Tuesdays wont be quite the same again…

I always enjoyed Bob Holman’s column in the Herald newspaper, but sadly he has decided to give it up with last weeks column. It was an interesting piece on thankfulness.

Bob Holman for two decades lived and was active in Easterhouse. He left quite a comfortable life in Bath as professor of Social Policy to devote the rest of his working life to making Easterhouse, one of Glasgow’s most deprived areas, a better place. I am currently reading his book, faith with the poor at the moment where ordinary people voice their experience of poverty rather than the experts or social commentators doing it for them. It is sobering, joyful, funny and sad in equal measure.

Bob combines Christianity and Socialism, whilst often quite rightly fiercely criticising the labour party to whom be belonged to. Yet he was not so politically partisan that he would not lend his support to political opponents who tried to tackle the same issues he is passionate about. Through this he gained friendship and respect of Ian Duncan Smith the former Conservative leader.

So I’m going to miss his column… Thanks Bob

One of the problems of the general assembly of the church of Scotland is that when a really contentious issue arises such as human sexuality, other important things sadly get lost. I was not a commissioner this year for which I think I am really quite glad; but picked up an important story via ekklesia.

It’s all about the church’s hotel in Tiberius and the following article reflects how a real and possibly more relevant moral issue is lost amongst the spin and soundbites of liberals, evangelicals and those inbetween. It’s from the report from World Mission and a debate between the board and those who moved a motion that would make the church’s centres reject buying or selling goods and services that originate from the occupied territories in Palestine, which the board resisted. Ekklesia has a religious and political standpoint which has to be kept in mind however it disturbs me that the church might making a confusing statement about the complexities of life in Israel.

Below is the article from Ekklesia

The Church of Scotland’s General Assembly, meeting in Edinburgh this week, today (23 May 2009) decided to continue selling and profiting from goods from illegally occupied territories at its hotel centre in Tiberias in northern Israel – to the disappointment and dismay of many within the Church.

The Kirk operates three centres in Israel: two churches with hotels and a multi-cultural school. The Jerusalem church and hotel was initially created as a memorial to Scottish soldiers who died in the First World War Palestine campaign; the Jaffa school near Tel Aviv and the Tiberias institution by the Sea of Galilee originated as 19th century missionary enterprises.

In recent decades, the Church of Scotland has increasingly tried to make its witness in these centres reflect the complex situation on the ground. In doing so, it has moved from what was at one time seen as a strident pro-Zionist standpoint, to a position in sympathy with the dispossession of many Christian and Muslim Palestinian communities resulting from the illegal Israeli occupation of Palestinian and Syrian land.

In recent years there have been numerous calls from Palestinian civil society, including many in the churches, for the boycott of goods and services originating in the Occupied Territories. This movement has its origins in the boycott campaigns of the South African anti-apartheid struggle.

However, after recently refurbishing the Tiberias centre and turning it into a first class hotel, the Church of Scotland sells and promotes a number of products and services from the occupied Syrian Golan Heights and the Palestinian West Bank. In particular, wines produced in the Golan have been prominently advertised on the hotel website – with the bottles being promoted in the restaurant
‘wearing’ miniature kilts – and staff in the shop openly state that it does not sell any Palestinian or fair trade products, despite the Church’s Jerusalem centre hosting one of the most successful Palestinian fair trade businesses in the region, Sunbula.

Citing the Church’s World Mission Council report to the Assembly that its work in the region is an “expression of our vision of justice and peace which springs from faith in Christ as Saviour”, the Rev Sigrid Marten, from London Road Church in Edinburgh, argued that the Church’s “commitment to remaining alongside the people of the region, especially at this difficult time” entailed taking concrete action to support this and not profiting from the sale of goods from occupied land.

“Illegal occupation,” she said, “means taking land away from the rightful owners. Using that land to produce goods is not much better than theft. Selling these goods seems to me to be supporting that theft… The Church of Scotland has repeatedly spoken out against illegal settlements in these regions. I think we should ensure that we follow this decision up by avoiding produce and goods from these places at all costs.”

Noting that the Kirk’s “commitment to being part of a peaceful solution to the conflict in the region” necessitated the Church ensuring its actions “are consistent with [its] pronouncements”, Ms Marten also pointed to the need to further links to the Church’s Anglican partners in the region as well as relationships with other local churches. Taking such a stand would be seen as an expression of solidarity with the Scots’ Palestinian Christian neighbours.

The Rev Colin Renwick, the Convener of the Church of Scotland’s World Mission Council, expressed sympathy for the intention behind the motion, but argued against it. Though he did not cite any evidence, he denied Marten’s account of visitors to the shop being told by staff at Tiberias that no Palestinian or Fairtrade products were available.

Using arguments that critics accused of paralleling white claims from the South African apartheid era, Mr Renwick also said that adopting this motion would potentially harm Palestinian producers – though Palestinian organisations have themselves called for such boycotts.

He also said that the Church is working on an ethical policy for its work in the region, though he gave no indication of when this might be completed. Adopting the Rev Sigrid Marten’s motion would, he argued, prejudge some of the very issues the ethical review would be dealing with.

Supporters of the resolution expressed real concern that relations with the Church of Scotland’s Palestinian Christian and Muslim partners in the region will be harmed. However, Ms Marten’s motion was defeated.

“This means that the Church will continue to profit from the sale of products from territories illegally occupied by Israel, whilst at the same time preaching solidarity with those oppressed by that very occupation,” an observer told Ekklesia.

The Church of Scotland is the country’s national church, in the Presbyterian tradition

Finished Uni for the year

Met a lot of great folks on my course at Glasgow uni. Really going to miss you folk over the summer. You have taught me a lot guys many thanks

One Trick Ponies

I vowed not to write about the Scott Rennie case and yesterday before I realised it I had. Several things irritate me about this. One is the press handling and reporting which I mentioned in yesterdays post. My main gripe is why is it Evangelicals only ever get steamed up about homosexuality? Why isn’t groups within the church of Scotland such as forward together and confessing kirk not speaking out with the same vigour about poverty in both our own nation and the world. Why aren’t these groups organising petitions about the thousands of children who die around the world every day from hunger or preventable diseases?

I contacted via his blog Louis Kinsey a well know evangelical minister in Scotland about this. Whilst defending his stance on homosexuality, he agreed there might be a danger that evangelicals are increasing becoming to be seen as one trick ponies. I am appreciative of the time he has taken to enter into dialogue with me and his careful response.

In America writers such as Jim Wallis and Tony Campolohave resisted the urge to identify themselves with the single issue strand of conservatism in American Church life. Of course it is also tied up with right wing republican politics, something that is not so apparent here. In response to this they have created a movement of Red letter Christians. It’s a fairly cheesy title, but apt. Focusing on the actual words and teaching of Jesus often highlighted in red letters in bibles. I believe there  is a similar need for such a movement in Scotland. The inward navel gazing over one issue has done nothing to enhance the church of Scotland or to edify its members.

The Day after…

The General assembly voted late last night to reject the appeal of 12 dissenters of Aberdeen Presbytery in the matter of the call of the Rev Scott Rennie. I’ve been disappointed by the quality of journalism surrounding this case over the few weeks. The message is that the Church of Scotland back the idea of practising homosexual ministers. In Rev Rennie’s case last nights proceedings this was a legal case where the process of the call was on trial. The Assembly pronounced two important facts which the press have been slow to pick up on.
Firstly Aberdeen Presbytery conducted the call quite correctly according to church law, secondly that this decision does not reflect any official Assembly position on human sexuality. Of course Mr Rennie’s sexuality was at the heart of the case but this ultimately was not on trial.
What really bugs me the continual use the media make of the term “traditionalist” to describe those who do question the validity of homosexual men and women taking a leadership role. The term is an invention of the press and I have never heard it used in the church. It is misleading as many who might oppose the ordination of gay ministers are far from traditional in their outlook.
The media including the BBC and the scottish press such as the Sunday Herald have handled this badly and sensationalised and attempted to polorise matters at every oppertunity. We really do deserve better from them.

Who’s sorry now?

“Sorry seems to be the hardest word” so goes the song. Not unless, it seems, if you are a MP. Recently our papers have had stories about abuses of the expenses system at Westminster usually accompanied by a shame faced picture of an MP apologising for some aspect of their expenses. We’ve had apologies from all three leaders of the main parties about the alleged abuses of expenses, but it seems that the system which is widely regarded as bad has been in existence for years and its is only within the last fortnight abuses of the expenses scheme has come to light. It leaves the question hanging, are those who have been caught out sorry because of what they have done, or are they sorry because they have been caught?
However for a lot of us saying sorry is very hard. Accepting responsibility in the blame culture that exists in Britain is something we are not encouraged to do. But acknowledging our faults and failures can lead to most extraordinary results. I read recently of an elderly black woman in South Africa whose husband and son had been involved in the struggle against apartheid and had been murdered. Years later at the truth and reconciliation commission she heard how a white police officer had been responsible for their deaths, and had decided to accept his guilt and ask for forgiveness. He had beaten the two men to death and then had burned their bodies to make them disappear.
The woman sat impassively and listened carefully to the police officers confession and expression of remorse. At the end of the hearing the presiding judge asked if the woman wanted anything. She asked for three things. To know the location of where the ashes of her husband and son were buried, for the policeman to come and visit her and in her words “be her son”. The third thing she wanted was for someone to help her across the room so that she could embrace the policeman and tell him that she forgave him and God would forgive him. Her friends in the court room spontaneously began to sing Amazing Grace as she was helped towards the man who murdered her family but now was her son.
A simple heartfelt sorry is perhaps amongst the most powerful words in the English language. It is often the beginning of the healing process. It is the start of restoring broken relationships.
It is in God’s nature to forgive us, but if we are true to ourselves we know how hard forgiving others can be. But receiving or offering an apology makes it easier to take that road that enhances our lives; and is there a challenge in the story of that woman? If she can respond with forgiveness to that man’s apology is there some relationship we need to mend, a sorry to be said? Ultimately it is not an admission of weakness rather an expression of hope and a new beginning.

Bob Ekblad

On Tuesday afternoon I attended a seminar at the University of Glasgow that introduced us to Bob Ekblad. Bob is a Presbyterian minister in the US and the author of “Reading the bible with the damned” His book is an account of his work in a local prison and how he uses the bible to open up new possibilities to those on the very margins of life. He has also extensively travelled in Europe and Central America and has established projects amongst the poor and marginalised there.
It was an excellent afternoon, incredibly thought provoking and challenging. Bob is a quiet unassuming man and because of this there is an integrity to his words. It is quite clear that this isn’t Bob’s mission, but God’s and Bob lends his hands freely.
I am not sure how well known he is known in the UK, but his books and message deserve a greater hearing. Have a look at his website www.bobekblad.com

When worlds collide

Despite Berlusconi’s advice for the survivors of the recent L’Aquila earthquake to treat it as a camping holiday; the pictures from the central Italian town reveal to us the horror and the savagery of the earth. I am no geologist but I understand that the world in which we inhabit sits on plates of rock which are constantly moving and grinding against each other. It is when these plates slip tremendous energy is released and this is the earthquake.
Yet how many of us give this a single thought? If you are like me probably not very many of us. We are used to our world being stable. We build upon it. When we wake up in the morning we expect it to be there as we open our curtains. Rock steady.
Apparently that view is deceiving. Places like L’Aquila sit near to a major fault, where these two plates crush against each other and it is not uncommon to feel the earth quake beneath your feet. In places such as Glasgow it’s not quite so common. However geologists tell us that even in rock steady places such as Glasgow the earth is never still for long. Imperceptible tremors occur far more frequently than we suspect. Geologists have machines to detect them that are more sensitive than us.
It’s quite a thought that our world that seems to be so still, peaceful even, is under the surface at war with itself. Tectonic plates constantly pushing and grinding against others until something gives then the energy has to be released often in a violent and disastrous way.
During Easter I have been following John’s account of the passion. The engagement between Pilate and Jesus is one that intrigues and saddens. Despite Pilates understanding that Jesus was innocent of the charges before him he nevertheless hands him over to be crucified.
It’s like a preshock. The main quake is the death and resurrection of Jesus, but in the encounter between Pilate and Jesus we see two kingdoms collide and struggle against each other like two tectonic plates. The kingdom of Pilate and the Pharisees is one on of order, control, oppression and violence, and although the Pharisees and the Romans are not friends they belong to the same kingdom. A kingdom that demands sacrifice. A kingdom that will not tolerate any rivals.
Jesus represents God’s kingdom. A wonderful and weird place where the first shall be last and the prostitute is a close friend of God.
Pilate receiving no answer from Jesus becomes exasperated with him and tells him that he has the power of life and death over him. Jesus replies that on the contrary Pilate has no real power except that has been given to him from God (John 19).
Crash! the worlds collide, but Pilate’s response is interesting, for whilst we thought he might be enraged by such a response John tells us he tries to set Jesus free. Why would the most powerful man in Jerusalem take such apparent arrogance from a wild preacher? Did Pilate have some understanding of what was happening? Could he feel the shock of the clashing kingdoms?
The rest is well known. Jesus died upon the cross and rose again bringing about a new life. Bu the clash goes on. Are we free from war, starvation, corruption, oppression and many other things that blight the world? Does humanities wickedness still stalk the world in every corner? Yes of course it does. But let’s get personal for a moment. What about our own lives. Do Christians feel the clashing of the kingdoms? What about the times when we are confronted with what the world demands of us, against the way we are called to by God. Do we turn a blind eye to the excesses of the worldly ways in our workplace, schools or wherever we find ourselves? Are we happy to contribute a few pounds to a charity and be happy to believe we are following God, yet ignore injustice and unfairness in our daily lives? Sometimes when we open the curtains in the morning and see the familiar view out of our windows we thank God that all is well with our world; but are we aware that is only a mask, that underneath our familiar world there is a clash between the kingdoms?
What is our response to that?

Is there a Marxist in the house?

I would imagine if you said to a regular member of any church congregation that they were an “organic intellectual” you would be regarded with a degree of incredulity. But this is a central idea of Antonio Gramsci’s theory of community; that the real intellectuals are not the one’s who have had the privilege of an education; rather they are those who are part and share in the life of a community. An Organic intellectual is someone who thinks about their community, the values and principals and connects these to outside forces.

 

Unlike traditional Intellectuals they may or may not have the benefit of being educated to a high level, rather Gramsci lays importance to the links they maintain and the importance of developing a counter ideology. Gramsci argues that traditional intellectuals are concerned more with reinforcing hegemonic forces and the prevailing ideology of the dominant class.

 

Maybe the long standing faithful member would see themselves in such a light, but clearly according to Gramsci, they are indeed the organic intellectuals of our churches.

 

But are those (and I include myself in this category) who are in leadership of the church threatened by such Organic Intellectuals? Do ministers’ deacons and some elders hide in their ordained role?  How do those who are perceived as being intellectuals, leaders and authority figures cope with the potential benefits and challenges of having organic intellectuals in their churches?

 

In my opinion many cope badly. In some respects they are not to be blamed as we invest in our ministers an authority as a ruling elder. I am sure the principal was to follow the example of Christ as a servant King, one who exercised authority but in a way that was liberating ,cooperative and a servant to others (Phil 2:5-7)

 

 However it is a strong human impulse, when in a position of authority, to exercise it in a fashion that maintains an ideology or theology that might be counter productive to a congregation. Although things are getting better in the training of ministers there are too many one man bands full of love and best intentions, but ultimately crush any organic intellectual and theological growth in a church. Thee tradition in my own denomination, the Church of Scotland is that we are spoon fed the truth by the minister. But recent encounters with some folk and their insight into theology and community have left me open mouthed with wonder. Only by living in their community, engaging with life and applying their faith could produce such pearls. I have heard some powerful sermons in the past but none have made such an impact on my faith as these conversations have. Yet the sad thing is these people would have not been recognised as organic intellectuals. They are retired working class people, the kind of people the church is full of but gives little credence to.

 

Yet there are many ministers who do see the importance of this. Who encourage and develop such growth. Ultimately its about power as most things are. In a recent piece in halfwaytoheaven.org.uk Jeff Keuss talks about Michel Foucault’s ideas of power and the need for the church to engage with Marxist thinking on such subjects. Gramsci was a Marxist Philosopher too. True there is much Christians would disagree with Marxism, but do we need to let go of a lot of our baggage and see what it could teach Christians?   

The Ethiopian

This is a meditation on the story of Phillip and the Ethopian in Acts Chapter 8:26-40

It will be used in an act of worship in our church this comming Sunday.

I’m used to drawing attention to myself. As an Ethiopian I’m very different to other worshippers in the temple. I stand out in a crowd and draw their attention. Sometimes people stare from a distance, sometimes they reach out to touch me, unable to believe their eyes.

 

But I regard it all with the distain it deserves. I belong to the court of Queen Candice after all; I have a position to maintain.

 

Sometimes being so different sometimes brings out, how shall I say this? Well the most disturbed of the population. It’s as if my finery, my difference, attracts the lunatics. Children often run after my chariot hoping for a handout, and occasionally wide eyed desperate people pursue me too asking all sorts of things, but I the treasurer of all of the Queen of Ethiopia’s fortune must not and will not lend an ear to such people.

 

But there was one day, one man, who was different.

 

 The sun was low in the sky and I was returning home from worshiping the Lord. Everything seemed parched, dry and barren. Around me there was lifelessness and nothing but hard unforgiving rock. It seemed the sun had baked and roasted all that sustained life and the clouds of dust and dirt plumed behind me cloaked  and enveloped  everything obscuring my vision of Jerusalem.

 

But it wasn’t only the landscape that seemed dry and barren. I was reading this from the prophet  Isaiah

 

            “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before the shearer

             is silent, so he did not open his mouth.

             in his humiliation he was deprived of justice, who can speak of his

             descendants?

            For his life was taken from the Earth.”

 

Like the dryness of the land every fibre of my being, my soul was dry. I had worshipped the Lord. I had paid my tax and followed the laws of Moses, but why was I so barren. Why did I feel so far from the Lord? Was he displeased with me? Why was Isaiah’s words so empty? I did not know who Isaiah  was talking about, I was far from the truth but I knew that I must know, so I read and re read; but each time was the same, nothing.

 

I groaned as I saw him emerge coughing and spluttering from the dust behind me. Not only did Isaiah seem to be tormenting me now a mad man. What did he want? Some money to reveal some prophesy? A demand for charity, some sob story? I was used to this. I closed my eyes for a moment and felt my heart sink even lower.

 

“ No Lord, not today” I prayed.

 

Keeping my eyes shut for a few moments I was confident that he could not keep up. I heard the sound of hooves and the rumble of the wheels of the chariot pick up speed. On opening them I still to this day am not sure what surprised me more, the fact that he had kept up alongside the chariot or his eyes.

 

As  sunlight splits through a diamond  into many colours, it seemed that in his eyes, there were so many things All at once I saw compassion, kindness, joy, desperation, excitement and fear.

 

“ Do you know?” he yelled “ Do you know what the Prophet Isaiah is saying?”

 

My first reaction was to ask him how he knew what it was that I was reading.

But I stopped my words. I stopped because he was right. I didn’t know .And there was something compelling in this man. Something was born not of human will…

 

But born of something else.

 

Everything told me to keep going. To turn away, and to ignore him. All my upbringing and education told me that he had nothing to offer me. But in his eyes I saw something else. He had something more precious than all the treasure in Ethiopia.

 

I did something I thought I would never do. Ignoring the disgust of my driver, I asked this strange and wonderful man into my chariot to explain the scriptures to me

 

He said his name was Phillip, and he told me things about God, things that were new and exciting. He told me about Jesus. I had heard rumours about this man some saying he was a rebel and a trouble maker, others he was a teacher and a great healer.

 

Phillip told me the truth. He told me how it was always God’s plan to save his world from sin. He told me that Isaiah and the prophets foresaw the coming of Jesus, and how Jesus loved us and died for us on the cross.

 

It was as if a veil had been lifted from my eyes. The dryness and bareness I had felt in my spirit was deluged in water, the living water of knowing Jesus and for the first time in my life knowing the God I worshipped. The weight of despair was lifted from me. I knew that I was loved. The God whom I worshiped for so long was no longer a stranger. He is my father, I am his, and he loves me.

 

No I am not an impetuous man. I am aware of my position, but for the first time in my life I knew who I was, not a court official, not the treasurer to the Queen of Ethiopia, but a child of God.

 

“Phillip” I said “ I want to be baptised. I want to be immersed in the father.”

 

I don’t think I have seen anyone smile so broadly or have seen such large tears of joy in their eyes as I saw in Phillip’s

 

I don’t know what my driver was making of this, his master standing waist deep in a pool of water with a total stranger… But that’s not important. I knew I had to seek forgiveness and believe in God, to believe in Jesus.

 

Gently but firmly Phillip grasped my shoulders and baptised me, then I burst through the water laughing. Laughing because Joy had flooded over me as the waters covered my head. Laughing because I knew understood whom Isaiah was talking about. A loving servant who willing died for me and for all the sins and mistakes I had made. Laughing because God had sent Phillip to me, yes to me, to tell me about Jesus and save me.

 

I turned to Phillip

 

He was gone.

 

But I was still laughing

 

Though he was gone and I might never see him again, I knew Jesus was with me.

 

For ever.