tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61517700296963572372024-03-05T10:55:48.020+00:00Gritstone and GodJemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17598808670913818054noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6151770029696357237.post-58846283680397010002017-02-28T11:52:00.001+00:002017-03-05T07:20:11.235+00:00Diary of a Sheffield Ministry Equality activist: 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>Fri 27 Jan</i><br />
Went to the Holocaust Memorial Day exhibition in the Winter Gardens, thought of the Jewish Shoah plus the killing of so so many others on grounds of discrimination. Thought of my own Jewish-Atheist-Australian ancestry. Came back and read news of the Bishops’ report on sexuality, decided it was <a href="https://twitter.com/latequartet/status/825070261837955073">too painful to read</a>.<br />
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<i>Sat 28 Jan</i><br />
Wrote to a couple of clergy colleagues and friends to express no-words sorrow about the report.<br />
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Sun 29 Jan<br />
Upset at church.<br />
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Mon 30 Jan<br />
News of an emergency hospital admission for a very close relative; hoping NHS less dinosaur like than CofE (maybe that's unfair on dinosaurs).<br />
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Tue 31 Jan<br />
Go to chaplaincy to cancel work so I can go for a hospital visit to v. close relative—bit shocked. Hear nomination announcement—bit bewildered. Hospital completely log-jammed, the porter had been called in on 3 out of his 8 days holiday. Feeling a log-jam in the CofE. Constipating.<br />
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Thu 2 Feb<br />
After shocking 2 days—with cancer in the family and NHS staff under pressure and LGBTQUIAAP church people feeling it—start to tentatively contact clergy and lay-reader colleagues in Diocese. Taken aback by the level of shock and distress and anger. Not much headspace to even think what I think, just praying for discernment and holding out for a day's space at Mirfield and spiritual direction.<br />
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Fri 3 Feb<br />
Have spoken to enough people that I get the sense there’s a pastoral distress of significant proportions, not feeling responsible, but feeling alert and hopeful and praying. At uni, there’s incredulity. I’m used to representing the church in an institution. This, now, reminds me of the reaction at York St John in 2006 to the news ++Sentamu would be the first Chancellor, just the day after he’d been reiterating the Bishops’ teaching on issues in human sexuality on Radio 4. I’m glad to represent the church in the workplace at such times, since I get to speak of the pain and the hope of being church.<br />
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Sat 4 Feb<br />
Attempt to make an imaginative leap; I pray to see how a translation from Burnley to Sheffield for +Philip is a possible leap—but I’m not there. Holding out for my Mirfield trip to find some direction. Re-read non-violent communication inventory of needs—the list of the sort of basic needs we all want to have met—left feeling in the current situation too few needs are well met, leading to troubling feelings. Try to seek some letting-go.<br />
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Phone the Archdeacon, as I head to the ice rink; he can see that Mutual Flourishing makes this situation easy to imagine. My very slow logic can see that MF makes it easier to imagine, in principle, but I remain puzzled about the working out of that in practice. I picture the situation landing on top of Goole, Donny, Rotherham, Sheffield, and on top of +Philip too—like some comic-book vast craft arriving from space. I explain to my Archdeacon that the space for protest or dissent is an important one, but that we have been asked to remain quiet and prayerful. This is difficult and needs further discernment.<br />
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I write a blog offering an <a href="http://gritstoneandgod.blogspot.co.uk/2017/02/by-way-of-apology-for-church-of-england.html">apology about the Bishops' sexuality report</a>!<br />
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I speak with colleagues, lay and ordained who also discern that the level of pastoral distress is quite high. What we don't know is how many in how many places. We agree to write a joint letter of concern to our acting diocesan bishop, also asking him to listen to the many voices expressing distress, anxiety and anger.<br />
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Sun 5 Feb<br />
Worship at church with my family. I’m one of two bass players, accidentally—tricky to create a mutual flourishing sound, so I get out my bow and pretend to be a cello. The bass muddle mirroring the bigger picture. The nomination announcement is given out in notices by associate vicar. I get a tiny nomination too (!) as one of the people to talk to others about this after the service. I’m taken aback by quite how livid and distressed people are. I carry on seeking to represent the way the church works, to this community I’m part of and love. The more I answer the questions—while aiming for peacefulness and attempting understanding—the more clearly people seem in a fury to me. Too many feelings. Holding out for Mirfield.<br />
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Mon 6 Feb<br />
Feeling anxious about everyone due to meet with +Philip tomorrow, feeling anxious for +Philip. Most of this is picked up from the anxiety all around. Funny, feeling marginalized and excluded from the meeting by fact of being male—living the feeling—perhaps it’s beneficial now again to feel marginalized. Flourishing and marginalisation; easy to interpret this situation with each term. Oddly simply to switch terms about the same details of this situation. I get completely confused about who are the included or excluded, in the church, beyond the church. Wonder what ground I’m standing on, wonder about the news from the hospital. Desperate to get away; Mirfield tomorrow.<br />
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Tue 7 Feb<br />
I have to take all of me with me to see my spiritual director at the Community of the Resurrection, Mirfield and to the worship and the silence and the space. A beautiful moment as I travel, reading the tweets of another's journey; a <a href="https://twitter.com/latequartet/status/828542776811876352">vicar being spotted in a car singing "Heavy Dirty Soul"</a>—odd being a priest. Watch Hilary Clinton speaking about '<a href="https://twitter.com/latequartet/status/828898316201127937">the future is female</a>'. I send a message to my very close relative who’s under the knife to say “going off to pray and write protest poetry”; somehow this makes her day and helps me write.<br />
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Other visitors at CR include a brother from Alnmouth—where I took a group of international students in November —and a priest from Burnley archdeaconery who speaks of the transformation +Philip has brought there; §those who were wary to begin with, completely changed. I wish and pray that could translate, in this nomination, for +Philip's translation from Burnley to Sheffield. I still find it's too hard a leap for me, though, if those far less advantaged than me cannot leap too. I wonder who I’m angry with, decide it’s with me, nobody else—so I finish the poem and call it '<a href="http://gritstoneandgod.blogspot.co.uk/2017/02/churchs-futures-female.html">Church's Future's Female</a>'. Catharsis.<br />
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Jemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17598808670913818054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6151770029696357237.post-54152159757437483352017-02-07T15:08:00.000+00:002017-03-23T09:44:28.202+00:00Church's future's female<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: 0cm;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0cm;">For males including
me</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit;">Favoured by
structures at C of E<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit;">Listen to Clinton who
oughtabe in DC<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit;">"Future's female":
Church ain't where it needs 2b.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit;">That's just me
startin' on CofE equality<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit;">Coz it's also
about<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>B, A, 'n' M, and every single E,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit;">And L and G and B and T,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit;">and Q an' U an' I 'n' A 'n' A an' P. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit;">Not enough spaces at
the table ya see<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit;">and no way to be
seated comfortably<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit;">coz males 'n' tradition's made W an' A 'n' S n' P<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit;">a permanent booking
priority .<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit;">Am I angry at a you
no with me<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit;">I'm finding my place
has complicity<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit;">quarter Baghdadi
Jewish lends some diversity<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit;">Can I find integrity ?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit;">Had grandpa Sollie
gone to Europe not Sydney,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit;">Jewish Shoah would've
meant there'd be no me;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit;">"who'll they'll
come for";<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit;">ain't just a theory. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit;">I want to ask the
powers that be<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit;">how long the wait for
greater liberty<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit;">hey, beware the clock
reversing key<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit;">can ya see can ya see
can ya see ?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit;">Sisters children
kinfolk of church and church-to-be<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit;">resist all calls for
conformity<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit;">that'd rip blossom
from freedom's tree</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0cm;">of potentiality. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
Jemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17598808670913818054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6151770029696357237.post-54091348923569666952017-02-04T19:19:00.003+00:002017-02-10T23:41:14.978+00:00By way of apology for the Church of England: sexuality report<br />
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I want to apologise as much as is possible for the Church of England in the wake of Friday's report on the Church and shared conversations on sexuality and gender (that I find too unbearable to read in full).</div>
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I represent the church in a very small and insignificant number of ways (mainly as a chaplain), so I think I can apologise without it being entirely meaningless, though possibly almost without meaning—I don't know—but for what is worth, I am saddened and sorry and want to say, sorry.</div>
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I am also sorry that however minor a place I have in the church, I am now continuing to be in elevated position, for the foreseeable future, in the eyes of last week's CofE report on sexuality (and thus the CofE where I serve). This is because I am cis-gender and not L or G or B or T or Q or U or I or A or A or P or gender-fluid, or non-binary or however else, people want to be free to self-define.</div>
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I am sorry and deeply mortified and I am sorry, for all who personally are now experiencing pain and suffering, both for themselves and their friends.</div>
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I am also wanting to apologise to many of my friends and colleagues and acquaintances and the people I serve. I'm seeking to find out what else I can do from my position of advantage, that I desperately hoped would no longer exist.</div>
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I've been asked if it is meaningless and hypocritical of me to apologise while I continue to serve in the Church of England, be salaried / stipended and housed as part of my role.</div>
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I think the contradictions I embody could be judged that way. What I'd also say is that I have determined to use my position of compromised privilege to serve the mission of the church on the topics of social inclusion, education, equality, liberation and justice: for students and staff at the university where I'm licensed to serve and in the wider community. That includes working with the vulnerable in the ageing population, for children and supporting children's spiritual development. I am seeking and campaigning for liturgical reform, which is central to the theology and underpinning values of the church.</div>
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Is that effort in some ways cancelled out by dissonances embodied in public servants of the church, like me: yes, to some extent, I'm sure. I can see that the church has diminished people and so we are all diminished. How I can tolerate the role tension, is probably driven by those who have endured much greater role tensions than I to serve in much more significant ways at a much greater personal cost. I cannot imagine getting anywhere near that level of risk-taking determination, but I hope to at least be under the gravitational influence of such servants of God who remain working for the church.</div>
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Jemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17598808670913818054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6151770029696357237.post-61391071761666080912017-01-22T07:00:00.000+00:002017-02-06T22:37:55.460+00:00What Shall We Mix Truth With? (a sermon)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>This is a written version of the sermon given by Jeremy Clines at St Mary's, Bramall Lane, Ecclesall Deanery, Diocese of Sheffield. It was on the day that we were celebrating the reunion of one of parish, Odette Sefuko, who has been with us for many years, with her children who have finally been allowed to enter the UK after an eleven year separation.</i><br />
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<b>What Shall We Mix Truth With?</b></div>
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<i>Matthew 4:12-23</i></div>
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<i>What's Venus?</i><br />
I was travelling home from a joyous Messy Church on Friday with my children and had a dilemma, bus or taxi? It was late, but the journey was already being made by the bus and it would save cash. I felt torn but opted for taxi, the children are still quite young. I'm so glad I did. As we drove along we began looking at Venus, my five-year old son said "it's that bright because the clouds in its atmosphere reflect the sunlight, don't they, Daddy?".<br />
The taxi driver said, "Venus, what's Venus?".<br />
It turned out the taxi driver thought that planets didn't exist and were a "conspiracy made up by governments" and he certainly "didn't trust governments".<br />
He also thought that, "we are taught a lot of things in schools that aren't true".<br />
He also felt it would be impossible to know if Mars was a planet and was red, "unless I go there myself and see it with my own eyes" because for him "truth was something you need to be sure about".<br />
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<i>Seeking, mistrusting, desiring truth</i><br />
I felt respect, admiration and shock at the views of our driver. My children were quite startled too. But I was wondering how many of us here are seeking after truth and don't trust governments? I was also wondering if we all believe everything we're taught or have a genuine mistrust of some of what we've been told? I also wonder how many of us have a desire for evidence and that without evidence we doubt some of the 'truth' that's being sold to us these days? I put my hand up, I am more like the taxi driver who took us home on Friday night, than I first imagined.<br />
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<i>What shall we mix truth with: with fear and hate?</i><br />
That's what really concerns many of us at this moment in world events, truth and where truth resides and how truth gets used. You see truth gets mixed with other stuff, it doesn't sit alone in life. So what are we going to mix truth with today? Are we going to mix it with hate, drop it in our cocktail shaker and see what comes out. Would we do that? Truth and hate together? Do you know I have heard that there have been some attempts in recent times to mix those two together: would anyone really want to do that? Would we want to do that?<br />
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What else could we mix truth with? Shall we mix it with fear as well: it seems truth, hate and fear are being mixed together right now on the world stage and we must pray, "heaven preserve us" and not join in? God forbid we ever join in with that cocktail recipe. Because the kind of thing that comes up in that cocktail, is so dangerous, we wouldn't want it.<br />
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<i>Truth, text and reconciliation</i><br />
What about truth and text, if we mix those two together, we could end up with a long list of rules that will not shift because it's all governed by small print that isn't the kind of truth that sets us free.<br />
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So what recipe might we want to mix up? How about truth and reconciliation. You know if we shake that up together, you can hear the son of Ian Paisley praising the work of Martin McGuiness at Stormont. Can you believe that? It does happen, it did; it depends what we'll mix truth with. Truth and reconciliation, can we try that?<br />
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<i>Truthful discipleship</i><br />
As Christians I believe we are called to mix truth with a number of things and among them, right now I think it's important to remember to mix truth with hope. Today in our gospel reading we hear of Jesus calling disciples, who responded to that calling in hope.<br />
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Mixing truth and hope together expands our vision of what is possible—and how much do we need that right now, oh how much!<br />
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<i>Discipleship for the many not the few</i><br />
Truthful hopeful discipleship is for the many, not the few. I remember as a very young adult attending communion on chaplaincy visits from my college to Wandsworth prison and witnessing the discipleship of prisoners. I suddenly found my limited version of discipleship expanded. Not discipleship made in my own image. My version of what was needed didn't conform to what I was beginning to experience. My version of discipleship had got muddled up with truth: going to prison unmixed it big time!<br />
<br />
<i>Non-conformist discipleship that transcends</i><br />
I also do want to say something about the calling of some of disciples from today's reading: here we hear of four males called; I must stress though that Jesus appears to go beyond gender politics and the gender categories of the day, Jesus wasn't interesting in conforming to the standards of the time. He also seems to both challenge and rebalance aspects of the way people are treated because of their gender. In fact, in a broad-brush way, some of the most meaningful dialogues between Jesus and disciples are when he is speaking with women and those regarded as unclean. The males seem far more prone to getting told off by him. Just think of that conversation between him and the Syro-Phonenician woman, or that amazing interchange with the woman at the well in John 4 or, the o, most powerful of exchanges at the tomb of Lazarus with Martha's sister Mary; wow, it doesn't get more profound than that. We must also recall the first witnesses of the resurrection were women too: wherever there was imbalance, Jesus appears not only seek to rebalance but also go way beyond the gender politics of the time and shake things up with hope and truth for everyone.<br />
<br />
<i>The shoulds, oughts and don'ts of discipleship</i><br />
What might our discipleship need to look like, that requires adjustment? I sense discipleship can all too often be driven by shoulds and oughts—it has in my life and now I'm wanting to resist that compulsion. There are some don'ts for our discipleship, but they are simple and brief. Don't be afraid, don't worry, don't be upset, don't be conformed. It's as simple and as complex as that! That's where being hopeful, is what helps us get—with truth—where we really want and need to be.<br />
<br />
<i>CBT and western anxieties</i><br />
As people living in the West though, we do need CBT, cognitive behavioural therapy to get us out of the ruts of stress and anxiety: our Western lives are so overlaid with too vast array of choices and addictions that it's no wonder we are incredibly worried and over-wrought. One of the hugest addictions of all is to oil, the burning of which is heating up our atmosphere in a way that we could control but haven't yet: It's making us ill and our planet ill too for now and for those who come after us. That's why we need some brain (cognitive), habit (behavioural), liberty (therapy), as soon as possible! I think most of us need that kind of CBT and plenty of us need some ordinary everyday CBT to help us overcome our contemporary stress, I'd recommend considering it!<br />
<br />
<i>What can truth and hope make room for</i><br />
When we mix truth and hope together, it makes room for all of us to follow. It means that we can esteem and appreciate and applaud each other's attempts at discipleship. If we take time to applaud the ordinary contributions each of us bring to the church—the things we can do, not the things we think we or someone else ought or should do—across the traditions and denominations; if we purpose ourselves to encourage the gifts or charisms of each and everyone, then more people will be encouraged. If more people are encouraged, more will follow, it makes more room and people we will want to join in.<br />
<br />
<i>Peace will come</i><br />
Let's take hope and mix it with truth for our discipleship, because then, encouraged together, we'll have an expanded vision of what is possible and what life together can be in that includes all of us. Then we will be able to look—not with certainty—but a growing confidence that peace will come at last and families will be reunited.<br />
Amen.<br />
<br />
<br />Jemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17598808670913818054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6151770029696357237.post-43295139935240408732017-01-06T08:19:00.003+00:002017-01-06T09:30:51.433+00:00Letter in the Church Times: Readability of the Common Worship Collects and Post CommunionsToday I have a letter published in the <i>Church Times </i>(see below). That's because, in my other <a href="http://latequartet.blogspot.co.uk/">blog</a>, I've been exploring questions of readability of Collects and Post Communions among many other topics related to accessibility.<br />
<br />
An <a href="https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2016/23-december/comment/opinion/speaking-more-of-the-language-of-the-people">article (behind a paywall)</a> by Geoff Bayliss on 23rd December in the <i>Church Times</i> focussed on readability of <i>Common Worship </i>texts. He has been working with readability tools, similar to the Gunning Fog index <a href="http://latequartet.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/collects-and-post-communions-childrens.html">I use</a> as a guide in my re-writes. In his article he says;<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
If the intention of the 2004 set of collects was to make such prayers more accessible, and to pitch them in the language of those outside the Church, we discover a journey yet uncompleted. A further set of collects is required, aimed at those who have limited vocabulary and experience of the Church, or who have English as a second language. [...]<br />If we turn to more recently produced liturgy, there are two eucharistic prayers (Common Worship: Additional Eucharistic Prayers: With guidance on celebrating the eucharist with children, CHP, 2012, available at www.churchofengland.org) [...] It becomes clear that we can be successful producers of liturgy that is more accessible. (<a href="https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2016/23-december/comment/opinion/speaking-more-of-the-language-of-the-people"><i>Church Times</i> 23/30 Dec 2016</a>)</blockquote>
<br />
I have written a reply about this topic area that is published in today's <i>Church Times</i> (Friday 6th January 2017). Here is my text that was put under a <i>Church Times</i> heading of "<a href="https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2017/6-january/comment/letters-to-the-editor/letters-to-the-editor">Accessibility of the Language of Liturgical Worship</a>" :<br />
<br />
<br />
Dear Editor [converted to "Sirs—," in the <i>CT</i>]<br />
<br />
I am pleased Geoff Bayliss’s article "<a href="https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2016/23-december/comment/opinion/speaking-more-of-the-language-of-the-people">Speaking the Language of the People</a>" (23 / 30 December) has sparked much debate—on social media at least—about the readability of part of the liturgy. Common Worship’s 250 or so Collects and Post Communions have a peculiar place. That’s because, typically, they only get wheeled out once per annum or less. Almost every Collect has an alternate and the Post Communions are only optional. They also seek to sum up the theology of the Church for a particular moment in time, in one sentence!<br />
<br />
I believe readability can be only one factor in making these prayers more accessible. In the last four years I have written and published (online) <a href="http://latequartet.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/collects-and-post-communions-redubbed.html">200 suggested inclusive adaptations</a> of the existing Collects and Post Communions from Common Worship. I have found in any adaptation of existing prayers that there are some gains and some losses in the following areas: the beauty of the language; conveying the Church’s theology; introducing contemporary themes including care for creation, urban and other liberation theologies; and achieving more frequent gender neutrality in our prayer.<br />
<br />
What stands as an even more fundamental challenge for making Collects accessible is in asking who these prayers are for: many of the existing stock of prayers are for those who see themselves to already be part of God’s church and kingdom. The diverse self-understandings of those who come to our church services—seekers, the un-churched and those of different beliefs—means all too often the ‘us’ in these prayers contributes to the “othering” of too many attending worship.<br />
<br />
Revd Dr Jeremy Clines<br />
The Anglican Chaplaincy, University of SheffieldJemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17598808670913818054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6151770029696357237.post-2922537859418836312017-01-05T17:03:00.001+00:002017-01-05T17:55:21.947+00:00Ra, Ra the Canaanites: a sermon about genocideThis sermon <a href="http://latequartet.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/sermon-genocide-ra-ra-canaanites.html">Genocide: Ra, Ra the Canaanites</a> from 5 years back follows up on some of themes addressed in the <a href="http://gritstoneandgod.blogspot.co.uk/2017/01/atheism-and-christianity-travelling.html">Atheism and Christianity: travelling companions</a> sermon from 12 years ago.Jemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17598808670913818054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6151770029696357237.post-12553713322203156032017-01-05T16:40:00.004+00:002017-01-07T08:49:53.235+00:00Atheism and Christianity: travelling companionsI found this sermon given twelve years back, and wanted to make a link to it here. Given in the context of being the only person from the clergy that the atheist Lord Mayor of York could imagine wanting as a chaplain, that was a privilege, expounded here:<br />
<a href="http://latequartet.blogspot.co.uk/2005/04/atheism-and-christianity.html">Atheism and Christianity: travelling companions</a>Jemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17598808670913818054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6151770029696357237.post-73606338081322724612017-01-05T16:13:00.002+00:002017-01-05T16:42:37.301+00:00Resurrection, Raising from Death, Revival, Spiritual Battles, Death and Walter WinkI have had the privilege to spiritually accompany a priest who has suddenly died, leaving a local church community in shock and wondering about some of the meanings that could be found in this.<br />
<br />
For that community the idea of the battle belonging to the Lord was important in those first few days of grief: as I visited them to offer my sympathies and support I found myself reflecting on the themes that were being explored: Resurrection, Raising from Death, Revival, Spiritual Battles and Death. All of this took my mind to Walter Wink's work on powers and principalities and also to the Charles Wesley hymn, 'Love's Redeeming Work is Done' (basically a set of 5 out of the 10 verses of 'Jesus Christ is Risen Today' without all the 'Alleluias')!<br />
<br />
As I talked with some of the community I was invited to go along and say a few words at their next Sunday gathering, I wrote this up and that was, in turn, posted up as a blog on their church site.<br />
<br />
Here, for what they are worth are the blogs I prepared on these topics:<br />
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.800000190734863px;">
<a href="http://www.stphilipssheffield.org/blog/the-battle-belongs-to-the-lord-part-1">Part One</a></div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.800000190734863px;">
<a href="http://www.stphilipssheffield.org/blog/the-battle-belongs-to-the-lord-part-2">Part Two</a> </div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.800000190734863px;">
<a href="http://www.stphilipssheffield.org/blog/the-battle-belongs-to-the-lord-part-3">Part Three</a> </div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.800000190734863px;">
<a href="http://www.stphilipssheffield.org/blog/the-battle-belongs-to-the-lord-part-4">Part Four</a> </div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.800000190734863px;">
<a href="http://www.stphilipssheffield.org/blog/the-battle-belongs-to-the-lord-part-5">Part Five</a></div>
Jemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17598808670913818054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6151770029696357237.post-84269993278284086592016-11-10T09:47:00.002+00:002016-11-10T10:00:22.537+00:00part-wishing rulers I don't like dead and pacifismI have been cheered up—while thinking about Donald Trump, Hitler and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dietrich_Bonhoeffer">Bonhoeffer</a>—by an article from this year's Reith lecturer, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/nov/09/western-civilisation-appiah-reith-lecture">Kwame Anthony Appiah</a> on 'Western Civilisation', reminding me about an exchange between a reporter and Gandhi:<br />
<br />
Reporter: 'Mr. Gandhi, what do you think of Western Civilisation?'<br />
Mr. Gandhi: 'I think it would be a good idea!'<br />
<br />
The <a href="https://apictureofpolitics.wordpress.com/2012/04/24/gandhis-play-on-words/">blog</a> where I found commentary on this dialogue also quotes Gandhi's further critique of what in the modern period was classed as 'civilisation':<br />
"I wholeheartedly detest this mad desire to destroy distance and time, to increase animal appetites, and go to the ends of the earth in search of their satisfaction. If modern civilization stands for all this, and I have understood it to do so, I call it satanic."<br />
[...]<br />
"India’s destiny lies not along the bloody way of the West, of which she shows signs of tiredness, but along the bloodless way of peace that comes from a simple and godly life. India is in danger of losing her soul. She cannot lose it and live. She must not therefore lazily and helplessly say, ‘I cannot escape the onrush from the West.’ She must be strong enough to resist it for her own sake and that of the world. European civilization is no doubt suited for the Europeans, but it will mean ruin for India, if we endeavor to copy it."<br />
<br />
I am glad of this path of inspiration towards non-violent—and that also means wholly peaceful—resistance.<br />
<br />
Yesterday I found myself part-wishing rulers I don't like dead and I wanted to connect to pacifist principles that have a higher aim than that.Jemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17598808670913818054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6151770029696357237.post-63905999096650517222015-11-11T16:44:00.000+00:002015-11-14T09:09:51.427+00:00Starting with some things about deathI realized that my existing blog www.latequaret.blogspot.com has been taken over by my prayers writing project, so here's a second blog for all sorts of things I have thoughts about.<br />
<br />
Three years ago I preached a sermon at the unusual 'Service of Thanksgiving' we have here at the University of Sheffield for people who have donated their whole bodies to medical science. Back then I preached <a href="http://latequartet.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/a-sermon-at-thanksgiving-for-donations.html">this</a>.<br />
<br />
This time though, having learned quite a bit about respecting the gift to the Christian chaplains of having a Christian service to lead, I wanted to be less theological and not sermonize, but rather pay attention to the term 'address' given in the order of service and to be more inclusive of everyone there. When I say gift, I mean that the service is gift given by the Faculty of Science's Bio-medical Science department and the many schools of the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health who choose this method as a way to create a moment for the bereaved families as well as hundreds of students and many staff to all be in the same room to give thanks for the donation.<br />
<br />
Here is the reading, first, that I base my address on which follows after. The reading is a translation by my dad, which I find most inspiring.<br />
<br />
Ecclesiastes 3:1-16<br />
There is a moment for everything,<br />
a time for every activity in the world.<br />
<br />
There is a time for giving birth, and a time for dying;<br />
a time to plant,<br />
and a time to uproot the plant.<br />
<br />
There is a time for killing, a time for healing;<br />
a time for tearing down, a time for building.<br />
<br />
There is a time for tears, and a time for laughter;<br />
a time for mourning, and a time for dancing.<br />
<br />
There is a time for making love, a time for not making love;<br />
a time for kissing,<br />
a time for not kissing.<br />
<br />
There is a time for searching, and a time for losing;<br />
a time for keeping,<br />
and a time for discarding.<br />
<br />
There is a time to tear, and a time to mend;<br />
a time for silence,<br />
and a time for speech.<br />
<br />
There is a time for loving, and a time for hating;<br />
a time for war,<br />
and a time for peace.<br />
<br />
But what profit is there<br />
in all these activities?, I asked when I studied the activities that God gives humans<br />
to busy themselves with.<br />
<br />
Every activity he has made<br />
is beautiful in its own moment.<br />
But the totality<br />
he has cloaked in darkness,<br />
so that we can never discover the full meaning<br />
of all the activities<br />
he has created.<br />
<br />
What I do know<br />
is that there is nothing better for human beings<br />
than to be happy<br />
and enjoy themselves<br />
as long as they live.<br />
<br />
When we eat and drink and find happiness<br />
in all our activities, that is a gift from God.<br />
<br />
I know too that whatever God does<br />
will recur for ever; there is no adding to it, no taking away.<br />
It is a closed system, and it is awesome.<br />
<br />
Whatever happens<br />
has already happened before,<br />
and what has happened before<br />
is what is yet to happen.<br />
<br />
In its turn, every activity is<br />
summoned back into existence by God.<br />
<br />
<i>Acknowledgement text: Biblical translation by Professor David J. A. Clines (Professor Emeritus of the University of Sheffield), by permission.</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Address at the Service of Thanksgiving </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>University of Sheffield </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Octagon Centre</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Wednesday 11 November 2015</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Jeremy M S Clines</div>
<br />
<br />
There are many ways in which our service today is extra-ordinary. It is extraordinary, because as we prepare ourselves for when someone we love dies, we draw on past experiences to figure out what it will be like. Even if we haven’t grieved before, we can make use of the stories of others to try to imagine how we are going to survive. Most other stories are not going to include one of these services of thanksgiving, for most there is a funeral very soon. So it’s extra-ordinary for quite a number of you, who are grieving and who have this occasion as one of the ways to deal with the most final kind of farewell we face in this life.<br />
<br />
I know too, even more extraordinarily, that for a few of you, that the whole idea of deciding in advance to donate one’s own whole body after the end of one’s life for learning and research becomes a family thing. That is, that one person’s decision in a family to donate can inspire others who love them to do the same and make a donation wish too. As with organ donation, planning a possible purpose for our mortal remains after our death is another way of taking care of things as well as we can.<br />
<br />
There are though many other reactions to today and the things that are extraordinary about it. For some of you, by today being extraordinary, it is too much to bear and you’ll here to get through today, but will be glad to not have too many reminders. For some of you, the details of today fade into insignificance even as they happen because you are thinking of the person you love, rather than the events that accompany the time after they have died.<br />
<br />
For the students and staff who are here today this is an extraordinary moment too, since this service is a profound moment but also reflects each person’s sustained commitment to reverentially learn and teach and research in a way that is made possible because of the planned for gift of people who have now died.<br />
<br />
What we do get from today is a Christian service, full of a message of hope of a God of love who shares in our sufferings and who has even experienced death and gives us shows us a path of faith in God and a way of life that goes beyond death.<br />
<br />
We also find in this service some very beautiful and poignant music and we get some time to reflect, to find, perhaps some consolation in our grief, we even get chance perhaps— even in a small way—to celebrate the person’s life we are here to commemorate, we are here to remember and give thanks.<br />
<br />
I would encourage all you who have lost someone to remember some detail about them today both here at the service but also in conversation, to think of, to speak, even to write down a particularly joyous or quirky or funny or annoying detail from that person’s life. Or to recall something that has changed in you because of them, or something that is changing in you now because of them. I pray that’s something you can make space for in today.<br />
<br />
But what we don’t get from today is many answers and that’s one of the hardest things about our gathering this afternoon is that we gather, all conscious of questions that can be answered and questions that won’t be. Someone very close to me, who has been through a particularly acute grief, regularly speaks of the relief she won by sifting out all the questions she had about death and loss and gathering them into the piles of questions: that could be answered; could be partially answered, had no answer and the ones always with no answer.<br />
<br />
‘No Answer’: was the accidental title given, for simply futile reasons, to the Electric Light Orchestra’s first album when issued in the United States. ELO formed five years before the Sex Pistols, in 1970, in Birmingham. Maybe what led to the confusion was that ELO had already released the album in the UK with the album title of Electric Light Orchestra, but when a United Artists Records executive phoned up the UK to find the album title’s name—thinking that they only had the band name in front of them—no one answered the phone, so they wrote down ‘No Answer’ in their notes. It was only some time after the album was released that the futile name surfaced (ELO are still going, though, unless you’ll settle for the tribute band playing Sheffield next week, you need to go to Oberhaussen, Germany next May).!<br />
<br />
‘No Answer’ was a temporary situation, after a while a better answer was forthcoming and the name got changed: there's chances we get a better answer to our griefs, overtime, but not always. Sometimes there is never an answer. There's a fairly extraordinary piece that echoes those moments of having no answer of all, it's called ‘The Unanswered Question’, which speaks of our questions that won’t get at answer, in this life at least. It was written by Charles Ives back in 1908, and I know about it because I’ve played in a couple of performances of it.<br />
<br />
In the piece, ‘The Unanswered Question’ rather than everyone being up on stage, as our Chamber Choir are here, there are three scattered groups. Strings who create a druid-like drone of long-term and ancient thought, but then, often concealed in at a distant a lone trumpet firing off a question, which a third group, a group of flutes try to answer, but the flutes fail, and the trumpet asks a second time, and a third time, each time the flutes become more agitated in their reply, more flummoxed at their inability to give a meaningful answer. The trumpet persists a further three times, and the flutes become more erratic and disjointed until, with their sixth reply they admit defeat and fall silent. The trumpet asks the question a seventh and final time and the druidic drone of the strings continues for a while before all falls silent.<br />
<br />
The writer of the book of Ecclesiasties, which we heard from today, grappled with the answerable and unanswerable questions of life. The writer asks the questions of why we exist and what the purpose of life, in God, is. In the reading we heard, from chapter three, the writer isn’t fatalistic but is rather sifting the closed system of life and defining what can be answered from the unanswerable.<br />
<br />
The unpredictability of the way we navigate our way through life and through grief is laid out in a kind of order in the reading, but the list keeps the refrain going simply of ‘a time’ ‘a time’ ‘a time’, not saying which time or in which order though the writer is confident much of the list will occur, inevitably, since that’s what life is. What is also helpful in that writing is to include dying in the list. We can, at times be prone to leave dying off the list altogether as simply separate; but learning through grief and learning from death and dying help us understand what it is to be alive and to be human and to have faith, far better than if we leave the topic far away from ourselves.<br />
<br />
What is also helpful for all of us to remember in all of our griefs is there is no pattern and order to the way we find our way through grief. It takes longer than we like and we may be completely out of sequence with the others around us who are grieving too.<br />
<br />
There is a time for our grieving, and there’s also a time in our grieving to let our grief speak of love. It’s because we love that we grieve and when our grief cries out, it is crying with many emotions, but crying because we love and we cannot stop loving the people that we have …, we have…,<br />
<br />
I was going to say the people we have lost, but we haven’t even quite lost them, because as we remember them today we can remember how much of their life is written into our life and how they are still changing us.<br />
<br />
Living and loving is a closed system and it is awesome.<br />
<br />
Amen.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />Jemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17598808670913818054noreply@blogger.com0