst. Christ told us to love and do to others as we would ourselves [Matt.7:12; 22:39; Mk.12:30; Lk.6:31]. So scripture insists that we should not be over-prioritising ourselves.
In thinking about the role of self in our lives, we must remember that orientation towards ourselves is not in itself wrong. An awareness of self, the drive towards self-advance and the desire to express ourselves are gifts. They are what has made human beings and society rise and develop. To know oneself is one of the greatest aspects of wisdom. As far as we know few other creatures have the extent of self-awareness of homo-sapiens. To desire to know and be able to do more has advanced civilization in the arts, sciences, philosophy, theology, psychology, sociology, technology and so much more. Self-awareness goes a long way to making us who we are.
So self-centredness is amazingly valuable; it drives us forward both individually and as a society. But those who know and understand themselves have a huge responsivity to consciously submit their self-centred will to working for the good of others. As with forgiveness, we can free both ourselves and others by using our powers to deliberately advance another. In the past some Church teaching has encouraged the total denial of self. Nuns particularly were encouraged to self-abnegate and submit totally to the will of God, often as dictated to them by their superior. Members of some religious orders and hermits advocated the practice of putting oneself down, even to the extent of almost starvation and mental disorientation, in the belief that one would draw closer to God through putting the divine before everything. I believe this is a false misreading of Jesus’ teaching to his disciples: “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” [Matt.16:24-5] and other similar verses. Such submissiveness has also been promoted by people and institutions who have abused their hierarchical position or cherish power through insisting on the total obedience of others to their will, believing that this was God’s pattern of ordering society and the individual soul. Self-discipline and restricting self-indulgence are really valuable, but self-abnegation is a denial of the very qualities that have been given to advance us and develop the human race. We are given brains to develop and take responsibility for our own actions. We are meant to serve one another, but not to submit unthinkingly.
I have met several Christian leaders who believe they know better than those who they try to rule. Perhaps their experience has given them that wisdom, but one who wants another to submit, needs to do so in the light of wisdom, holiness and humility themselves. As the Cistercian teacher John of Forde (c1140-1214) wrote: “Let those who would teach me humility, first make sure that they have learned the lesson themselves.” If any put another down they are disobeying Christ’s teaching to “consider others better than yourself” [Phil.2:3] and “Anyone who says to a brother or sister, 'Raca,' (meaning something like ‘empty-headed') is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, 'You worthless fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell” [Matt.5:22]. Similarly, if we put ourselves down or self-abnegate as thoroughly as some Christians feel encouraged to do, or advocate thinking that obsequious behaviour is true humility, we can actually sin by abdicating our human responsibility to advance ourselves and advance humanity.
It is understandable that the self is so high in people’s priorities. Considering ourselves is partly a protection mechanism and survival instinct. In situations of danger it is understandable that self-preservation becomes part of our priority, though even in the animal kingdom a parent will often protect its young at the expense of endangering its own life. As Christ said “Greater love has no-one than this: to give one’s life for one’s friends” [Jn.15:13]. However, Jesus showed that there is greater love than this: love for one’s neighbour [Lk.10:25-37], the stranger [Lk.10:36-37] and even one’s enemy [Matt.5:44; Lk.6:27-36] and even sacrificing one’s life for the forgiveness of one’s enemies and persecutors [Lk.23:34]..
We are also motivated to not just survive but to grow, develop and advance both ourselves and others. But thinking of self and self-protection do not mean that we should do so at the expense of anyone else, or by sacrificing integrity, honesty and justice. The world seems to be populated by many who do just that. While many people live with integrity and act according to conscience, many others appear to feel no conscience and live primarily for themselves or their immediate circle. We see it in our present political systems in Britain and the U.S.A. and even in a different form in churches. I have often wondered why anyone in their right mind would vote for, trust or support certain self-centred world leaders, let alone entrust the presidency of their nation to them. But voters too often vote out of self-interest, or the advantage of the factions with which they are involved, often not considering what it right. The dishonesty or lack of integrity of a leader matters less to many than their own personal advantage or tradition.
Self-centredness may be our path to advancement but it can also be a path to damaging our personal integrity and damaging the progress of others. It is very easy to deceive ourselves about our motivations. The writers of scripture often exaggerated for effect to make their meaning memorable. This is true of Jeremiah’s words: “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately sick; who can understand it?” [Jer.17:9]. I can actually think of several other people and issues that seem far more deceitful and sick than my own conscience, actions, ambitions or wishes, though I recognise how easily I can deceive myself that my own mistakes are well-founded. I can recognise what Jeremiah meant and the principle is true in most of us, and valuable to keep in mind. We can so easily fool ourselves that we are doing something for the right reasons, yet end up damaging ourselves or others. T.S. Eliot was also right in Murder in the Cathedral, when he wrote that we can do “the greatest treason: to do the right think for the wrong reason.” I this case, the greatest treason is often to ourselves, in the damage to our personal integrity.
It is sad to recognise that self-centredness is often a key problem in the contemporary church. Many churches and church leaders consider that they are doing God’s will when they may be actually following their own ideas, biases or ambitions. There is far too much emphasis on self-promotion, a wordly vision of ‘success’, financial survival, the dominance over others of one politico-religious faction, theological bias or the priority of particular self-interest groups. Too many factions believe that they have the true way to God or the true doctrine or form of worship, so feel the need to dominate in order to advance their version of truth. What arrogance, in the face of the huge mystery that is authentic spirituality! Some churches are so preoccupied with self that they lose the priority of helping all people towards a deeper understanding of faith and finding the authentic way to a relationship with God and truth that will feed as many people as possible.
To appoint too many leaders of any one system of belief damages the wholeness and unity of the Church. That is true of the appointment of so many Evangelicals to positions of power in the Anglican Church today. It would cause a similar problem if an over-preponderance of High-Church leaders, Liberals or Pentecostals were allowed to dominate the direction and teaching of the Church. People’s minds work in different ways and God relates to people in the ways that most fulfil them. God’s truth develops people in a variety of directions. There is no one best way of believing or a single way of following truth that is better than all others. If Evangelicals, High-Church, Pentecostals, Catholic, Orthodox, Liberals, Literalists, Scientific, Artistic or Historical minds are allowed to dominate a diocese it will not attract people who think in a different variety of ways to join churches and find the paths to God’s truth that are appropriate to their minds and spirituality.
A truly Christian worldwide Church should be offering a broad spectrum of churches and services, which would enable everyone to find the way to the truths at the centre of what we believe. Only then could we be fulfilling Christ’s ‘Great Commission’: to “go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” [Matt.28:19-20]. The Church worldwide is failing to do this at present. We fail because many churches are often too self-satisfied and often too limited in the ways we interpret Christ’s teaching. We do not sufficiently attract people from the world beyond our limited social circle, who have different beliefs and priorities from ours, to recognise the universal values and principles in Christ’s teaching. We should be seen as truthful in all ways. St Paul emphasised the need for total integrity in the true evangelism of the Church: “For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God's word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.” [2 Cor.2:17]
Unfortunately self-centredness makes some believe that their way of interpreting scripture and worshipping is the best or only right way. I look back at my naivety in my Evangelical youth with embarrassment. I’m partly glad that I went through that phase, because it implanted in me a fairly large (though still not large enough) knowledge of scripture, and introduced me to a form of systematic doctrinal understanding. But that doctrine was largely limited by a Calvinist bias, and the way I was taught to interpret scripture and truth was far too narrow. Over the 36 years since then I have needed to re-learn theology and broaden my interpretation of scripture and the world, and am constantly still re-learning and revising my understanding of faith daily. When any think they are certain of their beliefs they are often more self-deceived, most dangerous to the mission of the church, and most off-putting in evangelism to people whose minds work differently. Discovering new aspects of God’s truth should be constantly expanding us and making us reappraise our understanding of faith, truth and the world. Some people who are certain that their faith is correct can damage others’ search for truth by claiming that the other is wrong. Look at the division between Evangelicals and Liberal or Catholic scholars that has divided the Church; the way some Charismatics discount the spiritual experience of those who don’t share their particular spiritual gifts; or the continued suspicion that some Protestants still have of Roman Catholics and vice versa. We should be learning from each other’s experiences, not polarising. Too much individualist self-assurance prevents the worldwide Body of Christ from undertaking Christ’s great mission of spreading truth in whatever ways will communicate to the spiritual, mental and physical needs of the world.
Self-centredness can create even more insidious spiritual problems: In individual church communities it can distract from true worship and following God. I have encountered too many church leaders or members of committees who seem to need to dominate, dictate or be the centre of attention,, sometimes though their own lack of emotional security or misguided spiritual security. Church committees are often dominated, not by those with the greatest theological understanding or wisdom of experience, but by those who feel they need to ‘have their say’ or insist on having their own way. When any of us feel that impulse, we should first question our motives. I have met too many church leaders who behave like male or female ‘divas’, needing to be the centre of attraction in a service. They may do this either in their posture, the way they process into worship, the way they introduce a service, preach, pray, preside in liturgy, emphasise their personal intellect or experiences, sing out to attract admiration of their voice, intone words, bully or dominate the congregation, fellow clerics or choir, or many other ways. Surely the whole idea of leading a church is to set an example of Christian discipleship. We should be reducing the emphasis on ourselves and attempt to be a catalyst creating an emphasis on God. People should have confidence that you will direct them towards God and truth, not towards yourself. A leader’s humility, not their self-promotion, is a key to recognising a true Christian leader, but often insecurity pushes the self fo4rward..
Humility is not enough, however, as on its own it can sometimes appear over self-deprecating and not lead others forward. Leaders need to set examples, not by saying ‘do as I do’, ‘believe as I believe’, evangelise as I evangelise’, but by themselves being seen to authentically follow Christ in their behaviour as well as in their words. Instead of self-centredness we should BE, (as well as be seen or considered to be), God-centred and Christ-like. Christ appears to have had self-assurance that came through his understanding of who he was and trust in his Father God. We are not divine or gifted in the same way, have not the same depth of wisdom, are not holy enough to be quite so self-assured. Yet if we are in an authentic, humble relationship with God we can have a certain security that we are on the path towards truth, even if we recognise the limitations of our understanding, spirituality and failings.
Trust in God and a life of Christian experience should develop a certain confidence in us that assures us that our faith is real and based in truth. But that assurance is not based in self-assurance; it is rooted in trust in God. Our manner should help to promote Christ, pointing to him as the source of our assurance, not leave others believing that we consider ourselves in any way above others. I have met far too many Christians who seem arrogant in that way. When St. Paul aimed to live as Christ [Phil.1:21], I think he is advocating not the loss of self, but the deliberate submission of our self-will and self-centredness to a greater and broader good.
FORGIVE AS YOU WOULD BE FORGIVEN Iain McKillop
We live in a society filled with much frustration with and criticism of others. Social media, the news and public opinion are full of understandable criticisms. The recent pandemic has shown up incompetence in leadership, lies, manipulation of statistics, double standards, commissions given to relatives, friends, supporters or the favoured, duplicity over grants and corruption, as well as disobedience to rules. Recently some have become far less careful, even blasé, about observing safety regulations, which has increased insecurity and led to the expansion and re-spreading of viruses. Should we just take it for granted and accept that leaders and others are self-seeking, corrupt, duplicitous and disregard the lives of others? There is, after all, so little most of us can do to influence change, except by giving our own good example. But we have a responsibility for others.
Should Christians just forgive for the protection of the status quo? Should we, like other campaign groups be demanding retribution or seeking justice rather than forgiveness? I must admit that I have been frustrated with silence of those who should be spokespeople of the Church during this pandemic. Influential Christians have not been sufficiently calling-out the government over its neglect of people’s lives and misleading claims. Why do we have Archbishops with a social position or bishops in the House of Lords, if not to give prophetic, holy challenges to secular leaders and to the people? To gain respect leaders need to be seen to be working for the good of all. Pope Francis has been issuing challenges, but the officials of the Church of England have been largely silent in the media. Jesus was not ‘meek and mild’ where he saw wrong; he said some very challenging things to people in power; and was far from mealy-mouthed in his criticism.
Just as challenging, however is his call for his followers to forgive. At the heart of the most commonly recited prayer, ‘the Lord’s Prayer’, are Christ’s words “Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.” [Matt.6:12]. One implication seems to be that if we expect our own failings, deliberate or unintended, to be forgiven we should react in the same forgiving way towards others [Matt.6:15]. I often feel guilty over my double standards. It is SO easy to criticise another yet blinker yourself to the hypocrisy in our own discipleship. Christ’s ironic imagery to point out hypocrisy is entirely appropriate: “Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.” [Matt.7:3-5].
Yet our calling to understand others and forgive doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t ‘call people out’ over their sins. Too many people get away with mendacity because sins are hidden. Look at the failures of so many ecclesiastical powers to deal sufficiently with child abuse. I have witnessed too many church leaders getting away with abuse of their power or authority over adults too. When complaints have been made to bishops and even safeguarding teams they have been disregarded or dismissed, supposedly to protect the reputation of influential individuals or the institution. I guess that many in secular or religious institutions individuals have also found themselves bullied either openly or insidiously by authoritarian bosses, unprotected, neglected or dropped by friends at a time of greatest need, had their rights or abilities disregarded, been passed-over for the advancement of someone less qualified or skilled, rejected, lied about, damaged psychologically or in physically or health-wise, by the sins of others. For some sad reasons abuse of position and authority seems to be accepted more in churches than is currently allowed by law in secular occupations. This may be because some people who feel they are ‘called’ by God, consider that they therefore have an authority and status which puts them above secular rules and mores. But also churches and church-members seem to let authoritarian figures get away with attitudes and behaviours that would not be acceptable in secular employment, because they believe that authority to be God-given, rather than self-assumed. Authoritarianism was hardly Christ’s model of humble servant-like leadership.
When damaged, should we just ‘forgive and forget’ or ‘move on’ from resentment or pain as is sometimes advised, often to defuse uncomfortable situations? One current aspect of psychological counselling encourages people to ‘park’ issues that they cannot do anything about, for the present time at least, and try to move forward without allowing the problems to hinder their advance. But that is not always possible, and unresolved issues can fester and cause long-time poisoning.
Should Christians forgive everybody everything? Jesus told Peter to forgive his fellows repeatedly [Matt.18:21f]. Christians sometimes speak too easily of forgiveness as though it should be our automatic, holy response. But the more one struggles to forgive in heavy situations, the more one recognises Jesus’ words from the Cross “Father, Forgive them, they don’t know what they are doing” [Lk.23:34], to be a deliberate act of forgiveness. He wasn’t just being his usual loving self; he must surely have been deliberately and consciously forcing his mind to forgive those who were doing such evil against him, through the gritted teeth of pain. He was in agony, being brutally tortured by soldiers who’d learned to brutalise. This death was as a result of connivance, neglect of justice, lies and deliberate malice by powerful figures. In many ways they did know what they were doing in manipulating evidence and the hostility of the crowd, extracting as much pain and pleasure as they could, getting revenge for Jesus’ greater popularity than themselves, maintaining their own dominance. Perhaps the only things they didn’t know in what they were doing, were the full implications of killing the Son of God. Possibly Jesus was even wresting in his own soul at the very moment he spoke those words of forgiveness from the Cross. I know that I would have been!
It is relatively easy to forgive someone who sins or hurts inadvertently, by accident or omission. A very different sort of forgiveness is required when damage is caused deliberately. Jewish and Christian scholars debate whether atrocities like the Holocaust can or should ever be forgiven. One only has to look at the escalation of resentment in Israel against those who are believed to be anti-Semitic to recognise the damage that inability to release and heal resentment can cause for both victims and perpetrators. A similar attitude is currently building up over the heritage of slavery, racial injustice and inequality. I personally struggle with whether I should forgive two deliberate acts of malignant injustice which have damaged my life and ministry irrevocably. One may try to understand why the perpetrators of evil act as they do. But that doesn’t excuse them, nor does it always help the victim to overcome the damage done to them.
If perpetrators openly admit their faults and ask forgiveness it is easier to open one’s heart and create an atmosphere of healing forgiveness, even perhaps a restoration of relationship. But where sinners deliberately work to cover their sins, conspire to place the blame elsewhere, when they actually ‘know what they are doing’ or use their power or position to hide their faults, do they truly deserve forgiveness? I’m not sure that God’s nature, particularly the biblical insistence on justice, means that we should always forgive unconditionally. Love requires that we always care for the sinner, but also that we work for their healing and restoration. That cannot come if their sins are covered over, unaccepted and not sincerely repented. As is recognised in penal retribution, full healing is impossible where the perpetrator denies or excuses their sins. God’s truth, justice and full healing requires that sin is resolved. So just to cover over deep hurt or sinfulness or to declare unconditional forgiveness resolves very little. The platitude in the novel and film ‘Love Story’ of “Love means never having to say you’re sorry” is absolute rubbish! It’s easier, more truthful and more healing to forgive when people admit their sins or ask for reconciliation with a degree of humility. The hardest person to forgive is one who refuses to admit their fault, perhaps even turns the blame towards you or another who they have wronged, or against whom they have wrongly used their power. Jewish and Christian teaching has often considered that a person cannot be forgiven unless they first repent and admit their wrongs.
Acceptance of fault, resolution, retributive action or offering acceptable sufficient compensation, forgiveness, healing and reconciliation are all necessary elements of the process by which communities and individuals learn and grow. Problems invariably persist if any element of the reconciliation process is missed out. Few people are made completely free by just locking-out bad memories or trying to forget or escape injustices. Issues most often need to be dealt with, as is recognised by many who live with the unresolved deaths of loved-ones.
Many have wrestled for centuries with ethical questions around who should be forgiven, sometimes theoretically, often through extreme personal struggles. It is too easy to say “Forgive and forget!” or the Evangelical cliché about God’s forgiveness that like God we should “Drown the memory of people’s sins against you in the deepest sea and put up a notice ‘no fishing!” Our minds inevitably remember pain; memory it is a mechanism to help protect us in later situations. We try not to leave ourselves as vulnerable in future. Christianity should not promote saccharine ideals of forgiveness. As the Cross demonstrated, God is realistic about the needs of humankind: Truth expects us to deal with issues properly and practically. Forgiveness is not an easy activity, even for mild people. It requires a conscious act of determination to forgive. But it also requires us to have a sense that there are good reasons to forgive.
Outside the Church there is a growing understanding of reconciliation, particularly seen in in the Truth and Reconciliation Movement in South Africa. It is sad that similar attempts to assist harmony have not been managed in other parts of the world. Faults could be better resolved through more people openly telling the truth of their situation to each other without always needing to face the full weight of recriminations. Failings and the inner and physical pain caused by wrongs are often helped by opening them up to the light of truth. Being faithful to God and holy should be about truth, not half-truths or cover-ups. Opening truth to the light can begin a measure of healing over previously unjust situations that is not possible if truth or pain are repressed. Sadly Christians sometimes try to repress truth when they feel that it is their duty to automatically forgive. They may think that God commands naïve forgiveness, but I’m not sure that is how God forgives. We do not know how the salvation achieved by Christ’s self-sacrifice works. It feels like a mystery far more complex than the over-simplistic idea that Christ’s sacrifice replaced the sacrificial system of ‘a life for a life’. Somehow, salvation appears to be an intricate, complex interweaving of justice with mercy, love with self-offering, death with renewal of life, cutting off with healing, forgiveness with freedom, and the interaction of many other allied forces.
Forgiveness áphesis’ in Greek can means ‘freedom’ / ‘letting someone out of prison, setting them free’ / ‘releasing from a debt, taxation or an office’ / ‘hurling away’ or ‘pardoning’ / ‘leaving behind’. Another linked term ‘páresis’ is used more exclusively of the forgiveness given by God or Christ. Forgiveness, if properly achieved can set free both the sinner and victim, and also the community affected by them and their situation. We should always work at that sort of holistic freedom, not attempt short-cuts or simplifications.
Scripture acknowledges that all fail and continue to sin many times: ‘We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory that God intended in us.’ [Rom.3:23]. St. Paul reminds us that we are ‘temples of his Spirit’ [1Cor.3:16] so should not allow sin to sully the Spirit of God’s sacred presence, holiness or truth in us. But we are weak, Thankfully when we fail, the grace of God can still work to cleanse us, and allow his Spirit to indwell and guide us. Jesus told his disciples to forgive multiple times when someone repents [Lk.17:4, Matt.18:21-22, 32-33]. God is so much more perfect than us, so we are assured that God’s grace, forgiveness and love will embrace us whenever we return to him! That is the most important message in Jesus’ ‘Parable of the Prodigal Son’ [Lk.15:11-32]. It is our responsibility to return to God, acknowledging sin and failure and allow God’s spiritual influence to increasingly cleanse and guide us. Yet, as in Bunyan’s ‘Pilgrim’s Progress’, we should not be deterred from returning to the upward path when we fail, fall or slip backwards,, We need to pick ourselves up and return to moving forward.
Repentance is not just good for cleansing people, restoring, strengthening relationships and building God’s Kingdom. According to Jesus it causes joy in heaven: “there is more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance.” [Lk.15:10]. “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” [Lk.6:38].
When people truly ask for forgiveness and mean it, Jesus commanded his followers to follow God’s example in prioritising mercy in our response: “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” [Lk.6:38]. He emphasised its importance in society in the story of the Good Samaritan who was neighbour to the wounded traveller; his questioner acknowledged that the true neighbour was “the one who showed mercy” [Lk.10:37]. That mercy isn’t just being mild and kind to someone who repents; it is being practical and helping towards their healing and renewal. This is not always easy when we have been damaged by others, especially if they have never confessed or asked for forgiveness. In the Gospel of Matthew the term ‘mercy’ is used of showing kindness in human relationships [Matt.9:13]. In Matt.23:23 Jesus condemned the scribes and Pharisees for insisting on minute rules while themselves failing in God’s weightier laws of mercy, judgement and faith. Hypocrisy is often a sin which we fail to recognise, let alone repent. Jude 22 implies that ‘mercy’ includes care both for both a person’s temporal and eternal welfare and St. Paul regularly uses ‘mercy’ in relationship to the divine gift of salvation [Rom.9:22-23; ; Tit.3:5]. We partly reflect God when we too forgive.
The term ‘mercy’/’eleos’ appears more frequently in the New Testament Epistles than in the Gospels. In the Gospels Jesus is shown to be God’s merciful gift to humankind, while the Epistles explain this more fully and theologically. Mercy denotes God’s response towards those he loves and the attitude Christ commanded us to show towards others. ‘Eleos’ for Greeks was the emotion felt towards the afflicted: sympathy, pity and empathy, reaching out to the pathos of their condition, especially if it was undeserved. It was also used in the judicial system of the attitude towards those who were treated with greater leniency than they deserved through the judges’ care towards them. In translating the Jewish scriptures ‘eleos’ was used to translate the Hebrew word ‘hesed’/ ‘loving-kindness’. ‘Hesed’ was used of God’s unmerited covenantal love towards humankind. Such ‘hesed’ loving-mercy arises from the committed, faithful, mutual relationship of loyalty and trust, in which God bound himself to his people. Despite regular human unfaithfulness, God responds with pardoning grace and the gift of salvation.
In both its legal meaning and in relationship to God ‘mercy’ implies that those receiving it should feel an element of awe and fear towards the potential power of the one who is demonstrating mercy. Jesus drew attention to this in his Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector where the latter, ‘standing far off’, ‘beat his breast’, confessing: “God be merciful to me a sinner!” The Tax Collector left the Temple justified rather that the Pharisee who took God’s mercy for granted [Lk.18:9-14]. This is relevant to so many Christians who regard the forgiveness of God r other people too easily. Jesus went through the agony of his Passion and torturous death to secure God’s mercy. We should not stroll into God’s presence, or approach people who we have wronged, and expect forgiveness and redemption too lightly [Heb.4:16].
The action of compensation or retribution is an important part of the healing process, even if it just involves openly apologising. Modern theology emphasises that Christ’s sacrifice was not the easy compensatory retributory sacrifice that it was once thought to be by those who regarded God as vengeful, and demanding the punishment of a life for a life. The contemporary ‘compensation culture’ often demands too much, encouraging the victim’s greed or an unhealthy vengeance. Vengeance can often psychologically damage the original victim internally more than it might hurt the one from whom compensation is being sought. But it can leave the latter with a further sense of grievance or injustice against the one who was originally their victim. True retributive justice shouldn’t be slack, greedy, or nasty; it is meant to heal. Portia’s speech about “the quality of mercy” in The Merchant of Venice holds many truths.
Christ’s Cross appears to have been a truly balanced example of justice, truth, holiness, love and mercy working together in action. The requirements of compensation were in a sense ‘over-paid’ by Jesus, as one who did not deserve death. But God’s love for all who deserved punishment for their sins compensated by somehow taking the weight of sin, blame and healing into himself. Christ’s action by freely giving his life sacrificially on the Cross generated a freedom for people who have sinned from having to personally face the just penalty for sins or from fear of future condemnation. His Spirit working inside us can also free us from all that prevents us from loving and being merciful, as we are instructed and helped to do by Christ’s example. We are freed to become the people, led by God’s Spirit, who we are we were made to be.
I’ve often felt guilty or convicted in praying “Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.” It feels conditional; if I can’t forgive one who has deeply hurt me, can I really expect God to forgive me? But we are not God. Julian of Norwich wrote that ‘God does not choose to forgive, he IS forgiveness, because he is love.’ Though we reflect God’s image and are being formed by God’s Spirit, we have to work at forgiveness far more determinedly. Forgiving isn’t natural to most of us, unless it is in the context of a relationship within an intimate family or close friendship, where our love often naturally forgives. In most situations of great pain, love and forgiveness don’t develop naturally, especially if we have been deeply physically or psychologically damaged.
If someone truly apologises to us they m\y be offering us a gift with which they have wrestled in their own conscience for a long time. So the victim shouldn’t treat it too dismissively by deepening resentment, or too lightly by just saying “forget about it” “I love you”. It takes grace for a person to truly ask forgiveness from their heart and mind- especially if that person hasn’t been a particularly ‘nice’ character. Forgiveness entails a large element of trust on behalf of the one asked to forgive – trust in the person’s true repentance, trust in our own natures and trust in the psychological and spiritual possibility or healing. Perhaps we need to ask God for the gift to faith and trust as well as the gift to forgive. But we should also be discerning and wise. It is difficult to trust someone who has previously proven themselves to be untrustworthy. That is often the case with politicians and ‘celebrities’ who have been caught out and appear to apologise merely to save their jobs and positions, or who give grudging apologies while justifying their wrong behaviour. Too often today people seem to believe that they are too important to apologise. Should they be forgiven, or are ‘their sins on their own heads’ as the Hebrew Scriptures might say?
If Christians are meant to forgive, what should we do with our natural response of anger against sin, evil and failure? Anger is not always wrong. It is an inevitable human response to the pain, injustice or false actions caused by people or situations. Anger must be part of our gift of humanness. Jesus, the most perfect man, was angry against the Sadducees, Pharisees, religious and secular hypocrites, money-changers of the temple and those he called “whitewashed sepulchres” [Matt.23:27]. But in our anger we should be careful not to sin ourselves: “In your anger do not sin” [Ps.4:4]. Instead we need the wisdom to know what to do with anger in any particular situations and use our responses of anger to transform that situation to advance the principles of the Kingdom of God. The principles of ‘not being quick to anger’ [Eccles.7:9] and ‘not letting the sun go down on your anger’ [Eph.4:26] are an important ones. We should consider situations carefully and wisely before pronouncing on or denouncing them, as is the nature of God [Num.14:18; Ps.145:8]. We should learn to deal with anger without letting it fester and damage relationships. For anger to be sinful or righteous depends on how we use it. Sometimes anger embitters people and affects many, not just the individuals involved. Families, churches and institutions have separated through anger, nations, tribes and factions have gone to war. But neither separation or war usually solve the main problems; more usually they exacerbate further issues and damage. It is far more helpful to work through problems towards reconciliation in whatever peaceful and healing ways we can,
Forgiving someone can be very difficult. We cannot always forgive on our own. We need the help of the spirit of truth and the Spirit of God working in all parties of course, but we also may need to work with others, not just struggle with it on our own: a partner, a fellow Christian, priest or counsellor. Professional mediation can be useful, but I have seen several situations where people who call themselves ‘mediators’ have actually been biased towards the more influential party, in which case mediation can lead to greater resentment at injustice. (Unfortunately I have also found several self-styled ‘mediators’ and ‘counsellors’ in church circles who have little professional or psychological training and can cause further psychological damage by their well-meaning interference.)
It is good advice to try to take the pain that another has caused us and use it for good. Ideally one would try to work in love and good towards the one who has caused us damage. But that is not always possible. Sometimes, as Christ taught, we need to ‘shake the dust off our sandals or feet and walk away’ [Lk.9:5]. Christians talk in too blasé a way about the need for ‘unconditional love’. Is unconditional love possible or even biblical? I’m not sure that when the Christian scriptures talk about love they mean ‘unconditional love’, We are told that ‘God is love’ [1Jn.4:8] and that God loves because love is the essence of God’s nature. But human nature and human love are not identical to those of God, as experience proves. We are far more motivated by self. The Bible doesn’t talk anywhere about ‘unconditional love’ even of God. It talks of God’s ‘everlasting’ or ‘steadfast’ love and ‘loving-kindness’ in relation to covenant promises made between us. Covenant love requires integrity, keeping mutual promises and truly seeking forgiveness when we so often break them. Human covenant love and integrity are costly and true unconditional love would require greater self-sacrifice than many are willing to give. The ultimate example of anything approaching unconditional love and the cost of love and forgiveness was Christ’s Cross and his words of forgiveness from the Cross. It must have also been a struggle for Jesus to love and trust some of the most hot-headed disciples; he even forgave a murdering persecutor and transformed him into St. Paul. Why should we expect love towards others to be painless for us if it was so damaging and painful to him? The pain we encounter in loving and forgiving others demonstrates how committed and valuable we feel others to be and how we value ourselves in giving that love.
Forgiving takes time. God often waits for us a long time to turn his way, through many ups and downs and incorrect paths. Forgiving is also a journey for us; we don’t just feel anger/resentment/ pain then decide to forgive and change overnight. We go through many stages of angry reactions and forgiving responses, with setbacks and advances only to be blown back again by another injustice, painful memory or allied situation which transports us back vividly to the original pain or situation. Sometimes it helps to take ourselves out of, or walk away from a situation entirely, like one of abuse or bullying, but that rarely solves the problem. The bully can go on to do similarly to others if not checked by those of greater authority to her/him. Most of the time it is best to confront, deal with, and attempt to restore or heal relationships.
Often in forgiving we have to do the complete opposite of what others have done to us – continuing to love, never giving up, though the inner struggle may continue to hurt deeply. The apocalyptic image of Christ in heaven is the ‘enthroned Lamb of God still with the wounds of his slaughter [Rev.5:6]. Beneath the altar of Heaven are the martyrs who still remember the pain of their martyrdom and long for God to bring about justice [Rev.6:9-11]. So heaven for Christ and those who have been hurt is described not a place of forgetting the past, even if it is salved and healed and helped by our receiving more precious gifs and experiences. It described as a place of remembering, corporately and individually, being healed, resolving and loving. I wonder if Christ still has a constant memory of the ordeal he went through to redeem us. Pascal believed that as well as enjoying the glory of heaven, “Christ will be in agony until the end of the world.” as his salvations continues to be poured out on those who need forgiveness. I don’t have any insight into that, but know that I and others live out our pain in some ways every time we work at forgiving another. It isn’t easy, nor should it be. Forgiving someone is often a struggle that we have to work at deliberately. It can almost become a sacramental action, working to forgive others as God, through Christ, has forgiven us.
Forgiving doesn’t always heal, but it can help. We may continue to feel intense pain. Someone whose child has been murdered, or whose life has been unjustly altered by a sinful event cannot just ‘forgive and forget’. I often wonder if people who claim in the media that they have forgiven perpetrators of evil, who have damaged themselves or killed members of their families, are being true in healing ways to their true selves. The pain of loss or injustice will rightly always be with them; it is an experience that has formed them, even though the pain may be alleviated over decades. Our feelings will inevitably be different towards those who have hurt us. (In two cases in my own life time has surprisingly increased my love for the person who damaged me. This is probably because, being forced to remember the situation daily has meant that they have been in my prayers and care, even though we have no contact.) We shouldn’t feel guilty if we no longer trust those who have damaged us, or find it hard to love a perpetrator of wrong. That is part of our own formation, and can be a strengthening protection mechanism. We cannot make ourselves be healed by just wishing pain away. Remembering can especially be a means of healing if we use it to resolve a situation.
We do not yet live in a fully realised Kingdom of God. Conflict will always occur between groups and individuals. That seems to be part of fallen human society. Sadly it is more often found in the Church than it should because even prominent Christians retain their sinful and self-centred natures. So I’m not sure that we should automatically forgive everybody everything as wrongs occur. Christians speak far too easily and lightly of forgiveness: It shouldn’t be our instinctive, holy response to everything, because true, deep forgiveness needs to entail recognition of wrong, true repentance, turning to the right path, compensating, reconciliation and healing. Forgiving someone too easily doesn’t help them because, for forgiveness to be meaningful, it usually causes work and often discomfort for both parties. But the more one struggles, in painful situations, to forgive, or works to understand the reasons for someone’s sins, the more we are likely to be personally strengthened and learn to love as God loves.
Christians are not told to ‘forgive and forget’: Memorialising is a huge part of Christianity. We are told to forgive, yet we should remember, learn from particular situations, be angry at evil but learn to love, resolve, restore and heal. It is not sufficient just to ask forgiveness when we have sinned against others, we need to restore a true covenant relationship that can grow to advance others, ourselves and the world. Similarly in our relationship with God and the truth: we seek to be truly forgiven when we break our covenant promises. Changing for the good is the true response and meaning of repentance. We shouldn’t just say a confession and feel immediately and automatically absolved; we need to learn from our mistakes and work hard at truer discipleship from that moment on.
SEPTEMBER MEDITATIONS
BIBLICAL IDEAS ABOUT THE 'BEAUTY', 'FACE' AND 'NAME' OF GOD
The allied concepts of the ‘Face’ of God, the ‘Beauty’ of God and the ‘Name’ of God are common in scripture and in Christian language. They seem anachronistic, since among the most obvious characteristics of the Christian idea of God are invisibility and anonymity. Yet contemplating the meaning behind these ideas can be really valuable in considering certain aspects of God.
THE FACE OF GOD
When you see someone’s face, you know several things at the same time:
You recognise them, as their face distinguishes them from others.
You know they are real.
You recognise something about their identity.
You read something of their character in their face.
You recognise that they are looking at you and perceiving things about you.
You believe that you have their attention.
You realise that there is far more to them than their façade, yet they are no longer fully a stranger to you.
Their face can open up new aspects of them as you study their emotions.
When scripture uses the metaphor of ‘the face of God’ some of these issues are contained within the imagery. Yet Hebrew religion was clear that people should not attempt to portray an image God [Ex.20:4]. Some belief systems consider that if you create someone’s portrait or take their photograph you capture their soul, others that you preserve them for eternity. In the case of the Commandment not to create images of God, a major reason was probably to show that God was far more than an image in a particular place. YHWH was everywhere, unlimited and all-powerful; he could not be confined to an image and an image could not do God Justice, as it could ever represent such a force.
The idea of the face of God in scripture, rather like the Name of God, about which I will write later, is that it refers to the WHOLE of God’s identity – the unknown mysteries and powers of God as well as what has been revealed over millennia by Jesus’ life and teaching, scripture, history, tradition, reason and Hebrew and Christian experience.
On the surface there seem to be anachronisms in scripture over the idea of the face of God Partly God is shown to be invisible: No ordinary human being has seen God’s face. Yet in other passages God expects us to search for his face: ‘You have said, “Seek my face.” My heart says to you, “Your face, Lord, do I seek.”’ [Ps.27:8]. Moses was told : “you cannot see my face, for no-one shall see me and live.” [Ex.33:20]. yet in the same chapter we are told that: ‘the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, as a one speaks to a friend.’ [Ex.33:11]. Rather than being a literal physical meeting, this probably indicated that they shared a deep friendship and Moses felt the presence of God close to him. Earlier we were told that God positioned Moses in a cleft in the rock and covered Moses until God had passed, then enabled Moses to see his back. This is obviously another anthropomorphic metaphor, like other Bible verses that mention God’s face, hand, ears, eyes, mouth, and mighty arm. We believe God is spirit and has no body [Jn.4:24], but even that is hard to imagine, because we are unable to comprehend exactly what ‘spirit’ is. It is clear that the phrase ‘to seek the face of God’ must refer to something very different from physical vision or a material encounter.
Several other Biblical characters claimed to have seen God:
In Hebrew legend, Adam and Eve heard God’s footsteps and voice [Gen. 3:8]; Abraham is said to have met God several times before the apparent theophany or revelation of the Trinity at the oaks of Mamre [Gen. 12:7;15:1;17:1;18:1-2]. Jacob encountered God at least twice [Gen. 28:13; 32:30]. After Jacob’s wrestling with the figure of a man, he named the place ‘Peniel’, a Hebrew word meaning ‘face of God,’ because he said: “I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.” It is not clear whether this was meant to have been an angel or a theophany, a physical representation of God. [Gen.32:30]. Elders of Israel were with Moses and partly shared his vision [Ex. 24:9-11]; Gideon saw the angel of the Lord [Judg.6:22]. So did Samson’s parents, Manoah and his wife, [Judg.13:22]. Samuel [1Sam.3:10], Solomon [1 Kings [3:5; 9:2;11:9], Micaiah [1 Ki.22:19-22] are all claimed to have met God. Elijah was taken up to him in a chariot [2Ki.2:11-12]. Isaiah said he “saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple." [Isa.6:1-5]. Ezekiel [1:26-28], Daniel [7:9-14] and Amos [7:7] describe similar visions. In the New Testament, Stephen [Acts7:56], St. Paul [2Cor.12:2] and John on Patmos [Rev.5:1-8] claimed to have visions of God. In none of these descriptions is it made exactly clear whether these are meant to have been actual physical encounters with the divine or spiritual visions, though the literal impression given by the words in scripture is that they met and saw God.
Several Hebrew prophets promised that a greater revelation of God was coming to his people, which would be far greater than their present experience: “I will not hide my face anymore from them, when I pour out my Spirit upon the house of Israel, declares the Lord God.’ [Ezek.39:29]… ‘They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea’. [Isa.11:9]. This revelation would not just come through the Messiah/Christ, who God would send to redeem his people. It would be enhanced by an intimate self-revealing through God’s Spirit coming to indwell his people and reveal himself to the nations.[Joel 2:28-32].
In the New Testament people came to believe that they had seen the face of God in and through Jesus of Nazareth. After years of debate about the true nature of Jesus, as the Church established, Christians formulated the doctrine that Jesus Christ was both fully human and fully divine. He claimed unity with the Father: [Jn.10:30; 14:9]. Peter, James, and John witnessed his transformation at the Transfiguration [Mk.9:2-7; Matt.17:1-2] and many more witnessed the miracle of the Ascension [Acts1:9-11]. Paul had some vison of the heavenly Christ in light at his conversion [Acts9:3]. The early Christians claimed that in Jesus they had seen God’s revelation of himself: ‘For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily…’ [Col.2:9]… ‘He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high’ [Heb.1:3]. They believed that none had ever known God in the first-hand way that Jesus had: ‘Not that anyone has seen the Father except he who is from God; he has seen the Father’ [Jn.6:46]… ‘No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man’. [Jn.3:13]… ‘No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known’. [Jn.1:18].
It is claimed that after death and our own resurrection, in the New Heaven and the New Earth, we will ‘see his face and his name will be on their foreheads’ [Rev.22:4]. In some as-yet unknown way, in the last times, Christ will be revealed physically: ‘And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory’. ]Lk.21:27-31]… ‘When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne’. [Matt.25:31-34]… “Now we see only puzzling reflections, as in a mirror, then we shall see face to face.” [1Cor.13:12]. It is not yet clear exactly what these promises mean, since revelation is incomplete: ‘Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is’. [1Jn.3:2].
These are promising a closer relationship with God in a dimension beyond death, but should we be expecting to have a greater revelation of God in contemporary life than we have today? I do not think that the miraculous is meant to be a common daily experience in the lives of even the most holy Christians. It is made very clear that we are meant to ‘live by faith not sight’: [2Cor.5:7; Jn.20:29]. It is surely enough of a wonder to continue with our daily lives, recognising the amazing aspects of the cosmos all around us and recognising aspects of God through them, through scripture and through our spiritual activities. I personally don’t feel that I need to have a special encounter with God, unless God decides that I need to have one for some particular reason. I trust and feel his presence with me is real anyway.
We should also be able to recognise aspects of God through other members of the body of Christ [Rom.12:1-21]. When I have been in need and people have come close to support me I have known this to be true. Though there have been several situation in my life when I have felt abandoned by even close Christian friend, and in that bereavement have needed to cling onto God far more intensively. We are given each other to provide the presence of God’s Spirit to one another, especially in times of need.
Scripture claims, that God made human beings ‘in his image’ [Gen.1:27], so we should be able to recognise aspects of the truth about God through the best human qualities. But scripture does not define how we share that image. (I discuss the possibilities in my Lichfield Cathedral lecture on another page of this website). Among many possibilities it could include our ability to act righteously, to reason, to make independent or moral decisions, to be creative etc. or it could relate to our spiritual nature and our ability to relate to God in the spiritual dimension. One reason why we have been given spiritual gifts is to encourage one another and grow together into the people we are intended to be. We share the gifts that God gives us to strengthen one another. Paul stated that he ministered to others, not just in human strength and wisdom but ‘in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.’ [1Cor.2:1-16]. We never know how God might reveal things to us through others, as Hebrew reminds us: ‘Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares’. [Heb.13:2]. To supplement Christ’s supreme revelation of God and the teaching of scripture, perhaps the clearest understanding, teaching and recognition of the truth about God should be revealed through fellow Christians. But the Church certainly has a long way to go before we achieve that revelation sufficiently!
Despite the impossibilities of sufficiently ‘knowing God’ [cf. Eccles.3:10-11] scripture encourages believers to ‘Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually’ [Ps.105:4]… to ‘call on God’s name, humble ourselves, pray, and seek God’s face and turn from wicked ways, then (God promises to) hear from heaven and will forgive our sin and heal our land’. [2Chron.7:14]. God’s face shining on us is spoken of as a promise of ‘salvation’: [Ps.80:7].
So living righteously in God’s sight and seeking God’s face are important aspects of the Christian life. We shouldn’t kid ourselves that anything we do can be hidden from God’s truth; as Psalm 139 emphasises, everything about us is open and known. This is actually a relief, as everything can then be forgiven. Everything about God, however is not known by us. Most of spiritual truth remains a mystery; only a minute fraction is revealed, yet that is enough to give us security in a relationship with God. ‘Seeking God’s face’ is an encouragement to work at relating to God more, trying to discern more through scripture, teachings, reason, traditions and the experience of others, living in all ways that draw us closer to God and godliness. Seeking God’s face is less about seeing miracles than trusting that our faith is true and trusting that God’s presence is with us. If we live by that trust, we are more likely to find that we recognise more about God’s truth.
THE BEAUTY OF GOD
On the reverse face of the chancel roof beam of a small church in which I first served as an ordained minister were inscribed the words ‘O WORSHIP THE LORD IN THE BEAUTY OF HOLINESS’. This phrase from famous hymn by John Samuel Bewley Monsell [1811-1875), derives from Psalm 29:2: ‘Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.’ The words recur in 1 Chron 16:29: ‘Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness’. On the chancel beam they could only be read by the minister, servers and a few members of the choir when they faced the congregation. I found it a constant reminder, when presiding at the Eucharist, that we were responsible for directing our own worship and that of the congregation towards the truth of God. The idea of worship being ‘beautiful’ and glorifying to an already ‘beautiful’ and ‘holy’ God is reiterates in several psalms and even in terrible situations like going to war: ‘When he (Jehoshaphat) had consulted with the people, he appointed those who would sing to the LORD, that they should praise the beauty of holiness / in holy spelendour, as they went out before the army, and say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy endures for ever’[2Chron. 20:21].
(With regard to the hymn ‘O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness’ … I find it personally interesting that the prolific Irish poet and hymn writer John Samuel Bewley Monsell, born in St. Colomb's, Londonderry, spent his mature years in ministry, from the age of 42, near my home in Surrey. He became rector of Egham in 1853, then was rector of St. Nicholas Church in Guilford from 1870. Sadly he died 5 years later in a construction accident at his church. He makes most of our attempts at glorifying god seem paltry, as he published eleven volumes of poetry and three hundred hymns. )
The idea of God’s beauty recurs through the Psalms and other Hebrew scriptures:
‘One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire/meditate in his temple’. [Ps. 27:4]
‘Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God has shined’. [Ps.50:2]
‘My mouth is filled with Your praise; all the day with Your beauty’. [Ps.71:8]
‘For You are the beauty of their strength…’ [Ps.89:17]
‘Let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us...’ [Ps.90:17]
‘Lord, your testimonies are completely reliable; holiness is the beauty of your house for all the days to come.’ [Ps.93:5]
‘Honour and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.’ [Ps.96:6]
‘O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth.’ [Ps.96:9]
‘Your eyes will see the King in His beauty: they will behold a far-distant land’. [Isa.33:17]
‘For how great is his goodness, and how great is his beauty!’ [Zech.9:17]
‘To You, O LORD, is the greatness, and the might, and the beauty, and the victory, and the honour, because of all in the heavens and in the earth…’ [1 Chron.29:11].
In each of these cases, the word for ‘beauty’ is that used in the King James version of scripture. It is translated elsewhere as ‘glory’, ‘majesty’, ‘greatness’, ‘splendour’. ‘Favour’ is the word in Ps.90 and the actual meaning of Ps. 93 refers to the ‘appropriateness’ of holiness in God’s Temple, not to beauty at all. So we have to be very careful in using the word ‘beauty’ of God today. One contemporary chorus, popular in some circles, repeats ‘You’re so beautiful’ to God so many times that it sounds like a slushy, almost meaningless, sentimentally romantic love song, rather than authentically focused words of worship. Christ called us to ‘worship in spirit and in truth’ [Jn.4:23], not to encourage or indulge in false sentimentalism in our spirituality.
Scripture encourages us to ‘Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name: Bring an offering, and come before Him; Worship the Lord in holy array’. [1Chron.16:29 & Ps.29:2]. This means that our worship and recognition of God should be appropriate, truthful and glorifying. We should not be creating false ideas of God. We need to be very careful about beautifying our concepts of God into something that is beyond reality. That is what idolaters did: ‘From their beautiful ornament (silver and gold), in which they took pride and majesty, they made abominable images and loathsome idols. Therefore, I will make it something loathsome, an unclean thing’ [Ezek.7:20]. We should not imagine God romantically as physically beautiful. That would be to make a false and idolatrous concept of God. Isaiah talked of idols of false gods being created that way: ‘The carpenter measures it with a line; he traces its shape with a stylus, then fashions it with planes and shapes it with a compass. He makes the idol like a human figure, with human beauty, to be at home in a shrine.’ [Isa 44:13]. God should be recognised and worshipped for true qualities, not made into an idol of any kind even a false mental image.
Similarly to romanticise Jesus as the ‘ideal man’ and sing love songs to him, as some contemporary choruses or romantic hymns sometimes tend to encourage, can distract from the truth of what Christ was revealing of God. Isaiah’s description of the Messiah and the Suffering Servant definitely roots us in a realistic image of the self-sacrificial side of Christ: ‘he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and he had no attractiveness that we should desire him.”. [Isa 53:2]. I imagine that Jesus of Nazareth was a very ordinary human being, just like most of us physically. He must have had a charisma that attracted people to his teaching and led people to commit themselves to him. But I imagine, personally, that it was his truth and authenticity that distinguished him rather than any physical attraction. There’s no proof of this of course. The sparse historical descriptions of Jesus are unreliable, coming from critics who disparaged him; the Gospels do not physically describe him.
Nature itself is said in scripture to reflect God’s beauty, though nothing could not surpass God’s glory: “The fir trees were not like his boughs, and the chestnut trees were not like his branches; nor any tree in the garden of God was like him in his beauty’ [Ezek.31:8]. St. Paul recognised that qualities of God could be found in creation [Rom.1:20] yet he emphasises that divine beauty and glory is very different from natural beauty and glory: ‘There are also heavenly bodies [sun, moon and stars] and earthly bodies [humans, animals, and plants], but the glory and beauty of the heavenly is one kind, and the glory of the earthly is another’. [1Cor.15:40].
Good human qualities ( a wider concept of ‘beauty’) are suggested to derive from the idea that we are made in the image of a perfect God [Gen.1:26-27]. Ezekiel claimed that the nation of Israel owed its glory to God: ‘Your fame spread among heathen nations on account of your beauty: for it was perfect because of my splendour, which I had bestowed on you, says the Lord GOD’. [Ezek.16:14]. Ezekiel’s prophecy continued by showing that they had trusted on their beauty and fame and moved away from God, so had lost their splendour and position. Scripture is not talking about human physical beauty or glory being admired or commended by God, but spiritual integrity, truth and hiliness. Psalm 147:10-11 emphasises that God’s love of human beings, unlike our own admiration of many, is not for our physical beauty or prowess: ‘His delight is not in the strength of the horse, nor his pleasure in the legs of a man (or the speed of a runner); but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him… in those who hope in his steadfast love.’ We should not regard physical beauty in people as the primary quality to admire. Rather, we are spiritually beautiful and true when we best reflect God in our characters and actions. It is ‘the inner person of the heart, the lasting beauty of a gentle and tranquil spirit, which is precious in God's sight’ [1 Pet 3:4]. We can share in the beauty of God if we live as the people we are meant to be, with the qualities of truth, purity, holiness, integrity, love, care and commitment to others, which reflect God’s nature as Jesus reflected his Father. That is emphasised in verses like:
“How beautiful/lovely on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news,
Who announces peace and brings good news of happiness,
Who announces salvation, and says to Zion, “Your God reigns!” [Isa.52:7]
St. Paul reiterated this and quoted the Isaiah passage in Rom.10:15.
When scripture talks about the ‘beauty’ of God it is not referring to visual attributes but aspects of God’s glory and character. Among these are:
Perfection
Love,
care,
purity,
truth,
goodness,
integrity,
commitment,
grace,
omnipotent power,
omniscient knowledge,
God’s omnipresence, with us, throughout the cosmos and in infinite spiritual realms
exaltation far above all other things,
…. and infinitely more qualities.
As followers of God we are meant and expected to try to emulate many of those qualities and characteristics of God, in order to live the Christian life and mission authentically and reflect God’s truth to others. God is not just described as beautiful, but scripture promises that God can transform others to share his beauty. .God’s spokesman (the Branch) and the Messiah would share it: ‘In that day the Branch of the Lord will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth will be the pride and the adornment of the survivors of Israel’ [Isa.4:2]… God’s redeemed people would share God’s glory: ‘In that day the Lord of hosts will become a beautiful crown and a glorious diadem to the remnant of His people’ [Isa.28:5]… ‘they will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified’. [Isa.61:3].
It is quite an ambition to aim and hope share and reflect the qualities of God, as we are meant to do. We will never do it wholly of course, because we are limited and also because we are prone to fail through self-centredness. Sadly human beings and human society are very far from being able to be recognised as ‘oaks of righteousness.’ The news daily records the failings of the world and the failings of many leaders to truly reflect the truth, holiness and glory that we are all mean to represent. That is true of many ecclesiastical leaders, congregations and Christian individuals too. But being as winsome as the holy Christ who we follow and are meant to imitate, needs to become a major aim in all Christian lives if we want the Church to grow as it should.
CONSIDERING THE NAME OF GOD Iain McKillop
Scripture is replete with references to the ‘Name’ of God. People are told to ‘honour’ God’s name, ‘not dishonour’ it, to ‘call on’ and pray in God’s name, to find salvation in it etc.. I have written elsewhere about the many and various names given to God in scripture, but here I want to consider the essential idea of God having names.
A name was considered to carry the essence of a person or thing. Adam ‘naming’ the animals of creation in the Genesis legend, implies that he was gaining knowledge or understanding of them. It also may imply that he was gaining some power over them, as was believed in some ancient cultures. One of the reasons for God’s name initially being anonymous in Hebrew history may have been to emphasise that God remained mysterious, above understanding and beyond the control of any.
The only proper name for God in scripture was given through Moses [Ex.3:14]. YHWH / YAHWEH / JEHOVAH [Deut.6:4; Dan.9:14] is often translated in English Bibles as ‘LORD’ (using all capitals) to distinguish it from another common title ‘Adonai’ translated as ‘Lord’. –‘YHWH’ is not really a ‘name’ at all, but an assurance of God’s identity, meaning ‘I Am who I Am’ or ‘I will be what I will be’. Its meaning seems intentionally ambiguous. It does not define God but appears to refer to God’s immediacy, truth and availability. It implies that Yahweh is real, present, accessible, ‘near to those who call on Him for deliverance’ [Ps.107:13], available to offer forgiveness [Ps. 25:11] and guidance [Ps.31:3]. Moses was given the impression that the revealed name of the Hebrew God was a special privilege: “I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty, but by my name the LORD (YHWH) I did not make myself known to them”. [Ex.6:3]. It was now given to Israel for ever: God told Moses, ‘Say this to the people of Israel, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations’. [Ex.3:15]..’You shall worship no other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, (kah-NAH), is a jealous God’, [Ex.34:14]. “I am the Lord; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols.’ [Isa.42:8].
Many scholars associate the various terms used to name God in scripture with different periods in Jewish history and different parts of Hebrew tribal culture, but discussion of this beyond the scope of this essay. Four other common words were used in Hebrew scripture for God. Again, they are not so much ‘names’ as ‘references’ to God:.
EL or ELOAH: This emphasises that God is ‘mighty’, ‘strong’ or ‘prominent’ [Neh.9:17; Ps.139:19] ‘El’ appears to mean ‘power’, as in ‘I have the power to harm you’ [Gen.31:29]. El is also associated with other qualities like sovereignty, supremacy, integrity [Num.23:19], jealousy [Deut.5:9], and compassion [Neh.9:31], while it retains the essential root idea of ‘might’.
ELOHIM: This is the plural form of ‘El’ or ‘Eloah’ and again refers to God being ‘mighty’ and ‘strong’. Like ‘El’ can also imply that God is the ‘source’ or ‘creator’ of all [Gen.17:7; Jer.31:33]. Some believe that as a plural word it may also suggest the future doctrine of the Trinity. More probably the use of a plural word was intended to denote the enormity and superior nature of God’s power. In Gen.1:’Elohim’ is the word for God who speaks Creation into existence.
EL SHADDAI: ‘God Almighty’, ‘The Mighty One’ [Gen.49:24; Ps.132:2,5] refers to God’s ultimate power over all. It possibly originally carried the meaning ‘God the mountain’ emphasising God’s might & height.
ADONAI: ‘Lord’ [Gen.15:2; Judg.6:15] was frequently used in scripture in place of ‘YHWH’, which was thought by the Jews to be too sacred to be uttered by sinful people. In the Old Testament, YHWH is more often used in God’s dealings with His people, while Adonai is used more when God is referred to as dealing with Gentiles.
The idea of God having a name seems to have been important to most ancient civilizations, including the early Hebrew tribes. A name was believed to carry something of the identity, nature or character of its owner. One of the reasons why the Hebrew God wasn’t given a specific personal name may be to show that he was above control or understanding. But in the case of the Hebrew God, his ‘name’, like his ‘face’ indicated that everything about God was being included – the whole of God’s identity, nature and character, power, will, relationship with creation and his people, etc.,
The Bible also uses several compound phrases for God, which are again not ‘names’ as much as titles that refer to attributes or activities of God:
YAHWEH-JIREH: ‘The Lord Our Provider’ [Gen.22:14]
YAHWEH-RAPHA: ‘The Lord Who Heals’ [Ex.15:26] ‘
YAHWEH-NISSI: ‘The Lord Our Banner’/ ‘Our Rallying Place’ [Ex.17:15, Isa.11:10].
YAHWEH-M'KADDESH: ‘The Lord Who Sanctifies, Makes Holy’ [Lev.20:8; Ezek.37:28]
YAHWEH-SHALOM: ‘The Lord Our Peace’ [Judg.6:24] God.
YAHWEH-ELOHIM: ‘LORD God’ [Gen.2:4; Ps.59:5]
YAHWEH-TSIDKENU: ‘The Lord Our Righteousness’ [Jer.33:16]
YAHWEH-ROHI: ‘The Lord Our Shepherd’ [Ps.23:1]
YAHWEH-SHAMMAH: ‘The Lord Is There’ [Ezek.48:35]
YAHWEH-SABAOTH: ‘The Lord of Hosts’ [Isa.1:24; Ps.46:7]
EL ELYON: ‘Most High’ [Deut.26:19]
EL-GIBHOR: ‘Mighty God’ [Isa.9:6]
EL-OLAM: ‘Everlasting God’ [Ps.90:1-3]
EL ROI: ‘God of Seeing’ [Gen.16:13]
The New Testament also uses similar elaborate titles and metaphors to identify the characteristics of for Christ: ‘the Alpha and the Omega’ [Rev.1:8]; ‘Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace’. [Isa.9:6]. ‘Messiah: the Anointed One’ [Jn.1:41]; ‘The Root and Offspring of David’ [Rev.22:16]; ‘Lion of Judah’ [Rev.5:5]; ‘The Amen’ [Rev.3:14]; ‘The Bright Morning Star’ [Rev.22:16]; ‘The Word’ [Jn.1:1]; ‘The Word of Life’ [1Jn.1:1]; ‘The Second/Last Adam’ [1 Cor.15:45]; ‘Prince of Life’ [Acts 3:15]; ‘The Lamb of God’ [Rev.5:12; Jn. 1:36]; Chief Cornerstone: [Mk.12:10] etc.
He used some titles of himself: ‘The Bread of Life’ [Jn.6:35]; ‘The Light of the World’ [Jn.8:12]; ‘The Door’: [Jn.10:7]; ‘The Good Shepherd’ [Jn.10:11]; ‘The Resurrection and the Life’ [Jn.11:25]; ‘The Way, The Truth, and The Life’ [Jn.14:6]; ‘The Vine’ [Jn.15:1]. All of these refer to aspects of his character and mission. Jesus also seems to have deliberately referred to himself with divine terminology as ‘I AM’: [Jn.8:58].
In being given these titles for God and Christ, we are in some ways intended to understand aspects of the mysteries about them. ‘Therefore my people shall know my name… in that day they shall know that it is I who speak; here am I.’ [Isa.52:6]. Scripture also refers to God ‘calling his people by name’: “I have called you by name and you are mine” [Isa.43:1;]. This implies that they have responsibilities and obligations towards the one who names them. Those belonging to God and receiving God’s promises are also intended to reflect aspects of his character.
Various geographical places in scripture were given names that convey information about them. ‘Jerusalem’ means ‘city of Peace’; ‘Shiloh’ also means ‘Peace’. Beersheba means ‘Well of the Oath’; Bethel means ‘House of God’. Certain place-names in scripture changed meaning according to their associations: Canaan means literally ‘lowlands’ but came to be considered as meaning ’land of promise.’ ‘Jireh in Moriah / ‘The Lord Our Provider’ [Gen.22:14] was named by Abraham after God provided a substitute for the sacrifice of Isaac. Moses re-named his altar at Rephidim ‘YHWH Nissi’ / The Lord Is My Banner’ [Ex.17:15] after his defeat of Amalek in battle.
People’s names similarly carry meanings; Jacob means ‘supplanter’ or ‘follower-behind’; ‘Israel’ means ‘contended with God’ or ‘wrestled with God’; ‘Judah’ means thanksgiving’ or ‘praise’ yet Jeremiah prophesied a new name for Judah: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’ [Jer.23:6]. Jesus’ name means ‘YHWH saves’, ‘salvation’ or ‘God my help’. One feels sorry for the children of some prophets, who were saddled with names that sound vindictive: Hosea’s children [Hos.1:3-9] were particularly hard-done-by: Jezreel was named after the valley ravaged in battle, ‘Lo-ruhamah meant "No Mercy" or "No Pity" and Lo-ammi’ meant ‘Not My People’. Thankfully Hosea anticipated that they would be renamed ‘Ruhmad’ / ‘Shown Mercy’ and ‘’Ammi’ / ‘My People’ [Hos. 2:1,23]..The Book of Revelation prophesies that the Redeemed will similarly be given a new name and will comprehend God more personally, as implied by an as-yet unknown new name by which to know God. [Rev.2:17; 3:12].
Knowing about mysterious aspects of God through the titles and names helps us to worship ‘in spirit and in truth’ [Jn.4:23]. Jesus taught his disciples to pray “hallowed be your name” [Matt.6:9]. Believers are often encouraged to ‘call on the Name of the Lord’ and ‘trust in the Name of the Lord’ [Ps.9:10]. But this Name is not to be regarded as a magical or superstitious key to miracles, as some Christians used to believe. The idea that one could use the sacred name as a form of invocation, verbal talisman or mantra is not particularly sound one biblically. In the past some Christians believed that to quote the words of scripture (especially in Latin or the Authorised Version), to hold up a cross or invoke the name of God to situations of evil, automatically brought into action the power of God. (This is more like the idea of exorcism and faith in horror films than true Christianity). God is not to be controlled. Some similarly interpret Matt.12:31superstitiously, claiming that blasphemously misusing the name of the Holy Spirit immediately condemns. Rom.10:9 is misinterpreted to consonsider that if we have sound doctrines and merely verbally confess that ‘Jesus is Lord’ or belief in his resurrection, it is enough to save us. The Epistle of James counters this by claiming that we need to act in Christ-like ways as well as believe [Jas.2:14-26].
Even in our enlightened age of reason, some churchgoers retain rather mediaeval beliefs that seem more led by superstition than true Christian faith. When we do things in God’s name or in Jesus’ name we rely on the power and care of God, not on our use of a magic word in prayer. “I will make them know my power and my might, and they shall know that my name is the Lord.’ [Jer.16:21]. We ‘baptise in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit’ [Matt.28:19], pray for healing in God’s name [Jas.5:14], act in God’s name etc. But we are totally dependent on God’s power and all that God stands for, not on any magic that is contained within the name itself. God is far greater than conjuring tricks. Knowing God’s name is supposed to give us confidence that God is with us [Isa.52:6], to give us security and help us feel reliant on God’s power for our needs: ‘The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe.’ [Prov.18:10].
Similarly, when we are commanded not to swear falsely by that name, take the name in vain or profane it [Ex.20:7, Lev.18:21;19:12; 22:32; Deut.5:11], we should not treat that command superstitiously, as if mistakenly saying the wrong words will lead to immediate destruction, similarly to the stories of Ananias and Saphira [Acts 5:5&10], Simon Magus in Acts 8:20 or Uzzah in [2 Sam.6:3–6:8, 1 Chron.13:7–13:11]. The intention is surely that we should always be responsible in representing God authentically and behaving before God in Christ-like ways.
When we worship ‘in God’s name’ we are worshipping the totality of who God is: ‘I will be glad and exult in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High’ [Ps.9:2]; ‘I will ever sing praises to your name, as I perform my vows day after day’ [Ps.61:8]. This is not the idolatrous worship of an image using the name of a god, or worshipping a certain aspect of God. We are intended to be accepting and responding to the totality of what God is. Of course our limited understanding of God means that we only know a small fraction of the totality of truth about God, but we worship and acknowledge the reality of the whole of what God stands for. His ‘name’ represents this. “… those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you’ [Ps.9:10].
It is the same when we consider Jesus, about whom so much has been revealed, but more remains mysterious. Philippians tells us: ‘…at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.’ [Phil.2:10-11]. Much of who Jesus was, is, and what he achieved remains ‘mystery’. But we give thanks and worship whatever is the whole truth of Jesus of Nazareth, believing him to be whatever is the truth about Christ. We believe that the presence of God’s truth is with us when we join in worship: Jesus said. “Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” [Matt.18:20]. We don’t fully understand the mystery of how Jesus achieved salvation, what ‘salvation’ fully means, and whether that applies to Christians alone or acts more widely within the cosmos as St. Paul implies [Rom.8:19-25]. Yet when we thank Christ for the gift of salvation we express gratitude for the totality of whatever ‘salvation’ stands for and whatever truth is contained in the words: ‘there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.’ [Acts 4:12] and “I am the Way, the Truth and the Light, no-one comes to the father except by me.” [Jn.14:6]. If we are worshipping in spirit and in truth we would be presumptive to believe that we understand these mysteries fully, though human minds and many theologians may speculate. Jesus did claim, nevertheless, that the ‘eternal life’ he brought is: “that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent”. [Jn.17:3].
Knowing God ‘by name’ is associated with being in a secure relationship with the mystery of a power far beyond our understanding. It suggests that we can trust in that power and live in close relationship with the entire truth that the name of God represents: ‘For your Maker is your husband, the Lord of hosts is his name; and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer, the God of the whole earth he is called’. [Isa.54:5].
Believers in God are meant to remain constantly responsible for maintaining the good reputation of God and building the understanding of the truth of God in the world. Unfortunately, whenever individuals or the Church fail God, we damage both our reputation and that of God’s perfection that we are meant to represent. St. Paul condemned both false Jews and false Christians when he said: ‘The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.’ [Rom.2:24]. We are meant to be allowing ourselves to be ‘led in paths of righteousness for his name's sake’. [Ps.23:3]. Our faithful and authentic witness should be long-lasing: ‘I will cause your name to be remembered in all generations; therefore nations will praise you forever and ever’[Ps.45:17].
HAS SIN CHANGED? Iain McKillop
Traditionally, the idea of ‘sin’ according to scripture has been interpreted by Christians as ‘whatever we do that falls short of the way that God expects human beings to live’. This has always included keeping to scriptural rules and following the teachings of Jesus. Just as the Scribes and Pharisees elaborated scripture to expand Jewish law, the Church has also expanded the idea of sin to include straying from Christian cultural expectations, disobeying the rules, laws and principles of the Church, not accepting the authority of Church leaders etc.
In the times of the Hebrew scriptures certain divine rules were considered to apply to all: It was sin to intermarry with non-Jewish tribes, to eat unclean foods, indulge in unclean activities, mix with unclean people, indulge in forbidden sexual activities, fail to attend required worship and ceremonies, or fail to offer appropriate sacrifices etc. Some Christians in the world believe that all these rules still apply, though many thinking believers discount several rules in the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament as cultural expectations. Even St. Paul altered the rules, when he taught about circumcision and unclean foods [Gal.5:2; Rom.14]. But he added new ones, like the head-covering of women in church, which most discount today as cultural not universal [1Cor.11:1-34]. Many Christians believe that, as attitudes have changed in various cultures, some of the Bible’s regulations and proscriptions no longer apply. But it takes enlightenment and reason to work out which rules of life are universal, which are culturally dependent, and which need to be reformed to apply in present situations.
Differences over moral religious opinion largely prevail today over which issues of sexual practices are still considered sinful. Even in this area most attitudes are far broader and more liberal than in the world before the 1960s revolution in human behaviour. Those in the L.G.B.T.Q. community and straight people in broader relationships certainly rarely see what they regard as natural behaviour as sinful. Many have come to this conclusion after years of self-doubt and through questioning hurtful church teaching. What seem to them natural instincts may have been regarded as abnormal or sinful by their families, friends, prevailing moral culture or the Church. After years of sincere questioning some come to the decision that it is right, normal and can be ‘holy’ to live in ways that some others consider sinful. Are they being sinful, or has reason moved them towards the truth.
The concentration on criticising sexual sins itself seems rather hypocritical. Many other sins have a far more damaging effect on human society: Greed, avarice, usury, abuse of power, abuse of individuals, lies, self-centredness, neglect of the needy, and many more, are at the centre of the way that contemporary society works. Politicians, business leaders and others indulge in many of these much of the time. Those sins affect and damage the lives of the community far more acutely than individuals' relationships, yet the Church and ethicists rarely challenge them or even question them. Church leaders have also been very reluctant to criticise our political leaders over their lack of care and provision for the lives of the vulnerable during the present Covid 19 pandemic, and have failed to challenge the hypocrisies and double standards of our leaders. Christians have a responsibility to highlight sin and direct our world towards behaviour and principles that are closer to the requirements of God's Kingdom. We should not just be attacking easy or vulnerable targets; we should be 'speaking truth to power'. If we are to point to sin and encourage or bring true healing, reconciliation, truth and righteousness, we should also challenge the powerful as the Hebrew prophets did. We should not be as mealy-mouthed as some self-justifying leaders or those who support them and defend or excuse their sins. Christianity teaches that true sin is forgivable, but in the process of forgiveness one has to acknowledge one's failings, accept their consequences and attempt to make reparation.
Has sin changed? Are people sinning by being more liberal, or were people interpreting God’s rules and expectations wrongly before? In secular understanding morality does often seem to change as society’s values change. This is obvious when we compare current attitudes to sexuality with opinions of just 50 years ago. Is it possible that some behaviours are universally wrong? The 10 commandments seem universal, but do those which command honour of God apply to those who do not believe in God? We might say that the commandment not to murder is universal and for the good of society, yet many believe that it does not apply in situations of war or the assassination of tyrannical oppressors. Surely not all ethical standards are malleable, but we need to be discerning over what we decide to be universal.
The Christian Church should be very careful if it tries to condemn certain behaviours. There has always been hypocrisy in its own ranks, as St Paul pointed out to his early churches.. Even popes, cardinals and bishops in the past took mistresses, concubines, catamites etc. Some self-righteous leaders still close their eyes to flagrant disregard of church rules or cover up the actions of abusers for the political protection of the Church. It is very easy to have double standards. Whenever I preach I remember that the truths in my words rarely match my actions in daily life. I know several situations where bishops have sanctioned the sin and abuse of power of some of their favoured ministers, while acting against the lesser sins of others. Hypocrisy is surely as sinful as more obvious sins. Most moral understanding today recognises that those who cover up sins are as culpable as those who indulge in them, because it is as if they are condoning the sin or would be willing to indulge in it themselves. We should assess ourselves by the truth and the purity of God and act in all things in a Christ-like manner, not follow contemporary secular mores. Church leaders are responsible for helping the Church follow Christ’s ways.
When Jesus debated with the guardians of the Jewish law, the Scribes, Pharisees and Sadducees he pointed out that they were interpreting the letter of biblical law too literally. Jesus implied that we should always look into the reasons why rules were made before we consider how they apply today to a particular situation. In biblical times, laws were mostly introduced for the protection, ordering, unifying or harmonising of society and individuals. Rules about unclean foods were largely for health reasons; Rules about intermarriage and social behaviour maintained the political and social unity of the tribes, protected ownership of land and maintained tribal standards and faith. Rules about religious rites kept the nation and its people in right relationship with God. Rules about sexuality protected health and prevented exploitation in relationships. None of these rules were primarily about judging what was moral or immoral. God’s truth was the judge of human beings and the arbiter of what was right or wrong in all situations.
If we take as our principle that we should look at the reasons behind laws as we work out how they apply today, we are likely to consider individual situations much more carefully than if we make sweeping ill-considered judgements. Behaviours which we believe to be wrong today, might not have been considered to be so in other cultures in the past, and vice versa. The West denies multiple marriages, which are common in some other cultures, as they were in the Hebrew Scriptures.
Applying reason to ethical judgements could greatly improve our lives and our world: In the case of foods, it is surely sinful to indulge in foods that are bad for our health or to buy products where workers have been exploited or the production or packaging damages the environment. In the case of relationships it is wrong to behave in ways that debase or exploit others, or damage physical, mental or emotional health. In society it is sinful to not protect the vulnerable, to reduce people’s security, to damage peaceful interrelationships, exploit others, promote the wrong sort of people for the wrong reasons, damage the environment, not protect or advance the world for the good of all, make war or kill for wrong reasons, or make money through exploiting others. Yet these are all sins that many indulge in today and are just as immoral as the more obviously reprehensible sins of murder, rape and destruction. They go against God’s truth and damage others.
It is no excuse to say that some sins are less damaging than others. Everything that is untrue is surely wrong. In the biblical definition of sin everything that goes against the truth is equally culpable, as it divides us for God. In Rom.1:28-31 St. Paul lists gossip, haughtiness and slander as equally sinful io murder, strife or sexual sins, since they are divisive and separate us from God and truth. Jesus called just looking at someone lustfully as bad as indulging one’s lust physically, and hate as bad as murder [Matt.5:22, 28}. He did not give us easy let-out clauses. Arrogantly considering oneself better than others is also sinful. It is very difficult to judge, but also dangerous, since there are always the possibilities of the criticism of hypocrisy being pointed back at us.
Attitudes to sin in the secular world today often seem to depend on what one can’t get away with, or what is found out. (Unfortunatley this applies to church circles too!) In the past many would have said that if someone was caught stealing it would be a sin, and if they stole and are not caught it would equally still be sin. Yet in many cases people only admit that they have done wrong if they are caught. Politicians in the past might admit to mistakes and resign or make amends. Our new breed of politicians, internationally, rarely admit to having done wrong at all. They justify the wrongs they have done as ‘right actions in the circumstances’. Today we have presidents, prime ministers and other world leaders and business people who invent lies about their achievements or create ill-considered policies without a grain of truth behind them. When caught out they simply stick to their claim that what they said was truth, or ‘what they sincerely believed was truth at the time’. Just as bad are disclaimers that they ever made the statements or actions of which the world media have firm evidence.
Other contemporary sins manipulate of truth in other ways: The manipulation of statistics has become as common in the present Corona 19 virus pandemic, as in warfare. Is it good for the public to be protected from the truth for reasons of propaganda and public wellbeing? Or should we be told the true facts, in order to be able to assess situations for ourselves. Just as sinful is manipulation of people’s rights. Interference in elections seems to be becoming common practice. Gerrymandering, bribery and vote-rigging have been practised for centuries, but it is happening on a more insidious and international scale. Western politicians regularly praise ‘democracy’, but many have redefined democracy to mean manipulating truth to get their own way, even if it means misleading the public.
How then should we work out what is sinful today? It is useful to take our principles from scripture as Jesus and St. Paul did. Many Psalms talk of meditating on the laws and precepts of God being the foundation of knowledge and truth; Psalm 119 is replete with this. Psalm 1 shows that the righteous find blessing in following them and the sinful go against them. Proverbs 3:5-6 recommends that we “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths”. Our own understanding can often be malleable and make mistakes. But we need to work out what was the reason for the rules, prohibitions and recommendations. We rely on the ‘Spirit of Truth’ within us to direct our reasoning and insight and enlighten us. We need to keep to those precepts if we wish to be righteous. But we need to consider the reason behind the biblical rules in order to apply them properly, with righteous care rather than legalistism.
In the past, just as today, people made excuses for their sins. It is far too easy to blame evil on temptation by the devil, the corruption of all by ‘original sin’, or the excuse of ‘I’m only human’. Others blame their upbringing or parental and peer influences. James 1:14 was right in saying that the responsibility for our sins needs to rest in ourselves: “… one is tempted by one’s own desire, being lured and enticed by it; then, when that desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin…” Probably the most honest response to having done wrong is ‘Mea Culpa’ / ‘through my own fault’. (When did you last hear a politician or church leader admitting that?!) We should also be always willing to make redress when our failings have damaged someone else.
I am not sure that I believe in the concept of ‘original sin’ as it is often wrongly interpreted. The idea that we have inherited and been damaged for all time by the legendary sins of Adam and Eve’s disobedience against God seems ridiculous to most thinking minds. There are some religious American geneticists who claim that the Fall is sequenced into our genetic make-up, but this seems more ‘wishful thinking’ or deliberate manipulation of science, not unlike the manipulation of politicians. The doctrine of ‘original sin’ is not actually mentioned in scripture. It was developed later by theologians and thinkers from Augustine of Hippo to Calvin elaborating upon selected passages in the Bible, the meanings of which could be ambiguous [Rom.5:12; 3:10-18; Ps.51:5; 14:2-3; Eph..2:1-3; Prov.22:15; Eccles.9:3; Job. 15:14; Isa.59:2; Jer.17:9; Gen.3:22; 8:21; Rom.6:23; 1Jn.1:8-10 etc.]. The doctrine definitely does not state that everything in the cosmos after the legend of the Fall is entirely sinful. That would be heretical, though it is claimed by some fundamentalist believers. The doctrine claims that everything has been stained and sullied, so has the potential of being affected by sin.
If we are honest, we know that Romans 3:23 was right: we have all sinned and fallen short of truth. None of us have reached the glory of what we are meant to be as righteous human beings. But there is a grace and forgiveness that comes through Christ’s love and self-sacrificial example, which can forgive and overcome our sinfulness. The big mistake comes when any Christian, like a politician of today, believes that it is OK to sin as long as it is not found out. Creating a façade of righteousness is itself a sin, and is a failing into which many church leaders fall. Ultimately, for any Christian, anything that falls short of reflecting the image and example of Christ, in all that we do or say, is sinful and should be regarded as so. Thank goodness forgiveness is available through admitting the truth and accepting God’s love!
EVANGELISM AND TRUTH Iain McKillop
I was in a discussion recently with a friend over whether the Great Commission to ‘go and make disciples of all the world’ baptising and passing on Christ’s teachings [Matt.28:19-20 still applies in a pluralistic and individualistic world. The debate caused me to consider the role of evangelism within ‘contemporary thinking Christianity’. Is it arrogant, as some claim today, to believe that we have a truth worth sharing with others who might have different priorities? We recognise the dangers of past ‘evangelism’ and ‘mission’, which imposed Western Christian culture and mores on different cultures in the world, sometimes violently or causing cultural divisions. Various Churches internationally are still venturing to find approaches to Christianity that apply authentically to their culture and are not Western or imperialistic. Yet I still believe that Jesus’ teaching offers humanity a way of life that is adaptable with sensitivity to any culture and can lead to the most fulfilled life possible. So should we promote this or is it right to believe that, though something is so good for us, we have no reason, right or obligation to share it with others who might benefit from it. If we had a cure for a terminal disease should we keep it to ourselves or gift it to others’ benefit’, as it is hoped to do with a vaccine against Covid 19?
The Church does not have all the answers to life; if it did, it would be more perfect and authentic. It should be no surprise that the Church worldwide is in decline. In all denominations, more churches, church-leaders, individual church-goers and congregations are insufficient examples of Christ than good. I would not be a Christian if my belief was based on my experience of 66 years in various Churches, (middle-of-the-road Anglican, Anglican Evangelical, Free Evangelical, Pentecostal, Non-Conformist, Presbyterian, Methodist, Anglo-Catholic, Roman Catholic.). I’ve seen even worse examples since ordination as an Anglican priest. I follow Christ because I believe his teachings and way of life are Truth, not because I find them working well in churches that claim his lead. Like politicians, Christians’ words do not match our activities and our actions; our decisions too rarely appear to be led by God’s Spirit.
Despite that I remain in a church: it is healthier to aim and work at Christ-like reform within a system than outside it, though many times you recognise that you have to ‘shake the dust off your sandals and walk away elsewhere’ [Matt.10:14].
I believe the basis of Jesus’s teachings about God as found in the Gospels to be true, even if they were altered by the Evangelists and other writers or devisers of doctrine over time to explain and clarify mysteries. Variations are understandable, Jesus wasn’t followed around by a documentary-team faithfully recording all he did and said. Would that he had been, we might have more certainty, rather than relying on faith, reason and tradition! Commentators and expositors wouldn’t need to argue so much about the truth of the Historical Jesus. Some could not claim Jesus’ authority for their own bias: we could point to the videos and disprove them!
The basic evidence now in the world, for Christ’s teaching being true and relevant, should be us his supposed followers. Everyone should be able to look at me, you, our fellow church-goers, leaders, and our denominations to recognise exactly what being a follower of God is like and see a model of Christ-like life. NO excuses we give for our failings or hypocrisy are sufficient. If Jesus is “The Way, the Truth and the Life” [Jn.14:6-11] we should be demonstrating those in our life, actions, contemplation, devotion, corporate behaviour, teaching, prayer-life and intercession. We do not emphasise or teach church-members sufficiently about the spiritual life, even how to pray and study. So many dioceses use precious finance to employ consultants on mission yet we fail to enable members of congregations to live in Christ-like ways and share faith effectively.
The teaching of apologetics particularly, in most churches even cathedrals, is woefully bad. We employ diocesan theologians but how many ministers are teaching members of their congregations deeply enough to give them confidence to explain effectively why and what they believe, in ways that communicate to and convince others? Do we create a thirst in our congregations to deepen their understanding of faith, and engage in meaningful evangelism? How many of our too-few church-bookstalls or libraries hold books that help ordinary believers grow in their ability to explain faith? Most cathedrals should be ashamed of their bookshops - more trinkets than theology! (Leicester Cathedral shop is a wonderful exception!) Evangelicals, Contemplative Christians and others make idols of certain popular writers but much populist Christian publishing has become self-promoting pap. It is even hard to find enriching and challenging study material: most is weak and repetitive or narrowly orthodox. Trying to find meaningful spiritual books for my godchildren of various ages has also been really hard. Rich Christian scholarship is still being written, but very little is easily available to the general churchgoer.
I recognise that some contemporary training for Church leadership is lacking. (One recently ordained Evangelical curate, after graduating from a well-known college, asked a minister friend of mine to explain what ‘Lent’ was!) Yet many ministers who have been deeply-trained in theology do not adapt that understanding into teaching that deepens their congregations. Communication of personal stories and gentle homilies are part of preaching, but certainly should not over-dominate our teaching. It is almost as though, like the pre-Reformation Church, some leaders want to keep their members from spiritual knowledge, lest they question their authority, take their spirituality further, or become uncontrollable. We should be confident to create thinking believers who can grow independently beyond our own abilities and fields of understanding. As an art teacher and lecturer it was always my longing to inspire those who had the potential to become better artists than myself. It should be the same for a Christian minister.
Any ‘Thinking Christian’, of course will encounter questions of faith, which they and we are unable to answer. That is in the nature of belief, when we follow ‘by faith not by sight’. Christianity is a constant challenge, even if you have thought it through and studied for a lifetime. Yet it is exciting to encounter. If one may misquote Socrates via Plato: “An unexamined faith is not worth believing!” (as well as Socrates’ ‘an unexamined life is not worth living!’ [Plato's Apology/Ἀπολογία Σωκράτου/Apología Sokrátous: 38a5–6].
We should not be afraid to question, even doubt faith at times, as long as we then study, think-through and contemplate the issues we face. If we cdon’t how can we help a world where so many doubt? If God is true, as I believe, the Christian faith will stand up to all challenges. The damage is done when some walk away from challenges, become disillusioned by hypocrisies, are not helped though difficult issues or blinker themselves to finding potential ways through. Churches make more problems if they encourage people not to challenge faith and just accept mysteries or stated doctrines and practices. Rightly Paul discourages idle speculation about spiritual mysteries [1Tim.1:4; 2Tim.2:23] - look at the ‘esoteric’ naïveties about ‘angels’, ‘aura healing’ etc. which some spiritualities encourage” Sadly much Christianity through history has followed similar naïveties superstitions, arrogant speculations and inventions. Yet many believers who have been trained towards a rigid faith, whether Evangelical, Ultra-Protestant, Pentecostal, Catholic or Liberal, lose that faith later if they are not helped sufficiently through the inevitable challenges that come with life’s experiences, education and study. I encountered this in my early training at Bible College, where we were discouraged from questioning Creationism or reading contemporary biblical criticism other than Evangelical orthodoxy. Though we were supposedly being ‘trained’ as church leaders, we were not being encouraged to understand the questions that most of the world ask about faith. Christians who are dissuaded from questioning will never reach the maturity of faith to help them evangelise, discuss or promote faith effectively in a sceptical world.
The Christian faith is full of mysteries. We should feel able to question, doubt, challenge and delve into those mysteries, without fear of being accused of speculating, heresy or backsliding. Questioning is how we grow. The wisdom in Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Ecclesiasticus would never have developed without facing up to sincere challenges. The legendary story of Job and the experiences of the Psalmists demonstrate similar growth in wisdom through challenging orthodox understanding. Challenging perceived beliefs is how we grow: Most advances in science, society, culture, history, discovery all recognise that. Advancing Christianity is no different; some need to keep pushing the boundaries of knowledge, exploring ‘mysteries’, not just accepting their opacity. Even though we may never reach a sufficient answer, questioning is how the human mind works and how human understanding is enlarged, despite all the inevitable frustrations: [Eccles. 3:10-11: “I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.”]
Is God real? What evidences are convincing to my modern mind?
If so, what is God like in reality, in nature, character, presence, power?
Was Jesus really God? If so, what is the relationship between Jesus and the transcendent God?
Is God’s Holy Spirit really in my life?
If so, why haven’t I changed sufficiently?
How can I develop and maintain greater spiritual discipline in my life?
How can I understand faith better, in order to better explain faith to others?
These are all questions to keep grappling with and revisiting. It is strengthening to keep challenge ourselves with such questions because it sharpens our thoughts our faith and understanding that our lives and faith is not yet as they should be. Each time I question I find new perspectives on the answer, new questions or new challenges. That is how I grow in faith and in discipleship.
Evangelism is NOT to impose one way of understanding faith on people, it is to help others pursue Truth and find the ‘good news’ within that truth. God, I believe, is present in whatever and wherever Truth is. If we enable people to encounter truth we are helping them towards an aspect of understanding God. But Christ’s ‘euangelion’, as described in scripture, is intended to be more than that; it surely contains within it an aspect of helping people find ‘salvation’. We are to help people towards the truth so that the truth can set them free [Jn. 8:32] and strengthen them to find life in its full abundance [Jn.10:10].
One problem with predominant ideas of ‘evangelism’ are that they has become equated with a limited form of ‘Evangelicalism’ (Catholic or Protestant). Our message is more than the narrow Christian statement: “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved”. A simple profession of faith does not fully bring us from darkness to light. It may satisfy some who claim that we simply ‘saved by faith and grace not deeds’ or who believe that having been baptised into a faith ensures salvation. Others believe that if we have the right ‘sound’ doctrine we’re fine with God. But all those, despite containing elements of biblical truth, are all still open to a form of superstition that there is a ‘magic formula’ which, if we follow, will promise salvation in the future.
The New Testament image of Salvation includes far more. It is a way to find Truth and fulfilled Life now as well as making promises for the future. Any belief-system that restricts one’s access to the whole truth or limits one to a less-than-abundant life cannot be fully ‘true’. Many forms of organised Christianity are guilty of this, giving people shallow relationships with God, a narrow lifestyle, or expecting most of one’s life to be devoted to Church or a limited understanding of what ‘Christian Activities’ should be. We are not just meant to be ‘clones’ of an ideal Christian or little ‘models of Christ’. We are given minds, gifts and abilities, different areas of work, life culture to develop. Jesus didn’t have the expertise to be a nuclear scientist, concert pianist, composer, college-lecturer, brain or heart surgeon. Nor would he have made the ideal parent, refuse manager, farm-labourer, citizen. All Christians have the potential for interpreting and adapting Christ’s ‘Way, Truth and Life’ to their particular situation and gifts in life. In their lives and circumstances they can take Jesus’ teaching into areas beyond the original concept of Christianity, thus making life more abundant.
Christians are meant to witness to the Truth. That means more than telling people about Jesus and showing them how they too might believe and have a relationship with God. Witnessing to the Truth should include doing everything in our lives with integrity and thus advancing the human race and developing the Earth. I can understand why some liberal Christians consider as ‘arrogant’ the idea that we have a belief which we are called to impose on the world. Some do not consider as authentic the Great Commission of Matthew 28:16-20 or similar commissions in Mark 16:14–18; Luke 24:44–49; Acts 1:4–8 and John 20:19–23. But if we have found a truth that works, it is surely justifiable to share that with others and help them towards fulfilled lives, abundant physically, socially, intellectually and spiritually. That was a major reason why Jesus came and became incarnate! His Spirit is with us to share the possibility of that message and potential with other people both near and far.
I DON’T BELIEVE IN THAT SORT OF GOD Iain McKillop
One of the most challenging sermons I’ve heard in a Cathedral began with a confession: “I don’t believe in God.” The retiring Canon Pastor certainly grabbed people’s attention!… He continued by exploring the conceptions of God he had encountered in years of ministry – people who saw God as a limited being on a cloud, a judgemental king, over-protective father, lenient master, a power to be feared. He had come to recognise the inadequacy of all such conceptions.
His sort of wisdom was hard-won. As Christians go through life we develop all sorts of ways of understanding truth and conceiving what we mean by the God who formed us and who we feel responsibility to follow. Most of these prove inadequate. Chatting frequently to friends who claim not to believe in God I usually recognise that the God they describe is not one I could believe in either. The Church has frequently gone wrong over the centuries in misrepresenting the God who Jesus helped us to find. We have been entrusted with a huge responsibility to carry Jesus’ image of God truthfully to our world and to represent that truth authentically in our lives.
In being ambassadors for God we have the huge disadvantage of never having seen the totality of what we represent. The God we proclaim is invisible, with broader powers than can even be imagined, let alone explained by over-riding terms like ‘omnipotent’, ‘omniscient’, and ‘omnipresent’. Most explanations require us at some point to choose a pronoun: ‘he’, ‘she’, it, ‘they’ are inadequate. Even the creedal terms ‘Being’ or ‘Person’ are inadequate, while ‘Force’ or ‘Power’ seem too impersonal.
In speaking of God we are forced to adopt metaphors for aspects of that power, which are only facets of the infinitely-faceted. Probably such metaphors are the closest we can properly come to understanding God. Like the facets in a finely cut diamond we see in them reflections of the light of truths and ideas about God rather than the light itself. ‘Fatherhood’ suggests that God is more personal than the source that formed us; ‘Justice’ encourages trust that a power for equity is at work; ‘Light’ suggests truth and revelation.
But though we’ll probably never understand the God in whom Christians believe, I believe sincerely that we can come to know and have a relationship with him - (apologies for the pronoun!) We also do not need to apologise for sharing our beliefs about God with others. If the imagery for God which Jesus taught is true, and the ways that he taught us to follow God are effective ways to truth and abundant life, they are worth sharing! We just need to take care not to misrepresent the God revealed by and through Christ.
IS 'ONENESS WITH GOD' A CHRISTIAN SPIRITUAL AMBITION? Iain McKillop
My thoughts were challenged when reading a recent article on spirituality, by the number of times it mentioned our aim as ‘one-ness with God’. It left me considering what Christians people mean by this and where it stands in our aim for spiritual truth. I feel a warmth of relationship with God, a sense of being loved and cared for by a force far greater than I, a all to represent my understanding of God truthfully and authentically, and a responsibility not to misrepresent God or God’s truth. But human beings are SO different from what I understand to be God, that I cannot imagine how ‘oneness’ with God should be a primary aim. That idea seems to derive from a very different culture of spirituality to biblical Christianity. It is more like an Eastern idea of becoming part of the force within the cosmos.
Mystics and philosophers from many creeds and cultures have ideas of developing and maintaining unity with God. Many have felt that at times they have drawn into a deeper consciousness of the presence of the divine. It has been an aspect of Christian tradition: Hebrew prophets describe experiences of feeling lifted in spirit and recognising God’s communication. St Paul was probably referring to himself when he wrote of one who was caught up into a higher experience [2 Cor.12:2]. Some contemplatives describe similar experiences. Though Jesus of Nazareth was in many ways different from us his experiences at his Baptism, Transfiguration and Ascension, as well as in prayer in Gethsemane have been similar forms of mystical revelation, if the biblical accounts are accurate, not elaborated to consolidate belief in his divine nature. The experiences of Stephen at his stoning and John on Patmos describe visions, light, and consciousness of being raised beyond one’s normal experience or knowledge. Writers like Hildegard of Bingen, Teresa of Avila all describe visions and experiences of light, though in Hildegard’s case many believe that migraines may have also been a physical element of those experiences.
Many Christians of different backgrounds have ‘pentecostal’ experiences, where they find themselves receiving insights, speaking in tongues, interpreting mysteries, recognising a picture or idea as inspired by God, experiences that confirming their at difficult times, etc. Others are led by God in less dramatic, more modest ways. But none of these experiences are meant to be sought, expected or thought of as part of our daily experience. They are received as blessings and as gifts to be used when given, for the purposes for which they are useful. Most of the time we live and our guided by faith and reason, not by supernatural force. St. Paul makes it very clear that God’s Spirit works in different people in different ways [1Cor.12:27-31]. Not all people speak in tongues, heal, preach etc, as some pentecostally orientated Christians claim that we should all be doing. Gifting from God is very varied, and given for the growth of the Church or the development of truth, not for individual edification.
Should we be expecting or ambitious for such spiritual experiences as infillings by God’s power? I do not believe so. We all have individual characters and we are designed to relate to spiritual truth in many different ways. I know many Christian friends who are far more esoteric or emotional in their spirituality than myself. Others, by contrast, are far more practically orientated and express their spirituality through their care for others and physical activities. Others, who are just as ‘spiritual’ express their faith through using their intellect to work through issues or to teach others. No authentic form of spirituality is superior to another. It seems a sufficient challenge be a good, active, authentic, righteous Christian, following the challenges of the way of life and relationship with God that Christ taught and finding ways of encouraging others to recognise and follow truth. Any visionary experiences or extra gifts of God are added bonuses, not gifts for which to be ambitious. They should definitely not be sought to raise any individual or Christian group to a higher level of spirituality or status than others, nor as proofs that faith is true.
Some believe that they need visionary or pentecostal experiences to confirm their faith. But Christian faith is based on trust and recognition of the value and truth in biblical teaching, not a superstitious reliance on mystical experiences. “Faith is by trust, not by sight” [2Cor.5:7]. Surely Christ meant us to use his teaching to live on this earth abundantly and to help him change the world, not to lift us out of it. When he prayed for his followers before his death, he prayed for their guidance and protection, not that they should be transported out of their situations [John 17:15]. Living and ministering rightly in the world means, among other things: working against lies, avoiding false use of power, helping the needy and poor, working to remove injustice of all kinds, effectively teaching truth. We are commissioned to help people find and relate to God in the ways that best suit their individual characters, personalities, circumstances and spiritualities. We should not try to encourage anyone to try to adopt a form of spirituality which might not suit them. That will not be the way in which the true Spirit of God communicates with them.
If we want to feel a sense of harmony with whatever we believe to be ‘God’, it would be better to work at living as we are meant to live, ‘being’ what we are meant to be and supporting others as we are meant to do. This is much more true and closer to Christ’s aims than trying to become some sort of super-human being with supra-human powers.
MEDITATIONS DURING MARCH AND APRIL
TRUST, TREASURE, ABIDE - Security During The Pandemic Iain McKillop
These difficult times certainly make many of us feel insecure. In brief forays to shop for necessities one avoids as many contacts as possible. Thankfully there’s not so much traffic on the roads when you’re forced to step off the pavement, but be careful! Our lives our precious; we have been made very special and need to look after ourselves and others, appreciating them with care. Even here in the countryside walkers by the newly ploughed fields keep about 10 feet away from others. Most people here seem to be reacting sensibly to the lock-down. More seem scared of succumbing to the virus and are rightly nervous about taking undue risks in needless activities.
This present situation is more dangerous than many of us may have met before. It has certainly made me reconsider where my securities lie; I know that others feel the same. Usually we find our security in family, friends, community, national security, jobs, qualifications, experience, our role in life, personalities or strength of character, our home, salary, pension or financial support, perhaps, for some, one’s position in society. Almost overnight all these have become less important than our health and personal safety.
For members of churches or other places of religion, there is a feeling of security in being part of a faith community, with companionship, reminders of belief, corporate worship and fellowship. Such communities now have been forced to practice faith in rather different ways. Who would have imagined churches ever closing? Even in wartime they remained open for prayer, solace and refuge. Yet it has proved right to have closed places of worship, since the virus can be passed on so easily, as others in the world found before they closed their churches, temples, mosques and other meeting places.
In this unprecedented situation we need to develop different ways of finding security in our faith. I have been exploring a number of Bible passages that encourage us to ‘trust’, ‘take refuge, ‘cleave’ and ‘abide’ in God. If you feel worried it is worth holding onto Psalms 23; Psalm 46, Psalm 91; 1Corinthians 13; John chapters 14 and 15. Many of you will no-doubt have your own favourite passages to which you regularly return for reassurance; share them with others! There are thousands of other reassuring passages in scripture, (some of which I’ll write of at other times) but those above are a good, solid foundation for trust!
Trust is not always easy, especially as we don’t see God, and experience challenging situations which tempt one to doubt or question. The Greek biblical term for ‘trust’/‘peitho’ suggests that one can have confidence, assurance, and are persuaded by the truth in which one puts one’s trust. [Matt.27:43; Mk.9:24; Lk.11:22; 18:9.] In the Gospels ‘faith’ and ‘trust’ are often used almost synonymously. ‘Faith’ has less to do with abstract beliefs or doctrines, than true trust which relates us to God. Jesus frequently commended and answered the requests of those in whom he found faith [Matt.8:10; 9:2, 22, 29; 15:28; Mk.2:5; 5:34; 10:52; Lk.5:20; 7:9,50; 8:25; 17:19]. But we should never believe that just because we have faith, God will heal or answer our prayers as we want him to. Nor, despite Jesus’ teaching about ‘faith as small as a grain of mustard seed’ [Matt.17:20] should we think that our prayers aren’t answered because our faith is too small. We are assured that God’s wisdom always answers all prayer in the ways that are ultimately right and best. But we might not always recognise the answer to our prayer, like we do not always see God working. “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things as yet unseen” [Heb.11:1]. Remember that after his Resurrection Jesus told Thomas “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe” [Jn.20:29].
It’s easier to say ‘put your trust in God’ than to truly trust whole-heartedly. We live in an age of understandable scepticism and questioning, when many intelligent, thinking people struggle with belief. We should never condemn doubt, despite James 1:6 says that it is not useful. Doubt is a sign that a modern thinking person’s faith is truly seeking for answers. We pray for the healing of this pandemic, and would love to see a miracle suddenly release us. Though the natural world is not likely to change like that, we still pray, and pray for protection and blessing. Perhaps the most honest expression of faith in scripture is the man who longed for his son to be healed, yet whose experience of life made him doubt. His prayer to Jesus was: “I believe, help my unbelief!” [Mk.9:24]. Perhaps that should be our frequent prayer when we, as modern believers, experience pressure, fear, insecurity, doubt or questioning. If scripture is true nothing is beyond God’s intervention; so we pray in trust “I believe, help my unbelief!”
One of the most famous verses about the security we might feel with God in this situation is from Psalm 23: “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for you are with me...!” Sensing God’s presence with us can be a strengthening refuge in any situation. Just as people have been storing up provisions for physical survival through the pandemic, we also need a spiritual store of strength.
I’ve recently been contemplating the Greek word used for ‘treasure’, translating Jesus’ words: “Do not store up for yourself treasure on earth... but store up your treasure in heaven... where your treasure is there will your heart be also” ... [Matt.6:21]. It is not just about security in our wealth, although Jesus went on to warn his followers that they could not serve God and material things. The word is ‘thesauros’ the term we use today (with a Roman ‘u’ not a Greek ‘o’) for a ‘treasury or compendium of words’. Thesauros can mean ‘treasure’ or ‘treasure chest’, but it could mean anything that we store up, value and rely upon. Jesus was commending us to build up a spiritual store which we can hold onto for security eternally, even when, as now, many of our sources of security dry up or disappear. He was encouraging us to build our correct priorities: to become good, holy, righteous people, prioritising the development of spiritual strength through our relationship with God. This doesn’t mean that our former grounds of security were wrong - we need money, homes, friends, family, community - but all these may prove insufficient and do not last for ever. Our character, our ‘eternal treasure-house’ and our relationship with God are ultimately what will continue eternally. When Jesus “commended” his life into God’s hands in dying on the Cross, he was demonstrating where his own trust was ‘stored up’. [Lk.23:46].
Jesus also told us to “Abide in me as I abide in you” [Jn.15:4]. ‘Abide’ in the Bible is far more than a poetic word for ‘live in’ or ‘live with’; it denotes ‘permanent belonging’. The Greek term ‘menō’ means ‘to stay securely in place’; with various prefixes can mean: to ‘persevere’, ‘remain’, ‘endure’, ‘be patient’, ‘stand firm’, ‘await patiently’, ‘stay with’, ‘hold on’. So there is a sense of immense security within the word ‘abide’. In the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament, it emphasises that God’s covenant promises to us, his Kingdom and his laws ‘abide forever’ [Isa,7:7; 14:24; 40:8; Zech,14:10; 1sa.66:22; Rom.9:11; 1Pet.1:23,25]. He promised that the righteous will abide with God for ever [Ps.112:3; 9]. This security remains because Christ remains forever [Jn.8:35; 12:34] and his Spirit is with him forever [Jn.1:32].
In the tremendously insecure world that we are experiencing at present the need is great to ‘hold on’, ‘trust’, ‘treasure’ and ‘store up’ a secure faith in the God who loves us, is strong enough to hold and protect us , and offers eternal security. The experiences of my life so far assure me that when I place my trust in God it is not just wishful thinking. I am sure he is there for us and that we live within God’s care. May we all feel his presence with us and share with others the peace which that can give.
MAKING THE MOST OF A STRAINED SITUATION Iain McKillop. 27/3/2020
Due to the ‘lock-down’ I find myself marooned in Suffolk with less access to technology than at home in Surrey – no phone-line or internet, weak mobile reception. I’m not complaining; it’s beautiful. Thankfully we have a radio, a warm thatched roof, fields for walking, good weather, plenty of books, CDs, a small local shop and friendly neighbours we know well, who all help one another and offer to collect shopping.
The change in national circumstances has made me reconsider the things I value. I’ve noticed nature in far more detail: the courtship of birds in the garden, the song of the blackbird and chaffinch celebrating their territory, the shapes of spring buds and flowers – primroses are more abundant this year and a wood, recently planted by the junior school with local volunteers is growing. From my window I notice the people walking by on their daily exercise, only a few of whom I know and I pray for their safety through the epidemic. On my daily walk, rather than ignoring one another, though 10 feet apart, we wave as strangers, wishing each other well. Many families are inventing ways to play and entertain themselves together, though sadly the news tells of situations of abuse increasing under such strained circumstances. I feel grateful when a mundane product is available in the shop. (We at last found flour yesterday!) I guess those of you who remember war-time rationing have become nostalgic!
I hope that the limitations on travel are temporarily cleaning the atmosphere and people are being more careful not to waste scarce resources. Here’s hoping that when the virus passes society will retain sensitivity protect the environment and steward resources more wisely. Yet somehow I expect many will return to its self-centred ways fairly quickly. It’s wonderful to hear of so many examples of volunteering. A café-owner in a town nearby is delivering seventy main meals to elderly residents daily. A local church collects the unsold food and products from local businesses and distributes them. But sadly you hear of some unscrupulous sharks using the situation to defraud or abuse others. In Bungay a well-dressed business-man snatched the last toilet roll from the hands of an elderly lady, but thankfully a passing rugby-player gently ‘showed him the error of his ways’ and other shoppers applauded. People at last are becoming more careful of their health, recognising the seriousness of the situation. It is still fairly early-on in the lock-down. We know that the epidemic and its social and financial consequences are sure to deteriorate further before they improve. We need to maintain care and be realistic but we also need to think of positive issues to rebalance and enhance the situation. Pressure can bring the best or worst out of people. Let’s exercise the spiritual gift of self-discipline to ensure we do the best we can.
I give thanks for the creativity of the public. Perhaps the government and professional bodies addressed the situation rather too late. We are not as well equipped to face the disaster as we might and discover that we cannot always trust official assurances. That’s a learning situation for them, but we mustn’t dwell on blame. Many in our communities are demonstrating special qualities of humanity and creative innovation, enhancing isolated people’s experiences. The imaginative work being set by teachers and institutions to entertain and educate over the internet is special. Museums, galleries, orchestras. theatres and libraries are creating similar alternative provisions for adults. Exhibitions which can no longer be visited have been turned into virtual exhibitions, open to all. Many churches too are providing spiritual input over the media to partly make up for enforced social distancing in pastoral and liturgical ministry. Without such media access here I cannot take advantage of this myself, but I encourage others to do so. The human mind is so creative, we should all be able to turn this sad situation into learning and growing experiences. Rather than bewailing and enduring the enforced loneliness let’s use this time to expand our minds and strengthen our spirits.
EASTER HOPE Iain McKillop
The Easter season is traditionally a time when we are re-excited by the hope and promise of eternal life which Jesus’ Resurrection promises. Yet this year it is accompanied by sadness, concern, fear and tragedy for many, perhaps all people in our vulnerable world. This is probably going to be the most insecure Easter season that most will have experienced, unless you have lived through war, life-threatening illness or another epidemic.
Considering the plight of the world and our own vulnerability has made me re-consider the foundations of my convictions about hope, trust and faith in God. The words ‘trust’ and ‘faith’ in the Gospels are used almost synonymously. Jesus said of the centurion who came asking him to cure his servant at a distance: “Not even in Israel have I found such faith!” [Lk.7:9]. He was commending the soldier’s trust in God and in God’s power working through Jesus, not the extent of the man’s doctrinal beliefs. It is at a time like this that we realise that true Christian faith needs to be far less about ‘head-knowledge’ of scripture, doctrine and religious traditions, though those are important for strengthening us. Faith is primarily the practice of trusting our invisible God, even though circumstances may mean that we might struggle with how much we trust. “I believe; help my unbelief!” was a desperate man’s sincere prayer of trust in Christ, and Jesus answered it [Mk.9:24]. The Easter hope is rather like this sort of trust: We do not understand how Jesus was raised from death. We haven’t the proof of our eyes, which the first disciples experienced in meeting the risen Christ, yet the combined evidence is strong enough to convince even a natural sceptic like myself that Jesus was seen alive again many times. Encountering Christ’s risen life convinced St. Paul that God’s promises of life beyond death for us are true: ‘We believe; help our unbelief!’
What happened at Jesus’ Resurrection, and what sort of form he had after death remains as much a ‘mystery’ as how his death worked to achieve salvation and thus free us from fear of death. Yet scripture promises that both are true. Many Bible passages emphasise the ‘trustworthiness’ of faith in its promises; that what is being recounted was truly witnessed. [Lk.1:1-4; Jn.21:24-25; 2Cor.7:14; 1Jn.1:1; Rev.21:5; 22:6, 8]. This encourages us to believe that the faith that scripture promotes is true. Scholars rightly question many details of scripture, (it was written in a different culture with different standards of recounting things that were known or felt to be true), but the overall trustworthiness of the foundational teaching of the Christian faith is reliable, as so many of us have experienced. One of the greatest assurances of the truth of faith is found in our combined experiences in life so far. Many members of our church will, like me, have experienced some very hard times, yet something spiritually true has brought us through them.
The Letter to the Ephesians contains a fascinating statement: that ‘the same power of God is at work in us as God used in raising Christ from the dead’ [Eph.1:19-20]. I’ve puzzled over the exact meaning of that for years and never fully fathomed its wonders! In essence it is saying that we can have confidence in God because the divine power, miracle-working energy and covenant promise of love and care that raised Christ from death are working on our behalf and able to live in us and enliven us by God’s Spirit. I’d recommend at this difficult time that you read Ephesians 1:15 to 2:10, perhaps the whole letter; they are wonderfully positive and uplifting verses! (Unless we are essential workers, many of us have plenty of time at present for reading our Bibles!)
Like most of us, I guess, I have been listening to news-bulletins daily, keeping in touch with what we are being told of the contemporary situation, and aware that quite a lot is also not being told. The message is always, rightly, ‘do whatever you can to keep safe and keep others safe’. But the spiritual message of this time needs also to be ‘keep yourself spiritually and psychologically secure’; strengthen your trust and hope in God. Christianity uses the word ‘hope’ rather differently than in common usage. Christian ‘hope’ affirms that we can trust that God’s promises of eternal care for us are true. The God of love is not ‘wishful thinking’. Jesus never promised that life would be easy or always go as we wished; in fact he prophesied trials and difficulties for his followers. We are part of the world; Jesus didn’t want us to be escapist, because in difficult places we can bring his hope to others in practical and spiritual ways. Whatever happens in this life God is here with us and his power is at work for us now as well as for the life to come, whatever that future existence eventually turns out to be like. We can trust God.
I remember, before my first heart operation, 6 years ago, having the inner conviction that I would not survive it. Strangely, for someone who often worries, I felt a peace. My concern as I prepared for the operation was more for those I love than for myself. As I waited in the preparation room, I prayed for them and trusted them and myself into God’s care. A similar trust needs to become our attitude at this precarious time. We take many precautions – staying in, socially distancing, as little physical social interaction with those outside as possible, washing and disinfecting. But we need to find a peace and confidence in God, as we pray for others and ourselves, trusting us all into God’s care and security.
During this Holy Week I have been focusing my thoughts on what I believe about Salvation and Resurrection through contemplatively painting a small altarpiece of the Risen Christ. It is a special Holy Week discipline, to complement the series of images of the resurrection appearances of Jesus that I started painting in the first week of the lock-down. Good Friday will be different; as well as reading privately the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ Passion, I will focus on painting the wonderful early mediaeval poem ‘The Dream of the Rood’, which explores both the tragedy and glory of the Cross. Both of these themes are at the heart of our Christian faith: Christ is with us in tragedy and in the trusting hope we place with him in the future.
I pray that we may all find the blessing of peace and trust that God can bring at this disquieting time. “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things as yet unseen.” [Heb.11:1].
HAVING CONFIDENCE IN THE EASTER MESSAGE Iain McKillop
How convinced are you that Christ rose from death & that there is life for us beyond death? A survey of Anglicans I read recently suggested that nearly 50% of churchgoers feel uncertain that Christ’s resurrection was true or at least physical, and more don’t feel assured that there is any existence beyond this one. It’s understandable: to believe we need trust that behind the Gospel accounts of Resurrection is truth. We haven’t the physical evidence here, which convinced the first disciples.
To me, one of the greatest evidences for the truth of Christ having come back to life from death is the way the disciples changed between the Resurrection and Pentecost. Think of Peter who lost all confidence after he denied Jesus, or Mary Magdalene who seems to have loved Jesus even more than his best friend John and kept following at the Cross, even when most of the male disciples had deserted him and were cowering behind locked doors. Having lost Jesus you’d expect them to have retreated in grief and fear, lick their wounds, support each other in their loss and return disappointed to a semblance of the lives they’d lived before.
Instead, after the initial shock, they gained confidence and soon were openly celebrating Jesus resurrection life and challenging the authorities who had destroyed Jesus, with a power and confidence beyond anything they’d shown before. Political radicals intent on revolution might do that, with new leaders ready to take over when the leader was overthrown. But the disciples weren’t like that; they’d been trained by peaceful teaching, most of them were working people. Only a few had religious education beyond youthful instruction from the rabbis, which was very different from what Jesus had taught them. Certainty in their faith transformed their ministry & lives.
What sort of confidence do we show in our faith? Searching to find non-naff Easter cards for my godchildren I found that many religious ones mentioned ‘New Life’ but still had chickens and bunnies on them. I wondered what Christians mean when we use the term “new life in Christ”. Does it refer to Christ’s coming back to life, his promise of life beyond death to us, or the life we have now? Some Evangelical or Charismatic churches call them-selves ‘New Life Churches’.
The first Christians realised early that Jesus’ Resurrection means far more than miraculously reviving after an horrific public death. In surviving death Christ in some mysterious way released a power that affects our lives now. That is more significant than feeling assured that our life won’t end at death. The Risen Christ proved that there can be life existence beyond this. But Christ promised something equally important NOW “I am come that you may have life in all its abundance” [Jn.10:10]. And that’s about the present, not just something to happens in the future. We’re supposed to live now in the light of what the Resurrection has achieved for us.
If we truly did try to live in the power and according to the teachings of our Resurrected Christ, that probably really would transform Christian lives and transform the worldwide Church. . We should make sure that any attempt to build the Church is not a ‘vanity project’ like many political initiatives. Transforming us shouldn’t primarily be a way of re-establishing our numbers to make a church seem important in the world or become financial stabile. The only way to truly transform the Church and make us all grow spiritually is to make us Christ-like and to live more confidently, with the power of the Risen Christ in us. People who aren’t confident in what they believe or don’t assured that they are living Christ-like lives won’t encourage others in faith.
Before the Decade of Evangelism about 1 million Anglicans attended Church regularly on Sundays. After all the expenditure and work of the Decade of Evangelism the number of Anglicans regularly attending church had dropped by about 200, 000. This suggests that many church-goers were not convinced by the importance of the church or their faith to themselves or to the world. After the present pandemic crisis, when churches are closed of necessity, will we be more or less confident in our faith? At times of crisis, as in wartime, nominal faith tends to grow; people pray for protection, but afterwards many fall away. It is important that during this time we grow in personal faith and assurance that our own faith is strong and true. But it is important to become assured that true Christian faith has something vital and life-giving for others. True Christianity could help all live more abundant lives; we just need to be sure in what we mean by ‘abundant’! We don’t want to create just a church culture that suits us, but one that applies to all and can spiritually enliven all. All the more reason in this time of enforced contemplation, thoughtful study and prayer, that we grow in understanding our faith and its universal benefits better.
What might transform the church today into the sort of confident outgoing Christians that built the Church after Jesus’ death? They were certain of the Resurrection. We surely need to live in greater inner confidence that our faith is in a living God is real. The Resurrection encouraged the disciples: It assured them that Jesus’ claims were true, that the ways he taught were true and that they needed to keep following the path he’d started them on.
When St. Peter was asked whether he too would abandon Jesus as those did who found his teachings too hard to follow: “Where else would we go? You have the words of eternal life!” [Jn.6:68].
It is important for us to try to develop and encourage that same sort of confidence in the reality and importance of the Christian faith and Christ’s Resurrection. It can assure us for the challenges we meet in this life now and reassure us that our futures are safe with Christ. But the Resurrection also gives us confidence to build the Church as the disciples did, knowing that we have something real. true and exciting to offer our world.
READING THE POST-RESURRECTION STORIES OF JESUS Iain McKillop
Over the weeks between now and Pentecost, in church services we would normally be reading and exploring together the Gospel stories of Jesus’ appearances after his Resurrection. I’d recommend that we all read the encouraging final chapters of each Gospel for ourselves in these difficult times. Consider what you might say about each scene if you were writing a sermon about them. Instead of just retelling the story, consider how you might explain two things especially:
1/ What evidence do the different appearances give, which help to prove to you or to others that Jesus’ Resurrection was true? This was one of the reasons why the Gospel-writers recorded them. They needed to convince us.
2/ What do they say to you about faith in Jesus and God’s power at work for you? These are even more challenging and personal questions!
When I prepare a sermon I find that I always learn more about a passage of scripture, a challenging issue, or an aspect of belief, than if I was just reading the Bible as normal, prayerful study. Needing to clarify thoughts to explain them or think-them-through with others can help our own faith to grow.
Here are a few suggestions to start your thoughts going:
1/ The testimony of women was not considered legally valid in Jewish courts. So why do the Gospels put so much emphasis on Jesus’ first appearances being to his women followers? If the stories of Jesus’ Resurrection were being invented at the time, surely they would have stressed the evidence of men and put less emphasis on the evidence of women? This helps me to believe that the stories are authentic and not invented. [Matt.28:1; Mk.16:1; Lk.24:10; Jn.20:3-8].
2/ The Gospel records do not always concur over details. The passages above give different names to the witnesses. If the stories were being invented, surely the writers or later editors would have made the details agree. This implies that the writers were bringing together many diverse records which circulated from various sources, which were believed to be true. Do the differences between the Gospel details cause you difficulties, or are they helpful in convincing you that the basic story is true?
3/ Peter and John ran to the tomb (the first male evidence) [Jn.20:5-8]. What they found, which convinced them that Jesus had risen, isn’t as fully explained as one might have done, if one was making up the story. What do you think convinced them?
4/ When Jesus appeared to the disciples together in the Upper Room, on the road to Emmaus and to a multitude of others, his appearance was strong enough to convince their followers that he had truly risen from death. He wasn’t like a man who had swooned on the cross, not fully died and was recovering from torture. (The Roman soldiers knew how to kill men!) The followers were convinced that Jesus’ Resurrection was physical. [Mk.16:12-15; Lk.24:28-35; 1 Cro.15:3-6]
5/ The risen Jesus was not a ghost or the product of the disciples’ wishful thinking: He could be touched; his physicality convinced the sceptical Thomas, and he could physically eat with the disciples. [Lk.24:36-43; Jn.20:19-20, 24-29; 21:1-14].
6/ The risen Jesus had the power to perform miracles like the miraculous draught of fishes [21:4-8]. This suggests that, risen and ascended, his power can still work for us today.
7/ On the road to Emmaus Jesus explained to his companions why Christ needed to die and rise form death. Sadly we don’t know what Hebrew scriptures he used as evidence. How would you explain to others why Jesus had to die and ride?
8/ Does Jesus’ Resurrection help to convince you that life beyond death is promised to you? How might you explain this to others in ways that would convince them?
9/ What does it mean to you to have a risen and ascended Christ working for you in heaven? The writer of the Letter to the Hebrews had obviously contemplated this at length in order to discuss it: [Heb.4:14-5:10; 6:19; 9:11-15; 10:11-25].
10/ How does the gift of God’s Spirit to humankind after Pentecost influence and inspire you now? How do you experience God’s power and presence with you?
These are just a few questions to begin to consider. I’m sure that thoughtful reading of the Gospel narratives of Jesus’ Resurrection appearances will inspire you to more thoughts.
In trying to form answers, don’t worry that you’re not trained in theology, or that you may not be able to form a definitive argument: these are hard subjects to clarify. Just try to form an understanding that helps to convince you, and be honest in your thoughts. It is honesty before God that creates real and true faith. Jesus said to the Samaritan woman at the well that God wants worship that is “in spirit and in truth” [Jn.24]. Don’t try to be sanctimonious; be real before God. The Resurrection appearances of Jesus bring up as many questions and challenges as solutions, partly because they are so brief. Yet there is enough evidence in them to convince many, including myself, and to strengthen our faith. Later I will send the details of the Resurrection that convince me!
TRYING TO REASON THROUGH THE PROBLEM OF SUFFERING Iain McKillop
I was asked recently why I thought God was allowing a friend to suffer and why he might allow the present pandemic. Was God trying to teach anything through it? I love the person deeply and struggled to give a sensitive reply to a question that it is almost impossible to truly answer. If I, who am imperfect in my love, don’t want anyone to suffer and wouldn’t put anyone through pain, surely God who IS perfect doesn’t aim for any to suffer.
Such questions have been asked since ancient times. The Book of Job may be an ancient play exploring the issue. Job’s four friends try to reason why the good man Job suffers intensely. Has he sinned, or taken God for granted? Is this punishment? Have his life and actions been inadequate so need refining? After 34 chapters of arguments, which we the reader know from the start to be false, the voice of God (chapters 38-41) vindicates Job as well as himself. Their answers are seen to be mistaken, God’s truths activities and purposes are shown to be higher and more mysterious than human minds can fathom. Job, as far as we know was an invented character; perhaps he represents someone in legend or history known to have suffered. The story, through fiction, explores theological truths.
I still find that book’s answers inadequate, but it helps emphasise that God doesn’t bring about suffering. God’s power may not always intervene to relieve all suffering or prevent its cause (from natural causes to human acts of evil). Job’s friends made Job’s sufferings worse by misunderstanding him and his situation. We must be careful not to cause greater hurt by misguided speculation about others’ troubles, or inadequately represent God to them. Jesus expanded our understanding of God’s perfect nature. Our loving Creator doesn’t cause evil or direct any form of suffering. God doesn’t cause pandemics. Yet huge problems remain if we consider that suffering has a meaning or comes upon people for a reason. Though we naturally try to rationalise difficulties, as Job’s companions did, I’m not sure that there is a meaning or ‘reason’ behind suffering in that way. We live in a world where suffering is often an inevitable result of events, not something that is ‘brought-upon-us’ or ‘allowed’ by God.
Some suffering comes through natural disasters. The Earth, for all its beauty is partly unstable. This Creator-formed instability is one reason why the world is beautiful and sustains human life. Eruptions formed mountains; the complex wind, rain and tidal systems bring fertility; the intricacies of evolution and genetics have formed species variety; bacteria which can cause disease also help digestion, removal of toxins, bio-degradation after death. The processes that formed the world and human beings are still active, helping all earth develop. We could alleviate some suffering by not settling unstable land, eating unsuitable things, sharing the resources of the world more equitably and generously, sharing scientific, medical or technological benefits widely. Selflessness and international cooperation could relieve much suffering after natural disasters.
Suffering occurs because we are sentient beings. Our complex metabolisms and nervous systems are wonderful. We receive enjoyment and value from them when they are working properly. But when they fail pain or illness are inevitable results. Pain isn’t ‘brought about’ by God, it is a natural element of life indicating where the system is going wrong. Our intricate minds are inter-linked to our metabolism. The complex nature of human thought expands us, but fear, worry, depression are natural corollaries, developing from the protection mechanisms of that complex system. God isn’t the cause of mental or physical disorder, nor are ‘evil spirits’ as was superstitiously believed in the past.
The inter-linking of human relationships means that we hurt when relationships break down or we lose someone who we love. This causes intense suffering. To not love might alleviate this, but social interaction keeps us healthy. We are made to relate. Who would rather be an automaton than a sociable, loving, sentient being who cares and gets hurt?
Our need to find reasons for suffering is part of human intelligence. We naturally want to understand what is happening. But you can’t explain suffering as you might search out scientific reasons for the sun’s radiation, historical/political causes of wars or the source of an epidemic. Some people are fortunate to experience less suffering than others. God doesn’t ‘spare’ them because they are righteous, just as he doesn’t cause suffering in others, despite the reasoning in some Psalms. Suffering can often be intensified if we blame ourselves or others as Job’s friends did.
I believe that suffering is an inevitable consequence of our complex natural condition. Suffering isn’t ‘caused’ for a reason. That’s not to say that we can’t ‘learn’ from it. I don’t believe God uses it to ‘teach us a lesson’, ‘punish’ individuals or ‘direct’ us as some Old Testament reasoning implies. But the experience of suffering can help us learn. It might also teach us not to make similar mistakes again. We might come through it appreciating what we have, holding onto God or others more trustingly, caring more deeply for those we love, sharing our troubles, seeing life’s priorities and our possessions in better perspective. I’ve learned more valuable lessons through suffering than in academic education. But we mustn’t regard God as causing it for a reason or blame God for pain.
Neither should we over-spiritualise suffering. Some ‘super-spiritual’ Christians say “I am blessed by God to suffer as Christ suffered”. St Paul said: “I am completing in my body that which is incomplete in the sufferings of Christ” [Col.1:24]. But I think Paul was talking about something different, specific to his personal life or ministry when he wrote these words. Christ’s suffering was considered sufficient to deal with the agonies, sins and weaknesses of all time. He doesn’t call us to continue to suffer on his behalf. That’s dodgy theology. However, true discipleship can lead Christians into situations of suffering. We expend energy, sometimes expose ourselves to danger when we reach out to witness, build a better world and bring peace or relief to others’ suffering. Brave medics are doing similarly today.
We can help by offering peace, love and assuring of God’s presence where people struggle to find reasons for their suffering. No-one is to blame, suffering is an outcome of a wonderful, complex world. (Sadly the present pandemic is also a result of the complexity of nature, and may have been exacerbated by human beings). Of several things we are assured: God knows thoroughly what human suffering is like because he too experienced it physically and mentally in the life of Jesus, and God is with us to support, strengthen and comfort us. In the midst of confusion, pain, even when we doubt God’s love, as Job did, God is with us. His love surrounds us, his strength is here to embrace us and to affirm that we are cared for and loved. One wonderful response to suffering is that it can draw people together to support each other in love and care. Job’s friends responded best, not when they tried to find reasons for his condition but when they sat in silent companionship with him and showed their empathy. We can often be God’s arms to embrace those who suffer. In our present isolation we cannot give that physical embrace but we can help to be God’s voice to comfort. love and bring peace. Sometimes we can even be used by God to help heal. How might you best help someone who is suffering to cope with their situation?
HOW CAN WE LOVE AND TRUST A GOD WE CANNOT SEE? Iain McKillop
It would seem impossible to love and trust a force we cannot see. Yet, like many of faith, I’ve learned to trust and love God. This isn’t naïve credulity, susceptibility or emotionalism, as critics of belief sometimes claim. I’m not naturally trusting but my trust of God has grown through experience.
Usually one can give reasons for loving someone: their appearance, character, things they do, who they are. The more we know someone, the more we find to love; even difficult characteristics can become endearing. In loving relationships, initial emotional or physical attraction develops into genuine selfless love and trust. Sometimes this takes years. In relationship with God our trust and love also take time to grow.
I could give reasons for my belief in God but none can ‘prove’ their truth. The more we try to understand God, the more we realise we do not know and can never prove. Despite all Scripture reveals about God, God is mystery. But we can appreciate:
- Power, beauty and order behind God’s Creation.
- Intuitively we may sense that God values us.
- We may sense God reaching out to us, loving, protecting and caring about us.
- We may sense God’s involvement in our life.
- We may recognise wisdom and truth behind Scriptures’ teachings.
- Above all we can recognise in Jesus, truths and love that reveal aspects of God.
These and many more contribute to my trust and love of God. But my proofs for God won’t be the same as yours, and certainly aren’t enough evidence to convince sceptics. Great orators and apologists from Ambrose to Billy Graham seem to have managed to persuade people into faith by argument. As a student, keen to understand my new-found Christian faith, I devoured Josh McDowell’s ‘Evidence that Demands a Verdict’ and Frank Morison’s ‘Who Moved the Stone’, convinced that if we could prove God, we might persuade others to believe and receive God’s gift of Salvation. Sadly belief rarely comes that easily! In few has faith developed logically, in any set order. We can’t argue people into belief. St Paul recognised that faith seems “foolishness” to some, while others become convinced of its “wisdom” [1 Cor.1:23]. We’re not clones: different people fall in love for different reasons. Similarly, people become attracted to God through varying paths. Identical ways of believing and growing would make our world and Church boring! Ultimately true faith grows through God’s Holy Spirit persuading people. Our Christian responsibility is to present Christ’s Gospel as rationally and attractively as possible, avoiding stumbling-blocks that might prevent others from believing.
I initially came to commit myself to the Christian faith through watching true Christians who radiated his love and peace. I wanted the joy and truth they’d found. My own faith and relationship with God learned from theirs. That’s how Church should work. People around us are more likely to be convinced if they see faith and love for God truly bringing us alive and being outgoing, not selfish. Christians who live winsomely can attract people to come to find life-giving faith themselves.
I learned to ‘trust’ then ‘love’ God, as my life tested the truth of what I’d found. Love grew through realising that God cares for me and sacrifice himself for my good. For much of my life I’ve suffered from a low self-image, which marred my ability to believe that God could possibly love me. I recognised that God’s love for everyone and for Creation was emphasised throughout Scripture. I admired others, so I could easily recognise that God loves them unconditionally. But I couldn’t apply such love to myself. Logic said that God must also love me equally, yet I wasn’t convinced; I saw myself as unattractive, sinful, failing to live up to God’s expectations. I thought of God as the sort of father whose child is never good enough for them, who regularly points out how they aren’t as good as others. Christ’s story of the father’s love for the Prodigal Son [Lk.15:11-32] demonstrates a different type of parenthood. His father values and cares for all, however weak, strong, obedient or faithless, searches for us and welcomes us, ready to forgive and restore. That’s true love, just as in genuine relationships a loved-ones’ failings can be endearing, and we show love by forgiving.
I learned to trust and love God by learning to love and be loved. I finally accepted that God loves me when I recognised that another person loved me unconditionally. Being loved by someone convinced me that God could love me. Sinful, weak or failing, as many of us are, we are lovable. If we want our churches to grow, Christians should learn greater love for others and express and demonstrate it openly. Words are not enough; we need to show it. When our community and visitors see that we love them unconditionally, as Christ loves us, this may help them recognise that God loves them.
The Shorter Westminster Confession said that our “chief aim is to glorify God and enjoy him for ever”. I prefer the phrase that our chief aim is to ‘be’ as God intended us to be and to ‘become’ what he intended us to become. In becoming our true selves we glorify God and can grow to enjoy and trust his caring presence with us. None can ever live up to Christ’s high expectation: “Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect” [Matt.5:48]. But we can allow God to transform and purify us as we grow in relationship with him. God doesn’t just see our failings; he knows what Christ’s redemption and the gift of his Spirit can make us. We need to allow him to form us into Christians worthy of the love God already gives us.
True love and trust can survive difficult circumstances. Many biblical figures fluctuated between feeling distant from God then recognising God’s love. Through Jeremiah’s hard life he heard God’s message: “I have loved you with an everlasting love” [31:3]. I’ve experienced how Christ’s constant love can stabilise people, enabling spiritual and emotional growth, in which we truly learn ‘to love and trust a God we cannot see’. In times of isolation such as this our thoughts often turn onto ourselves. Let’s use this time to consider how much we understand of God and how we can follow and reflect him more truly.
LOVING AT A DISTANCE Iain McKillop
There has been a lot of talk in the media recently about the importance of touch. Radio 4 was involved in a survey of people’s responses to touch and its psychological effect upon us. British behaviour was once notoriously supposed to be less tactile than many Europeans or West Indians. Apparently, in recent decades, we’ve learned to hug, embrace or grasp the shoulder more than previously. But in our straightened present circumstances we are keeping so much more of a distance from people than usual.
When the ‘Peace’ was introduced into the Anglican liturgy several people complained and didn’t want to be involved; some avoided it. Others embraced it so fervently that it became a free-for-all and the time for it has to be curtailed! Yet we have become accustomed to this sign of our oneness with each other, which recognises that Christ reconciles our differences, so that we can truly and honestly share in his Communion together. However we cannot at present express our unity, companionship and support of others in the same way as we used to do.
Yet our unity remains. We are ‘one in Christ’ and are each part of his one Body, part of each other, even though we are not participating in the Eucharist, staring the peace, and only in contact at a distance. Somehow we need to be able to sense that we are part of each other. Our isolated circumstances call us to draw on slightly different spiritual resources. We need to strengthen our individual spiritual lives to flourish during the lock-down. But that requires that we also remember that we are part of each other, and as God’s community have a covenant responsibility to each other. Partly that encourages us to keep in touch, if we can. But when we’re apart there are other ways of maintaining spiritual links.
We don’t see God, yet are assured that he is present with us and that we are spiritually united. Unless we use a contact system like ‘face-time’, which I’m afraid I don’t, we can’t see one another, yet can perhaps learn to form spiritual links that unite us. I have a list of church-members, and though I don’t personally know everyone in our community by name yet, I pray through it and ask God’s blessing on all as individuals as well as praying for us as a collective whole. Many won’t have such a list, but you could make your own list of all who you remember in the body and pray for them. As someone else or another face comes to memory add them to the list. I used to use a mall note-book, which I kept with me, with the names of all my acquaintances and people for whom I’d promised to pray, which I would use to pray for a few daily. My most treasured way of praying for the community is to imagine myself in our full church service, looking round at the congregation, choir, servers and ministry team and as I remember a face, praying for them, for their protection, spiritual strengthening and for God’s blessing on them. Try it; it’s a very special way of valuing people in our church community and expressing your responsibility for them.
Like the ever-presence of God, we are always part of the Church whether we are physically there or not. We were united in baptism and in God’s Spirit. Christ brought us together through his love and his self-sacrifice, to be part of him and part of each other. I would recommend that we all read and reflect on the final teaching of Jesus to his disciples before his arrest and death from John chapter 13 to John 17. He commands us to “love one another as I have loved you”[Jn.13:14]. - Having that same commitment to each other as he has to us is quite a challenge! – Then he assures us that we and our futures are safe with him... “I am the way the truth and the life... If you know me you will know the Father” [Jn.14:6]. We are assured that we come to the Father and know what God is like through Jesus. “If you love me you will obey my commandments... and the Father will send us his Spirit”, another strengthener to be with us for ever. “I will not leave you orphaned”. [Jn.14:15-18]. He expands on what his Spirit will do for us in John 16 and assures us of joy and peace over the future. This reinforces his former promise: “Peace I leave with you; peace I give to you” [Jn.14:27]. Then Jesus’ prayer for the disciples and us the night before he died speaks truly to the heart. It is one of the most moving passages in the Bible: “All mine are yours and yours are mine” [v.10]... “Holy Father protect them in your name” [v.11]... “Sanctify them in your truth” [v.17]... “May they all be one, as we are one... I in them and you in me, that they may be truly one” [v.23]... “So that the love with which you have loved me may be in them and I in them” [v.26].
This oneness with God, with Christ and with each other is further emphasised in John chapter 15 where Jesus speaks of himself as the vine and we as his branches who gain strength and nourishment through him [Jn.15:1-17]. That chapter finishes with another assurance that his Spirit would unite, strengthen and work for Christ’s followers after his return to the heavenly dimension. We no longer see Christ, as for the moment we no longer see each other, yet God’s Spirit remains in us, uniting us. May he strengthen each of us as we remember each other, pray for each other and support one another and our communities at this difficult time. AMEN!
MAY MEDITATIONS
The meditations for this month were on THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT and can be found in a separate file on my website.
JUNE MEDITATIONS
THE VALUE AND EQUALITY OF HUMAN LIFE Iain McKillop
The recent acceleration into violence, abuse and destructivity around the ‘Black Lives Matter’ demonstrations and counter-demonstrations has made me sad and in many ways indignant for several reasons. Primarily, of course, the death or even persecution of anyone as a result of individual or institutional bias is blatantly wrong. To regard and treat all people as of equal value should be a basic assumption and practice in all civilised and moral societies. To excuse any who commit such persecution or death is also wrong. The violence at the demonstrations and counter-demonstrations was wrong, including violence against those who were trying to keep law and order. Though I often agree with peaceful mass demonstrations, to make authorities take notice of righteous issues that they might otherwise ignore, I cannot believe that they are right at this time of medical vulnerability. We know that some have already fallen sick with Covid after recent demonstrations, so how many more innocent lives might be affected by those who carried the virus away in them to the wider population? It’s hard enough for those who have to commute to work and for essential journeys. At this time, I consider that the written or e-campaigns that are being circulated, and other more personal and creative forms of protest are much wiser. They are also less likely to be sabotaged by anarchistic trouble-makers than mass gatherings.
Any one-issue campaign can be dangerous, as it can dominate the media and detract from equally important issues. The deaths of this individual and others are tragic, but who is campaigning so vehemently for the other significant causes in our world today: the nurses and doctors dying for lack of sufficient protection; the elderly or vulnerable denied treatment; the imam, rabbi, priest, leader or member of any religion killed by opponents; the persecution of gays or transsexuals, the social workers, environmental activists, human and gender- rights campaigners or reforming politicians who are killed every day somewhere in the world for living and acting in the way that they consider right? Who is campaigning for peace in Sudan and equity in the Holy Land, the children trafficked into the country, the proliferation of weapons and drugs, the prostitutes murdered on the streets, the illegal immigrants trafficked by gang-masters, the poor working below the minimum-wage and on zero-hour contracts and so many more? All are victims of terrible discrimination and are vulnerable. We may pray regularly or irregularly for these situations, but those with the power in the world to intervene often do so little about them.
We all need to do all we can to counteract bias and wrongful treatment against any in society. It is very apparent that equity exists nowhere in the world. When politicians or business leaders claim to be ‘doing all we can’, it is all too evident when they are not. Politicians often only put real effort into issues that they think will have popular temporary appeal, will make them re-electable, which affect them or their constituents materially, or which will make them appear ‘politically correct’. Only very occasionally will they attend to general issues which are morally right. As with the environmental crisis, neither legislation or campaigning, will improve the world without a general move within society as a whole and among all world leaders towards the recognition of equality of esteem. We all have responsibility to do what we can to combat bias in our own lives, in those of our neighbours and in our communities, and to bring equity to our societies and ultimately to our world. One of the ‘5 Marks of Christian Mission’ agreed by the worldwide church is to work to remedy the unjust aspects in society throughout the world.
The campaign slogan ‘ Black Lives Matter’ is eminently true but, as has been pointed out, is some ways also discriminatory. ALL lives matter equally, and the quality of all lives matter. But that too should not become a political or sectarian slogan, rather it is an attitude which all, of every culture, race, age, belief, etc. should practice (and not just consider that they ‘matter’; all lives should be treated as equal in value and given equal opportunities to flourish to the fullest of their ability. One irony of the recent campaign against monuments to slave-traders and slave-owners is that the slave trade wouldn’t have worked if certain African tribes hadn’t captured members of other tribes against whom they were biased, and traded them into slavery, though admittedly Western should never have promulgated slavery. Slavery has been an evil in many societies since ancient times. Probably since prehistory tribes have enslaved others and debased those who were not like them. I know from experience of a life working with a large number of different nationalities that some otherwise wonderful foreign colleagues were horrifically biased against nationalities different from them, including fellow colleagues from their own countries, who might have been from a different tribe, caste or class. The same happens when we distrust any in our own culture who may have different backgrounds from ours. Racism isn’t confined to one sort of person, it is a multi-national and societal failing.
Almost all human beings have a natural inbuilt suspicion of the stranger. That has developed through evolution as part of human psychology with the aim for self-protection. Rightly or wrongly people tend to more instinctively trust those who are like them. But to work effectively in our globalised societies, we need to consciously overcome instinctive biases and assess people by the quality of who they are. Jesus said we would know people by the fruit of their lives, their character and actions [Matt.7:16]. That means getting to know the stranger, not ghettoising them or remaining aloof or suspicious. But it also lays responsibility on all of us to act righteously, even in situations that incense us.
Jesus emphasised the value of all human life in many aspects of his teaching: He compares us to the value of a sparrow [Matt.10:29-31; Lk.12:6-7], grass [Matt.6:30; Lk.12:28], the flowers of the field [Matt.6:28; Lk.12:27], all of which God loves and cares for. His ‘Beatitudes’ emphasise the value of those who were normally considered of little value: the poor, the oppressed, persecuted, bereaved [Matt.5:3-11], including the prisoner [Matt.25:36]. Jewish law demanded that the nation should protect and look after the wellbeing and rights of the vulnerable: the widow and orphan who had no protector to stand up for their rights [Ex.22:22; Deut10:19; 24:29-21] and ‘the stranger or alien in your midst.’ [Ex.20:10; 22:21; 23:9; Lev.16:29; 29:10’ 33-34]. (If this sense of responsibility for all in the land had been maintained, the present Palestinian crisis might have been averted.) Care for the stranger and alien was part of God’s people’s covenant responsibility. It remains the same for Christians. When Jesus taught ‘love your neighbour as yourself’ [Matt.5:43;19:19; 23:39 etc.], he included the Samaritans despised by fellow Jews [Lk.10:36] and told his followers to ‘love, pray for and do good to their enemies’ [Matt.5:44; Lk,27, 35].
Of one aspect of the issue of equality I remain unsure and welcome debate: If ALL humans are equal, should we be involved in positive discrimination in order to create a more balanced society? It is right that there should be equality of opportunity for all. It is tragic when those from certain backgrounds are less open to opportunities to advance; all should be given the potential to develop to the best they can. Yet should businesses, institutions, government or the Church positively choose ethnic employees over British, women over men, the socially disadvantaged over the social elite? I agree with the aim to redress balance and create diversity. But surely, for true equality, a role should be filled by whoever is the best possible person for that position, regardless of background, gender, class, ethnicity, sexuality, disability and certainly not because they have ‘the right connections’. Recently positive discrimination has become encouraged in many areas, even the funding of the arts and who gets promotion for performances and exhibitions. It is also a question for the Church of England as it finds places for women bishops and ministers from different races or cultures. (I have three close female friends in the episcopacy, so I’m not being sexist in questioning this; they are among the best ministers I know). If we positively discriminate, are we not perhaps neglecting and discriminating against some very gifted people who might have been wonderful in a role that they may now have no possibility of fulfilling. Are we giving gifted male, white ministers, or workers in any field, ‘equal opportunity’ if we are discriminating against them? I know they have had the opportunities for generations but is it ‘equal opportunity’ for today’s generation if anyone who might be the best person for a job is discriminated against. Should any institution deliberately appoint a person from minority who might have less obvious gifts or experience but is a more politically correct choice? That is an ethical and spiritual conundrum which greater minds than I will have to deal with. I am grateful that I am not in a position to have to make such decisions. I, like most of us, just have a responsibility to be inclusive and value all, making sure that I live my life without conscious bias that might devalue or discriminate against anyone.
ALL human life is of equal importance and value and ALL human lives should be valued for all that they are and can offer. ALL should be given the opportunities to develop to their fullest potential. This is hard in a world where there are not enough jobs and not enough money to employ everyone. Through the Jewish covenant God expected society to protect and nurture the most vulnerable in society and raise them to be able to contribute the best they could to the community and the world. That issue is true for both our country and our church. In the present crisis there is no reason for giving less protection or support to the elderly, the foreigner, the prisoner, the disabled, the weak or ill, the weakly paid, those in ‘lowly’ employ or the unemployed. The present Corona crisis has demonstrated how essential are the people who do many of the most ‘lowly’ jobs in our communities. In society generally no person should be considered of greater importance, less responsible to the law or more carefully protected, due to social position, job, class, salary, race, gender, sexual orientation, role or contribution to the economy. St. Paul’s imagery of the Church as a body in which EVERY organ has its purpose and function, reinforces the truth that we should regard all as of importance to our life, activities, church community and mission [1Cor.12:12-27].
It is right that the world has mourned and been incensed by the death of George Floyd and so many others who he has come to represents. When any sparrow falls there is sorrow in the spiritual world, and it should effect the community [Matt:10 29-31; Lk.12:6-7]. As John Donne wrote in one of his famous sermons, which I sadly can’t quote exactly as I’ve no internet connection at present: “Everyone is part of the whole... So do not ask for whom the bell tolls...it tolls for thee”. There is sorrow when, like the death of a sparrow, any die, especially if their death is avoidable. There’s also spiritual sorrow if any of God’s people devalue or treat any other badly. Let us aim to be sensitive to injustice, inequity and unrighteousness and try to combat it in EVERY area of life. In our own way, in our small corner, let’s do what we can to value, treat all equally and counteract bias.
THE IMPORTANCE OF USING OUR IMAGINATION IN OUR FAITH Iain McKillop
Over the ‘lock down’, as some know, I have been working on a series of paintings of Christ’s Resurrection: a Resurrection altarpiece and 18 ‘Stations of the Resurrection’. The walls of my temporary ‘studio’ a.k.a. ‘spare bedroom’ are lined with 25 unfinished paintings and many other prepared panels and sketches. If one picture needs more consideration, isn’t going right or needs to dry before retouching, I stack it and go onto another. Only the altarpiece, the Resurrection Station, Jesus meeting Mary Magdalene in the Garden, the Ascension and Pentecost are anywhere near finished so far. I need to have them all on the go at once, to help the style become consistent throughout the series of paintings. I also need to make every Jesus, Peter, John, Mary, etc. look similar throughout the series or the story won’t flow through the images.
I’ve lived daily for months with thinking-through these subjects, restudied the stories. As I’ve painted them, the thoughts and experiences of the characters have been coming to life. I close the ‘studio’ (spare bedroom) door to prevent the smell of white spirit and linseed oils permeating the house, but the small community of characters in the paintings feel as though they are emerging more clearly in a little studio community. (I hope that my skills develop to do them justice!) I’m feeling with the biblical characters as they express grief, fear, puzzlement, joy, ecstasy and enlightenment in various ways in different scenes. I expect that writers of plays or novels have similar relationships with the characters they are developing. Some characters, like Peter, Jesus’ mother, Mary Magdalene, John and Thomas, I find easier to empathise with and begin to understand. Other figures about whom the Bible is more quiet, remain enigmatic and open to broader imagine. Some of my characters are beginning to adopt characteristics of people I know. They change as my brush changes their character and expression, bringing other ideas to my mind. It’s fun to create the images, but I feel a huge responsibility to do justice to such an important story.
The process has made me consider how much our faith is based on imagination. We read the stories and doctrines in scripture, but a lot of our understanding develops from ‘fleshing out’ the scripture that we read, through our own interpretation of the people and stories and our personal experience of life. This is not ‘inventing’ faith, but applying the stories of faith to our own situations. It is really important that our faith should not just be based on ‘head-knowledge’. We use the stories of faith to work out how the teachings of scripture and the example of Jesus and the great figures of the Bible relate practically to the events and issues in our own lives. Identifying with the characters and scenes of scripture can be really useful. That is why St. Ignatius’ ‘Spiritual Exercises’ and some contemplative spirituality practices encourage us to imagine ourselves within the biblical scenes. I often think that we are told so many of the mistakes of figures in Hebrew Bible, and the New Testament Church to learn from them and not make the same errors ourselves. Moses, King David and Saints Peter and Paul are considered great heroes of faith, but the stories of their lives indicate significant failings, which they had to overcome in order to grow. The Bible is replete with people who are ‘baddies’ as well as ‘goodies’, but it is and encouragement to us when we recognise that we, with our own failings, are surrounded by a host of examples who made many mistakes in their lives, yet are considered saintly [Heb.12:1]. There is hope for us!
I often find that living with a meaningful painting, or living with a subject of faith in my mind, can immensely change my attitude to its subject over time. I worked for nearly three years on my altarpiece for the Lady Chapel of Gloucester Cathedral. The presence of the three panels, each 8 foot tall, dominated my home both physically and spiritually. In the studio were these three figures of Christ: crucified; taken down from the cross into the arms of his mother and John; and Resurrected, surrounded by the souls of the redeemed. If he stood up straight the figure would have been well over 9 ft. tall, so his presence dominated the studio. As he became more real under the brush I felt that I had to become a person worthy of living in his presence. I wasn’t painting portraits of Jesus, as we don’t know what he looked like. I wanted to make him appear like a real and Jewish character. But I recognise that whenever I paint Christ or other biblical figures, I am only creating metaphors for the real person. In inventing the images I tried to produce a figure who would look caring, reliable, strong enough to achieve salvation. Jesus probably did not look at all like any portrayal of him I have ever created. I try to make my images appeal to people, to encourage faith but I guess that the real Jesus of Nazareth was far less attractive or physically strong than I often create. Isaiah 53:2 prophesied that the Messiah would have “no form or majesty that we should look at him, nothing in his appearance that would attract us to him”. I imagine that Jesus looked far more ordinary, and perhaps shorter, than he is usually represented in art, though had a charisma and truth in his character, teaching and care for people that attracted people to him. It was God’s ‘truth’ in him which people recognised. But to paint Jesus with an unattractive appearance would not create an adequate representation of Christ’s dynamism and appeal. Art representing Jesus aims to promote faith, so we need to emphasise his attractiveness and truth in some physical way..
Similar realisations are developing with these new paintings. When I’ve painted series of Stations of the Cross and Incarnation in the past I’ve felt myself into the stories and tried to understand and empathise with the emotions of the characters portrayed. Through the images I always hope to help others examine and reflect on the subject, to developing their relationship with God and to consider the theological and spiritual meaning behind the theme. With these new paintings there’s a further dimension. They are being painted at a time when there is a greater sense of vulnerability, sadness, isolation, fear and anger in the world than at any time in my life; even more than during the Cuban Missile Crisis, Vietnam or Iraq wars, the Aids pandemic, outbreaks of Foot and Mouth and Mad Cow Disease or Stock Market crashes. This situation is even more immediate and just as important as the world’s environmental crisis. We are all vulnerable and the future outlook for many is uncertain.
In this atmosphere the need for a sense of security and ability to focus on something positive in which we can trust can be so valuable. That was why I decided to concentrate on these Resurrection themes for my present studies and paintings. As my thoughts have developed with them, I recognise that I have an even greater responsibility than when I began. The paintings are as much about emphasising our own future hope as about reminding people of the biblical evidence for Christ’s resurrection. I’ve not yet worked out how I can express that as effectively in a painting as I might be able to do in words. I hope that my own sense of awe and ecstasy in response to the subjects might become infused into the images. It is important, when we read scripture, to try to bring our imaginations alive, in order to apply its teachings, examples and beliefs to the real experiences of our lives.
HOW WELL DO WE WITNESS? Iain McKillop
“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth.” [Acts 1:8]. This is Luke’s interpretation of Jesus’ teaching immediately before his ascension – Luke’s explanation for all that was to be recounted in the Book of Acts. It is similar to the record of Jesus’ command at the end Matthew’s Gospel: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” [Matt.28:19-20]. Christ’s clear belief for his people was that his message is not just for a select few (Jews or a small group of Christians) but is relevant to the whole earth, even those with who’s lifestyles or beliefs some might be suspicious, as the Jews despised the Samaritans.
When Jesus told his followers to “be my witnesses” he intended Christians not just to follow and promote his teachings, or to ‘convert people’ in an Evangelical sense, but also to represent him authentically to the whole world. This means that the Church and all who truly want to call themselves followers of Christ, need to be recognisable as Christ-like in all that we do. Unfortunately individual Christians, institutions and different churches do things that damage our witness to the truths in Christ’s teaching. We need to be aware of failings and act and speak carefully. Sometimes churches may appear insular or more intent on maintaining themselves and their policies than on promoting Christ. This can include obsession with our finance and buildings, attempts to increase the numbers in our pews, internal struggles for power, wrangling in internal church politics, arguing over varying doctrinal interpretations, self-promotion by individuals, factions promoting their superiority over others, or self-centred principles. Some of these may be very important, like keeping ourselves solvent, being strong and stable enough to support our mission, remaining spiritually sound and providing truth and excellence in worship that is glorifying to God and attractive and inspiring for the congregation. But nothing should dominate over the development of our relationship with God through Christ, worshipping in spirit and in truth [Jn.4:23], and providing an effective witness to the world.
Only a Church based on God’s truth will truly represent Christ. Honesty in our witness is essential if we are to build a Church and a faith based on truth. If any believe that they can promote Jesus’ teaching by any form of dishonesty or personal, humanistic self-promotion, they deceive themselves and others. This includes pretence about the extent of our spiritual experiences and spiritual understandings. Sadly there have been examples of such dishonesty throughout the history of the Church. Since the beginning of the Church, some have exaggerated their faith, promoted false doctrines or practices, invented legends of saints, expanded upon stories of miraculous experiences and visions, faked relics, anathematised those who do not agree with their interpretations of scripture or tradition, invented lies to promote themselves or relegated or even destroy others. All untruths damage the true witness to Christ. Even if exaggerations or falsehoods might temporarily have intended to advance the promotion of Christianity, they do not in fact succeed; rather they get in the way of the advancement of truth. There are no short-cuts to witness. God is about truth. A church or a faith that is not founded on truth is not founded on Christ and is an aberration of what Jesus taught.
We often witness far more by the integrity of our lives than by our words. People often judge our authenticity by how they see us living and through our activities. Yet this should not be used as an opt-out for not speaking about our faith to others. We should not allow the hope that our lives ‘speak or reflect our faith’, to be an excuse for not witnessing verbally and explaining the meaning of our what we believe. A stranger to faith, watching one’s life, will never sufficiently understand the meaning and promises of salvation, atonement, cleansing, the hope of life beyond death or much about Christian spirituality. Those require words to be explained. The first Epistle of Peter encouraged all Christians to “always be ready to make your defence to anyone who demands from you an account of the hope that is in you” [1Pet.3:15]. Of course most of us are insecure about how able we may be to explain our faith. It is really hard to do this, which is why we need to practise. There are so many mysteries within the Christian faith and we do not understand everything. We find it hard to sufficiently define God; none know for certain in what ways Jesus was God’s representative or what ‘Son of God’ and ‘incarnation’ truly mean. We do not know what aspects of the Gospels, let alone the rest of the Bible are authentic and what have been edited in the telling, often for good reasons. We do not know how Jesus achieved salvation through the Cross, what exactly happened at the Resurrection, Ascension or Pentecost, what will happen to us beyond death. So it is right to accept the gaps in our understanding when we witness. Yet faith trusts in many things that we cannot fully define; particularly we trust Christ’s promises. “Faith is assurance of things hoped for, the knowledge of things as yet unseen” [Heb.11:1].
Despite the inadequacies of our knowledge and our weaknesses in communication, honesty over what we do not know can itself be a truthful witness in the world that is so full of dishonesty, where some people claim greater knowledge than they really have. Our understanding of Christ’s teaching is only partial, but it is sufficient, I believe to have confidence that we are safe in accepting God’s promises recounted in scripture. If you, like me, are afraid of making a fool of yourself by the insufficiency of your witness, remember that Jesus promised that we are not alone. In both the commands to witness at the end of Matthew and beginning of Acts, Christ reminded us that he and his Spirit are with us. He further promised that the Holy Spirit will help us in what we say [Jn.14:26; 16:13]. It is important to remember that we ourselves cannot convince or convict anyone of the truth of faith by our own arguments, however erudite we might be or how convincing our proofs. Conviction of faith and conversion is the inner work in people’s minds, effected by the Holy Spirt. Nevertheless, this is not an excuse for not knowing our faith or developing convincing ways of explaining it to others. 1 Peter 3:15 remains important; we should all aim to be able to ‘defend our reasons for the hope and faith that it in us’.
The Greek word which we translate as witness: ‘mártys’ is that from which the word ‘martyr’ derives. During the trials of the Church, it became considered that ‘martyrs’ were those who had borne witness [‘martyréō’] to the greatest extent by remaining faithful even under threat of death. This interpretation of ‘witnessing’ to one’s faith by the sacrifice of one’s life developed particularly through the Jewish suffering at the time of the rebellion of the Maccabees, then later through the persecution of Christians. An unhealthy practice developed early in church history of deliberately seeking martyrdom because it was thought that this would ensure one’s place in heaven. This partly derived from what I believe is a misinterpretation of St. Paul’s teaching that he ‘counted everything in life as loss for the sake of gaining Christ’ [Phil.3:7-8] and other of his teachings about ‘presenting our bodies as a living sacrifice [Rom.12:1] and ‘longing to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.’ [2Cor.5:8]. Many believers came to consider that the present life is worth nothing compared to the future life of heaven, even to despise human life on earth and long for the future. This unfortunately can lead to unhealthy self-denials and rejection of aspects of living that are enjoyable and right. God created life to be lived and enjoyed abundantly and responsibly now and in the future. God doesn’t expect us to just endure our lives now, hoping for something greater to come; God intends us to live fully and enjoy his blessings in life now, in readiness for the future. Christians who might be regarded as killjoys or are seen to not be living life to the full can damage our witness to God’s truth to others. To seeming boring or repressed through our faith provides little incentive for those outside the church to believe that we have found truths and lifestyle that are worth pursuing.
The true original meanings of the terms ‘mártys’/‘martyréō’ has little to do with ‘martyrdom’, though the word was sometimes used in the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible for a ‘sacrifice’. (In that case, the sacrificed creature acted as a ‘witness’ or ‘assurance’ that the person who was offering a sacrifice was authentic in affirming their allegiance to God.) The Greek terms ‘mártys’/‘martyréō’ which are translated ‘witness’ in scripture actually derive from Greek legal words used in trials for those who come forward as accurate witnesses to confirm truth. A ‘mártys’witness was one who had personal knowledge, not just head knowledge of the accuracy and truth of that which they affirmed. Greek philosophers used the term to distinguish between truths that our personal experience convince us are real and merely objective statements. True Christian witness therefore depends on the reality of our faith and being able to relate our experiences, not just ‘head knowledge’.
People will be far more convinced of the authenticity of our beliefs if they see us living them out and being true in our experiences. We have not lived in Gospel times, so cannot necessarily affirm the accuracy or inerrancy of scripture, but we can be sure that our faith is based on truth if we have lived it and experienced a living daily relationship with God through Christ and the Holy Spirit. However, we must be careful to bear witness truthfully, without exaggeration or dissembling. If we have found difficulties in believing, understanding or living Christian lives, don’t worry. Your experiences and questions may be similar to the difficulties that others encounter in faith. Honesty about them may help others who are struggling with their own beliefs. Don’t pretend that faith is easy if it has not been the case for you; it is rarely easy for others. We are witnesses to the truth, and if God is about truth, the more truly we witness, the more God’s Spirit can use our words and actions.
HOW DO WE DEAL WITH DOUBT AND QUESTIONS ABOUT FAITH? Iain McKillop
Recently, as some know, I’ve been doing much work on the stories of Christ’s Resurrection in the Gospels through study, painting and writing. Painting for me, is a very long process, so when I paint I have a long time to meditate on the meaning and relative reality of the themes I am painting. In the last 4 months I’ve been working daily on 21 images of Resurrection scenes, so you can imagine how much thinking is going on! Through having to consider deeply the narratives about Christ’s resurrection and his promises for us concerning existence beyond death, I inevitably began to question, as many of us might during this vulnerable time, what aspects of Christian faith are true. Over the last 50 years I have heard, read, and reflected on so many arguments of sceptics and believers against and for the existence of God or those who try to disprove or prove the physical or spiritual resurrection of Christ. I trust much of Jesus’ teaching because it is so obviously wise: the need to love, make peace, forgive, reconcile, value right principles, not worry over what we can’t change, support the poor and oppressed, live abundant life, consider the spiritual aspects of our existence as of equal and sometimes greater importance as the physical, etc. But the more mysterious and unprovable aspects of our faith: the very existence of God, the nature of the Trinity, the divinity of Christ, the possibility of miracles, spirits or angels, the efficacy of intercession, and whether the Resurrection is true etc. often challenge us. Questions often come at times when we face difficulties, or feel vulnerable. Amid the tragedies of the Covid 19 pandemic it is important to be as assured as we can be that our faith and trust are reliably founded.
Doubts are understandable; we live in a sceptical world. It can be healthy to doubt when politicians, business leaders, industrialists, lawyers, economists, and ‘experts’ in various fields dissemble; there is much dishonesty and self-deceiving in our world. In spiritual matters it is often impossible to be certain as we have few, if any empirical proofs. Voltaire wrote generally of truth: “Doubt is inevitable; to desire certainty is absurd.” That is very relevant to faith, which trusts in many uncertain things. Yet doubts can be either crippling or strengthening, dependent on how we approach them. Tendencies to doubt everything and everyone can make people cynical, insular or depressing to be around! If we look for good qualities, even in those people or things we doubt, we can learn to appreciate the positive, while being “wise as serpents, innocent as doves” [Matt.10:16].
Our understanding can expand if we approach doubts about faith as a challenge to apply the right questions, then test and explore until we have found an answer that satisfies us for the moment at least. Questions about a few aspects of faith shouldn’t be allowed to undermine other foundations of our beliefs or principles, or they may damage other areas of our life and knowledge. Doubt can damage hope and lead to despair, of which there is so much in today’s world. When the man who longed for the healing of his child prayed: “I believe, help my unbelief” [Mk.9:24], he acknowledged his doubts, but retained an enormous sense of hope. It is that sort of longing, hope and trust in God that strengthens many during trying times. Trust is the foundation of faith.
The more I have reflected on the biblical stories of Christ’s Resurrection over these last months, and the more I have considered the theme and possibility of life beyond death over many years as a Christian, the more I have become convinced that something revolutionary and miraculous happened after the crucifixion to confirm Jesus’ followers and start the early Church. Of course there are discrepancies over details in the various Gospel accounts, particularly the names of various women who were first at the tomb and what they witnessed. But these details are relatively minor and are easily accounted for by variations in the sources from which the Gospel writers drew, (a bit like the game ‘Chinese Whispers’). Nevertheless the key fact that Jesus appeared to be physically back from death convinced his followers to give their whole lives to promote the faith he taught. Surely no person would sacrifice so much of themselves for something of which they were not convinced. If I wasn’t convinced of the likelihood that my faith is based in something real I certainly wouldn’t have given my life to various forms of ministry for the last 40 years!
I encourage thinking Christians to question why they believe, as well as what they believe, in order to strengthen themselves in advance for life’s challenges. At times in church history, seekers and believers have been encouraged to just accept the supernatural teachings of Christianity as fact. Some demanded that committed Christians should “believe and not doubt”, following James 1:6. Other passages emphasise that faith should overcome doubt: Rom.14:26; Lk.24:38; Matt.28:17; Jn.20:27. This is partly true; we often have to take ‘leaps of faith’ or say “I believe, help my unbelief”, in many aspects of life or understanding, even in science, and certainly in relationships, in order to work practically. But we have been given human minds which encourage us to question, as part of a natural process by which individuals, societies and knowledge develop. If humans hadn’t questioned or challenges accepted understandings, we would never have advanced scientific knowledge, technology, the arts and humanities, our use of our environment, beliefs and spirituality. Even strong Christians like St. Paul doubted and questioned. His writings discuss his wrestling with beliefs and practices. This wrestling strengthened his belief, preaching and his ability to explain his faith (his ‘apologetics’) and advanced the Church. Over the ensuing centuries believers’ exploration of faith and the scriptures, including wrestling with difficulties, have advanced spiritual understanding further.
Simplicity and child-like belief are commended by Jesus, to promote trust in what we do not know [Matt.18:3-4], yet deliberate ignorance is unhelpful. Jesus’ call to have faith like a child encourages us to hold onto God in our vulnerability or lack of experience or understanding; he didn’t want people to remain deliberately ignorant. In the past too many churches and sects invented and promoted false beliefs and superstitions, feeding on the lack of education and credulity of members. This often worked to the detriment of the Church and partially caused the present distrust in Christianity and decline in belief, in a world that offers many other ways of thinking and living. Several mystics have reiterated the phrase “an unexamined life is not worth living”. A naïve faith that does not expand, educate or challenge itself does not worthily represent the true Christian faith. If God is about truth, our faith must be eminently open to reason. An unexamined and uneducated faith rarely satisfies intellectually and insufficiently witnesses to the contemporary rational world. People who are encouraged just to accept faith as true or to follow Church teaching unthinkingly often fall away from faith. Yet at the same time, the faith of those with limited understanding, like children, recent converts or some with learning difficulties can be equally real and is often more vibrant and active than many whose faith has been tutored by church attendance for years. The enthusiasm of the young in faith can put many of us to shame!
It is not naïve or over-credulous to believe in the Christian faith. Our culture is dominated by ideas that if something seems scientifically impossible or not provable by empirical evidence, it cannot be true. This assumption is false: we cannot prove many things that we still understand to be true, while we wait to expansion human understanding: We cannot prove our partners’ love, the origins of the cosmos, life, gravity, the wind, what is beyond infinity, the efficacy of homeopathic remedies and alternative forms of healing or how bird migration works. Voltaire was right in his statement that to desire or expect certainty in many areas is absurd. All we often rely upon are evidences and assumptions. Christian faith partly depends on our own and others’ evidences, assumptions and experiences. Some old evidences may not always be considered perfectly reliable or provable today: The Bible provides useful evidence to consider, even if the reliability and bias of some ancient documents is questionable. It contains an enormous amount of useful, significant teaching. Even those who find belief in God difficult, should not reject its teachings on the value of human life, the importance of love and support, our social and environmental responsibilities and the need for eternal not just short-term goals, etc.
None should dismiss as only subjective, the spiritual experiences of Christians over centuries who have become convinced that their relationship with God through Christ is real. Even believers who question or have areas of doubt over certain doctrines, can often point to evidences that their spiritual relationship is life-giving. I certainly can. If you, like me, are prone to doubt and questioning, I would encourage you to review your past and list times and events which assured you that faith was real, and that you weren’t fooling yourself. Those memories can provide strong foundations in an unstable world. They aren’t as subjective as they sometimes seem.
I’ve the sort of mind that is frequently questioning: I want to be sure that I am following and promoting truth. If God is true and the Christian faith is true, we shouldn’t be afraid of forensic questioning. Exploring truth should strengthen our understanding of what is real, as well as correcting mistaken understandings. St. Paul recognised that we should be pitied if we give our lives, energies, and hopes to something that might eventually prove to be incorrect [1Cor.15:19]. Even though he claimed to have had a physical experience of meeting the risen and ascended Christ on the road to Damascus [1Cor.15:8; Acts 9:3-5], he kept questioning and reviewing what was true in his faith. Both Jesus and St. Paul emphasised that we need strong foundations. Jesus told us to build our house on rock, not sand [Matt.7:24]. Even in the midst of problems Paul was able to return to a basic belief that affirmed the Resurrection: “... in fact, Jesus has been raised from the dead, the first-fruits of those who have died.” [1Cor.15:20]. He had met the risen and ascended Christ and he knew, from that foundational experience, that he could trust in the reality of his faith. What are the foundational experiences that confirm you faith?
WISDOM Iain McKillop
There has been much criticism recently of the wisdom behind decisions being made by politicians, advisors, medical and educational ‘experts’ etc. Inevitably, when mistakes have been made, we tend to increasingly distrust those in positions of power who make pronouncements. To do some justice, we are all in a situation of uncertainty: Covid 19 is a new disease, so no one knows for sure what policies will eventually defeat or advance it. Even the experts and politicians making decisions are ‘winging it’ to some extent. Nevertheless they need to take decisions based on the wisdom of keeping all lives safe rather than out of political or economic expediency. Although economic security is essential for the wellbeing of all, ensuring our physical and medical safety is even more important. The wisdom required for making life-and-death decisions is far greater than mental knowledge, educated guesses or experimenting with theories, political doctrines and ‘pet’ ideas. Who do we trust as ‘wise’ in contemporary leadership?
Wisdom is deeper and even more practical than head knowledge or even understanding. It is the discernment to do what is right, taking into account all our knowledge, intuition and a spiritual understanding that comes from deep within ourselves and the spiritual world. We sometimes talk of ‘praxis’ - putting into practice our beliefs. Wisdom is even more than practicing what we preach; it involves the understanding to do so effectively, as perfectly as possible, for the majority good, acting in perfect righteousness. Wisdom in not self-righteous or self-promoting but acts humbly in accord with what God has taught to be righteous and true.
Wisdom is as key a quality for all people to try to develop as it is for Christians. Jesus’ parable of the wise man building his house upon the rock emphasises our need for wisdom in founding our lives on truth to assure us of stability [Matt.7:24-25]. For Israel, Solomon was the type of perfect wisdom, choosing the gift of wisdom above all other qualities for his leadership [1Chron.1:10-12]. That is why the ‘Wisdom Books’ in the Bible were attributed to or ascribed as being by him, though most were written and compiled far later. Solomon applied his wisdom to many new situations. In making a decision over the maternity of two children, he would not have known the true mother of the living child brought before him, yet his wisdom enabled him to discover the truth [1Ki.3:16-28]. Jesus used Solomon as a symbol of himself and the importance of following his wisdom in teaching and leadership: “The queen of the south... [the Queen of Sheba in 2Chron.9:3] came from the extremities of the earth to listen to the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here”. [Matt.12:42; Lk.11:31]. To seek wisdom through Christ’s teaching and example is his recommendation for all his followers.
God’s Spirit was regarded as the source of wisdom: he inspired and gifted Solomon and filled and led the prophets. That may be why from the beginning of Jesus’ ministry all the Gospels emphasise that the Holy Spirit, symbolised by the dove, rested on him [Matt.3:6; Mk.1:10, Lk.3:22; Jn.1:32]. Luke records that as a child he “grew and became strong, filled with wisdom” [Lk.2:40; 52]. When Matthew and Mark speak of the crowd saying of Jesus “Were did this man get his wisdom?” [Matt.13:54; Mk.6:2], they intend their readers to recognise its origins as being in God. The Gospel of John does not use the word ‘wisdom’ but it is clear from the emphasis throughout on Jesus as ‘The Word’ [Jn.1:1-14] that Christ was being equated with the wisdom of God.
In Luke 11:49, Jesus used the phrase “The Wisdom of God” in declaring ‘woes’ to the religious leaders of his time. Their ancestors, he claimed, had persecuted and killed the prophets who God had sent to them. Now, he assured, “the wisdom of God” would send them “prophets and apostles” who they also would slay and persecute. He was talking here about himself and his followers. Christ’s Church must therefore be careful to discern and emulate those who follow the wisdom of God, not become equated with those who persecute people who are genuinely inspired by God. Sadly church history shows that this has not always been the case. Too often wise, Spirit-inspired innovators and reformers, following Christ’s lead, have been rejected even killed by religious individuals or institutions, intent, like the Scribes and Pharisees of Jesus’ day, on maintaining their own dominance or believing themselves as sole arbiters of truth. Sadly, Christians of various spiritualities still act similarly towards some sincere believers who have different views or practices to their own. True wisdom by contrast should be more discerning and encourage us to learn from the insights and spiritual experience of others, not unthinkingly reject difference.
Jesus promised that he would send his followers the Holy Spirit, who would lead them to wisdom and discernment: “For I will give you words and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict.” [Lk.21:15]. John’s Gospel reiterated that Christ’s spirit-filled followers would know the Spirit of truth [Jn.14:17], remind them of Christ’s teaching and teach them further [Jn.14:26]. God’s Spirit would give his people the wisdom and knowledge to communicate Christ’s message effectively [Jn.16:13]. Often today the Church encourages members to learn to communicate using business and educational practices, psychology and sociology. But, while our understanding can learn from these, we, like the disciples sent by Christ, who were largely far less educated than most of us in the church today, must “be wise as serpents and innocent as doves” [Matt.10:16]. Jesus’ reference to serpents did not encourage tricks, cunning or dissembling. The serpent in the Eden legend tricked the unwary and unfortunately some leaders in past ecclesiastical history have led by human cunning, not wisdom. Jesus intended us to gain spiritual discernment in how to act wisely and speak effectively in persuasive ways. His disciples were to become and remain as pure, peace-making, lovingly committed and perfect in spirit as the dove. Wisdom is a quality that should lead to purity of action, not any form of corruption or dissembling [Ps.37:30; Prov.2:10, 12; 8:12; 10:31; 14:6].
Most of us judge by appearances, which can easily deceive, but, as Psalm 139 expresses, God looks right into the human heart. The emphasis of the biblical Wisdom Books is that God, who is the source and perfection of wisdom and truth, implants wisdom in the human heart. True wisdom is only possible if we are following righteous ways [Ps.51:6; 90:12; Prov.2:10; 14:33; 24:14].
THE RELEVANCE OF THE SCRIPTURAL IMAGE OF THE VINE Iain McKillop
Jesus created the image of himself as the vine and his followers as the branches becoming fruitful by drawing nourishment through being connected to him [Jn.15:1]. St Paul elaborated upon this, using the image of a wild olive tree, when he spoke of the Jewish church as the natural branches who were fulfilling the promises of God to his people, and the Gentiles believers (who include most of us) as branches in-grafted into the root-stock of God’s promises to his people [Rom.11:19-24). The use of vine imagery is strong in Jewish tradition: there are over 110 references to vines and vineyards in the Hebrew scriptures and 33 mentions in the New Testament. Often, like the olive and fig tree, these are used metaphorically rather than just referring literally to the plant.
Vines and vineyards were regarded as a blessed inheritance of God’s people. The Jewish people themselves were described several times as God’s vine: Joseph and his tribe were to be fruitful vines [Gen.49:22]. Psalm 80 speaks of Israel as ‘a vine rescued from Egypt’, to be tended and cared for, or it will only be worth being cut down. In settling their land God’s people were told to plant their vines Deut.28:39; Josh.24:13] as a sign of the permanence of God’s future promises of land and blessing, as vines take a long time to develop effective fruitfulness. Isaiah and Jeremiah spoke of God planting his people as choicest vines [Isa.5:2; 7:23; 16:8; 32:12; Jer.2:21]. Isaiah sang God’s love-song to his fruitful vine [Isa.5:1-7; 27:2]. Prophets warned against the pollution of other religions using the imagery of planting imported vines [Isa.17:10]. Hosea describes Israel as a spreading and blossoming vine [Hos.10:1; 14:7]. Ezekiel prophesied that the word of God would be like a splendid vine, putting down its roots, spreading its branches and bearing fruit [Ezek.17:6-8]. So the vine is often used as an image of security and fruitfulness in our relationship with God.
Yet many of the prophets describe God’s judgement on those who neglect their covenant relationship with God as withered or destroyed vines [Isa.3:14; Jer.12:10; Hos.2:12; Joel 1:2, 12; Nah.2:2; Hab.3:17; Mal.3:11]. Judgement was also referred to as the harvesting and treading of grapes [Joel 3:13; Rev.14:18-19]. The fruitless vines would be dug up, useless branches cut away. Jesus continued this teaching using the image of the withered fig tree [Matt.21:19-32; Mk.11:20-21; 13:28;]. He also used a parable about cutting down a fig tree that failed to bear fruit even after nurturing and tending [Lk.13:6-9]. This parable is uncomfortable for any believer or religious institution. We cannot rest on our past; we need to remain fruitful and grow effectively.
Micah, Haggai and Zechariah promised that after judgements and the future revival of true faith God’s security will allow people to again sit under their vines and fig-trees, which will grow well and yield good fruit [Mic.4:4; Hag.2:9; Zech.3:10; 8:12; 1Ki.4:25]. This was more than literally ‘return to your gardens’; it meant that God would provide their security. In calling himself the vine, Jesus was associating himself with this. In describing himself as the ‘true vine’, he was affirming that he was the ‘choicest vine’ as described by Isaiah [5:2], planted by God, not an imported, false, corrupted or fruitless vine. In later Wisdom writings, the vine was also associated with the source of wisdom [Syr.24:17] and the Messiah [Syr.Bar.36ff.], both of which relate to future beliefs about Christ.
Jesus emphasised that the fruitfulness of all Christians depends on remaining connected to him as ‘the vine’ and continuing throughout our lives to draw sustenance from him [Jn.15:4]. Branches cannot live, flower and bear fruit independently. Jesus warned that fruitless branches will be cut away to strengthen the vine. A good and prudent vine dresser carefully prunes the plant at the right time, regularly, in order to train the plant’s growth and strengthen it for the next harvest. Similarly as believers and religious institutions, we should regularly test the authenticity of our faith and practice to keep us strong and train each other to grow in the right directions.
I find the vine a fascinating image, probably partly because I love grapes so much that I can’t stop eating if I have a bunch before me! You can keep chocolate and other sweetmeats; grapes and ripe figs are my favourites! Israel has a climate that was perfect for vines, which may be why they became such a significant symbol of the nation. In the artistic imagery or iconography of the ‘spies’ sent on a reconnaissance of the land of Canaan before the tribes of Israel crossed into it, they are always shown as carrying back an enormous bunch of grapes. ‘Laden with fruitfulness’ should be a metaphor that we could use of the Christian Church, if we are living according to the abundant life that Christ gave his own life and teaching to enable. However, this is not always the case.
At this time of continued isolation and social distancing, opportunities to meet and interact are gradually recovering. We have continued time to ‘regroup’ our thoughts and reconsider how we can become more fruitful both in our own lives and or church’s life. Remaining closely grafted into Christ through our faith and our spiritual practices is so important for our continual nourishment, growth and strengthening. But of next importance is our nurturing, protecting, pruning and nourishing of each other. Independent growth might occur; it has happened by default during the lock-down. But continuing independence over a long time can run wild as a vine that hasn’t been pruned for many years. If a neglected vine produces any fruit at all it is likely to be weak and not as tasty as it could be if the plant was well nurtured, pruned effectively and given the best nourishment at the right time. Our spiritual lives are like that. We have gone through a long ‘furlough’ over the last few months, and possibly for months ahead, but connection with one another is important as an incentive and stimulus for growth and fruitfulness. Our connection with God through Christ and the Holy Spirit nourishes our growth, but this often comes through our connection with each other. As people and churches return slowly, we will have to get used to somewhat different ways of meeting and expressing ourselves corporately, in order to maintain safety. But we still need to maintain those spiritual connections with God and with one another that can generate fruitful life.
BEING KNOWN THOROUGHLY Iain McKillop
O LORD, you have searched me and known me… You are acquainted with all my ways… Search me and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (Ps.139:1-2, 23-24).
Contemplating God’s thorough knowledge of us, I wonder why it doesn’t make me more uncomfortable or vulnerable. Rather, it promises security and safety. Like Psalm 51 we recognise a wealth of personal sins. We can say with Psalm 130:3 ‘if God kept a record of them who could stand?’ Yet God’s love, forgiveness and salvation can override these. Some talk too easily of God’s ‘unconditional love’, which isn’t a thoroughly biblical concept as God’s covenant and commandments are full of ‘conditions’. Scripture talks of “steadfast love”, which persists despite our breaking of God’s conditions. We are meant to keep true to covenant promises, “love as he loves us”, strive to be “perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect.” So, as we all fail in these, perhaps we should feel less secure than many do. Perhaps our greatest cause for awe is not God’s majesty, but his willingness to get down onto our level and show the extent of his understanding of us by his “steadfast love”. Jesus’ incarnation brought the supreme example of this, but his Spirit’s continued indwelling of us is even more awe-inspiring.
St Paul recognised God’s indwelling of his creatures as an enormous privilege and responsibility (1Cor.3:16). The fact that God’s Spirit lives in us is also a reminder of God’s intimate inner knowledge of us. He doesn’t just view from a distance (Ps.139:2), he is intertwined with every aspect of us, scrutinising us from within our nature (vss. 7, 13, 15).
We live in a society which too often judges by surface appearances. One pressure upon people is often to hide behind masks, hiding aspects of our inner selves. We know how much being misjudged damages many people in society and causes anxiety. Perhaps one Christian responsibility could be to emulate Christ in aiming to understand people better rather than making intuitive assumptions or limited psychological assessments. We know how complex our motivations can be. One translation of Ps.119:23 is “search me and understand the complex intertwinings of my thoughts.” Others who know us less well rarely view us with similar insight. One of the values of close friendships or a spiritual director’s companionship is that we can feel safe in opening ourselves to loving scrutiny in a safe environment. Being able to trust thoroughly and confess without fear of rejection is rare. True, ‘steadfast-love’ friendship is a reflection of God’s deeper understanding. Human insight can always make mistakes, yet God understands us thoroughly.
In our relationship with God there will always be in imbalance: God’s truth knows all about us; how much do we truly know of the divine power we trust? We rely on revelation through ancient scriptures, the reasoning, traditions and experiences of the Church, our own experiences, intuitions, study and insights. Several Christian mystics have expressed that, though none of us can know God thoroughly, what we have found “teaches us to trust for all we do not know.”
Trust is at the heart of faith. When imperfect people know much about us we may feel vulnerable to their potential misuse of that knowledge. Our surveillance society witnesses to this; many increasingly value and defend their privacy, while others share shallow aspects of themselves on Facebook and other media sites. By contrast God’s thorough knowledge means that the only force that can truly help us in our lives comprehends the whole story, our potential, our limitations, our failings, our sucesses, and wants the best for us. “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is so high that I cannot attain it... How vast are the sum of God’s thoughts!” (Ps.139:6,17). No wonder that there is security in knowing that somewhere someone completely understands, still loves us and works for our good!
God’s indwelling of us is awe-inspiring. It is even more-so when we realise that the Hebrew word for ‘indwelling’ is based on “shekinah” the word for the ‘glory’ that shone over the Tabernacle in the Temple, the place where God’s glory indwelt among his people. By having God’s Spirit indwelling us, we are literally ‘little tabernacles of God’s presence’. No wonder St. Paul emphasised that our lives should attempt to remain clean and holy, to do justice to his Spirit’s presence in us [1Cor.3:16-17].
PSALM 139
O LORD, you have searched me and known me.
2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
you discern my thoughts from far away.
3 You search out my path and my lying down,
and are acquainted with all my ways.
4 Even before a word is on my tongue, O LORD, you know it completely.
5 You hem me in, behind and before,
and lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
it is so high that I cannot attain it.
7 Where can I go from your spirit?
Or where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there;
if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there.
9 If I take the wings of the morning
and settle at the farthest limits of the sea,
10 even there your hand shall lead me,
and your right hand shall hold me fast.
11 If I say, "Surely the darkness shall cover me,
and the light around me become night,"
12 even the darkness is not dark to you;
the night is as bright as the day,
for darkness is as light to you.
13 For it was you who formed my inward parts;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.
14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works; that I know very well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret,
intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes beheld my unformed substance.
In your book were written all the days that were formed for me,
when none of them as yet existed.
17 How weighty to me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
18 I try to count them yet they are more than the sand;
I come to the end - I am still with you.
.....
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my thoughts.
24 See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
JULY MEDITATIONS
HUMAN RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES Iain McKillop
In recent months we have seen many calls for civil liberties: Hong Kong, greater acknowledgement of the environmental crisis, Black Lives Matter, campaigns against contemporary forms of slavery, the right of female education in places where women are oppressed, recognition of minorities throughout the world, immigrants’ rights, workers on low pay or zero-hour contracts, campaigns for greater governmental support for various interest-groups. All are often laudable causes for energetic campaigns. I have been considering the biblical background to human rights in the light of the deaths and social needs that have occurred during the pandemic, and recent demonstrations around the world over the rights of various groups. There are subtle yet clear distinctions between gaining one’s human rights and recognising one’s own personal or collective responsibilities.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a really significant document, especially as those fundamental rights are still not respected in many nations, including some areas of our own society. The rights to life, health, growth, respect, freedom, education, equality of opportunity etc. are of major importance in developing an equitable world where everyone is afforded the potential to achieve their best. These reflect the principles of the Kingdom of God, which Jesus taught. Yet sometimes in today’s society, people’s sense of their rights are exaggerated or debased: The right to waste our lives and resources or exploit the world environment, the right to indulge one’s freedom to the neglect of one’s health or the health and freedom of others, the right to promote oneself and one’s rights over the rights of another, even the right to shop and have whatever we want, are aberrations of our individual freedoms.
A key balance to our supposed ‘rights’ are responsibilities that we all have, but which some neglect or ignore: We are responsible to respect and support our neighbours (remembering that our neighbours, as in the Parable of the Good Samaritan, are all in the world.) We are responsible to look after and support ourselves if we can. We have a responsibility to steward the world’s resources carefully. When you search scripture, especially Jesus’ teachings, there’s little, if any, talk of our ‘rights’. The Bible stresses repeatedly human ‘responsibilities’: “love your neighbour as yourself” [Matt.19:19; 22:39, Mk.12:31; Lk.10:27] and ‘honour one another’ [Rom.12:10; 1Cor.12:26]; ‘use the earth’s resources responsibly’[Gen.1:28-30]; ‘give the environment as well as yourself and all others a Sabbath rest to reenergise and have time to focus on higher things than work’ [Ex.16; 31; Lev.23; 25]; ‘remember that the making of wealth and the development of knowledge is not the main source of happiness’ [Ecclesiastes 2:12-2:23]; ‘be peacemakers’ [Matt.5:9; James1:18]; ‘do not use your freedom to exploit others’ [Gal.5:13; 1Pet.2:16]; ‘support the needy, both of our society and others’ [Ex.22:21-27]; ‘if you are able, work to support yourself, your family and others financially and do not expect others to carry you, unless you are in need and incapable of self-support’ [2Tess.3:7-13; 1Cor.9:9-15]. These and so many other responsibilities balance the self-centred requirements to have our rights respected. We should be considering others as much as we think of ourselves.
It is very easy to be selfish in our world. Commercialism encourages us to want everything we can get ‘now’, ‘because we’re worth it’, because our neighbour has it, or to be one-op on our neighbour. Many think they ‘need’ to replace their mobile, tablet or computer-game with the latest model; to keep up to fashion; to have a huge following on Facebook or the most fashionable media channel; to have a better salary than their neighbour; to go where we want in the world on holiday or business independent of the damage to the environment.
The Covid 19 crisis has in some ways set much of our self-centredness in perspective. We saw at its start how many hoarded food and scarce resources, denying them to others in need. Others exploited the needy or desperate, offered false cures or non-existent items or services on the internet. Fraudulent claims deprived some of much-needed money. Careless crowding selfishly disregards the safety of others. Duplicity in community or in politics damages society by building distrust. By contrast, through the pandemic a huge number of ordinary people have taken their responsibilities seriously. I have been delighted to see her community-spirit in the small village where I have been locked down. Individual neighbours, the village shop, local farmers and businesses have supported and looked after those around them. People have gone out of their way to provide the resources and companionship that people need. It has been a real example of a community recognising its responsibilities, yet most of them would feel no allegiance to any church. I hope and pray that, after the crisis subsides, the sense of communal responsibility and support continues. If increased neighbourliness and recognition of responsibilities are a result of this crisis they might alleviate a little of the tragedy.
It would be terrible if the world simply returns to former, self-centred ways after the danger reduces. We have seen signs of that already: the invasion of shops and seaside, the rush to book holidays and flights abroad, demands from different organisations to for subsidies to support their regeneration, the neglect of simple safety and distancing measures. I pray that further financial instability, outbreaks of disease or environmental pollution will not proliferate. We need to learn lessons from what has happened, not return to our old ways. Recognising our ‘responsibilities’ and not insisting on our ‘rights’ may be a hugely important aspect of restoring and healing our world and our own lives.
THE VALUE OF CHRISTIAN HUMILITY Iain McKillop
Refusing to publicly or privately apologise for failures or self-justifying when one has made mistakes seems to have become a feature of modern leadership. Criticising this needs to be careful, because most of us will have done this some time in our lives. Children sometimes invent elaborate explanations for their mistakes, but when leaders do similarly their motives may be equally transparent. Some fear that apologising might make them appear weak, untrustworthy or unworthy of respect. But this should not be the case, as acknowledging our failings can often help people to progress, move on, forgive, receive forgiveness, grow and learn from mistakes.
Readiness to acknowledge failings and apologise is a Christian virtue. It is part of ‘repentance’, which is central to the process of forgiveness. If any seem arrogant, justify their misdoings or fail to ask to be forgiven, resentment towards them can expand and build greater barriers between individuals or groups. If we recognise someone’s true penitence, we are more likely to forgive and dissolve problems before resentment grows worse. Openly acknowledging our sins and failings is similarly at the heart of keeping free our relationship with God, acknowledging truth and owning up to our weaknesses and errors. The ‘Love Story; motto: ‘Love means never having to say you’re sorry’ is rubbish: It is wrong to believe that God or others, even those who love us most, should automatically forgive if we are not humble enough to admit our faults. That’s why true confession is so important an element of worship; it helps to set us free.
Authentic humility is a virtue; false humility or obsequiousness can be cloyingly irritating. Sometimes people think that they will appear particularly ‘religious’ if they are over-self-deprecating and servile. Uriah Heep in Dickens’ ‘David Copperfield’ is an example of how untrustworthy excessive servility can seem. When someone approaches us fawningly we often wonder “what are they after?” So humility in society, as well as religion needs to be sincere if we are seeking to approach God or witness to others authentically.
We are not gods, ‘supermen’ or heroines; we all fail. I’m not sure whether ‘humus’, the Latin for ‘soil’ shares a root with our words ‘humility’/‘humilis’ or ‘human being’/‘humanus’. But the idea remains true that ‘humility’ recognises that we are ‘of the earth’, in the same boat as everybody else. Whatever our social position, we should recognise our oneness with the rest of society, the environment and the entire cosmos, not lord it over any.
The Greek term ‘tapeinós’ in scripture means ‘humble’. The word implies that we recognise and accept our relative weakness, lowliness, poverty and insignificance. Greek philosophers and Jewish rabbis regarded such humility as a great virtue in a leader or any human being. It did not suggest that they should always be submissive, but meant that they accepted their responsibilities and obligations before the gods, people and truth, without raising themselves above any, or considering themselves above criticism. Jesus probably meant something similar when he blessed those who are ‘poor in spirit’ and ‘meek’, He claimed that the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as them [Matt.5:3&5].
Humility, like the willingness to be a ‘servant of all’ does not imply that we abase ourselves and do not stand up and be counted. It is possible to be modest while still recognising our value. God highly values human beings: we’re given so many good qualities and abilities and have been entrusted with great responsibilities towards the earth and each other. Christians who do not feel it is their place to speak out against wrong or stand up for what its right shirk our human and ethical responsibilities. True humility makes us obedient to truth and encourages us to accept and act upon the responsibilities required of us. We are all of great value, so while recognising our weakness and sins, we should never believe that we are nothing, or feel deflated by others’ attempts to debase us. Scripture claims that God will exalt or raise those who are held down by others or inwardly oppressed [Ps.18:27; 34:18]. God certainly often chooses to work through the lowly rather than the self-important [Judg.6:15; 1Sam.18:23; Lk.1:48; 1Cor.1:28]. Humility helps us recognise our dependency on God and others, not to get so above ourselves that we fail to rely on God. Jesus claimed that those who exalt themselves will be abased and those who abase themselves will be exalted [Matt.23:12; Lk.14:11; 18:14]. Phil.2:7-9 explains that Jesus himself took the form of a servant yet was exalted for what he achieved through his service.
Humility in serving shows that we love and value others. It contrasts with those who believe that they are so much more important or significant than others that it is it their duty to serve or rule. In describing love in 1Cor.13:4-5, Paul reminds us that love does not boast, become puffed-up, vaunt itself, or seek its own good before that of another. Often truth emerges to eventually abase those who become ‘too big for their boots’. The proud should take care lest they fall [Lk.1:51]. God is often described in scripture as laying low the mighty and raising the lowly [1Sam.2:7; Ps.44:25; 51:17; 75:8; Isa.2:11; 3:8; Ezek.21:31; Lk.1:52], or humbling people who have done wrong in order to restore them to a right relationship with him and with the truth [Ps.116:6; 119:71].
Jesus’ own example is our greatest model for true humility. His lowliness resulted from a heart fixed on loving his Father and following God’s will rather than pleasing or advancing himself. He did not insist on his unique, divine position and privilege. Reflecting God’s caring lordship, Jesus didn’t ‘lord-it’ over the world. He showed empathy and identified with us, living like us and sacrificing himself for us. Christ came down to our level to support us and teach us by example Phil.2:5-7.
In the Beatitudes: Jesus explained humility: ‘Blessed are the poor in sprit… those who mourn… the meek… those who hunger and thirst for righteousness... the merciful… the pure in heart… the peacemakers… those who are persecuted for righteousness sake… those who are reviled, persecuted and falsely accused, for the sake of Christ.’ [Matt. 5:3-11]. Today many aim for worldly ambition, self-promotion, personal power, fortune, fame or vengeance, ‘asserting one’s rights’, ‘not considering the cost to others’, ‘justifying lying to get yourself out of trouble’, Sadly Christians, even church leaders are rarely innocent in such matters.
Christian humility isn’t about self-denigration or self-degradation, certainly not about allowing yourself to be unjustly accused or stepped upon. We should recognise our true, high value in God’s perspective and value others as equal-to or even better than ourselves [Phil.2:3]. None should insist on our own priority but stand for justice and Kingdom principles for all. We aren’t just to regard ourselves as the miserable, sinning ‘worms’ of Psalm 22:6, Job 25:6 or the Book of Common Prayer ‘Litany’. Human beings may be formed from ‘dust’ or soil, as the metaphor for our nature expresses it, but we are raised above dust, redeemed, formed in God’s image, reformed by God’s Spirit, entrusted by God with changing the world and called ‘children of God’. Christ calls us ‘friends’ not just ‘servants’ [Jn.15:15]. Good stewards accept the dignity & responsibilities of this calling without tendency to arrogance. Any who push themselves forward or insist on position actually diminish themselves. Humility often gains respect from one’s peers, and reflects Christ’s character in our witness. Promoting ‘Christ’ is the purpose of all true ‘mission’, just as worship should focus on God, not those who lead. Self-promotion distracts from our Christ.
Human ego may have positive or negative effects: It can drive us to improve understanding and develop society for the good but it can promote some while undermining others. It may lead us to judge another more strictly than ourselves or advance some at the expense of others. That is not Christ’s form of love. At times in history, the Church has followed authoritarian, worldly models of leadership, promoting power, hierarchy or fame. Jesus taught that “Such ambition should not be so with you” [Jn.20:26]. Dictatorial leaders insisted on their ‘authority’ or superiority and demanded humility of others. The mediaeval writer John of Forde wrote: “Let him who would teach me humility ensure that they have learned Christ-like humility themselves”.
Humble ministry seeks to serve and support all; none should ever give the impression that they are above those for whom God has given them pastoral responsibility. Humility in leadership may not massage one’s ego, but it strengthens community. We shouldn’t need to be recognised as important, famous or gifted. The Church is not ‘Britain’s Got Talent’; the Holy Spirit gives gifts for the benefit and up-building of others more than for our own good. The value of every individual should be affirmed equally within the Church body or Christian society. Churches appoint people of varying gifts to different roles to enable ministry. But no role is superior to another; we are a team or family; one body, intended to work together. Perhaps some roles are more ‘respectable’ but none deserve greater ‘respect’ than others. The high calling of a ‘deacon’ was in classical times the menial who emptied the latrine buckets. Are we all ready to cheerfully carry the ordure of others in our world so that it can be disposed of? That really IS getting down to the level of those we serve, as Christ did on the Cross!
No Christian should regard themselves as above the menial role. We are not here “to be served but to serve” [Matt.20:28]. Christ’s Church, if it is to reflect God’s Kingdom, isn’t about individualism, personal ambition or even personal spiritual fulfilment; we are meant to be a community of Christ-like people, serving and worshiping holily together. As many prophets showed, our worship or personal attempts at holiness are unworthy if the aims behind them are unworthy. Philippians 2:5-7 reminds all Christians: “Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who did not regard even equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave.” That example is for both leaders and those who are led.
WHAT OF THE FUTURE AFTER COVID 19? Iain McKillop
There has been much speculation in the media and politics recently of how the Covid 19 crisis might affect or change the future world. Analysts have made predictions, politicians have made claims and promises, but all will be empty rhetoric unless everybody works to improve our attitude to the world and society, making changes in our own lives. A few weeks ago Radio 4 asked leading figures in different fields to consider how the world should change for the better. By far the most distinctive and valuable contribution came from Pope Francis. He stressed the need to recognise all that has gone wrong in the world and ‘repent’ in the practical sense of ‘turning around’ our attitudes and activities, to go the right way to solve the world’s problems. The literal meaning of repentance is not just to feel guilty or even sorry for what we people have done but to take active steps to turn and change for the good. I’ve written a study of the scriptural use of the word ‘repentance’, which comes soon in this series of meditations. It seems so obvious that changes need to occur in many of our lives and the activities of the world. I wonder whether what politicians and others are calling ‘the new normal’ will be any better, or just a toned down version of former behaviour.
We trade globally but have global responsibilities too. Many companies and institutions may have saved money through buying cheap goods and exploiting low-paid workers both in this country and abroad. That has rebounded in maintaining poverty, suffering and ill-health, and pollution of the environment through excessive travel and transportation. If we merely return to the same system after the pandemic, the down-turn will continue. If we merely become self-protective and revive local industries, others in the world who have relied on our trade will suffer. Self-sufficiency, which is important in many ways, is not enough. We need to restore a balance to provide jobs in this country that do not exploit people and at the same time, non-exploitatively, support the economy of other nations.
Many Hebrew prophets stressed the need for a just society to support all, especially needy to whom it had responsibilities, not just its own people. Jewish law insisted that the foreigner living among them should be treated in the same way as themselves. They should be supported in need as much as one of their own people [e.g. Ex.22:21-27]. In a world of so much economic migration and migration to paces of security, we will need to work out the ethics of each individuals’ circumstances. The opening chapters of Isaiah condemn the nation for not observing God’s social laws and oppressing minorities. If politicians ever say that the Church should stay out of politics and economics they do not understand the moral requirements of the Hebrew Scriptures and Jesus’ teaching. These contain as many demands for a just society as for spiritually authentic lives; both demand holiness. Both the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament claim that a spiritual life is inauthentic if it does not work practically to create a just world. The Epistle of James emphasises that faith, claims and promises must be demonstrated in righteous social action or they meaningless. The Church, like the nation should be working for the good of all.
I am a little worried that as a result of this long period of lock-down the commitment to churches may diminish. People have rightly stayed at home for safety reasons, and many may, for good reasons, continue to remain more socially isolated than previously. Some have also found valuable spiritual input for themselves, either through personal prayer and spiritual reading, or through pastoral and liturgical provision in various media like Zoom’ services. These are brilliant when anyone is isolated out of necessity, but God never intended us to develop on our own. We grow best in knowledge, faith, well-being, psychological health and character when we share our lives and thoughts in company with others. Social media and internet services can provide a little of this, but they are no substitute for real, physical, interactive relationships when we meet together with others face to face. Taking the Eucharist together, for example, is far more than a memorial of Christ’s death and the bringing of salvation. It is a shared meal at which our lives and thoughts, prayers and longings interact with one another and together commune with God. There are reasons why a priest is not allowed to celebrate Communion on his or her own. Together we are corporately part of the ‘body of Christ’; the Eucharist is a celebration of our shared relationships within that body.
If dangers like Covid persist, as many predict they will, we will need to find ways of feeling the same or greater intimacy of relationship with one another, while remaining as safe as if we were in lock-down. If that entails sitting wider apart in services, study groups, committees or over refreshments we may need to compensate by sharing more personally with one another and feeling closer spiritually. This could be an advantage. It has already started in some ways. During the pandemic I have talked more seriously and profoundly to several neighbours, friends and correspondents. Shared trials often draw people together. Members of communities have supported each other practically in ways that they may not have considered doing before. It would be wonderful if that could continue under less intense circumstances.
Before Covid, churches and other religious groups have often been key collection places for food-banks, social fellowship and a meeting-place for different people. Some have been able to provided counselling over social needs or financial and psychological problems, as well as spiritual counsel. It would be good if we could plan to increase that support in the post-Covid world, because state provision may inevitably decline through financial constraints. Yet we must never forget the principal spiritual focus of our mission, to introduce people to God and help them develop spiritually. That can never be separated from social action, but neither should it be neglected.
It is rightly said that if you give someone food you feed them for a day, but if you give them a job you feed them for a lifetime. But also, if you give someone a spiritual relationship with God and a sense of inner peace, you strengthen them spiritually to flourish internally for that lifetime. They, in turn, can help others flourish spiritually. If any of us feel that we have grown spiritually through the pandemic, it is important for us to pass on that spiritual understanding and experience to others, so that they, in turn, can continue the mission and spiritual enlightenment that Christ has entrusted to us all to continue. The way we each do that will vary, but we are all part of one body, in order to encourage one another.
WHAT IS TRUE WORSHIP? Iain McKillop
I have been thinking through the true meaning of ‘worship’ in the light of so many people not being able to attend church in the usual ways at present. There is no substitute for the value of being able to meet together and encourage one another’s focus on God through liturgy, prayer, singing praise, thinking of our faith together and sharing in communion. But ‘worship in spirit and in truth’ which Jesus encourages [Jn.4:23], is based in our authentic relationship with God, so we are able to do it whenever we focus our thoughts and lives on God. There and many different ways to focus. Among them are feeling a sense of humble obligation, dependency, penitence for sins, praise, silent recognition of God’s presence and working for God. The ways we worship change according to our character or circumstances, but worship is not primarily about our feelings towards God, or what we get out of it, it is about what we do for God.
The Bible contains several Hebrew and Greek terms which are translated as ‘worship’ but have varied connotations. Here are the main ones:
The word ‘liturgy’ literally means ‘the work of the people’. This idea of ‘work for God’ is at the heart of the original meaning of several words used for ‘worship’ in scripture especially the Greek word ‘ergazomai’. The Hebrew term ‘ābad’ or ‘āboȏdȃ’ and the Greek translation ‘douleuō’ were originally the service of slave [‘ebed’/ ‘doulos’] for their master. Humans have commitments as servants to our Lord, yet through our covenant relationship we choose to work for and worship God because we are no longer slaves but ‘free’. The emphasis on the ‘work’ aspect of worship is a salutary reminder that everything we do in our lives should be giving glory to God, not just what we say, sing or do in services.
The most common Greek term for ‘worship’ is ‘latreia’ which meant ‘service for the good of another’. It was used both of the priestly service of God in the Temple, and of human ‘duty’ of creatures to the Creator. Rom.12:1 calls us to offer ourselves in worship as ‘living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to God’... which is our reasonable service’. This is a high calling, not low servility. Scripture describes believers as ‘a kingdom of priests to our God’ a ‘chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people... called out of darkness into his marvellous light...” [1Pet.2:9], ‘brothers, sisters’ and ‘friends of Christ’ [Matt.20:50; Mk.3:34; Lk.8:21; Jn.15:15], and ‘co-heirs with Christ’ [Rom.8:17]. Coming into God’s presence in worship as an enormous privilege [Heb.10:19]. The Greek ‘leitourgeo’, from which our word ‘liturgy’ derives was also important high service. It translates the Hebrew word ‘šārat’, meaning to ‘minister’ to an important person. Mostly it was used of the worship of the Levites in the Tabernacle, choirs in the Temple and angels in heaven. So this aspect of worship regards what we do as stewards of God not as the obligation of menials but of high, priestly worth.
Three other common Hebrew words for ‘worship’ imply ‘reverence’ and ‘awe’. ‘Hāwȃ’ is ‘falling or bowing down’, ‘submission’, ‘kissing the feet’ of the master, recognising their high position. ‘Shachah’, ‘sāgad’ or the Aramaic ‘sĕgĭd’ have a similar meaning. Micah concluded that ‘bowing down before the exalted God’ required not burnt sacrifices but a life of obediently doing good: ‘to do justice, love mercy/kindness and walk humbly before God our Lord’ [Mic.6:6-8]. Micah emphasised that salvation came not through what we do in services but through God recognising true faith and repentance through the way we transform our lives in obedience and live rightly. God is true and ‘holy’ [Isa.57:15]; true worship responds to this with awe, obedience and our own holiness. Sacrifices and words of praises are unworthy if worshippers’ lives, attitudes or social justice are unworthy [Isa.58:3-7; Amos:5:21-24; Ps.66:18]. ‘Yārē‘’ suggests ‘fear’ of God’s power and judgement but also ‘awe’ and ‘trust’ in God’s strength, nature and covenant promises. Prov.9:10 implies that our awe of God demonstrates that we know God in experience.
The most common New Testament term for worship is ‘proskynéō’ (literally ‘to kiss towards’), This could mean both physical ‘kissing of the ground’ or ‘inner adoration’, ‘obeisance’, ‘reverence’, homage’ [Matt.4:10; Jn.4:21-24; 1Cor.14:25; Rev.4:10]. It showed ‘love’. ‘respect’ and ‘reverent valuing of the one we love’. True worship could only be directed towards God [cf. Acts 10:25-6, Rev.19:10]. Nothing should focus away from our responsibility towards God. Authentic focus in worship is what Jesus was calling for when he said that God wanted worship ‘in spirit and in truth’ [Jn.4:23].
Essentially worship is about recognising, expressing and responding to the true, unique worth of the one we worship. The origin of the Old English term ‘weorthscipe’ which transmuted into our word ‘worship’ is not just about recognising or praising God’s ‘worth’. It more particularly related to God being ‘worthy’, responding to God with ‘dignity’, ‘respect’ and ‘honour’. We use the word with a similar meaning today in the context of ‘your worship the mayor’.
Taking these many different aspects of holistic worship into account we might suggest that true worship involves all the qualities below in no particular order of priority:
- Entering God’s presence. God is always with us and everywhere, yet worship should help us become more acutely aware of God’s presence.
- Reflecting in our lives what we believe happens in worship in the dimension of heaven, in praise and holy obedience.
- Recognising ourselves in God’s perspective: This should involve elements of repentance, confession, dependency, seeking God’s help, a recognition of God’s absolution, forgiveness, reconciliation, and healing, dedication or re-dedication and finding means of growth to stronger, more authentic discipleship.
- Seeking to keep in contact with God and meet with God; individually and corporately.
- Opening ourselves to a spiritual experience, may bring a renewal of awareness or refresh and enrich.
- Seeking to go on a journey through God’s Spirit in worship, thought and prayer contemplation and praise and thanksgiving.
- Separating ourselves for a while from everyday activities of life to concentrate our minds and actions on God and spiritual truths. ‘Holiness’ partially involves the idea of ‘separation for God’, while we remain committed to the world and the community.
- Focusing on God in ways that make God’s character and truths clearer and broader.
- Encountering God through his Spirit.
- Responding to God’s Spirit within us.
- Being inspired and helped by God’s Spirit [Rom.8:26-27].
- Being challenged by God’s Spirit to understand him more and be better disciples.
- Confession of our weaknesses in following God and being challenged to be obedient to his ways.
- Widening our perspective on God, challenging our insights.
- Expressing praise.
- Expressing thankfulness.
- Making ourselves available for God to communicate with us: listening to God through scripture, teaching, silence, liturgical words and actions. The words of scripture, whether through reading, proclamation, teaching or liturgy are for many a major way of considering God’s communication and truths.
- Being attentive to God, open to the potential of God communicating with us.
- Responding to God’s communication.
- Being prepared and committed to be obedient to God’s communication or truths we recognise, rather than just being non-committed spectators.
- Receiving God’s blessing.
- Dedicating ourselves to the service of God’s truth and expectations.
- Offering ourselves, our gifts and worship as a responsive sacrifice.
- Serving God as trusted stewards, citizens of God’s Kingdom and priests. The ‘deacon’ is a ‘servant’ serving God, God’s world and the Church.
- Trusting and expressing trust in God’s truth.
- Reflecting the character of God, particularly by reflecting Christ.
- Reflecting the worship of heaven’s kingdom in our own worship.
- Worshipping alongside the worship of heaven; joining the worship of saints and the service of the spirits.
- Affirming God’s nature and qualities.
- Proclaiming and teaching about God in ways that help people recognise his worth and presence.
- Acknowledging God’s imminent presence.
- Recognising or seeking a sense of transcendence given by God’s Spirit, not stirring up false emotionalism.
- Emulating God in our spirit and attitudes.
- Prayer.
- Intercession.
- Discerning God in Scripture.
- Recognising Salvation and what Jesus has achieved.
- Personal devotion.
- Communal devotion.
- Meditation on God’s truth.
- Contemplation of God.
- Recognising our responsibilities to God, acknowledging them publicly and acting upon them.
- Worship should unify and gather together God’s people, the Church.
- We should be reconciled together and express our unity.
- Remembering what God has achieved for us, particularly through Christ’s saving actions and God’s Spirit’s help.
- Encountering God in his community of believers.
- Encountering God in the Eucharist.
- Encountering God through Christian teaching.
- Being sent out with a sense of dedication, challenge and urgency to serve God and God’s world.
- Receiving God’s blessing.
- Encouraging us to expand our understanding of God.
- Recognising that we are creatures declaring the qualities and greatness of our Creator.
- As forgiven sinners, affirming the mercy of the one who has redeemed us.
- Adoring God: an adoring congregation testifying to the perfection and truth of their common Lord.
This is a huge list, and it is not exhaustive. I’m sure that we cannot do all of these in one individual church service or personal act of prayer, though actually the words of our liturgy contain every element contained in the list. It is important that we come before God authentically, not hypocritically or thoughtlessly. Yet we have a wonderfully merciful God who accepts our inadequacies and works in us by his Spirit to make us worthy. We cannot truly worship on our own; it is God’s Spirit living within us who enables our worship. When we meet together we can more easily encourage one another in worship. But when we come before God alone in our homes or with our families, God’s same Spirit it with us and in us to enable truth in our expression of our relationship with God. The authenticity of our relationship with God is shown in how we live our lives even more than the words we use in worship.
WHAT IS TRUE REPENTANCE? Iain McKillop
Part of Pope Francis’ recent broadcast encouraging a change of heart in the world after lock-down called for ‘repentance’. The Archbishop of Canterbury used the same term in his suggestions on how the world might change beyond the Covid crisis. The term ‘repent’ may be one of the most universal calls in church history. Though the Gospels do not record Jesus using the word often, the concept is at the heart of his mission. ‘Repent’ was the message of many Hebrew prophets. Christ’s ‘forerunner’ John the Baptist hailed the coming of the Messiah and the nearness of the Kingdom of Heaven by calling his contemporaries to spiritually prepare and turn away from sin. On returning from preparing himself in the wilderness; Jesus began by a call to “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” [Mtt.4:17]. It does not just mean feeling or guilt sorry for wrongs we have done or things that have gone wrong in the world.
The New Testament Greek term for ‘repentance’/ ‘metanoia’, and the verb ‘to repent’/‘metanoeo’ literally mean “to perceive afterwards’, ‘ to later know better’, ‘to change one’s mind, feeling or purpose’. When we truly ‘repent’, we recognise and regret our faults, accept the need to make a change and take action to improve. We ‘convert’ from going one way to following a new, better direction or way of living. When we confess our faults it is important that we mean our statements of regret and commit to any vows we may take to improve. We should always encourage a spirit of truthfulness [Jn.4:24]. It is not just Lent and Advent when we should be truly examining our lives, to seek to improve morally and walk closer to God. As several Christian mystics have stated: “An unexamined life is not worth living.”
Jesus mention of ‘repentance’ in the Gospels [Matt.4:17; 11:20; Mk.6:12; Lk.10:13; 13:3,5; 15:7,10; 17:4] is nearly always linked to actively making changes. He doesn’t just call people to stop sinning, but to turn around and go God’s ways. Jesus reproached those who witnessed his miracles yet stubbornly refused to repent or change [Matt.11:20]. As with the message of John the Baptist, repentance included not just believing in the ‘good news’ that Christ brought but acting in response. [Mk.1:15]. Failure to repent was a sign of disregard for the best way for life, which God had revealed [Lk.13:23-5]. In John the Baptist’s ministry and the early church, baptism followed repentance as a sign of death to our past, God’s cleansing and our determination to go in God’s direction. This intention continues in the vows made at baptism today. Unfortunately when baptism is regarded by some as a simply social ceremony, the emphasis on maintaining religious vows is sometimes neglected and the baptised fail to ‘learn faith, resist sin, follow God’s ways, and shine as a light for Christ in the world’. All these should be part of the mission of every Christian, but how many of us keep our baptism vows?
It would be wonderful if all Christian lives always went directly forward in holiness and effective mission. Some hard-line early-church theologians claimed that if one sinned after repentance and baptism, one could not be a true Christian and should be excluded from the Christian community. But this seems unrealistic; if it were true God’s Kingdom would be pretty empty! Scripture acknowledges that all fail and continue to sin many times [Rom.3:23]. St. Paul reminds us that we are ‘temples of God’s Spirit’ [1Cor.3:16] so should not allow sin to sully God’s sacred presence in us. But we are weak. When we fail the grace of God can still work to cleanse us, and allow his Spirit to indwell and guide us. But we need to regret our failings and say sorry. Jesus told his disciples to forgive multiple times when someone repents [Lk.17:4, Matt.18:21-22, 32-33]. God’s grace, forgiveness and love are so much more perfect than ours, so he is sure to embrace us whenever we return to his ways! That is an important message in Jesus’ ‘Parable of the Prodigal Son’ [Lk.15:11-32]. Our responsibility is to allow God’s spiritual influence to increasingly cleanse us. Yet, as in Bunyan’s ‘Pilgrim’s Progress’, we should not be deterred from returning to the upward path when we fail, fall or temporarily slip backwards. According to Jesus “there is more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance.” [Lk.15:10].
In services it is easy to often say liturgical confessions and receive absolution too lightly. As a youth I remember being told in Confirmation class that one should examine oneself and one’s life carefully before coming to church and on the journey to church, in preparation for confession, but how many of us do this? Repentance entails more self-examination than regret or general remorse for sins, failings or wrong actions. The Prophet Joel encouraged people to “rend your hearts and not your garments” [Joel.2:12-13]. True repentance entails opening ourselves up to the scrutiny of God’s truth and making a real change of direction, not just a surface expression or declaration.
It is too easy to only feel guilty or repent when we are found-out. In several situations politicians, celebrities and prominent Christian leaders have made open pronouncements of ‘repentance’ when sins are exposed. Yet they may have been aware of these failings for years, ignored or covered them up, failed to acknowledge or deal with them. Repentance without both change and working to repair damage is not true penitence. Honest repentance entails not just bearing guilt or acknowledging sin, it must include ‘turning around’, deliberately moving away from sin, aiming towards righteous living, and wherever possible making right one’s wrongs. Jesus called his followers to “be perfect, even as your heavenly Father is perfect” [Matt.5:48]. Achieving that may of course be impossible in this life, yet Jesus intended us to still aim towards perfection and to turn again whenever we fail.
We excuse our human failings too easily. Historically Christians tended to blame Original Sin, the devil or antagonistic spiritual forces for their sin. Thankfully today we mostly admit that most of our failings lie within ourselves [James1:14-15]. Yet we still excuse our behaviour, blaming our upbringing, the fallibility and weakness of our human minds and wills, or the bad influence of others. Multiple external pressures combine with pressures within us towards self-centredness, disregarding truth, disregarding others, seeking pleasure or advancement in ways that are against God’s ways or against our conscience. Ultimately true repentance accepts blame, own up to failures, works to restore and honestly seeks to improve and cleanse lives and build God’s kingdom.
ENTHUSIASM AND MODERATION Iain McKillop
I have just finished reading a book that compared attitudes to faith, politics and relationships in the reigns of Tudor monarchs. I was left considering how dangerous it can be to take things to extremes. Too many lives were damaged by opponents seeking to combat what different leaders and their expert advisors regarded as ‘heresy’, ‘treason’, or endangering their own position. There seems to be truth in the statement “Let your moderation be known in all things.”
Yet at the same time we celebrate enthusiasm: It is good to know that some people are experts in various fields, perhaps to the exclusion of others, as we cannot know all things. We need enthusiasts to build up knowledge. Yet we also need others who moderate their excesses by viewing the world more sagaciously and bringing balance. Some enthusiastic people can seem ‘the life and soul of the party’, ‘a good laugh’, ‘the centre of attraction’, yet their seeming enthusiasm may hide many insecurities or insensitivities which lead them to dominate or hurt others. Some can be so caught up in their enthusiasms that those who are quieter or more moderate are neglected or hurt. Other enthusiasts become over-preoccupied, over-spend on their preoccupation, over-indulge, over-build their bodies, over-eat, under-eat, over-focus on the thing or person they love. All excess can damage our physical or mental health, finances or damage families or friendships.
Excess can be a danger in people of faith too. Religious fanatics can become so obsessed that their reason over other equally important considerations can become unbalanced. This can lead to the militant extremism that has been seen, for example in some factions of Islam, oppression of minorities in China, Myanmar, Rwanda, Russia or intolerance of other religious, political or social beliefs. Through history Christians have been equally guilty of intolerance against fellow Christians or other belief-systems in the crusades, missionaries rooting-out indigenous beliefs, Protestant versus Catholic, Catholic versus Orthodox, Evangelical versus Anglo-Catholic, Charismatic or Free-Church dismissal of the established church, and vice versa. People who develop enthusiasms over one way of believing can sometimes forget God is concerned with the ‘whole truth’, and there are many ways of understanding, with varied paths to truth.
We definitely don’t want to become boring or bland; true Christianity is FAR from that! There was attractiveness in Christ’s teaching, but it does not appear to have been because he was exciting, new, entertaining and fashionable or personally handsome. He was seen to have truth and wisdom which seemed greater and embraced a wider truth than other contemporary religious leaders and teachers. He was enthusiastic in teaching truths and pointing people to God, but he was not a bore over faith: people invited him to weddings, meals in their homes and engaged in spiritual conversation with him.
Are we sometimes over-‘moderate’: afraid to bring up subjects of faith with our secular or even church friends? Most of us will keenly chat about our families, pets, jobs, pastimes, the media, the state of the country, health and the weather. Why are we less enthusiastic about bringing up the subject of faith? If it is so important in our lives, surely people will be expecting us to talk about it. Being able to talk about our beliefs as naturally and freely as we chat about our families should be at the heart of effective witnessing. If our faith is alive and a natural part of our daily living, it should surely freely flow into our conversation, without us either being boring, bland, propagandist or fanatical.
HOW DO YOU IMAGINE GOD? Iain McKillop
As a bi-product of painting a series of pictures of Christ’s Resurrection over the last few months I have started reconsidering what I imagine Jesus to have been like and what imagine the invisible God to be like. We do not know what Jesus looked like: ancient documents contain only a few hints at his appearance, but these come from critics of faith and are probably not reliable. I do not imagine that Jesus looked particularly striking: Isaiah 53:2 talks of the Suffering Servant as having “no form or majesty that we should look at him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him”. Admittedly this is prophecy, written many centuries before Jesus’ birth and it is not even clear that the prophet was actually talking about the Messiah. But the idea throughout scripture is that we, like God should not judge from exterior appearances. We know people more by the fruits of their lives [Matt.7:16].
People were attracted to Jesus primarily because they recognised truth and wisdom in him and in his teaching [Mk.6:2]. This accords with my personal approach to imagining God. We shouldn’t imagine God as an old man on a throne in the heaven: that is FAR too limiting. When I pray I imagine myself in the presence of ‘Truth’ – whatever is the Truth of the force that formed and sustains the cosmos and encourages true, abundant life. Any way we ‘imagine’ God possibly verges towards heresy. John Chrysostom wrote: “Let us evoke him as the inexpressible God, incomprehensible and unknowable... he surpasses all power of human speech... he eludes the grasp of every mortal intelligence... angels cannot penetrate ... [or] fully understand him. For he is invisible... Only the Son and the Holy Spirit know him.”
In the past I have led retreats and courses exploring Biblical imagery for God, and attempted in painting, writing and teaching to convey spiritual truth. But even the many scriptural metaphors and revelations about God only ‘reach towards’ the intangible reality we call God. We approach truth in saying: “God is like Jesus” but even this is insufficient. In Christ God revealed himself within a human life. All Jesus’ teaching, love, attitudes, values, character, actions, miracles and priorities opened ‘what God is like’. But even Jesus in his divine, incarnate and miraculous nature, was more limited than the omnipresent, invisible Truth he represented. He told Mary Magdalene in Gethsemane not to ‘hold on’ to him alone [Jn.20:17]; God’s Spirit would continue to re