tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79029922024-03-08T03:28:05.767+00:00New Kid on the BlogFaith, writing, creativity & hope.Alastairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00117533964126439556noreply@blogger.comBlogger896125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7902992.post-26522227202411948202022-05-22T20:37:00.003+01:002022-05-22T20:37:23.803+01:00Spirituality in Community<p> Here's something I wrote for our Island's Newspaper </p><p><a href="https://www.timescolonist.com/blogs/spiritually-speaking/is-spirituality-a-personal-or-community-endeavour-5395366" target="_blank">Is Spirituality a Personal or Community endeavour?</a></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq_MieSLtJEYvAM7sIciHLKgx52n-oy3iqYc3mhEN7ne2Gt069Psk96E71uJps7NDGqUtpnmGjqBbCq9HPthQw024aN9O2NL1PNZJO7k8ahME60k2jY1iCOCSUW4H7rR6f_mGSHdpY8JnNDtoXmh0u9o6qaNzzOAevmPPPoGvxBqhaAQHMQZM/s5184/sincerely-media-dgxogexaxm8-unsplash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq_MieSLtJEYvAM7sIciHLKgx52n-oy3iqYc3mhEN7ne2Gt069Psk96E71uJps7NDGqUtpnmGjqBbCq9HPthQw024aN9O2NL1PNZJO7k8ahME60k2jY1iCOCSUW4H7rR6f_mGSHdpY8JnNDtoXmh0u9o6qaNzzOAevmPPPoGvxBqhaAQHMQZM/w400-h266/sincerely-media-dgxogexaxm8-unsplash.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@sincerelymedia?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">Sincerely Media</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com/s/photos/church-service?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">Unsplash</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p>Alastairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00117533964126439556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7902992.post-3330286860659601632022-05-03T20:49:00.003+01:002022-05-03T20:49:58.692+01:00Theology Bites - Bible 3<p> Another Bible reflection - one from a while back I had forgotten I posted! Really should have checked out my YouTube Channel!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="385" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_HMkH-lGzhs" width="463" youtube-src-id="_HMkH-lGzhs"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p>Alastairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00117533964126439556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7902992.post-58067746047119422332022-05-02T22:17:00.001+01:002022-05-02T22:17:08.248+01:00Theology Bites - Bible 2<p> A bit more on the Bible. I recorded this some months back, actually over a year ago, and didn't post it here! Ooops. </p><p>I think it follows on well from my last posting which I put up on YouTube earlier today - the title on YouTube is 'Bible Intro' </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="343" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-krp8STx7a0" width="578" youtube-src-id="-krp8STx7a0"></iframe></div><br />! <p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Alastairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00117533964126439556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7902992.post-27501284165747639772022-05-02T21:18:00.004+01:002022-05-02T21:18:52.532+01:00Theology Bites 5 - Bible 1<p> An introduction as to why I continue to find the Bible fascinating and full of depth... </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="373" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9hecUz0gLHU" width="506" youtube-src-id="9hecUz0gLHU"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p>Alastairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00117533964126439556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7902992.post-32023357413465354692020-10-14T22:00:00.003+01:002020-10-14T22:00:02.634+01:00Theology Bites 4 - More Jesus Thoughts. <p> Continuing the series - nearly there with what I have recorded so far! Some further thoughts on Jesus - there could be many many more, but I think there's only two more to come. Comments etc welcome!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KBbK0MfQn-M" width="320" youtube-src-id="KBbK0MfQn-M"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p>Alastairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00117533964126439556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7902992.post-6738720110868351032020-10-14T17:00:00.002+01:002020-10-14T17:00:06.786+01:00Theology Bites 3 - Jesus thinkings<p> Theology around Jesus is a whole discipline in itself, in fact called "Christology" - I can only dip into the ocean of words and thoughts on the subject, but even then (at about 8 minutes a video) I will have to divide these thoughts up into about three or four parts. So here's the first one relating to Christology - particularly to the ideas around what we call 'Incarnational Theology'</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_hC53M5DyP8" width="320" youtube-src-id="_hC53M5DyP8"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p>Alastairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00117533964126439556noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7902992.post-4066470129331958682020-10-14T02:30:00.001+01:002020-10-14T02:30:03.735+01:00Theology Bites 2<p>And here's a second short video about thinking theologically - none of this is definitive, nor do I claim to have a handle on it all, and as you may have seen in the first video, I sometimes stumble and need to backtrack (3 legged Stool vs Lambeth Quadrilateral, anyone?)</p><p>Anyway, again, likes and comments and reflections and discussions very much welcome.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/58jKGrtkxZ8" width="320" youtube-src-id="58jKGrtkxZ8"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p>Alastairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00117533964126439556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7902992.post-29973215647356165662020-10-13T22:34:00.007+01:002020-10-13T22:34:52.668+01:00Theology BitesOver the past few weeks I've been doing a few Facebook live videos with some theological reflections in them - initially in response to a friend asking for some simple, (hopefully) thought provoking and accessible, introductions to theological thinking. I have put them up on my YouTube channel, and thought I would share them here over the coming few days (or weeks knowing my usual blogging schedule!).<div><br /></div><div>I started off calling them 'Rambling Rector' - probably part of my overly self-effacing approach and my attachment to the 'bumbling Vicar' persona that at one time I thought served me well. I am not in that place any more, so I decided to call them (after the first few attempts) Theology Bites. I hope they offer some food for thought. Likes (on the YouTube Channel) and thoughts would be very welcome... </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MRYDx9HD-e0" width="320" youtube-src-id="MRYDx9HD-e0"></iframe></div><br /><div><br /></div>Alastairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00117533964126439556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7902992.post-57928096781696723812020-10-10T23:10:00.001+01:002020-10-10T23:10:47.023+01:00The spiritual practice of seeing through the lens of love<a href="https://www.timescolonist.com/opinion/blogs/spiritually-speaking/the-spiritual-practice-of-seeing-through-the-lens-of-love-1.24218709?fbclid=IwAR1zEokp_TTtQ4sIrm7HJHkI09S_dIwpAFgIcAOVXII73-UyljgII97qbjw">The spiritual practice of seeing through the lens of love</a>: What does it mean to be loving when we hold a different viewpoint to another?<br /><br />
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Here's some thinkings I put down for the Faith Forum Column in our local Newspaper today.Alastairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00117533964126439556noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7902992.post-13768265850199254522020-10-02T00:37:00.007+01:002020-10-02T00:53:17.253+01:00Danger! Skewed Narrative Ahead.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgH4bXPIzO7_rYb_OrIkcXPCnqK_2knhHY8BP-jWwTXGY7FAP3ONl0CRD8QQOzQV-VZSueMToQJt1J26ktdFlNWf2DcMWCtyV2C3JsANHsfN52qgSE6GZNP6nqJWnxPsGmngwYgg/s228/danger+ahead.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="201" data-original-width="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgH4bXPIzO7_rYb_OrIkcXPCnqK_2knhHY8BP-jWwTXGY7FAP3ONl0CRD8QQOzQV-VZSueMToQJt1J26ktdFlNWf2DcMWCtyV2C3JsANHsfN52qgSE6GZNP6nqJWnxPsGmngwYgg/s16000/danger+ahead.jpg" /></a>So often in the Church, indeed in life, I see people taking sides, getting polarised, creating division. More often than not we hear false equivalence or other logical fallacy as the basis of this - stuff like "if you're liberal/conservative/whatever you can't believe/do x" or "if you're Christian you can't think y" or the joy of "if you really cared about y you can't do x" <div><br /></div><div>What this so often stems from is a failure of imagination, an inability to see a different way of thinking or doing from your own, or a lack of empathy with others. Chimamanda Adichie describes this as the danger of a Single Story and it is the basis of racial and cultural prejudice and misunderstanding, a cause of division, and a barrier to progress and co-operation. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/D9Ihs241zeg" width="320" youtube-src-id="D9Ihs241zeg"></iframe></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>We have such issues in our church communities all the time. With regards to sexuality and gender identity I so often hear "if you believe in the Bible you will think...." With regards to social justice advocacy or social action we are told "if you're part of the church you'll only do 'spiritual' things". Even within individual spiritual communities we find ourselves trapped into single narratives with each side unwilling or unable to hear or understand the other. We have something of this in a current situation in my community with a group of people saying 'if you don't do this thing, then you are showing you don't care' - without considering that there is working going on already by people who care deeply, who working hard to create a solution - but that there is more than one story going on. </div><div><br /></div><div>So often a narrative becomes dominant and pushes away any attempt at listening, at reasoning, at seeing through a different lens. It is at times like this that structures break and communities split. It's actually much harder to listen, to respond, to empathise, and to commit to working in community even if there is disagreement and discord. </div>Alastairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00117533964126439556noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7902992.post-33283013354187805512020-06-23T23:27:00.001+01:002020-06-23T23:27:44.418+01:00Dil Se . Cover , Benny Dayal, Rukmini Vijayakumar<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/s87VOQx8t78" width="480"></iframe><br /><br />
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There's so much life and vibrancy in this dance and in this classic Bollywood song re-visioned by Benny Dayal. I've been watching it repeatedly for the past two weeks, it's just beautiful.<br /><br />
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Admittedly, I've watched it enough times to see that Benny's spectacles really need cleaning. And to love the moment where the butterfly flutters past Rukmini.<br /><br />
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Also, if you want to watch the full band version, it's available <a href="https://youtu.be/lmQGalPGD2M" target="_blank">here </a>- recorded, as is necessary in these days of pandemic, in the different homes of the musicians. Along with the dance on Rukmini's rooftop terrance.<br /><br />
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Listen again? Don't mind if I do, ta.Alastairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00117533964126439556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7902992.post-24584489623335037712020-06-23T22:34:00.003+01:002020-06-23T22:37:15.077+01:00So today I got blocked<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_2idQ8UnCMRdZXEO3v30eOsKqiSuudqJbwKpqZEOO3-4xlQmsD5C88b6HYnztOmmzmXR8Qo49ElLSQ5pY9wRVqKzP_OozjDE7hvjB5jzVABOGohcUMXiwyNF-478_IjZpsbNgcg/s2592/20191018_172208_051.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_2idQ8UnCMRdZXEO3v30eOsKqiSuudqJbwKpqZEOO3-4xlQmsD5C88b6HYnztOmmzmXR8Qo49ElLSQ5pY9wRVqKzP_OozjDE7hvjB5jzVABOGohcUMXiwyNF-478_IjZpsbNgcg/w256-h192/20191018_172208_051.jpg" width="256" /></a></div>Hi - remember me, and that Jan 3rd posting about blogging daily? Well, that hasn't worked out too well. So I am back, hopefully with some ideas to be kicking around and getting responses to. As I've mentioned before I do blog every now and then on our Church website <a href="www.stjohnthedivine.bc.ca ">St John the Divine Anglican Church</a> - in fact I did managed an Art blog every day through Lent there, and I do get to write for the local paper's <a href="https://www.timescolonist.com/opinion/blogs/spiritually-speaking-1.61091" target="_blank">Spiritually Speaking</a> every few months with an article in the print edition and a blog post follow up.<div><br /></div><div>I'm also doing the usual round of preaching, speaking, leading etc, even in these Pandemic times - and there's daily prayers on our website and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/StJohnVicBC/">Facebook Page</a>, and our Sunday Services are livestreamed to our <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/StJohntheDivineVicBC">YouTube</a> page. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZooyzMElklZfOICRO0oqc5qWHRTK_tPYNICBrLmla_Ge6EKO-SaZ_hX-XijHoxxco2W0E_YEH1RRW1-_XpD8quLmYmxdkaCCRq2ObpCwbrP5avHbE6b16AvvwRfjU3-4gLSRNNg/s583/dT7AkEbT9.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="438" data-original-width="583" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZooyzMElklZfOICRO0oqc5qWHRTK_tPYNICBrLmla_Ge6EKO-SaZ_hX-XijHoxxco2W0E_YEH1RRW1-_XpD8quLmYmxdkaCCRq2ObpCwbrP5avHbE6b16AvvwRfjU3-4gLSRNNg/w256-h192/dT7AkEbT9.png" width="256" /></a></div>So it's quiet here, but I am not quiet. As my wife will probably tell you if you ask! </div><div><br /></div><div>That aside - why the sudden urge to post? </div><div><br /></div><div>Well <b>#BlackLivesMatter </b>and so does truth, and today I saw on a page a posting by someone who clearly doesn't check sources, or indeed doesn't want to check sources, which shared (from a right-wing propaganda site) a story that said Black Lives Matter wanted statues of Jesus torn down. It's a lie. It's simply not true that a movement which has no central organising committee, no structures, no formal leadership but is made up of people seeking to spread a message of racial justice and protest the mistreatment of BIPOC persons by law enforcement has made such a statement. There may be members of the movement that would like to see the overwhelmingly inaccurate portrayals of Jesus as a white man removed, but BLM doesn't make such pronouncements, and to say that is as false and misleading as saying that 'ANTIFA' has made a declaration of any kind. </div><div><br /></div><div><img border="0" data-original-height="188" data-original-width="282" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Rk_xBDUDp8s9mO76gHpS8QgwDa-Ps-8QyTcF_3JKQ8di-R1sbBX8PpGYAs-yQntpVDxkrHcgc-da0CyBZ1shVGegQKysW6cvc9xqnoU1uLZhxwImIIBaYPZSPVbXvkjhL6u8kQ/w181-h120/OIP.jpg" width="181" />So I responded that this was right-wing BS, and that it was best to check sources before sharing. And this Facebook 'Friend', Rob, responded with "My page, my opinions. Leave Azhol" and blocked me. No discussion, nor chance to respond, no attempt to engage. Just blocked. </div><div>Two things I should say here before I continue. Firstly I have no idea who Rob is, he sent me a friend request some while back and seeing that we had a number of mutual friends I said yes. I hadn't noticed any racist, or noticably stupid, posts from him before so he just sat there in my friends list. </div><div>Secondly, I have a very broad approach to accepting friends on Facebook - I can get up to twenty requests a day, and some days I say yes to most, sometimes it takes a while longer to work out if this is a good idea. If I know someone, then it's usually a yes straight away - even if they might hold different views of the world to me, even if they are of a very different political stripe to me. I do hope not to live life in an echo chamber of my own making. I also have, since the beginning of my social media involvemen, realised that I am a relatively public figure - Clergy in the UK are pretty much 'public property' in the mind of most people, and I decided to embrace that in my professional role, and steer clear of sharing too much personal information on social media; very few of my posts are private, most are sharable, and though I will mention my family and share the occasional picture of them, I don't give out a lot of detail about them. Like in the rest of my ministerial/work life, I seek to be as open as I can be to others. </div><div><br /></div><div>Having said all that - this guy Rob had friended me, and though we'd not interacted, I had assumed that some kind of dialogue would be possible. Not so much.</div><div><br /></div><div>And this is what disturbs me (finally, the reason for this post, I hear you think) - when challenged on the truth of the story he shared, it wasn't a case of responding with 'this story is true', or (as I have done when challenged) going away and checking up again on the source and the reason behind the posting. It was simply that his opinion was more important than anything that might be verifiably true or not. The piece he shared was basically a piece of propaganda from an organisation with a racist agenda, it wasn't news, though it was shared as such. And when it was challenged, I was cut off. </div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpEeuqRvuLbOZVvfyH0vdFv7jX7zqLk4KD3fVCE3I7NobJfihgabGNWUZVbUx-hmiAy9Bej7nGyB6FrtcvVWHI_S7WwKggQ-kJlmUGHs_1ZO2QtRHODZ9H8xizUT68EN74cGYJ6Q/s380/Angry-Typing-Man.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="277" data-original-width="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpEeuqRvuLbOZVvfyH0vdFv7jX7zqLk4KD3fVCE3I7NobJfihgabGNWUZVbUx-hmiAy9Bej7nGyB6FrtcvVWHI_S7WwKggQ-kJlmUGHs_1ZO2QtRHODZ9H8xizUT68EN74cGYJ6Q/s320/Angry-Typing-Man.gif" width="320" /></a></div></div><div><br /></div><div>Don't get me wrong, I am happy to be out of what would have been completely wasted time in conversation, there was no room for dialogue so I am glad to be excluded early on in the process. And I know that opinion trumps fact in this age of post-truth - but having had someone connect with me on facebook (facebook.com/alastair.mccollum) it's pretty clear what I stand for and where I come from; my faith, my commitment to justice, affirmation of all people, celebrating diversity and challenging exclusion and oppression. So why connect? And if you post something that is simply wrong, by which I mean it's easily verifiable as fake, how can you then be so offended, so fragile, as to cut off any challenge to that? I know I wasn't the only one who responded to the posting of the article, before I was kicked off I saw a number of people challenge the premise of the whole thing - were we all blocked?</div><div><br /></div><div>Long story short, kind of. I'm actually kind of proud to have been blocked by someone who is (perhaps unconsciously) racist for challenging a racist article. But I am always saddened by inability to dialogue or listen to contrary opinion - not that I am ever going to be open to racist opinion, to be honest. And in conclusion I offer three illustrations which I think sum up how we should engage in these things, three pictures shared on facebook this morning - if anyone knows who created them please let me know as I would like to credit them.</div><div><br /></div><div>Peace and blessings to you, love and grace be with you. I will try to call back soon. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaPwsmIyFsd2dvCJbWiX01atHqHxmSimx6GXv8SMz30ZgdF3J5yfC_swMJWoC7rN0AmskG52kvzIpdjPGZwICa-3jxZIh2Xla-QtTpuxjejEjeJFo5oAT-WeS5amEPLboYyoV6AA/s828/just+to+be+clear+racism+exists.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="808" data-original-width="828" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaPwsmIyFsd2dvCJbWiX01atHqHxmSimx6GXv8SMz30ZgdF3J5yfC_swMJWoC7rN0AmskG52kvzIpdjPGZwICa-3jxZIh2Xla-QtTpuxjejEjeJFo5oAT-WeS5amEPLboYyoV6AA/s320/just+to+be+clear+racism+exists.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2dkgoEns8bUAg8dbCviWmvANllfbX6LglDR7gwN_hTx3KtQHdchUcYFJ_yF19KOl_RemSSsZkLjTnryHjF2rWKd1lHZQh0Z6-Zyvn1mm3opIzfum8e6qeoZdIk69E5WfXWGxdzQ/s828/just+to+be+clear+hard+conversations.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="826" data-original-width="828" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2dkgoEns8bUAg8dbCviWmvANllfbX6LglDR7gwN_hTx3KtQHdchUcYFJ_yF19KOl_RemSSsZkLjTnryHjF2rWKd1lHZQh0Z6-Zyvn1mm3opIzfum8e6qeoZdIk69E5WfXWGxdzQ/s320/just+to+be+clear+hard+conversations.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMtPR1u-Yeeron2aw1QwRBJz6_cBd4XftSLs1VBHfpIjWFj8PPoBAmUwD2ZoS1IDse9ewBkchyubfL-nyyMDmfCpTHfkUCk12_6zNjzc-k0V703q1OqHTIMSj6pE6bafTvHw_fHA/s828/just+to+be+clear+opinions.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="828" data-original-width="828" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMtPR1u-Yeeron2aw1QwRBJz6_cBd4XftSLs1VBHfpIjWFj8PPoBAmUwD2ZoS1IDse9ewBkchyubfL-nyyMDmfCpTHfkUCk12_6zNjzc-k0V703q1OqHTIMSj6pE6bafTvHw_fHA/s320/just+to+be+clear+opinions.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Alastairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00117533964126439556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7902992.post-4391184611947639662020-01-07T01:19:00.000+00:002020-01-07T01:19:02.169+00:00A Poem For EpiphanyJust to keep things going - here's a poem from TS Eliot for this day of Epiphany<br />
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<span style="color: #141823; font-family: Georgia, Palatino, serif; font-size: 23px;">The Journey Of The Magi</span><br />
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Just the worst time of the year<br />For a journey, and such a long journey:<br />The ways deep and the weather sharp,<br />The very dead of winter.'<br />And the camels galled, sorefooted, refractory,<br />Lying down in the melting snow.<br />There were times we regretted<br />The summer palaces on slopes, the terraces,<br />And the silken girls bringing sherbet.<br />Then the camel men cursing and grumbling<br />and running away, and wanting their liquor and women,<br />And the night-fires going out, and the lack of shelters,<br />And the cities hostile and the towns unfriendly<br />And the villages dirty and charging high prices:<br />A hard time we had of it.<br />At the end we preferred to travel all night,<br />Sleeping in snatches,<br />With the voices singing in our ears, saying<br />That this was all folly.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /></div>
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Then at dawn we came down to a temperate valley,<br />Wet, below the snow line, smelling of vegetation;<br />With a running stream and a water-mill beating the darkness,<br />And three trees on the low sky,<br />And an old white horse galloped away in the meadow.<br />Then we came to a tavern with vine-leaves over the lintel,<br />Six hands at an open door dicing for pieces of silver,<br />And feet kicking the empty wine-skins.<br />But there was no information, and so we continued<br />And arriving at evening, not a moment too soon<br />Finding the place; it was (you might say) satisfactory.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /></div>
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All this was a long time ago, I remember,<br />And I would do it again, but set down<br />This set down<br />This: were we led all that way for<br />Birth or Death? There was a Birth, certainly<br />We had evidence and no doubt. I had seen birth and death,<br />But had thought they were different; this Birth was<br />Hard and bitter agony for us, like Death, our death.<br />We returned to our places, these Kingdoms,<br />But no longer at ease here, in the old dispensation,<br />With an alien people clutching their gods.<br />I should be glad of another death.</div>
Alastairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00117533964126439556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7902992.post-55607794372398431682020-01-03T01:16:00.001+00:002020-01-03T01:16:27.747+00:00New Year - New Blogging?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So I had the big idea of blogging every day - which would be something of a revolution considering I've only managed to blog about three times in the last year, but as you may have noticed, it's January 2nd, so I've already missed that boat...<br />
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So I'm going to try and blog every day I am at work and in the office. If that happens it'd be a minor miracle, but am setting my sights high and hoping to share some thinking, some music, some art, some words which I hope will reflect a little of the life that is happening here in Victoria, BC, particularly at the Anglican Church of St John the Divine and in my own journey.<br />
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Let's see how that goes.<br />
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So, all best wishes for the new year in the Gregorian Calendar, may your 2020 be a place of growth, love, hope, and joy.<br />
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<br />Alastairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00117533964126439556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7902992.post-2933217127866951922019-12-12T21:42:00.002+00:002019-12-12T21:42:13.780+00:00Judgement<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I spoke Tuesday at the <a href="https://www.christchurchcathedral.bc.ca/" target="_blank">Christ Church Cathedral, Victoria</a> 12-Step Recovery Service, and as I am unlikely to share this elsewhere thought I would come back to this blog and leave it here...<br />
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Based on <a href="http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=443184448" target="_blank">Psalm 96</a> and <a href="http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=443113769" target="_blank">Matthew 18:12-14</a><br />
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<b>Judgement</b></h4>
I got to indulge my overacting ability last week when I was asked to come in and play John the Baptist in a school assembly here in the Cathedral for the school next door. After shocking a few of the tots by shouting ‘Repent – the kingdom of God is at hand’ as I walked in wearing a hairy poncho of some kind, I was asked questions by the children which I was asked by the teacher to answer as if I was in character. One of those questions was a very astute one – is God angry at us? It comes from John’s quote to the pharisees in the book of Matthew ‘you hypocrites, who told you could flee from the wrath to come.’.<br />
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And it’s not a bad question. It certainly seems that in some streams of what is broadly called the Christian tradition that God seems very angry indeed. Angry at people for being gay, not-white, for being women, for being (apparently) immoral. In fact there is a famous protestant book by colonial preacher Jonathan Edwards called ‘sinners in the hands of an Angry God’ upon which some traditions seem to base their whole philosophy.<br />
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And, yes, it seems sometimes that God has every right to be angry – the way we treat one another as human beings, the genocides, the inequality, the oppression, war and violence, hatred, racism, enmity. The Theologian Miroslav Volf in his excellent book "Free of Charge" said that having experienced the inhumanity of the Balkan wars and Genocides he could understand why the Christian Tradition does talk of the Wrath of God. <br />
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At the school my response was that God's anger isn't directed at us, always expecting us to do bad things and being angry at us - the anger of God is kindled by injustice, by systems and actions which oppress and dehumanise; when we talk of the wrath of God we aren't talking about God thinking you are very bad and need punishing, but God's love of justice and righteousness.<br />
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Which leads into my reflections today - at this time of year, as we are in the season of anticipation and waiting called Advent, there is much talk of the return of Jesus to come and judge the world. Judgement is a common theme in the traditional observance of Advent. I could spend a lot of time talking about what the end of the world means in the Bible and what Jesus coming again might mean but I’m not going to as I want to stick with that theme of Judgement - particularly as we consider the end of our Psalm today. This theme links to the John the Baptist image I began with, and to one of the great themes of Advent, and is one which is a much misunderstood idea in our faith.<br />
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When we think of Judgement, we often do think of that idea of a judge sitting up there, above us, over us, dishing out punishment. It’s a very western image of the judge as the one who decides right and wrong, and punishes those who transgress the law. It comes from the Roman way of justice, where it was thought that one person could be separate, objective enough if he (and it was a he) was well versed in the law and was a fine and upstanding member of society.<br />
It’s actually very patriarchal, very much concerned with status and with being detached and above. It’s not how Jesus would have seen judgement, it’s not how judges worked in the Hebrew traditions which our Scriptures come from.<br />
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Judges in the Hebrew Bible came from the community, they were one of the people and remained one of the people. They existed to be alongside, to discern what was best for the people and for the community. They didn’t seek to punish, they sought to create order and harmony and keep God’s values of justice and wholeness at the heart of God’s people’s life together. A judge was your neighbour, someone with your best interests at heart – someone more like an advocate than a superior.<br />
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A judge, and later on in Israel’s story, the king, was meant to be the one who created and maintained balance, with compassion and loving-kindness. Which is why the leaders of Israel, including the kings, are often referred to as shepherds. Shepherds were strong, but caring. They guided the flock, but they lived amongst them and protected and nurtured them.<br />
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Which is why in today’s Psalm we read something which might seem odd<br />
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“<b><i>Let all creation rejoice before the LORD,</i></b> for he comes, he comes to judge the earth.<br />He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his faithfulness."</blockquote>
Why would creation rejoice if judgement is (as we often think) punitive? Because God’s judgement is <i>not against us, it is for us</i>. God is not looking to punish, but to restore, to create a community in which all have a place and all are welcome – a community of healing, a community of reconciliation, a community of recovery, a community of gracious loving-kindness.<br />
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Which is why Jesus talks so often of God as being like a shepherd – not judging the sheep for running off, but looking for it, welcoming it, bringing it back to the community of care and safety.<br />
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So, when we think of God the judge, we are not called to think of someone who is above us, but alongside us. Who is not seeking to punish, but to embrace us, welcome us back, lead us in the way of healing and health. Christ, who as one of us showed us the way of love, judges with grace and love – for indeed, why should the one who gave up his life, and prayed even for those who caused him pain and suffering, suddenly become obsessed with exacting vengeance. Come home, says the righteous judge, come into the circle of healing and hope. A place of wholeness, of shalom.<br />
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Alastairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00117533964126439556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7902992.post-79963164351346481162019-09-23T20:51:00.002+01:002019-09-23T20:51:59.018+01:00In the end....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Alastairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00117533964126439556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7902992.post-37116234041641008382019-09-12T18:40:00.000+01:002019-09-12T18:40:54.130+01:00A Relationship With God Begins With Each Other And the Earth!Here's the second article I wrote for our local Times Colonist newspaper. I think I'll reproduce the whole thing here - but do go have a look at the site, there's lots of interesting and stimulating pieces on the Spiritually Speaking Blog from a variety of contributors. Link <a href="https://www.timescolonist.com/opinion/blogs/spiritually-speaking/discovering-a-relationship-with-god-through-community-1.23942362" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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Over the weekend it was, as always, my privilege to publish some thoughts in Faith Forum under the title ‘Finding God is not as hard as you might think”.</div>
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I’ve been grateful to those in my own faith community of The Anglican Church of St John the Divine who responded with encouragement to the ‘thinking out loud’ that makes up such articles, as well as those who on social media have shared, replied, and offered thoughtful reflection on what I wrote. One response, however, has particularly stuck with me, asked at the social time following our Church service on Sunday – “I really liked what you said about finding God, but what I really want to know is how to have a relationship with God.”</div>
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Now there’s a challenge. </div>
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I mean, what is a ‘relationship with God’ to begin with? And why would anyone want one? And what would that mean? Do you get to go out to the cinema together, or take a trip to Salt Spring for the day? Do you have to go to Church, or synagogue, or Mosque, or Gurdwara, or Temple, or wherever, together? Is there a cake?</div>
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Flippant responses, I know, and I’m not trying to deflect from the importance of the question, nor from how important this question of relating to the Divine is to many people both those within and without the boundaries of any form of institutional religion. I do believe, however, that we have to begin by asking exactly what we think a relationship with God is. I suspect that many people think in terms of rules to follow, and certain ways of dressing/behaving/eating – but these aren’t signs of a relationship with God, they are, I believe, signs of either a desire to be in relationship with God, or an expression of what that relationship means. </div>
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I relate to God through the stories, traditions, rituals and teachings of the faith community of which I am a part – the Christian tradition, and in particular that expression which is Anglicanism. It isn’t a perfect expression, and the institution of the Church is often a disappointing, painful, and at worse destructive, one. But the community of which I am part, roots itself in the stories of faith handed down from our ancestors, and from the early Church of two millennia ago, and back into the history of the Jewish faith, and seeks to live and interpret those stories for today. In this way I find language to talk about God, and to understand a little of how I believe God opens Godself to me, and to all, and reaches out in love to everyone. Others may find that interpretation in different faith traditions, and in other places of spiritual and social connection. I am convinced that there is not only one way to understand or meet God, and I’m suspicious of any group that claims to have exclusive rights on how to talk about or bring others to meet God!</div>
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For my part, I am most aware of sharing my life with the Divine when I am sharing my life with others – this relationship can be found in the sacred meal of Holy Communion; in sharing bread and wine with all who come to our church community. It’s when we sit in silence together in our lunchtime meditative Eucharist, it’s when we gather for Communion on a Wednesday morning before breakfast, or when we meet in book groups and discussions, and as staff, or a Parish Church Council. Likewise it’s when we have social events: jazz evenings with our friends from the Cathedral, barbeques and potlucks, musical evenings, coffee time. </div>
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But this isn’t just a ‘church’ experience - it’s also as I spend time wandering around Mason Street and Pandora Avenue, where our community is situated, and meet all kinds of people; it’s as I spend time at Dance shows with Sabina, my wife; it’s when chatting in the local pub with friends; it’s singing at Karaoke on View St; it’s time at Theology on Tap discussing deeper issues of faith and living; it’s helping move chairs to set up for a meeting; it’s taking part in the Pride Parade in Victoria, or on Salt Spring Island (as I did for the first time this year, it was amazing), or supporting my wife in her new role as a politician. All this and more reminds me that when we live in compassionate relationship, open to one another and growing through encounter, we are in relationship with the Divine. If you’re the type that likes a Bible quote to back this up, when Jesus was asked the greatest, most important, part of the spiritual law he responded with (and I’ve said this often before) “The first commandment is love God with all your heart, soul, strength, mind, and the second one is like it, love your neighbour as yourself.” In the act of loving our neighbour we are loving God, and in the act of loving and taking care of ourselves, we are loving God also.</div>
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It isn’t by any means the only way of knowing and relating to the Divine – a walk along Dallas road, going out on the canoe on Cadboro Bay, sitting on the Ferry through the Gulf Islands to Vancouver all allow me to stop, pray, take time, and seek perspective on life which, to me, is an encounter and growing in relationship with God. Times of silence, with no distractions give me a chance to be alone with God just as I can spend time sitting in companionable silence with any friend. An evening with a good book, enjoying a beautiful piece of music, or a concert from the Victoria Baroque Society (which is fortunately located at St John’s!), a wonderful theatrical performance, dance, or movie, all give opportunity to open myself to the Divine flow and seek meaning in my journey.</div>
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But being in community reminds me that this whole enterprise is not just about me. It’s about all of us being made in the image of God, and that in, even the most unexpected, the Divine spark is present. I do believe that the challenge of being in community, as well as its joys, is part of how we encounter and relate to God – and the calling to love even those whom society considers to be without value, or who are struggling with mental health or addiction issues, who are not immediately attractive, who are difficult, is part of learning to not just see God, but encounter, and be in relationship, and be transformed by the Divine.</div>
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A relationship with the Divine is, in the Christian tradition, not only about what I gain (peace, a sense of hope and love, and being loved, a move towards wholeness and healing, amongst other things) but about what I am called to give to the world – to be a person of integrity, standing for justice, speaking out for what is right, being a part of caring for the world, of caring for the climate, of caring for other, to work together with others for equity and that which is right, to welcome all to be a part of community without any barriers, to love even those who we are told are unlovely and unlovable. Jesus called this ‘discipleship’, which comes from the same root as ‘discipline’ – just as we must make time for others when we are in relationship with them, just as we learn to listen and be changed by our friendships, our partnerships, our family relationship, so being in relationship with the Divine is about listening, being open, finding how God speaks to us, and being willing to be transformed in the process.</div>
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And if we are seeking relationship with God, we can be confident in one thing above all – we are all loved, wholly, completely, utterly. Knowing ourselves loved is the most liberating and exciting thing that any of us can experience. We can learn about that when we are in a relationship with others in community, and when we look around at all that there is and realise that the air we breathe, the sun, the sea, the sky, the mountains, trees, and even the dirt under our feet is a gift, freely given by the Divine who loves us and welcomes us into partnership in caring for this wonderful world.</div>
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Alastairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00117533964126439556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7902992.post-30759417969913332292019-09-11T17:45:00.000+01:002019-09-11T20:37:08.576+01:00Thinking out loud in print!Here's an article I wrote last week for the local paper, the Times Colonist. Rather than putting the full text here I'm going to put the link up and invite y'all to go visit!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuHyxODmhF9GZOYGoJn8uyT9ihlKB8rdlolaB_71bA0BJbY2Bh28QIAKGtMUaiFWNfsUZymG4VhCqYxa9ADl8t29qzjpQBFPec01g_idQJbYMTiFNF0GjwgmhIL1Dxzt576WEPfQ/s1600/nature.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuHyxODmhF9GZOYGoJn8uyT9ihlKB8rdlolaB_71bA0BJbY2Bh28QIAKGtMUaiFWNfsUZymG4VhCqYxa9ADl8t29qzjpQBFPec01g_idQJbYMTiFNF0GjwgmhIL1Dxzt576WEPfQ/s320/nature.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.timescolonist.com/opinion/blogs/spiritually-speaking/finding-god-is-not-as-hard-as-you-think-1.23939156">https://www.timescolonist.com/opinion/blogs/spiritually-speaking/finding-god-is-not-as-hard-as-you-think-1.23939156</a>Alastairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00117533964126439556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7902992.post-22977323939656813372019-08-21T02:14:00.000+01:002019-08-21T02:14:37.971+01:00Let us not grow weary of doing what is rightSo time to share a sermon, this one from July 7th, to give a little background to where my thinking processes have moved to since I regularly wrote here sooooo long ago, and to give an idea of where I think we should be going, as a church, as people of God, and as those who seek to follow Christ...<br />
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With our new church website I can't embed it here, but here's the link:<br />
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<a href="https://www.stjohnthedivine.bc.ca/podcasts/media/2019-07-07-let-us-not-grow-weary-of-doing-what-is-right">https://www.stjohnthedivine.bc.ca/podcasts/media/2019-07-07-let-us-not-grow-weary-of-doing-what-is-right</a>Alastairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00117533964126439556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7902992.post-16587692005398904172019-07-31T18:04:00.002+01:002019-07-31T18:04:24.850+01:00A change of pace<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
One of my recently discovered new favourite songs:</div>
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Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats - You Worry Me</h4>
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<br />Alastairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00117533964126439556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7902992.post-55183755524520517782019-07-31T00:35:00.000+01:002019-12-12T21:46:58.719+00:00Triggers, Theology, Spirituality <div class="tr_bq" dir="ltr">
So, I got married recently...and it was wonderful, particularly as I got to marry a wonderful, super smart, big hearted, beautiful woman. </div>
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The ceremony was in church, which was not our original plan (Elvis in Vegas, or a Marriage Commissioner on the beach) - but Sabina graciously allowed us to mark this auspicious occasion in a place special to me, amongst a community I love and who have been overwhelmingly supportive of me, in a way that was deeply meaningful to me. This was indeed gracious as my now-wife is from a Sikh culture and has less-than-positive experience of the institutional church having spent time as a child in a Catholic and (not always tolerant) Anglican School setting. </div>
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I worked with my Bishop in forming a service based on the interfaith liturgy of the Anglican Church of Canada, we were blessed with a speaker who is one of North America's foremost Comparative Religion scholars and who wove together Sikh and Christian tradition in a profound and thoughtful sermon, we inclusivised all references to the Divine and created what seemed to be a broad, yet substantial, service. </div>
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But at the rehearsal I discovered a point of discomfort for my wife-to-be, and it turns out a number of others, a prayer I'd included not without thinking, but without realising the way it made people feel, the prayer known as 'The Lord's Prayer' (as it was taught by 'the Lord Jesus', or 'The Disciples' Prayer' (as it was taught to the Disciples of Jesus and is used by those of us who call ourselves disciples now), or the 'Our Father' (The opening words, or in Latin 'Pater Noster'). </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSyZQtqCZhmmNs01ftHa0G0Wu5Mc3zT_UManRtVtaaYWSOrg3aonKLlPCQz5IW_g8N5cdW8eCbiv79ikVYXGQxaAgx_hDwotlhSzMTT7l8cuwWDM_QJDBJ6DSVot9xfuXmcx7WSw/s1600/our+father.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="767" data-original-width="1024" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSyZQtqCZhmmNs01ftHa0G0Wu5Mc3zT_UManRtVtaaYWSOrg3aonKLlPCQz5IW_g8N5cdW8eCbiv79ikVYXGQxaAgx_hDwotlhSzMTT7l8cuwWDM_QJDBJ6DSVot9xfuXmcx7WSw/s320/our+father.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
This prayer is a trigger because it links with what can only be described as oppressive or abusive behaviours by religious figures who forced children to learn it (and others) by rote, and threatened with promises of hellfire and damnation those who could not recite such prayers parrot fashion on command - even those of other faith traditions, or none, who were also being taught their own inadequacy or exclusion from 'the faithful'. As such the 'Our Father' has become a summary of such negative emotion for many people.<br />
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And yet for me, it is a prayer of intimacy and freedom, of unity and love. For me, not having had these negative experiences, and being the beneficiary of privilege which allowed me to feel included in the usage of such a prayer and not excluded I had no idea of the negativity behind including it in the form it was used in my own marriage service.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHw9WieCcFqzXcQI0acAv9Ke0foGDvvwbM941_8w16wz5OG8bK2QCkMH70c-qau1f9Zwssg3lJ_vcBysR5fBGXts6_SKinn-55nDVoPlzJtNWdz7xksEcdXA4in-G8XMWkgVHkEw/s1600/our+father+image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="163" data-original-width="308" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHw9WieCcFqzXcQI0acAv9Ke0foGDvvwbM941_8w16wz5OG8bK2QCkMH70c-qau1f9Zwssg3lJ_vcBysR5fBGXts6_SKinn-55nDVoPlzJtNWdz7xksEcdXA4in-G8XMWkgVHkEw/s320/our+father+image.jpg" width="320" /></a>Which causes me to stop and think. How often do I consider what makes up our worshipping life and the affect it might have on those without the privilege I have had? How often do we consider the meaning behind what we say and do? The experiences behind the words.</div>
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Part of my calling is to share what I have learned, and that which anchors me in a deep sense of the love of God - a God of welcome and acceptance, but a God of fierce tenderness which is shown in justice, healing, wholeness, and the delicate yet robust connections of the created world. A God who welcomes us into relationship with Godself, and with one another, and with the whole order of the universe. A God imperfectly glimpsed in prayer, silence, liturgy, poetry, metaphor, music, art, and in human beings.</div>
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And so I have been thinking, exploring, the meanings behind the Disciple's prayer, as I think this prayer is best named. The translation (and it's important to remember that it is a translation) goes thus:</div>
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Our Father in heaven,</div>
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Hallowed be your name.</div>
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Your kingdom come,</div>
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Your will be done,</div>
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On earth as in heaven.</div>
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Give us this day our daily bread.</div>
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Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.</div>
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Save us from the time of trial,</div>
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And deliver us from evil.</div>
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For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours,</div>
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Now and forever.</div>
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Amen.</div>
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Here's my own take:<br />
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The meaning of this prayer starts with the first word: "our" - the relationship with the Divine is not an exclusive relationship, it is shared in common with all humanity. This is the most inclusive prayer it can be, not beginning with a statement of the greatness or ineffability of God - but with a statement that means 'God of everybody, God for everybody'.<br />
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Father is more difficult. The patriarchal history of a male-dominated church makes it difficult to disentangle the image of the 'Pater Familias' from what I believe the real meaning to be - an expression of relationship, a relationship so close that it is like a relationship of blood and family. Again, Jesus doesn't teach his disciples to use a lofty title for God, but to think of God as an intimate - and rather than needing to stick with a masculine image I often use the phrase 'mother' or 'beloved' instead when using this prayer in my own devotions.<br />
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In heaven. The metaphor of heaven is shorthand to talk of that which is infinite, that which is beyond our understanding; heaven is tied up with the image held by the ancients of a three tier universe, with sheol or hades below, this earth in the middle, and heaven - beyond reach, 'up there' - above. We know that the earth is not flat, and that going 'up there' doesn't take us to where God lives, but the image is not a literal one but one which reminds us that the nature of the Divine is ultimately beyond our finite understanding.<br />
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Hallowed be your name - an odd saying to our modern ears, but it's more like 'may you be honoured'. How do we honour God? By living lives of love and service to our fellow humanity and sharing in prayer and worship.<br />
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Your kingdom come. Not a statement of domination, as kingdoms seem to be in our popular imagination. The Kingdom of God, or the reign of the Divine, is not a place with a king on a throne, but a state of being. It is the state that exists when love is present, it is the move towards wholeness and healing. The Shalom of God - the peace, integrity, and integration of all things.<br />
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Your will be done. The will of God is that all know themselves loved, and love all things. And this will is made manifest not by divine decree, but by the way in which human beings act towards one another in gracious love. When I pray these words I don't expect God to swoop in and sort everything out, but I long for the direction, the guidance, the inspiration, of where I may be a part of bringing about something of the life of Divine in my own life and the lives of others.<br />
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On earth as in heaven - a metaphor again, but one which says that this earth is a place where all the fullness of the Divine can dwell - and that the healing, love and grace which is associated with the fullness of Divine perfection is entirely available here and now.<br />
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Give us this day our daily bread. A reminder for us to recognise our dependence upon God for all we need, and to be satisfied with what we have. Not to be a part of the 'I want more' culture that surrounds us, but to see the blessing in what we have.<br />
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Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Here I could write a whole sermon, but I won't (maybe a blog post another time, eh?). We have reduced 'sin' to bad things we do, but sin is a whole different concept in the Biblical worldview - it is the breaking of relationship between God and humanity and between human beings and each other. When we break those relationships we are in a place where we find ourselves less than what we should be and we need that restoration to wholeness that the Divine offers. It is not an individual action of 'wickedness' but the way in which we together need to recognise and seek healing for those broken relationships, those unjust structures, and those oppressive systems which dehumanise and bring death.<br />
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Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. Help! We recognise God's companionship through all the best and worst of life, not that God is manipulating every event (there's a blog post somewhere here but years back on this!) but that God is with us, always, alongside us, in the midst of our struggles and suffering with us.<br />
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For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, Now and forever. All the Divine, all the metaphorical ways in which we try to come to terms with what is more than we can imagine, all of that we recognise as we close this prayer - knowing that infinite is more than we finite souls can grasp, but filled with the wonder which allows us to see something of the love of God in the world, in other people, in all that is.<br />
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Amen. May it be so. Or, as they say on Battlestar Galactica "So say we all!"</div>
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Or not. I realise that these images don't resonate with everyone, worse - the use of this prayer (the meanings within which I have only just begun to hint at in my own hastily constructed posting here) is actually painful and destructive for some people. And I have to be aware of that, and consider that in my constructing worship. I can try to renew the meaning behind these prayers, to teach, to use them compassionately and sensitively and to encourage others to engage with them whilst seeking to leave past negatives behind. But I can't demand that, and I can't tell anyone what to feel.</div>
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Jesus himself presented this prayer as a 'pattern of prayer' - and more than that, quite possibly presented in a language (Aramaic) filled with images and concepts which translations into koine Greek (the language of the New Testament) and then Latin, and onwards into the languages of many nations, cannot begin to convey. So this prayer is a springboard to what prayer is, and that is a conversation which could go on a very long time indeed. Perhaps retranslating it is a more helpful option, and I would have used the New Zealand Prayer Book version at my wedding if the copyright had been available - as it's for educational purposes I hope that reproducing it here is acceptable:</div>
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And I leave this post with another rewrite/translation/paraphrase which, had I seen it before the wedding, I would certainly have used this one - from the Christian group '<a href="https://enfleshed.com/" target="_blank">Enfleshed</a>':</div>
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Alastairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00117533964126439556noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7902992.post-90069218213083020412019-07-29T22:19:00.000+01:002019-07-30T23:39:15.105+01:00A General Synod<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Just this last week we finished the 42nd General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada - and it was a real series of ups and downs, so much so that I wrote some pieces for our church website which I think is worth reproducing here. Firstly, though, a bit of background - this was an historic Synod for lots of reasons (which come in the second piece), but in the middle of it was an important vote on inclusivising our Marriage Canon (Canon XXI) - one of the laws which govern the church, and contain the 'Doctrine' of the Anglican Church of Canada - to take away reference to 'Marriage is between a man and a woman' and change it to 'Marriage is between two partners' - thereby enshrining equal marriage for all, including same-gendered partnerships, in Church law.<br />
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The reality is that the Canon doesn't forbid same-gendered marriage, and as such I have (with the permission of my Bishop and the support of my community) already been privileged to officiate at same-gendered weddings. But for many of us who are advocates of the recognition and celebration of LGBTQ2sIAA identity and flourishing, this was an important step in honouring and marking this approach and making public the affirmation of all in the life of the church.<br />
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But because of the legislative process of the Anglican Church these changes had to be made at a national (General Synod) meeting, which happens once every three years, and have to be voted on at two successive readings. The vote has to be 66.6% in favour, it squeaked through at first reading in 2016, and it was hoped there would be a similar show in favour at the second and final reading two weeks ago. Sure enough, support had grown overall, but it fell in the third house of the Church, the House of Bishops - garnering only a a 62% majority. This was a very painful moment in the life of the Church and a powerful statement sent to many in the Queer Community. I felt I had to respond immediately to that with a letter to my own community:<br />
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Dear friends,</div>
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I am heartbroken. The vast majority of the Anglican Church of Canada (75%) has voted in favour of the Marriage Canon amendment to allow equal Marriage, yet it has fallen. The House of Bishops has prevented this important move forward in the life of our Church. To be blunt, certain Bishops have manipulated the Synodical process and disregarded the overwhelming voice of the Church in order to serve their own agenda. As one Bishop said to me, it’s time to name what happened and to express the pain and anger that this has created. </div>
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To our LGBTQ2SIA+ members at St John's and the wider community, I am sorry. I am sorry that once again the message from the church is that you are unworthy of being fully welcomed, affirmed, and equal. This is not true, you are loved , wonderful, fabulous, and who you are is exactly who God made you to be. Your part in our community is invaluable, your gifts enable us to function and flourish, I am so grateful for all you do and all you are. Personally, I wouldn’t be who I am, or be able to do what I do without your support, love, and wisdom – even more, you have helped me to become who I am – you have expanded my heart, mind, and spirit through what you have graciously shared with me.</div>
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So, what are we to do? Synod is not over yet, and a number of us, including our Bishop, Logan, are seeking alternatives before this session ends. The Bishop will not issue a formal statement until that process is finished.</div>
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Meanwhile, please continue to ensure St John’s is a safe and open space. Care for one another, reach out to those who are hurt, be the loving community that you are.</div>
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To those of us who are allies as well as to the queer community I would say this is by no means over; not just at Synod but in the wider life of the church we will continue to advocate, to name and challenge prejudice, bigotry, and injustice. We will continue to love, affirm, and welcome. With the support of our Bishop we will continue to offer marriage to all. We will be bold in our stand, we will not tire in doing what is right.</div>
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Please continue to pray, and to prepare for the next part of our journey together. Thank you for being the community and the people you are, it is a privilege to serve you, and minister with you.</div>
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As always, with thanks for our partnership in the Gospel</div>
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Yours in faith, hope, and love,</div>
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Alastair </div>
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The Ven Alastair McCollum<br />
Archdeacon, Diocese of Islands and Inlets<br />
Incumbent, The Anglican Church of St John the Divine</div>
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The work continued at Synod, and many amazing and positive things happened, but the pain was palpable from what seemed to be a rejection of the LGBTQ2sIAA community. Questions were asked about the archaic system of voting in 'Houses', and the outdated structures of Synod. Much soul searching went on, and finally there was a statement from the House of Bishops which contained both an apology for the pain caused, and a way forward for the church. There is much more to be done, and much healing to undergo - and the message sent to the queer community, along with the pain caused, is - in my mind - inexcusable. But we will continue to advocate, aggravate, and agitate on behalf of all excluded by the structures of the church. There are lots of very good examinations of the events of Synod, lots of reflections, and lots of official statements around. I put my own thoughts together on http://www.stjohnthedivine.bc.ca but here are my thoughts published over this last weekend.:<br />
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"I hate rollercoasters"</h3>
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With these words our newly elected and installed Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, the Most Revd Linda Nicholls, began her closing words of our 2019 General Synod; which had been for all of us a real rollercoaster ride of ups and downs, highs and lows, swerves and loops.</div>
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The previous week had been a week full of meetings, conversations, debate, argument, and some powerful conversations. The anticipation of the calling of a <a href="https://gs2019.anglican.ca/primate/results/" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #d84339; fill: rgb(157, 168, 164); font-weight: 600; outline: 0px !important; text-decoration-line: none;">new leader of our national church </a>and the fond farewell to <a href="https://www.anglicanjournal.com/primate-reflects-achievements-future/" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #d84339; fill: rgb(157, 168, 164); font-weight: 600; outline: 0px !important; text-decoration-line: none;">Fred Hiltz, our retiring Primate</a>, the exploration of and affirmation of a <a href="https://www.anglicanjournal.com/in-depth-indigenous-self-determination-passes/" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #d84339; fill: rgb(157, 168, 164); font-weight: 600; outline: 0px !important; text-decoration-line: none;">newly formed Indigenous Church</a> in communion and partnership with, but in no way controlled by, the colonialy founded Anglican Church of Canada, with a newly created Archbishop, Mark MacDonald to serve that church (having previously functioned as National Indigenous Bishop), an affirmation of new relationships with our siblings in the other Abrahimic traditions of <a href="https://www.anglicanjournal.com/general-synod-passes-motion-to-sign-endorse-christian-muslim-dialogue/" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #d84339; fill: rgb(157, 168, 164); font-weight: 600; outline: 0px !important; text-decoration-line: none;">Islam</a> and <a href="https://www.anglicanjournal.com/prayer-for-reconciliation-with-the-jews-passes-first-reading/" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #d84339; fill: rgb(157, 168, 164); font-weight: 600; outline: 0px !important; text-decoration-line: none;">Judaism,</a> a <a href="https://www.anglicanjournal.com/general-synod-expands-full-communion-recognition/" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #d84339; fill: rgb(157, 168, 164); font-weight: 600; outline: 0px !important; text-decoration-line: none;">covenant of unity and full communion </a>between the major Lutheran and Anglican churches of North America (Turtle Island), the <a href="https://www.anglicanjournal.com/faith-worship-and-ministry-resolutions-passed-at-general-synod/" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #d84339; fill: rgb(157, 168, 164); font-weight: 600; outline: 0px !important; text-decoration-line: none;">affirmation of Liturgical changes </a>trialed since 2016's General Synod, the report on and <a href="https://www.anglicanjournal.com/church-suffers-deficit-in-2018/" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #d84339; fill: rgb(157, 168, 164); font-weight: 600; outline: 0px !important; text-decoration-line: none;">reception of accounts </a>for the Anglican Church of Canada which offered no gloss to the financial difficulties faced by the Church National and Church Local across Canada, an <a href="https://www.anglicanjournal.com/primate-apologizes-for-spiritual-harm-inflicted-on-indigenous-peoples/" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #d84339; fill: rgb(157, 168, 164); font-weight: 600; outline: 0px !important; text-decoration-line: none;">Apology by the Primate to the Anglican Council of Indigenous Peoples for the spiritual harm caused by the Anglican Church</a>given and formally, and emotionally, <a href="https://gs2019.anglican.ca/atsynod/a-message-from-the-elders/?fbclid=IwAR1cF2Dd7tX8WrLF59p9oWPAGZbALOPMYiu_UD_rZPAI20o3oEvlSXDSZHY" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #d84339; fill: rgb(157, 168, 164); font-weight: 600; outline: 0px !important; text-decoration-line: none;">received</a>. And the discussions, or rather sequence of monologues, over the <a href="https://gs2019.anglican.ca/wp-content/uploads/A052-R2.pdf" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #d84339; fill: rgb(157, 168, 164); font-weight: 600; outline: 0px !important; text-decoration-line: none;">broadening of the Marriage Canon</a> (Canon XXI) to explicitly include same-gendered marriage rather than only mentioning 'man and woman'. A vote which fell, marginally, at what was its second reading - a reading which was , it seemed, an important step in making a real, visible, positive change in affirming LGBTQ2Siaa+ people as fully embraced and affirmed by the Anglican Church of Canada. </div>
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So, yeah, it was a rollercoaster ride of a week. But the low point of the week had been that vote, the behaviour of certain Bishops during and after that vote, and the pain so obviously caused by what was for some 'an issue' but for many a very real rejection not of what they believed, but of who they were. The wails of some of our queer youth delegates at the fall of the vote, blocked by 14 members of the house of Bishops but overwhelmingly affirmed by nearly 75% of the Church cut through the shocked silence in the room and will stay in many of our hearts and minds for a very long time. Even sitting here in a coffee shop writing this post my eyes are filling with tears at the memory of that moment - for most of us, our hearts broke at that moment.</div>
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We broke the Church</h3>
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What the debate over the Marriage Canon amendment and the subsequent vote made painfully clear was that, firstly, previous affirmations of same-gendered relationships, including the 'Word to the Church' voted on just a few hours before (which passed with 85% in favour - the text of which can be found <a href="https://gs2019.anglican.ca/cc/resolutions/a101/" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #d84339; fill: rgb(157, 168, 164); font-weight: 600; outline: 0px !important; text-decoration-line: none;">here</a>), were not enough when the message that came from this vote seemed to be that the Church had said 'NO' to queer people being equal.</div>
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Secondly, it became abundantly clear that the governance systems of a colonial church, based on an anglo-centric 'Houses of Parliament' model, was and is woefully inadequate for a Church seeking to work in a decolonising way, and seeking to be a place which is no longer bound by the structures of a christendom-based worldview. We are not in that place, the truth is we should never have been in that place (but that's a conversation for another time). If we want to be a Gospel-based church, a church which is agile, responsive, gracious, and open to the wind of the Spirit (blowing wherever she wills as John Chapter 3 verse 8 says) then what we have is not (to quote the oft-repeated phrase on BBC Radio 4 from my past life in England) 'fit for purpose'.</div>
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In the wake of the vote, and the restive feeling in the Agenda and Business sessions which followed, the House of Bishops spent many hours sequestered away seeking to offer a calming word to Synod in the light of the one house blocking the obvious desire of the wider church - and by implication (if the theology of Synodical government is taken seriously) the leading of the Spirit. It was described by one member of Synod as 'the Big Purple Elephant in the room'. The House of Bishops stood (or at least all but a few recalcitrent Bishops did) as <a href="https://gs2019.anglican.ca/atsynod/a-message-from-hob/" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #d84339; fill: rgb(157, 168, 164); font-weight: 600; outline: 0px !important; text-decoration-line: none;">the statement was read that acknowledged the hurt caused by the house, the adoption of a 'local option' for equal marriage, and a need to address the structures of Anglican church governance in our church.</a> Most acknowledged the work that had gone into this statement and were grateful for it, many felt it didn't go far enough in addressing what was happening and had happened in the Synod, but it is a beginning in acknowledging and opening the door to profound changes in our Synodical structures - change which is as overdue as it is necessary. One Bishop acknowledged that even the fact that the Bishops had the privilege of sequestering themeselves away privately sent messages of an exclusive leadership separate from the wider people. I think that all but a few Bishops felt that the need for reform, deep reform and not just tweaking, of the structures of governance and leadership in the Anglican church was crystal clear in the wake of the divisions this Synod opened up.</div>
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There is so much to process from this Synod - the trauma inflicted not just on the members of the Synod but on the wider church and queer community will take much love and healing to address. We cannot ignore the pain and distress caused by the headlines which read 'Church says no to gay marriage.' This wasn't the case - in fact there are some very good analyses of the events of Synod by both members and 'veterans' of Synods past which are very clear about the profound and positive changes which took place and will take place as a result of what happened last week - amongst them are posts by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/notes/ryan-ramsden/anglican-church-of-canada-general-synod-2019-a-reflection/10158819664924535/" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #d84339; fill: rgb(157, 168, 164); font-weight: 600; outline: 0px !important; text-decoration-line: none;">Ryan Ramsden</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/alastair.mccollum/posts/10161937593300632" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #d84339; fill: rgb(157, 168, 164); font-weight: 600; outline: 0px !important; text-decoration-line: none;">Ron Chaplin</a>, the <a href="http://alantperry.blogspot.com/2019/07/marriage-canon-redux.html" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #d84339; fill: rgb(157, 168, 164); font-weight: 600; outline: 0px !important; text-decoration-line: none;">Ven Alan Perry,</a> and statements by our own <a href="https://bc.anglican.ca/news/bishops-letter-to-parishes-following-general-synod--376?fbclid=IwAR3pssGJiBU_1wgR_hZzy6vkauix4K2PU8Jjjkmu7v3Wd2-gmpp9waYxwuM" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #d84339; fill: rgb(157, 168, 164); font-weight: 600; outline: 0px !important; text-decoration-line: none;">Bishop of the Diocese of Islands and Inlets </a>(aka British Columbia) and the <a href="https://bc.anglican.ca/news/diocesan-representatives-to-general-synod-issue-statement?fbclid=IwAR1UGxBm7vr7P_KI6YqZRtR-X1DV-fHd3_bICtV7jRoI33CyyWXRb3-M4PA" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #d84339; fill: rgb(157, 168, 164); font-weight: 600; outline: 0px !important; text-decoration-line: none;">delegates from our Diocese.</a></div>
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It was a good Synod</h3>
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That may seem a strange thing to day - but at the end of the day, this Synod was a good one. It highlighted the need for change which is so badly needed for the church. For open, transparent, accountable governance and humble, responsive leadership. For a new relationship between the colonial and indigenous expressions of church in Canada. For loving and compassionate care for all, especially those excluded by church structures and, to be frank, by bad theology. For the need to be a church founded on Gospel principles, not the inadequate structures of a bygone era. I hope it's already starting to happen - as CTV news reports <a href="https://www.ctvnews.ca/mobile/canada/anglican-church-to-review-governance-structure-after-same-sex-marriage-change-fails-1.4510717?fbclid=IwAR2XEDTiI4ihsdJFLEtWo9U6hvoQ8ZufAP2g-O2Ko5FYUsn9U6wYpk4Q8fs" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #d84339; fill: rgb(157, 168, 164); font-weight: 600; outline: 0px !important; text-decoration-line: none;">here</a>!</div>
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And as for the fall of the Marriage Canon amendment - the decision by the House of Bishops to allow individual Dioceses (and, potentially, individual Parishes/Priests) to go ahead with offering marriage without the constraint of having to be heterosexual partners is possibly more than the adjustments to the Marriage Canon would have allowed (read some of the reflections on the debate for fuller analysis of this). The Synod also affirmed, overwhelmingly, the fullness of grace in same gendered relationships, and the 'Word to the Church' sought also to give an acceptable 'via Media' to those who still struggle with the definition of marriage (based mainly, I would say, in a 15th century criteria rather than a so-called 'Biblical model' which is pretty much a fallacy). </div>
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Alongside the affirmation and support and celebration of the Indigenous Church was a privilege to witness and to celebrate, as well as a recognition that different Indigenous nations and traditions have nuanced approaches to marriage, even as many affirm same-gendered (two spirited in some traditions) relationships and people. For a lovely summary of this teaching please read Jeffrey Stanley's speech from General Synod transcribed <a href="https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10162055322340319&id=615815318" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #d84339; fill: rgb(157, 168, 164); font-weight: 600; outline: 0px !important; text-decoration-line: none;">here</a>.</div>
Alastairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00117533964126439556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7902992.post-63797033502072632672019-07-25T22:23:00.000+01:002019-07-25T22:23:15.898+01:00Return and reflection <div dir="ltr">
It's been a very long time since I've used this blog, but now seems like a good time to return. I've missed writing things to throw out into the ether, and the interactions and relationships which came from them and I've certainly missed the wisdom which has been shared in response to what I post. </div>
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I think I should say something of why things have been so quiet here. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGAZbruwIJftxs7SPELNNvIrNMhO1WW4ZfFqXub-8tE0ODCMo3Zrs8oqiX1V_G-9mDTC0rFuP9K1t3esVLbTlyfMwA4TC0v3jqeaI1aFr5u4JjZBN-1r0Q2tM0S9vDxrSEQePfYg/s1600/WP_20150827_003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="901" data-original-width="1600" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGAZbruwIJftxs7SPELNNvIrNMhO1WW4ZfFqXub-8tE0ODCMo3Zrs8oqiX1V_G-9mDTC0rFuP9K1t3esVLbTlyfMwA4TC0v3jqeaI1aFr5u4JjZBN-1r0Q2tM0S9vDxrSEQePfYg/s200/WP_20150827_003.jpg" width="200" /></a>It's partly because this was an outlet, a way of expressing the quirky world of Clergy life in rural </div>
England - where collegial relationships were limited and a (somewhat overworked) Vicar needed to have a place to think out loud. That changed when I came here to Canada, way back in July 2013, as I found myself on a team of lay and ordained ministers who gave each other space to think, to muse, to discuss, to learn. It was, and is, a liberation - and though that team has changed composition over this past six years it continues to be a creative, supportive partnership,<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKYCEPT0KzDs63IRvrKOL8uRCNqBUUr1D0fU8eiJxkdlcggh4fZiu39W9-NqN_uFWssJ6UNcZmRUQ0mgLu07jbeqmplv0_ItrivXJpwLzbhXJ4bNtcx0w8w-9cTR5ps29ZKpU_IQ/s1600/Screenshot+website.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="781" data-original-width="1600" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKYCEPT0KzDs63IRvrKOL8uRCNqBUUr1D0fU8eiJxkdlcggh4fZiu39W9-NqN_uFWssJ6UNcZmRUQ0mgLu07jbeqmplv0_ItrivXJpwLzbhXJ4bNtcx0w8w-9cTR5ps29ZKpU_IQ/s320/Screenshot+website.png" width="320" /></a>Another reason for less (read 'pretty much no') blogging here has been the presence of a church blog at stjohnthedivine.bc.ca - not quite so neglected as this one, there have been periods - namely Lent and Advent - when I have had plenty of outlet for my creativity in daily blog postings. Tempting as it was to copy and past those entries here, it seemed something of a duplication of effort. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNNtY-p8nBgWn15PpMCn52dnbjeit__BXj0cPVRAwG4uDE9YoiJAKQ4XAN1Datm0XMDWvzsWfaEclrp_INULIC01TNQp268lCB943w1sHxVOwTjT6eBrGeQpQP1PxujRkBP6VCzA/s1600/IMG_20190722_155253_603.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="616" data-original-width="616" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNNtY-p8nBgWn15PpMCn52dnbjeit__BXj0cPVRAwG4uDE9YoiJAKQ4XAN1Datm0XMDWvzsWfaEclrp_INULIC01TNQp268lCB943w1sHxVOwTjT6eBrGeQpQP1PxujRkBP6VCzA/s200/IMG_20190722_155253_603.jpg" width="199" /></a>A third, and perhaps most significant, reason for a lack of activity here has been great upheavals in my personal life. I won't go into detail but suffice to say the past six years have seen the end of a significant relationship, which also involved my ex-wife and children moving back to England from here in Victoria, BC, and the beginning of a new chapter of life here, It's been a roller-coaster, and not a ride I felt it appropriate to share publicly. I care deeply about my children and my ex, but the ups and downs of the past few years weren't really for public consumption. Since then I have been fortunate enough to meet a new partner, and indeed married her less than a week ago, and am enjoying the initial stages of married bliss! </div>
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So that's a catch up with me - who knows, with all that's going on in my life I may well yet resurrect this space, I know there's plenty to say - about life, about ministry, about the Anglican Church in Canada, about what being an Archdeacon is! And I know that I am happy to share much of it, as life unfolds in new and exciting ways, as well as the everyday ups and downs of what I do. See you on the other side!</div>
Alastairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00117533964126439556noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7902992.post-30108829979969168162017-07-26T16:30:00.003+01:002017-07-26T16:41:08.610+01:00Trying to connect the dots, unnecessarily <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Another sermon - as seems to be the way of this blog at present! Life is busy and complicated, and good, and bad, and exciting, and challenging, and (in short) not conducive to getting Blog posts written!<br />
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So, here's my thought for today taken from these passages (Click for details):<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; text-align: right;"><a href="http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=368082939" target="_blank">Exodus 16:1–5, 9–15, </a></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; text-align: right;"><a href="http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=368082939" target="_blank">Psalm 78;18–29</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; text-align: right;"><a href="http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=368082939" target="_blank">Mt 13.1–9</a></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Grace and Meaning</span></b><br />
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In the words of St Paul, or perhaps St John, or maybe St George, or even St Ringo<br />
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“When I was younger, so much younger than today.”<br />
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Ah, sorry, couldn’t resist! No, it’s not a tubby boy story – but just a general reflection that today’s story from the book of Exodus used to cause me great consternation. Or at least was one of those parts of Scripture that didn’t seem to fit…<br />
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I knew the story, the mythological story I am now convinced, of the temptations in the wilderness when Jesus proclaims, quoting Deuteronomy 6 ‘you shall not put the Lord your God to the test’. As I moved into the Anglican Church and got to know the words of the Venite, as Psalm 95 is known in Morning Prayer, I heard the verses ‘harden not your hearts as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness;<br />
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When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works.<br />
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Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, * It is a people that do err in their hearts, for they have not known my ways:<br />
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Unto whom I sware in my wrath, that they should not enter into my rest.”<br />
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And I knew that ‘lead us not into temptation’ was better translated ‘save us from the time of trial’ and so the temptation mentioned in the Venite meant that the people of Israel had tested God, they had complained, and God was displeased – as related in our Psalm for today: When the Lord heard this, he was full of wrath; *<br />
“a fire was kindled against Jacob,<br />
and his anger mounted against Israel;<br />
For they had no faith in God, *<br />
nor did they put their trust in his saving power.<br />
So he commanded the clouds above *<br />
and opened the doors of heaven.<br />
He rained down manna upon them to eat *<br />
and gave them grain from heaven.”<br />
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In a more contemporary translation it has the word that is the key phrase for me – not ‘so he commanded the clouds above and opened the doors of heaven’ but ‘YET he commanded the skies above and opened the doors of heaven.’<br />
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We have all this language of God’s anger and wrath, God’s displeasure – because we are not meant to question God, it seems, to test God, to tempt God. YET God provides, abundantly.<br />
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And in this came my perplexity. It seemed a contradiction to my young brain… and not only that, but how did God provide Manna and Quail – and what was Manna? <br />
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Lots of people tried to give a pseudo-scientific explanation with regards to freak winds carrying the birds to the camp and some plant whose secretion created a bread like substance for the Israelites to eat. Others simply said ‘God provides’ – but if that were the case why did God not provide in the same way today to those who were and are in dire straits.<br />
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Altogether it was a perplexity – when I was younger, so much younger than today (to quote the Beatleitudes)<br />
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But learning that Scripture was not all joined up and didn’t drop out of the sky, like manna, in one miraculous lump. Learning that our Bibles are composed of myth and legend, metaphor and struggles for meaning let me realise that there is much going on in all of our Scriptural passages that say much more than just a simplistic reading could ever open us up to, liberated me from trying to put all of these contradictions and complications into a nice, easy to understand, package.<br />
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For our ancient forebears there was indeed an understanding of the all-powerful nature of God, and the principle that God was not to be questioned and was indeed to be held in awe and worshipped. Alongside this, however, was the feeling that God did provide, and that as the stories of the wandering tribes of Israel and their amazing survival were passed down, that somehow the journey through the wilderness was sustained by God had to be held up alongside the human propensity for struggle, and complaint, and anger, and hurt, when things are difficult.<br />
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And so we have ‘YET’ – Yet God’s love and grace were poured out, despite hardship, the people of Israel survived and held on to that feeling and experience of God’s love and generosity. Despite all the odds YET they found what they considered to be ‘the promised land’ and settled and grew, and even (at times) thrived.<br />
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And so the principle of this myth of the manna is not one to try to explain, but to grasp the meaning, which is to remind us of God’s love, freely given. YET God commanded the skies above, and opened the doors of heaven’. May we too know the deeper meaning of our Scriptures, and indeed all of our experiences, and the God who is present in each moment, and with us in all things.<br />
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Alastairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00117533964126439556noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7902992.post-91621217543737104922017-07-06T22:18:00.001+01:002017-07-06T22:29:20.274+01:00Pride - in the name of love!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Yesterday was the middle of <a href="https://victoriapridesociety.org/" target="_blank">Pride Week</a> here in Victoria and St John's marked it, in partnership with <a href="https://www.christchurchcathedral.bc.ca/" target="_blank">Christ Church Cathedral</a> and our wider <a href="http://www.bc.anglican.ca/" target="_blank">Diocese of Islands and Inlets (aka the Diocese of British Columbia),</a> with our regular Eucharist in the morning, and with a special Eucharist in the evening at which our <a href="https://twitter.com/Logmc50" target="_blank">Bishop Logan McMenamie</a> presided and preached. It is a sermon worth sharing - so here's the link to the recording of it:<br />
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<a href="https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/stjohnthedivine/episodes/2017-07-06T13_09_14-07_00">https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/stjohnthedivine/episodes/2017-07-06T13_09_14-07_00</a><br />
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Some of what Bishop Logan said related to my own thoughts earlier in the morning - which wasn't recorded, but I have the script, so I thought I would share it here too!<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Cast Out</span></b><br />
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I want to begin by sharing something that you might not know, but it’s important information that I think bears sharing in this hallowed setting. It’s just this – there’s a new <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2250912/" target="_blank">Spider-Man movie released this week</a>!<br />
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I know, exciting, eh?<br />
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It’s the third ‘reboot’ – of the franchise, which was one of the first of the contemporary multi-million dollar superhero movies which now crop up with disturbing regularity. Movies which I admit, bring some of my teenage dreams to life as they present what my young imagination conceived so powerfully and engagingly. But despite being a ‘reboot’ –with a new star, a new writing team, even a new studio – it is missing something that is usually a staple of these things. An origin story, how Spider-man became the hero he his.<br />
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Which is odd, because we all need origin stories. We all need to know our beginnings, and have that sense of purpose which comes from the discovery of our identity and our sense of rootedness in who we are.<br />
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Which is exactly what we have in today’s reading from the Hebrew Scriptures (see, you knew this was going somewhere!) An origin story. And it’s a story that has been interpreted in different ways by two of the great cultures of the Middle-East. A story that some would say is in part the foundation of many of the tensions experienced today between Jew and Arab.<br />
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Within Arab culture, and particularly within the Islamic tradition- the key players in today’s story are Hagar and Ishmael, who being cast out from Abraham’s tribe a sent to the wilderness, where God hears their cries and sustains them. In Arabic tradition, Ishmael becomes the founder of the Arab race.<br />
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Within Hebrew culture the key players are Abraham and Isaac, as the chosen son will become the inheritor of God’s promise to father many, to be the fulfilment of promise to Abraham and Sarah, and the beginnings of the Jewish peoples.<br />
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And the rest, as they say, is history, Or Myth. Or Metaphor. Or something. These stories have defined two peoples attitudes towards themselves and others and continue to be a source of finding identity and of interpreting history.<br />
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That’s all very interesting, Rector, you say – but what does that do for us today? What might this story, sunk bone-deep into the cultural narrative of our world, be saying to us today – beyond the need to be aware of our culture’s origin stories, and an interest in the way in which we carry on these stories one way or another.<br />
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There are many ways in which we could deconstruct these myths, and in which we could engage intellectually with these stories. But I want to draw us back to consider the feelings within them – and particularly to consider the exclusion which is at the heart of this story, and the casting-out of Hagar and Ishmael which is still a part of the life of the people of God today. Sadly.<br />
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This week, as you’ll probably know, is Pride week – and here in Victoria, Pride has become something of a celebration of just how far our culture and society has come in embracing and affirming all people regardless of their sexuality or gender identity. As many of the LGBTQ2si people I know would say, there is much to celebrate. But the work is not done in changing hearts, minds, attitudes and rights for LGBTQ people. Particularly within the Church we have been guilty of perpetuating a culture where we have cast-out those who we have perceived as ‘different’ to the hetero-normative culture. And the church still seeks to do so. <br />
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For the queer people of faith, this story of Hagar and Ishmael, Abraham, Sarah and Isaac, has a different feel for those of us – even those of us who are affirming and inclusive – who have not been excluded from the life of the church because of who we are. Most of us don’t know what it’s like to be cast-out. <br />
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And so we as a church have to, to use that old fashioned word, repent of that which has excluded and dehumanised anyone. Even those of us who are part of this inclusive and affirming community need to recognise the harm our institution has done. Of course, it’s not just LGBTQ people who the church has marginalised and excluded – we have, and do, continue to struggle as a church at large with the racism, sexism, and judgementalism which is an ugly streak within our various traditions. We, as people of faith need to continue to speak truth and justice even within our own traditions – and to be people who speak and act in a way which seeks to create a genuinely inclusive and loving community in which all are welcome and none are cast out.<br />
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Which brings me to the Gospel reading. In this well-known story of the casting of demons into a herd of swine we are confronted, again with a metaphorical story which should make us consider how this reality is played out in our lives. For though few of us would speak in terms of demonic entities, we can still see the demons which threaten to take control of us – demons of judgementalism, power, control, obsession with money or material goods, of self-absorption to the detriment of others, of fear, of hatred. We see these demons alive and well in our world, and within ourselves. This is a different type of casting-out, where we need to confront our own prejudice and those attitudes that would judge any as less valuable, less worthy, less lovable than ourselves. And to learn to see ourselves, as others, fully loved and embraced by God – for often our criticism and condemnation of others comes from not really liking ourselves very much.<br />
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So let us, with God’s help, continue our work of self-examination, of challenging ourselves and our institutional attitudes. Of casting out those things which are the demons of our current day, and of learning to include and affirm all people, no matter what their origin story.<br />
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And because of the title of this post - let's put this track up as well :-)</div>
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Alastairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00117533964126439556noreply@blogger.com0