I cannot squeeze time to post this week, apart from these few sentences. Weekend events and prep work as I write in the weekend itself. Then, Monday to Wednesday, our Clergy Conference is happening. Thursday some travel begins.
Prayer - as always - appreciated!
7 comments:
I appreciate that you normally do make time to post, +Peter.
Blessings and love of the Lord in it all.
While +Peter is conferencing, travelling, hopefully having a soak in the Methven pools, and perhaps uploading the occasional post here, can I recommend this UnHerd conversation - "Christian revival: Fantasy or reality?" - to ADU readers. Elizabeth Oldfield's observations and comments, in particular, made my heart leap for joy as they are very similar to what I observe in young and middle aged people in therapy...
https://www.youtube.com/live/V8PeSvLSF-Y?si=BDLwgCXlt7TfC6sA
I also felt uncomfortable with aspects of the above discussion. I feel uncomfortable with the sort of "Christian apologetics" that says "there is a God shaped hole in all of us" and Christianity offers the best answer to that hole. I think we need to be much more humble than that. Yes, people are longing for connection, meaning, a sense of unity, hope, wonder, and love in their lives (and in their planet!). Yes, they are more open to the 'metaphysical' or spiritual than past decades and ages. But there are many responses to this. We live in a deeply plural age. Many people find meaningful answers to this crisis in paths other than Christianity.
Perhaps, I think we need to say: I don't know what the Christian tradition can offer you. I can tell you what it's offered me, and many others in history. I'd like to help you find a meaningful way for you to connect in if you're intetested. There are many ways in - some drive me nuts, some capture my heart. I don't know what your soul will be drawn to or experience. You don't have to believe anything. You don't have to solve anything in your head first.
Also, you need to be discerning. Christianity has many ways of supporting us to grow into some very radical visions of possible life - love of neighbour as self, love of 'enemies'!, being 'poor of heart ', eternal life. Christians often stuff these up, or fall well short of what they're aiming for. But you know this.
I was glad Elizabeth said the Christian way is very hard! I think we have mostly failed disastrously to present it in any appealing way.
But thanks for the link, Mark, and your comments here. Fascinating!
This is an electrifying dialogue, referred to in the above UnHerd discussion...
Ayaan Hirsi Ali, a Somalian woman, survivor of female genital mutilation, former convert of the Muslim Brotherhood, and then one of the foremost proponents of 'the New Atheism', in dialogue with Richard Dawkins, her previous mentor, British scientist, atheist, and 'cultural Christian' (cultural Anglican?) *for the first time* since Ayaan sensationally converted to Christianity last year...
A shade of Saul becoming Paul, and so much more (I felt uncomfortable about the ground they shared, however - of equating fundamentalist Islam with the whole Muslim world and history)...
It's a long listen, but the first 30 minutes are electrical...
https://youtu.be/DbjHyz_7fCg?si=b6cAlDk3uXiZkxiC
Hi Mark, you mention being humble in terms of being Christian. Well, you should check this article out from the Nelson diocese https://www.nelsonanglican.nz/korero/prophecy-leading-up-to-pike-river This is Christian grandstanding of the highest order and I simply can’t believe that the diocese published this self serving piece. Surely if God can let a Vicar know through prophecy that he is going to be famous, then surely he can go one step further and forwarn of the impending disaster. This is absolutely horrific and distasteful! I cant believe the disrespect shown to those who lost love ones. Bishop Peter I implore you to raise this with the Nelson Diocese. Regards Thomas.
Hi Thomas
Yes, very little, almost nothing, in the article about the victims, the family of the victims, the devastation and loss -which seems the most morally and spiritually urgent part.
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