Going Back to Church After Lockdown

Last week I did something I have not done in what seems like years. I used to do it regularly, and it felt as natural as a habit that was easier to keep than to break. This time however it was a calculated decision, one I took with slight trepidation and which felt strange and at first a little awkward: - I went to church.

Re-emerging from lockdown has been both liberating and unnerving! I hadn’t realised the extent to which I had been accustomed to social isolation and how hard I would find meeting and chatting to new people. I struggled with singing and realised how much I’d become merely a passive observer of ‘online worship’. Being together with others to worship God was good however – Christianity has always had a deeply communal spirituality and is never a solo-pursuit. During lockdown there are members of that community who have had children, lost loved-ones, married or separated – moved houses or jobs. ‘Being with’, rather than just ‘hearing from’ these folks was significant.

Full normality has not yet returned however. The place reeked of hand-sanitiser; and social distancing imposed unnatural barriers between people who would naturally shake hands, or embrace after a long-time apart.

Then of course, everyone was still required to wear masks. Mask wearing can prevent the spread of potentially infectious droplets; and also ruins a community’s ability to sing together! And mask wearing has been a highly contentious matter in the re-opening of society. That is not least because the inconsistencies in the rules have been glaring and bizarre. Why do a socially-distanced congregation have to mask, but then the nightclub over the road can pack people in for no-distanced, unmasked dancing and mixing? Or more glaring perhaps, why do a wedding party have to cover their faces for the service and then head off to the reception for unmasked ceilidh-dancing? What can explain such double-standards?

Some Christians have claimed that this is evidence of state hostility to Christianity. Others suggest that the government wrongly assume that while clubs and restaurants are full of the young and healthy; churches only contain the aged and infirm – a stereotype which is as inaccurate as it is unhelpful. My suspicion is that concessions have been granted to the entertainment and hospitality sector (which have not been extended to the churches), for the more simple reason that jobs and tax-receipts rely on allowing these places to provide the best possible experience for their guests.

If that is the reasoning behind the policy, I find it troubling, for Jesus famously said, “You shall not live by bread alone” – and pointed people to live not just materially but spiritually complete lives. That is, he called people to live in the deep connection to God which he came to give us; and in deep community with one another. Such things are of infinitive value but are unquantifiable, and more awkwardly: untaxable. That does not mean that they should be treated with less respect, or unvalued however. Jesus affirmed that while we need our ‘daily bread’ because our physical needs are legitimate; we also need ‘every word that comes from the mouth of God’. (Matthew 4:4). That’s why next week, I’m going back to church again – to hear the word of God preached, to sing and to share community with others. It’s not necessarily the easiest choice but I believe it is the wisest. Our governments might treat this with some contempt, but I suggest that it is in expressed love for God and neighbour that something of infinite value is found.

The doors of Christian communities across Scotland will be open this Sunday, it might be worth a look in – even if it’s been a while.

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This article first appeared in The Scotsman, 2/9/21

Take One Day At A Time And Use It Well

Suffering and affliction gatecrash our lives when we least expect it. Pain is the unwelcome guest which forcibly intrudes into our homes and ­families. Torment is no respecter of class, race, religious or political affiliation, age or nationality. Rather it is our vulnerability as humans which unites us, as we stare into the unsettling truth of our own mortality.

It is in this context that many ­people turn to those of us in the Christian churches, to ask the bigger questions of life and existence. The responses that Christians offer vary, but I offer five things that I have learnt personally from suffering.

The first is to separate the ‘why’ and the ‘how’ questions. In his book, Walking With God Through Pain and Suffering, which Timothy ­Keller wrote while being treated for cancer, he firstly explores the ‘why?’ questions, but counsels his readers to turn straight to section two, the ‘how can I cope?’ section, if they are in the ­middle of raw grief.

There is a time for philosophy and theology, but also a time for pausing that conversation until we are able to breathe more slowly and reason more carefully.

After the death of a young friend, I found that even good theological answers to the ‘why?’ questions were no emotional anaesthetic. ­With ­intellectual resources such as part one of Keller’s book, or helpful books such as C.S. Lewis’s The Problem of Pain, those could come in time.

Second, it has often been observed that there is one thing worse than ­suffering – and that is suffering alone. This week, as our church has been saddened by the tragic loss of a young life, we have gathered together to weep, to pray and to welcome ­anyone who wants company.

Some have come full of faith, ­others have come with none, all have been welcomed. This is what we are required to do, “bear one another’s burdens” as biblical ­wisdom instructs. Like many ­churches and communities around the country, we are learning that tears are OK, silence is OK, and that fellowship is essential.

Third, our approach to these trials draws on the wisdom of Jesus who said, “do not worry about tomorrow, for each day has enough trouble of its own” – in other words, take one day at a time. For each day we spend processing grief or pain, we need to set our sights on making it through that day. No one can bear the weight of a ­lifetime of lost dreams and hopes; getting through the day at hand is enough, and together, with God’s help we will.

This also in turn can free us to ask, “how best can I use this one day?” For many people that has meant doing something to ease someone’s pain, or to do something truly worthwhile in the memory of someone we have lost. We do not have infinite days to live – but one day at a time, we might use them well.

Fourth, the uniquely Christian hope we offer is of resurrection. We believe that the reason that we grieve so much in loss is because a human being is much more than a mere ­functioning collection of ­molecules but is an infinitely precious bearer of God’s image – body, soul, mind, consciousness. Death then, cannot be reduced to a physical process, any more than Elgar’s Cello Concerto can be regarded as merely a series of vibrations.

This observation is embedded in the central Christian truth, that Jesus rose from the dead and that all who hope in him will ­similarly rise – thus our final great hope is not limited to life here, but in Christ our eternal ­destiny is glorious. In Christ there is hope – and with hope we can get through this day.

The final observation comes from a prayer of the Apostle Paul: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any ­trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” He’s talking about the spiritual experience that is more than the post-dated future hope of resurrection but is encountered here and now. It is to this end we pray, and seek to learn to calm our troubled souls by resting in Jesus.

These things combined are how we will get through this together, our day of grief and suffering, along with a welcome to anyone who wants to join the embrace.

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This article first appeared in The Scotsman, 16/10/19

Good Friday Photos - from Dubrovnik

Abernethy New Year Houseparty

Our whole family is just back from a great few days at Nethybridge Outdoor Centre, where we joined their New Year Houseparty. I've never been to anything like it before, but really enjoyed it. We were there from Sat-Weds, and had access to all their on-site activities like tennis, table tennis, swimming, dry-ski-slope, walks, games, etc; as well as joined in the Hogmanay Party, with ceilidh and fireworks. The centre in situated in beautiful woodland in the Cairngorms National Park, and and so has an abundance of mountains, rivers, lochs, climbs and bike trails on its doorstep. Alongside this there was a programme of evening meetings with light-hearted entertainment, as well as the Christian worship and teaching that the Abernethy Trust offers. It was this last aspect that I was able to contribute a bit too as well.

The accommodation was  basic but comfortable, and the food regular, plentiful and good value! It's a while since we have all piled into a family room together, and snored and coped with each other's irritating habits, but it was fun. One of the highlights for me was getting to know some of the staff a bit. Because I was helping with the meetings, I worked closely with them; putting the programme together. Abernethy seem to have managed to create a nice balance between professionalism and friendliness which makes working for them a joy.

The other guests were fascinating too. I enjoyed some really intriguing discussions with people from a huge variety of backgrounds; and opinions! There were Scots, English and Northern Irish folks to start with, and others who had lived all over the world. There were people from High-Church, Low-Church and No-Church, full-time parents, farmers, engineers, academics, charity-sector workers, teachers, physios, psychiatrists, retired folks, and youngsters, toddlers, a Cathedral verger and many more! I don't think I have ever encountered such an eclectic mixture of interesting people in one place before.

In the meetings we looked at the lessons from some of the Bible's more overlooked characters. These were Barabbas the convict, Bathsheba, King Omri, Hezekiah and Barnabas. The centre has a great band, made up of staff past and present, and they led us in worship every night too - which was really encouraging. I got to speak in the local CofS at Nethybridge too. I had suspected before I went that it might be a small or sleepy affair; but that just exposes the folly of my prejudices! The beautiful country kirk was crammed to the gunnels with people, with extra chairs in the aisles to accommodate them.

The only real disappointment was the complete lack of snow all week. When the snow comes, the centre runs a bus to and from the Lecht every day, and my kids were desperately hoping to fill their days on the slopes. Alas, twas not to be! I felt a bit sorry for them, as the possibility of snow had been a major draw for them coming up there with me. However they seemed quite happy flinging their Mum around at the Hogmanay Ceilidh, as 2019.

Abernethy is a great place. I hope I can go back one day.

Film Notes: For The Love of God

I have to confess to being a bit of a history nerd. Having spent several years studying it, accumulated countless books and an insatiable reading habit, I find the past utterly absorbing. It's common to hear politics, ethics, education, nationalism or multiculturalism being described as 'a battleground of ideas', but every historian is equally aware that our view of the past is every bit as contentious. We are all aware of "Black History Month", which has grown steadily in significance, as the once accepted racism which erased Black people from our historical consciousness has been increasingly rejected. Historians once looked for great themes and great men (yes, it was usually just men!); many these days look for "usable pasts"; which are often little more than selective trawls for evidence with which to weaponise history for contemporary polemics.

Religious history, has of course been subject to both these trends. Biographies of saints and martyrs have been produced to stir the devotions of the faithful; while the memory of atrocities committed in the name of "belief a", are kept alive by the adherents of "belief b".

What we make of the history of the church, is then something of great importance, and not just for history geeks like me. How the history of Christianity is handled is a significant marker in the current battle of ideas. Of course some Christians want to paint a picture of unbridled progress and blessing; while some atheists, such as the late Christopher Hitchens, wish to portray every aspect of the church's record as being fundamentally malign.

Perhaps only the foolish, unwary or brave would step into this vast field of two millenia of contention! Certainly the aim of presenting a fair and balanced picture of the church's moral and ethical record, which is neither a Hitchensesque hatchet-job or a series of 'lives of the saints' hagiographies is a bold one. However, this is exactly what CPX (The Centre for Public Christianity in Australia) have done in a 90 minute film entitled "For The Love of God: How The Church is Both Better And Worse Than You Ever Imagined". Fearing the worst, I watched this film with some trepidation, but they have really pulled it off, it is a great piece of work.

 

Filmed with high quality production values, CPX presenters John Dickson, Justine Toh and Simon Smart, are filmed in locations around the world, where Christians have made an impact for good or ill; and assessed the history. They tell stories such as massacres in the Crusades perpetrated on innocent Muslims in the name of Christianity, to Martin Luther King Jr's noble quest for Civil Rights; from Christian failures to oppose Nazism, to roots of Western charity and philanthropy in the early church as it was persecuted by Roman Emperors. The story telling is enhanced by dramatic readings of historical texts, and segments of academics discussing and assessing the meaning of the stories.

Wonderfully put together, well-researched, and presented in a lively style, the film itself is compelling viewing. The analysis is fascinating too; as they seek to assess where the church has gone wrong and where it has made a contribution. John Lennox, the noted Christian professor of Mathematics at Oxford describes the 'shame' of some of the things done in Northern Ireland in the name of Christianity. On the other hand Rowan Williams explores the way in which many disputes driven by other factors such as land, power, or resources have gained a religious veneer or justification; but were not inherently caused by clashes of belief.

The treatment of Colonialism is quite remarkable. Coming from Australia the film begins with the damage done to Aboriginal people by the white settlers, who brought everything from land-seizures to new diseases to Australia; sometimes justified in the name of Christianity. Yet, they also show that it was Christians who almost uniquely rejected a racist hierarchy of races, because they couldn't accept social-Darwinism, as their faith told them that all people were made in the image of God. Likewise the role of William Carey in India is examined, and not just in term of his exemplary work in education, and development. His long campaign against 'Sati' (widow-burning) can be seen as either imposing western values on India; or as a bold step towards the equality of the sexes, and thoroughly in line with the idea that basic human rights are universal, not allocated by the powerful; or awarded in response to capacity or contribution. This, likewise is an idea which only became embedded in western culture when Christian ethics replaced Greco-Roman morality in which things such an infanticide were almost de rigueur.

Robert Woodberry's thesis that Protestant missionaries have left a massively positive contribution towards social and economic flourishing in virtually every context in which they operated, is also given a well-deserved hearing.

Equally fascinating was the (perhaps not immediately obvious) subject of character. The weight of evidence that the ancients, despite all their philosophical sophistication, saw humility as despicable; was very well explained. The Christian view of the cross of Christ. the humiliated God, was radically counter cultural; and leads directly to so many of the values which we in the west assume are universal, but actually are rooted in Christianity.

Finally the filmakers ask us to examine the record of the church, as it stands up against the teachings of Jesus Christ himself. The obvious point that Jesus' ethical teaching commands great respect isn't laboured, but rather what is observed is that where the church has stuck to his words and example, it has been beautiful; but where it has veered off into contemporary cultures, it has looked ugly. Central to this discussion is Jesus' charge to his people to "love their enemies". This main thesis is explored through a charming musical metaphor, which I won't explain, but will leave you to enjoy on the film.

The film can be viewed as a single 90 minute "Cinema Cut" or in several shorter episodes; 1) War and Peace, 2) Rights and Wrongs, 3) Rich and Poor, 4) Power and Humility. It can be rented or purchased online, for streaming or by buying the DVD from https://www.publicchristianity.org/fortheloveofgod/ from where free clips, and study guides for groups or schools can also be downloaded.

This honest film leaves little room either for Christian triumphalism on one hand, or mud-slinging anti-Christian polemics on the other. In that sense, CPX have done a remarkable job in opening up a sensible discussion in which the very real contributions of Christian ethics, and Jesus' teaching can be  seen alongside many of the sins of the church. As such the film will perhaps contain surprises for people on both sides of that debate. There is some uneasy viewing for Christians, especially on the Crusades and the Nazis; while some secularists will be alarmed at the extent to which so many of the values we celebrate in the western liberal tradition have distinctly Christian roots, and were pioneered in history by Christians. Furthermore, many of them are grounded in Christian beliefs, and sustained by them, and indeed inseparable from them.

CPX are to be congratulated on the way in which they have stepped so nimbly across this historical minefield, and produced such a stimulating, thought-provoking film, which is both visually stunning and academically rigorous.

Film Notes: Of Gods And Men

I picked up this DVD for a quid, in a sale of old LoveFilm stock. In the days before Netflix and downloading was a thing, postal DVD services were popular; but their demise led to some amazing deals. I'd heard that this was a 'film worth watching' and without knowing much about it at all, picked it up on the off chance. It turned out to be a deeply sad, very moving, and rather profound film.

The setting is Algeria in 1996, as the government start to lose control of the state, and Islamist militants cause misery and chaos in their quest for an Islamic revolution. In a remote corner of the country a small Roman Catholic monastery had functioned for years. Alongside their own rituals, and devotions, they served the community and provided healthcare and support. The film depicts them as being very much part of the community, in which they served; sharing life, hospitality and friendships across the religious divide.

The central plot of the film is whether the monks should abandon the monastery and flee, either to a safer monastery in Africa, or indeed back to France; as Islamist atrocities take place with ever increasing frequency - and in ever closer proximity to them. They face, essentially, a decision to run away from their calling, or to face death for it. The Muslim villagers certainly do not want the monks to leave - but to face up to the threat of the extremists alongside them. The discussions around the small monastery table in which they debate this decision are amongst the best moments in the film. One monk, determined to stay, says to a younger colleague (who wants to leave), "we already gave up our lives, when we decided to follow Christ". Strong stuff indeed.

As the film draws to a climax, the monks with sorrow and resolve, face up to the inevitability that as non-Muslims in an Islamist take-over, they are doomed. With their songs, liturgies, and around the eucharist; they re-affirm their faith even as the dark clouds gather around them.

This is actually a true story. Which possibly explains why there is more detail about the two monks who survived the ordeal; than the mystery about the deaths of the rest of those who did not. We see, finally, the sad group being led away to their deaths; and a caption reading that nothing is know about who murdered them. 

Lambert Wilson gives a really strong performance as the head monk, alongside Michael Edward Lonsdale as Luc - the medical brother, It's a slow film; in that the rhythms of life in the monastery which have survived generations are depicted. It's not an action film, in that the plot develops as much in the brooding tension and the monks' response to it; as in the actual civil war. That kind of cinema is far harder to write and produce than action; but it is done very well indeed here.

The film is a stunning protest against religious extremism, religion violence and intolerance. This message, along with the context of the last monks in an ancient monastery in Muslim lands, is somewhat reminiscent of William Dalrymple's stunning book, From the Holy Mountain. Although set further east, amongst the Orthodox and Coptic churches, not the French Catholics of Algeria, the extinction of these people and orders is a parallel story; and very worth reading.

The monks in this film share a 'Last Supper' together, waiting to face death, as Christ did before them. One wavering monk faces up to this with the biblical quotation, ''no servant is greater than his master'- in other words, if martyrdom was good enough for Christ himself, who am I to demand anything more? With their faith and integrity intact, they are then led away.

FORB (freedom of religion and belief), as enshrined in Article 18 of the UN Convention on Human Rights; is under more strain then in 1996 when these awful events occurred. Tragically, CSW (the Christian charity that works for freedom of religion for all people, of all faiths or none) reports that this is increasingly the case in Algeria. Click here to read more.

Book Notes: Fools Rush in Where Monkeys Fear to Tread (Taking Aim at Everyone) by Carl Trueman

Trueman is, I think, a one-off. A serious academic, working currently at Princeton; a British minister in the American Orthodox Presbyterian Church, a historian engaged in the development of ideas, a reformed conservative who engages meaningfully with Roman Catholicism, and a robust defender of his savage critiques of ..... well, everyone really. He might also be the first really funny Calvinist since Spurgeon! He has opinions, very strong opinions, which he seems more than willing to put into print too. I spoke to him once, and found him witty, engaging, and thoroughly good company - and his passionately held opinions, love them or loathe them; are actually the result of serious thought and engagement with the issues.

When I picked up a Trueman book last week which was subtitled "taking aim at everyone", I knew it was going to be a read which would at times involve several laugh-out-loud moments, several sharp intakes of breath and several derisory snorts. I was not disappointed on any of those criteria! In fact, Fools Rush In, like a theological edition of Private Eye, succeeds in both entertaining and informing the reader, while skewering the unwise, the pompous and the hypocritical. Trueman has the disarming ability of not appearing to take himself to seriously either, which makes his stinging critiques of others easier to bear - as he seems to have no problem reflecting on his own sins, follies and foibles and those of his fellow Reformed crowd, as he does on those of other people and groups. In fact, if anything it is people who profess Reformed theology but indulge in worldy, or pragmatic foolishness who are the 'lucky' recipients of the most pointed helpings of Trueman's spicy invective.

Amongst the targets Truman demolishes in this book are self-centred 'Christian' bloggers and their (my! :-)) ) pointless outpourings; worse those who use them for self-promotion, constantly re-tweeting praise about themselves. He berates adults who cannot grow up, handle criticism, and are permanently adolescent, in comparison with his Grandfather, who was a working man aged 13. He throws out the charge that the celebrity culture has infected the church, especially the young trendy Reformed churches who ought to know better. His description of a wishy-washy ecumenical multi-sensory service; packed with high-brow academics with their brains firmly in the 'off' position is as hilarious as it is naughty. The insights he offers into the nature of Christian service, in 'welcome to wherever you are' are really wise and helpful, while his assessment of the notorious Chic tracts is as funny as it is sadly accurate.Catholicism, it's greatness and its folly is analysed; and the (sadly unnamed) Christian writer who used a ghost writer for his book is excoriated. 

One chapter stands out as especially relevant to today's debates - especially those which take place on social media. His essay "Am I bovverred?" analyses the role of 'hurt' and 'pain' in contemporary debates, Although written maybe a decade ago, this piece has become more important over the intervening years. His basic argument (written with his usual verve), is that the categories of 'hurtful' or 'affirming'; are replacing the categories of  'true' and 'false' in public discourse. As such, people hold their opinions as part of themselves; and therefore beyond reasoned debate. They state their views, along with their biography explaining why it matters; but then cry 'hate-speech', if anyone dares to engage critically with their work. This has happened again this week. A well-known author has published a theologically charged memoir, and when theologians have questioned the ideas in book; claimed victim-status as a way of shutting down the debate. Trueman, his critics should note, saw this coming. 

In turns wise, funny, outrageous and principled; Fools Rush In is a cracking good read. 

Campeltown & Beinn Ghuilean

Despite having lived in Scotland for all my adult life, (and as much of my middle-age as I have so for used up), I have never been further south down the Kintyre Peninsula than Lochgilphead before. Old friends moved there a year or so back, and I suspect that if they hadn't, I still would not have seen this remote - and unique corner of the country. Unsurprisingly, the landscape is much like Scotland's other great southwesterly protrusion, towards Stranraer. I know the Glasgow/Ayrshire/Stranraer road very well, having driven it countless times towards the ferries, Ireland, family and holidays. The Mull of Kntyre, has a feel all of its own however.

Meeting up with old friends, and making new ones at The Kintyre Christian Fellowship on Friday, and at Springbank Evangelical Church on Sunday was good. I had driven four hours, across Scotland, through the mountains, and down the length of the narrow finger of Kintyre, and found warm, friendly encouraging people. Some were long-time residents of the area, and some historic 'Campbeltonians' (a zealously guarded status, I'm told), while others had clustered there at the end of the world, from all over the Scotland, and the UK from as far away as Cornwall.

Steve the pastor of the church at Springbank (which sits in the shadow of the more famous distillery of the same name), told me that the town's population is dropping at the moment after the losses of the airbase, and a clothing factory. Tourism and distilling, remain important industries, alongside the public sector and the fishing port - but that for many people the search for work takes people away from Campbeltown. Others move away, but move back to the place as soon as circumstances allow. 

The car ferry may no longer run to Northern Ireland, but a speedy foot passenger service still takes tourists and cyclists, over to Ballycastle and Isla (presumably in search of Lagavulin or Bushmills respectively). At least this looked to be well used on the day I was there. I thought this might be an option, to combine a family trip to NI, with a day out with friends in Campbeltown; but at £90 per person, they have sadly priced themselves well out of any market that I am in! Oddly, they are not even trying to compete with the budge airlines on price, which I can't imagine makes a viable long-term business model. it was good to see the churches in the town, though small, in good spirits, doing good work in their town as well.

The local hill, which provides great views over Campbeltown and Campeltown Loch, is called Bheinn Ghuilean. Its a small hill, even by Scottish standards, rising to a slender 352 metres above sea level. There is a track which leaves the coast road by a large house called Glenramskill, and climbs up by the Glenramskill Burn past the ruins of an old barn called High Glenramkill, from which a direct line can be taken to the lower of the two summits at the trig point. Despite the flat, featureless summit, and the encroaching low-cloud, this provided an excellent viewpoint. A discussion then ensued about the concrete trig point. How did they build it up there? It surely can't have been lugged up there intact, it weighs tons! How many men and ponies then would it have it have taken to lug cement, stones, water and a timber mold to pour the thing on the summit? Can anyone tell me what the answer to this is?

It may have been only early June, yet the midgies were out in force on Beinn Ghuilean, despite the breeze. The oppressive saturation humidity and warmth demanded that we lose layers of clothing, while the incessant biting of the midgies made us put on protective layers - so we steamed in our warm layers, each coat becoming like a personalised single-occupancy sauna.

Saying goodbye to my friends on Sunday afternoon, lead me into the teeth of an horrific downpour which got so intense around Crianlarich that I couldn't drive. I could hardly see anything, the windscreen wipers needed to go twice as fast to shift the water; and in places I couldn't steer, because my little car just aquaplaned all over the road, at slow speed. Thankfully after a half-hour break, by Glen Ogle the rain reduced to drizzle which gave way to sunshine by Loch Earn and a lovely run home. Thanks to my friends and hosts in Campeltown for a lovely weekend.

Two Masters?

An illustration from yesterday's sermon!

Happy Easter

Book Notes: Confidence in The Living God (David & Goliath Revisited) by Andrew Watson

This little book took me by surprise, a little. I was given it as a gift a while ago, and it had sat in my 'to be read' pile for a long time; never quite making it to the top for a host of reasons. Looking for something that looked like a quick and light read, I grabbed it last week, perhaps thinking 'what more can be said about the battle between David and Goliath?'. 

Andrew Watson, has assembled nine very helpful chapters of analysis and application of this well-known story, which were in practice a delight to read. Although he draws on and references academic works, this is far from being a scholarly tome with which to do mental battle; but a very accessible guide for all.

While Watson follows and explains the story very adequately, what really sparkles are his insights into the non-militaristic struggles of the New Testament Christian and his application of the principles he sees in the text to contemporary life.

I loved his use of 'The Stockdale Paradox' to draw out the differences between pessimism, optimism and actual faith in God. Stockdale was an American survivor of a Vietnam POW camp who described how he got through, while others perished. Pessimists never had hope and gave up. Optimists assumed the best, but were often broken when their cheery 'we'll be home by Christmas' failed to materialise. Stockdale's paradox was combination of a realistic view of every daily threat; coupled with a confidence that the long-term result would be good. The application is obvious, that as we face church decline and secularisation, Christians should neither resign from active duty and declare that all is lost; nor naively assume that everything's fine; but realistically engage in the daily struggle for hearts and minds; but with a confidence that ultimately God has history in His hands. 

Watson's comparison of the lively faith in the Living God, who young David invokes, compared to the jaded, managerial cautiousness of Saul is expertly drawn; as are his observations about the prophet Samuel's vision and perception in his endorsement of this unlikely candidate as a future King. Nice analogies are drawn from things such as David's refusal to wear Saul's heavy armour, to our callings to be ourselves and not seek to copy others, let alone try to exercise gifts and talents we do not own, or to merely copy the work of others.

However, it is the vibrancy of David's faith which seems most relevant to the church today (and me, as part of that). "It's easier to calm down a fanatic, than warm up a corpse" Watson quotes George Verwer as saying. with the sad reflection that the church of which he is a part prefers leaders who are older, duller, safer and routinely rejects those with the passion, inexperience and daring faith of youth. That such a path is folly is obvious, but Watson shows us that it is also not biblical.

Book Notes: Redeeming Sex by Debra Hirsch

Factions and divisions within the Christian Church used to be based around the content of their creeds and confessions. It is, after all, almost 500 years to the day since Martin Luther nailed up his famous "95 Theses", which started the Reformation in Europe. The early churches argued about Gnosticism, and Arianism, the Middle Ages saw the schisms over ecclessiology and soteriology. In more recent times, eschatology and pneumatology have been the bones of contention. All of these disputes seem to be managed with calmness today compared the bitter and acrimonious disputes about Christianity and Sex. It is a brave writer (or indeed reviewer), who dares to try to walk on such stormy waters. Debra Hirsch is one such courageous person.

Books in this field usually fall into one of thee categories, (1) conservative studies primarily of the biblical text. which seek to re-enforce traditional sexual mores; (2) radical theologies which seek to change traditional Christian teaching and endorse things such as Same-Sex Marriage by arguing either that a) the Bible has been misunderstood, or b) is not authoritative on the subject. The third type of book is the spiritual autobiography of a person who changed their mind and lifestyle on the issue, either from conservative to liberal, or from liberal to conservative. Thinkers as diverse as John Stott, Steve Chalke, Rosaria Butterfield, Rowan Williams, and Vicky Beeching fall into these categories.

Debra Hirsch's Redeeming Sex (IVP, 2015) is a far harder book to classify because it doesn't slot happily into any of the usual categories, but seems to draw on them all! This turns out to the be book's great strength, and also its weakness. Rather than plunging straightforwardly into the contentious 'gay issue', Hirsch tries to draw together a biblical and theological view of sexuality; as an essential part of humanity, as good, and as badly handled by the church. That's all pretty standard stuff; what is more intriguing is Hirsch's distinction between social and genital sexuality and the way in which she begins to weave her personal story, and those of friends and family, into the book.

The great distinctive of this book is this. Many more liberal books claim to respect the Bible and Christian teaching; but in fact undermine it. Many more conservative books claim to only uphold biblical teaching while loving and affirming people; but totally fail to do this in practise. Hirsch seems to plough a lonely furrow of walking with the Bible firmly embraced in one hand, and gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people in the other. She herself left the gay lifestyle behind when she became a Christian; but does not endorse sexuality re-orientation programmes which are discredited. Rather she talks about a process of re-awakening her own latent heterosexuality over time. She does, gently affirm that there is a tension between homo-erotic practice and biblical spirituality; but on the other-hand does not seek to make agreement with her point of view on this issue a requirement of joining her church. Rather she speaks about the grace of God bringing us to faith in Christ, requiring a lifetime of sanctification of all of our lives - progress being made faster in different areas, than others; all of us heading in the same direction at different speeds. She reiterates the often overlooked point that almost everyone is in some way sexually disordered, lustful, or selfish; and that we are all fellow-travellers in sanctification regardless of gender or orientation.

Essential to her working this out is her distinctive ecclessiology. She explores two models of church community which she refers to as (a) the bounded set and (b) the centred set. The bounded set describes a legalistic institution in which outward conformity to rules selected to make the group distinct are enforced. This is the old-style church. The centred set is a loose association of people, all of whom are centred on one defining source: in the case Jesus Christ. Everyone seeks to become more like Jesus, but accepts fellow-travellers who may not be positioned as closely to the centre as ourselves; but are nevertheless facing him, and being drawn towards him. Such an open model of church is maybe a missionally helpful one. and one in which biblical ideas can be shared gently, and sensitively over the long term. The old adage about loving sinners but hating sin might actually work in this model, and might apply to all sins, not just ones we have made into boundary markers!

The problem with the promotion of the Centred-Set model, is that while it might well look a bit like the band of disciples in the gospels, or the wider group around Jesus; it might not sit so comfortably alongside the epistles of the New Testament. The Pauline corpus is especially problematic for it, in a number of ways. Firstly. these epistles do seem to have some sense that the boundaries of the early church were to be established around some certain observable behavioural criteria (1Cor5), and that exclusion from the fellowship meal was a significant boundary marker and mode of church discipline. The New Testament looks at the very least, a little more of a bounded set than Hirsch seems to allow. Secondly, there are issues with her assertion that sexual morality is a secondary issues around which Christians can simply agree to disagree; and that sexual conduct should not have any influence on fellowship. However 1 Corinthians seems to be written partly in order to refute such thinking, making sexual ethics a primary issue; not a matter of lesser importance. It is certainly not in the 'new moons and sabbaths' category of issues on which differing views are permitted. Finally Hirsch is insistent that there is an element of hypocrisy in the bounded-set church which selects sexuality as a boundary issue, while allowing all manner of greed and gossipping in under the radar. Of course, she is absolutely right about that. I'm not sure though, that her proposed solution, of abolishing the boundaries is what the New Testament would recommend. It's hard not to see 1 Cor 5&6 as promoting boundaries especially in sexual matters; not because sexual sins are more offensive to God than greed (Jesus makes it clear that greed is utterly abhorrent) but because these relational sins are notably damaging; perhaps because as relational sins, they are most damaging to community. Incidentally Galatians indicates some doctrinal boundaries too - it's not all about sex.

What Hirsch has in her favour is that she is seriously trying to work out what it means to welcome all manner of people into God's kingdom, without judging, without prejudice and without any sense of wanting to control people. She really believes that Jesus loves all, welcomes all and what people need most is His transforming presence in their lives. She is wonderfully able to combine her obvious devotion to Christ, and love of the Bible. with her many gay, lesbian and transgender members of her family and church; with whom she shares her life. No-one could read either Debra Hirsch's biography, or pleas to the church to be inclusive; and then seriously argue that everyone who seeks to follow the Bible's moral code is a hate-filled homophobe. Hirsch is so positively pro-gay in so many ways that conservative readers will be shocked; while radical proponents of queer theory will probably never forgive her personal decision to leave the gay lifestyle for biblical reasons.

Redeeming Sex is a disturbing read, a new angle on a debate which too often has the two sides lining up against one another; determined to shout, never to listen. As I have mentioned, the strength of the book lies in its coupling of serious and genuine discipleship, with open gracious warm-hearted love for all, and in that it is inspiring. Where it maybe stumbles is in squaring its proposals with the practicalities of New Testament instructions about the shape of church life. Either way, this book requires serious consideration by Christians who long to find a way of maintaining biblical fidelity without engaging in some unedifying US style culture-war, with all the nasty "them" and "us" connotations for which the self-righteous Pharisees were so slammed by Jesus. These are complex, and sensitive areas to which Hirsch makes an important contribution. Perhaps finally, it is as much her attitude, as her arguments which are so important.

Book Notes: God's Unwelcome Recovery by Sean Oliver-Dee

Sean Oliver-Dee has a central contention behind his book, "God's Unwelcome Recovery", and that is that the death of the church in UK has been predicted and proclaimed for ideological; not observational reasons. The book is short, and wide ranging and contains the following sections: (i) Statistics; in which the author shows that while the popular perception is of relentless decline, the actual figures are more complex. His analysis shows that  there are both areas of decline, but also areas of significant growth too, which more than offset the death-of-the-church narrative. (ii) Ideology; in which Oliver-Dee lines up the various forces making up the contemporary elites, from liberals to new atheists, and explains why they perpetuate the myth of inexorable church decline. (iii) Apologetics, in which Oliver-Dee rehearses some of the counter-arguments to the ideology driving his opponents (such as the secular view of progress, and science; and (iv) proposals for a Christian future.

The book is constantly, and deliberately counter-intuitive, which is what makes it interesting. It is though, a book of varied consistency and one which asks as many questions as it answers. The thing which had attracted me to the title initially was the statistical re-evaluation of the church in the UK, which I had heard it contained. I am far from being a competent statistician, but Oliver-Dee's claims here, probably need further exploration before they can be accepted as er... gospel. They do at least show good evidence for the wide variety in growth/decline patterns across the country, and the way in which the negative side of that picture is the only one to gain popular traction. The ideological section is interesting but perhaps is only the starting point for the discussion which seemed to me to leave a lot of powerful forces, such as consumer hyper-individualism, and cultural and religious pluralism, the loss of confidence in the 'west', and era of post-modern ascendancy undeveloped. The apologetic section was fair enough, but is far from being the best treatment of these issues, and so seemed a bit odd in the context of the flow of the book's argument. What was oddest of all however were the suggestions which Oliver-Dee seeks to draw from his analysis. Firstly he got sidetracked into a very esoteric discussion about disestablishment of the Church of England, and its relationship to church growth in the UK (more esoteric for those of us in Scotland, than down South, I suspect); this was then compounded by an obscure suggestion about adopting the German/Lutheran taxation system for church funding for its social role in communities. I was left wondering if the central contention of the book was lost behind such idiosyncratic discussions and suggestions. 

A full book-length treatment of the statistical patterns of church decline/health/growth across the UK, mapped by region, age, denomination, (etc), and a rigorous comparison of that reality with media coverage and popular perceptions of the church would be probably a more helpful way to develop Oliver-Dee's starting approach. The further he tracked away from his central thesis, the less useful his book became. If a future work were to take his research in that direction, it could be extremely valuable. As it stands, this book reads a little like a plea to turn a backward gaze to the last vestiges of Christendom. That though, I think, is a ship which has well and truly sailed.

Book Notes: A Better Story: God, Sex and Human Flourishing by Glynn Harrison

Glynn Harrison who was until recently Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Bristol, is also a Christian with orthodox/conservative Christian views about sexual ethics, family life and so forth. This unusual combination of expertise and convictions come together in his new, and rather unusual book: A Better Story. 

I think it is important to grasp who this book is aimed at, in order to appreciate the contribution it makes to these discussions; and understand what this book is not, as well as what it is. Beginning with the 'what it is not' then, A Better Story is not a detailed biblical or theological argument as to why Christians should continue to maintain their traditional ethics. Neither is it a defence of the procedure of deferring to the Bible, as the final authority for a Christian or a church's faith and practise. So, if you are looking for a book which engages with liberal theology (which seeks to move the ethical debate beyond the Bible), or with the 'evangelical left', and its radically revisionist readings of scripture; this is not the book for you. Rather, in these pages, Harrison writes for people who have reached broadly similar conclusions to himself about these foundational matters; but who are bewildered about how to relate to the contemporary world. 

Harrison manages to achieve these aims with great skill, combining serious academic rigour, with remarkably accessible language; while coupling orthodoxy with pastoral sensitivity. This makes the book worth reading in itself; however there is more. A Better Story isn't a church rule book, or a blue-print as to handle awkward ethical dilemmas in the life of the church. In fact, in his discussion of matters such as the case of a polygamous family who became Christians and sought to join a church; he demonstrates just how difficult these matters are. But this book is not a short-cut, which will offer a church a series of answers with which to avoid thinking; rather it is an invitation to think long and hard about what it means to be a biblical church in the particular circumstances in which we now find ourselves.

The book is divided into three sections, and within these, each chapter comes with a helpful summary at the end. These are especially useful for reminding the reader of the main points of earlier chapters, when the book moves so rapidly from one area to the next. 

Section One explains the so-called 'sexual revolution' not just in terms of social history, but also in philosophical and theological categories - including the re-emergence of Gnosticism, and the triumph of hyper-individualism, how moral systems are constructed and propagated, and the effects these changes have had on society and individuals.  A particularly fascinating chapter explains to the church how to adjust to being a 'cognitive minority'; who need to spend more effort in maintaining group ethos, than a previous generation of Christians who generally swam in cultural waters moving in the same direction as themselves.

Section Two begins with a critique of the church's dealing with sexual matters in the light of the sexual revolution he mapped out in section one. Interestingly, Harrison is not entirely negative in his assessment of all the changes brought about by the sexual revolution, noting that prior to it, the linking of sex with shame and secrecy was as unbiblical as what replaced it - and that the church was frequently complicit in this error. Then Harrison turns his attention to the effects of the sexual revolution revealing some interesting research which suggests that "the sexual revolution promised more and better sex, but failed to deliver". While sex might be more visible in the media, and all over social media, and society has become increasingly porn saturated; surveys suggest that the amount actual sex taking place, and people reporting sexual satisfaction is dropping. The value of, and decline in the institution of marriage is examined next, with an array of studies cited demonstrating the correlation of marriage with a whole host of benefits (without assuming crass cause and effects where they can't be demonstrated btw). One finding is of particular significance. Harrison notes that while the middle and upper-classes have led the liberal assault on the primacy of the marriage relationship and its historic definition; they continue to have higher rates of marital stability. On the other hand, the more vulnerable socio-economic groups have embraced this cultural shift, and failed to capitalise on all the demonstrable social goods that flow from the institution. Finally, in this section, Harrison turns his attention to the nature of identity - as it is today located in radically individualistic terms; and where the search for 'authenticity' is seen as a turning inwards to one's individual perception of their true-self; as opposed to an outward view in which external verification is sought, from biology, society, or God.

Section Three is where Harrison turns his attention to the distinctive Christian response to these issues; where the three subjects of the book's subtitle (God, Sex, Human Flourishing) come together. He develops several lines of argument, all of which are rich with ideas, insights and wisdom. His first task is to start with the basic Christian message, and to demonstrate the way in which the gospel provides a context and meaning for the whole of life; a big story of which the issues at hand are but a part. The concept of human flourishing which emerges here is that of redemption by Christ, and growth into his image, secure in his identity. Harrison then addresses how human sexuality is an important part of that flourishing, both as expressed in the covenant of marriage, and equally in the single life. Both, he demonstrates equally reflect different aspects of the gospel narrative, and the nature of God. As such, sexual desire should be shorn of any shame, and singleness of any social awkwardness, because both are important parts of what God planned for us, and things with which we glorify him. He moves on to look at the importance of marriage, family and church community as medium-level institutions, in which human flourishing is promoted. These are the opposite of the echo-chambers of social media where people mix in circles of people just like them; but where long-term relationships are forged with people we might not always choose! Then, he takes the church to task for failing to address this radically positive view of sexuality in the Christian life, (in other words only being known for what we are against), and states that every church should have a programme supporting marriage and parenting!

A thread running through all this material is that of the importance "story", of narratives which define the argument, which have more power than mere facts in moving and persuading people. By this, he doesn't just mean individual stories (important though they are), but also the narratives which are used to define debates, and interpret cultures. A dominant narrative today might be that we have finally thrown off the shackles of Christian guilt and can enjoy and explore sex more fully than previous generations. This is the sort of narrative that Harrison is challenging in this book; but he is anxious to tell us that we cannot do so just by quoting reports, and statistics alone - but that we need to construct and tell "a better story". On pages 180-182, he maps out what this better story might look like. It begins like this:

And continues, mapping out what a Christian and biblical view of human sexuality and flourishing looks like today, concluding with a repudiation of 'Christendom' style models of imposing our morality on others, in favour of a more gracious invitation to all to join us on this path.

For people and churches who share Harrison's core convictions, "A Better Story", is essential reading, as it is insightful, wise, scholarly, accessible, stirring to read and challenging the church both to faithfulness to its message and to repentance for its errors. It gives unusually clear access to complex areas of discussion and social analysis, without dumbing these issues down. It also gives orthodox Christians a great guide for beginning to think more engagingly and creatively about these difficult subjects. Christian morality will no doubt continue to be accused of being limiting, oppressive and immoral; but Harrison believes that it is enriching, and good for us all. For those who do not share Harrison's starting point, he provides a suggested reading list under various headings which explore these ideas in greater detail. This book deserves to be widely read - not least by revisionists who wish to move Christian ethics away from its biblical roots, and towards contemporary norms. Engaging with Harrison would be a helpful way for such folks to at least understand their opponents! The book also deserves to be widely read by those in broad agreement with Harrison; not least because doing so will help to prevent them either avoiding these issues and handing the ground by default to the wider culture, with all the problems that involves; but also because Harrison is a wise-guide in helping to ensure that such engagement will not be crass, controlling, or involve resurrecting the shame-culture of a bygone age.

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Glynn Harrison was Professor and Head of the Department of Psychiatry, University of Bristol, where he was also a Consultant Psychiatrist. He now researches and writes about the relationship between Christian  faith and psychology, neuroscience and psychiatry.

Film Notes: Spotlight

Spotlight is the 2015 film written by Tom McCarty and Josh Singer, about The Boston Globe's investigation into institutional child sexual abuse within the Roman Catholic Church in Massachusetts. Making a good film about journalism, which says something important, and does so in a compelling way is not easy. The most vivid newspaper stories are still essentially produced by a person sitting typing, with the resulting words being edited and spell-checked meticulously, which is hardly a spectator sport. Spotlight, however manages to make a gripping movie about the investigative and editorial process which led to the publication of a truly landmark piece of journalism.

The Spotlight team produced regular columns for The Globe, covering all manner of subjects, researched in substantial depth, sometimes over long periods of time. The film describes the way in which the team begin to unearth a series of sorry truths about the Catholic Church, the City of Boston and finally themselves. The investigation begins with a piece about a paedophile priest who was brought to trial, Fr John Geoghan. Interviews with victims suggest that he was not an isolated individual, but part of a large group of child-abusers who had infiltrated the church and used it as a means to access children to prey upon. Finally they unearth eighty-seven guilty names from within the Boston Archdiocese alone. Researching and publishing such grim truth turns out to be difficult, because the church was but one element of a Boston elite, who had spent decades ignoring the problem in the hope that it would go away. The city's legal system, is thoroughly implicated in the cover-up which Spotlight unearths, in which errant priests were moved from parish to parish to 'start-again', while pay-offs with gagging-clauses were agreed with any victim who spoke out. Perhaps as we have seen with Savile at the BBC in this country, there were countless people who knew, but did nothing. The final uncomfortable truth the Spotlight team discover is that they too had been sent information years before which they had failed to act upon; and that they too had been drawn into the web of silent cowardice in the face of power. This film concludes with both the abuse, and the institutional cover-up being exposed, leading to a massive shake-up of the church, the city, and the resignation of a Cardinal - and the phones ringing around the clock as countless further victims and survivors come forward.

In his book, Flat Earth News, Nick Davies argues that this is exactly the type of journalism we are fast losing, because dropping sales have meant falling revenues, which have led to slashed budgets, reduced staff and the regression into what he calls mere 'churnalism'. 'Churnalism' is the term he uses to describe dispirited overworked journalists merely hacking press releases into unchecked, unsubstantiated almost worthless copy. The obvious question is, who speaks truth to power today? The 'powers' have obviously changed, the days of churches being part of the cultural hierarchy are long gone; but the new managers of the zeitgeist, and moneyed classes today do not have brave journalistic teams holding them to account. Rather, the UK libel laws, seem rigged in favour of the rich to precisely prevent such scrutiny. If you want a detailed understanding of the way that journalism today is stifled in this way, read the section on 'money' in Nick Cohen's "You Can't Read This Book".

The roles of the core investigative team at Spotlight, are really well performed by Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, and Rachel McAdams. They benefit from good direction and editing, some very well observed set-design and era-appropriate details, and an exceptional script. There are a few especially telling moments in the film. Notable amongst these were some of the interviews with (now adult) victims, which were harrowing to watch. Not in terms of the lurid details, which are mostly referenced indirectly and handled with some care by the filmmakers. Some crime based films take a salacious delight in the horror of the offence, but Spotlight avoids this temptation; in order to more soberly consider the long-term effects of abuse upon its' survivors.

Within the movie the subject of 'spiritual abuse' is also raised but not really defined. There seem to be two aspects to this within the film. The first is that within Catholic theology, the priest is an intermediary between people and God, and so acts apparently with God's authority. Victims spoke of

being unable to fight back or resist as they had inculcated the idea that to resist a priest was to defy God. The second aspect of the spiritual abuse raised, is that abuse by the church robs people of their faith - something precious, defining which gives their lives meaning, which is ripped away from them. Mark Ruffallo and Rachel McAdams characters both indicate that this investigation marks the final end of their remaining Catholicism. Both of these issues are worthy of some comment, because the common theme which unites them is that the church is not God.

I write this review from the perspective of a Christian who believes that God does not mediate his grace to humanity through an institution; but through a person: Jesus Christ. The elevation of a priest into a divine mediatorial role, doesn't just give him the opportunity to abuse (though that is the context in this film), but to smear the good name of God with whatever faults the man or his institution has. We should note that such thinking can all to easily permeate churches who would not ever actually endorse such hierarchical theology and might even include some statement about the 'priesthood of all believers' in their basis of faith.  Presenting a veneer of respectability, hiding a morass of wickedness can cause nothing but long-lasting damage to the cause one is seeking to protect. Conversely truth is always liberating.

Spotlight then is a film which calls us not merely to disgust, anger or a knee-jerk anti-Catholicism. Rather, it demands that we do not hide wrongdoing, but call it out for what it is, both in ourselves and in powerful institutions wherever it occurs. Likewise, it demands that we are rigorous in all our child-protection procedures in churches, schools, youth-clubs, sports-clubs and the like as the damage done to individuals by systematic failures in this regard are appalling. Finally Spotlight calls us to seek a free, open press who can investigate the great, the good and the powerful, without fear.

Spotlight is a thought-provoking and disturbing film which exposes dark truths and does so, quite brilliantly.