Monthly Archives: November 2009

Is God bigger than Christianity?

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This is a question that has been a matter of a lot of thought and discussion over the last few weeks for myself and others. My thoughts are concerning to me, as during the process of thinking I have decided a lot of my concern comes from what other people may think. I like to think that I do not worry too much about what people think of me. I’m fairly used to being on the edge of things and so feeling outside of the ‘in group’ a lot of the time. So I have been surprised that I am worried what people will think through my asking this question…

How big is God?
God is bigger than the church, I think most can accept that. Church does not contain God, God created the church and lives outside of it; I think that is quite easy for many to grasp and to sit comfortable with.

But … is God bigger than Christianity?

I immediately respond, yes, (because after all God must be!) but then all my past evangelical upbringing reins me back and tells me I am stepping into dangerous ground … possibly even heretical ground because this might imply that there is truth of God elsewhere, outside Christianity, maybe even some truth in other religions and viewpoints? As I think on that it is then I get worried as to what other people think I may be sinking into! It’s madness to think like that.

So … what do you think …. is God bigger than Christianity?
Or … to put it another way … does Christianity hold everything we need to know about God?

The man who smuggled himself into Auschwitz

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Following my discovery of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas last week which I watched with Joe on Saturday (if you have not seen the film then I recommend this – sad, touching, insightful and incredibly moving!) which stunned us both to silence with the ending I was amazed by this story on the BBC news yesterday. Such extremes in the behaviour of humanity in such juxtaposition leave you speechless but with much to think about.

Daises

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I hope to be able to get along to the Rochester Film Salon later this week to watch Daises as I’ve not been for far too long! Anyone fancy coming along with me?

Found this review on the IMDB database:

‘One of the most vibrant and fun art house films you are ever likely to see. Vera Chytilova was merging feminism, nihilism, psychedelic color filters, collage aesthetic, and silent film slapstick into a one of a kind film about two young girls named Marie who decide to self destruct, and be just as wicked as the world. They con men into buying them lunch and ditch them at train stations, get drunk in posh nightclubs, set their beds on fire, and lay siege to whole banquets(this latter bit got the film and the director into a lot of trouble with the Soviet Czech government for “wasting food”). Anyway this is an energetic and vibrant film as you’re likely to find anywhere, and unlike so many great euro art films, this is as fun to watch as it is think about afterwords. I’ve shown this movie to a lot of people and I’ve never had a complaint, it clocks in at just over an hour, so if you’ve got the time, go for it. It’s a one of kind experience(in fact the worst part of this movie is the cover).’

Sounds a great movie!
If you fancy it too, give me a shout!

Advent service …. and stuff

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Advent started today.
Being at a cathedral it may be viewed as quite traditional inthe way this is celebrated, and I think this morning it pretty much was with the lighting of one of the candles in the Advent Wreath.

One of the thing that has ‘challenged’ me is that during the gradual hymn (I don’t know … google it!) some who are presiding stay seated while the congregation and choir stand. The rest of the ministers follow what the priest presiding does. I have felt uncomfortable with the sitting thing and so when presiding I would always stand. This week that changed as everyone sits as, I learned today, this particular hymn is to be sung as we relfect on the reading we have just listened to. The sitting thing make ssense now.

This evening we celebrated Advent again and the service, although traditional in a setting of nine lessons and Advent hymns and antiphons was stunning in its creativity and journey. Neil, the Precentor (person in cathedral responsible for all worship – and very good at it) designed a service where the boys and girls choirs sung from different parts of the cathedral, came together, and then separated again …. causing us to think and notice the journey from west to east and we thought about Mary and Joseph’s journey of similar direction.

The music and choreography tonight was quite stunning and powerful and gave an excellent example of how space can be used both powerfully and meaningfully. It also illustrated how spolit we are in the cathedral with the standard of choirs that we are blessed with.

Tonight I was excited because I came away with ideas that I think would work in a traditional building but in a pioneering or fresh expression setting. As a  pioneer I am often mistaken as someone that wants to throw everything out and bring in totally new stuff, when actually I think it is more about looking at our tradition and reframing in a way that is meaningful and engaging for 21st century people that are searching for God but don’t normally feel able to find him in church as it is.

From My Past

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Photo Friday this week has the topic of ‘From My Past’.
I was sent this photo of our last day at school from a  friend recently that fits the bill …. I wonder where the rest of thsis fantastic gang is now?

Indoctrination?

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this latest add made me smile and wonder …. I have a question for the people who designed the poster … have you met my children?

I am sure I am can not be the only Christian parent who has indoctrination proof children! Have they tried to get a child to do, let alone believe, something they don’t want to do?

Of course they grow up and choose for themselves …. another humanist add which will just get people talking about God again in the same way the Bus ‘There is probably no God’ campaign did last year – which I think is pretty funny

st patricks preperation

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Following from my post here on vulnerability in ministry I have had help from my purple Diana friend who I have come to massively admire over the last couple of years.

Diana is a great person who took the time to message me saying that she uses the St patrick breastplate prayer rather than the armour of God prayer that In was starting to have difficulties with. I thought I knew this prayer, but realised I only knew part of it:

Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left.

These words I know well from my time of using Northumbria Celtic Prayer. The whole prayer, however, is amazing and I am finding it a fantastic way to prepare before venturing out from the cathedral as I seek to meet people. It reminds of how I am just a small part of the process (great for reminding myself that I am not the centre of all that is happening!!) and that I am connected in a very real way to the rest of God’s creation. It reminds me that I go out with God and as part of God’s mission rather than my own. It reminds me that all strength is God’s rather than through anything I dress or attempt to protect myself in.

I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through the belief in the threeness,
Through confession of the oneness
Of the Creator of Creation.

I arise today
Through the strength of Christ’s birth with his baptism,
Through the strength of his crucifixion with his burial,
Through the strength of his resurrection with his ascension,
Through the strength of his descent for the judgment of Doom.

I arise today
Through the strength of the love of Cherubim,
In obedience of angels,
In the service of archangels,
In hope of resurrection to meet with reward,
In prayers of patriarchs,
In predictions of prophets,
In preaching of apostles,
In faith of confessors,
In innocence of holy virgins,
In deeds of righteous men.

I arise today
Through the strength of heaven:
Light of sun,
Radiance of moon,
Splendor of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of wind,
Depth of sea,
Stability of earth,
Firmness of rock.

I arise today
Through God’s strength to pilot me:
God’s might to uphold me,
God’s wisdom to guide me,
God’s eye to look before me,
God’s ear to hear me,
God’s word to speak for me,
God’s hand to guard me,
God’s way to lie before me,

God’s shield to protect me,
God’s host to save me
From snares of devils,
From temptations of vices,
From everyone who shall wish me ill,
Afar and anear,
Alone and in multitude.

I summon today all these powers between me and those evils,
Against every cruel merciless power that may oppose my body and soul,
Against incantations of false prophets,
Against black laws of pagandom
Against false laws of heretics,
Against craft of idolatry,
Against spells of witches and smiths and wizards,
Against every knowledge that corrupts man’s body and soul.

Christ to shield me today
Against poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
So that there may come to me abundance of reward.
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.

I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the threeness,
Through confession of the oneness,
Of the Creator of Creation

Dickens Christmas looming

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The Christmas Dickens Festival is soon to be upon us and as part of that Rochester cathedral is joining in with the Get in the Picture campaign which looks like it will be fun.

In additiion we are looking to encourage people to pause and consider what Christmas is all about.  Throughout the day various characters (some you will of heard of, some maybe not!) from the nativity scene will give a short monologue of their memories and we believe these will cause people to wonder what the season is all about.

Put the dates in your diary (5 and 5 Dec) and pay us a visit. It will be a really great day.

Photo Friday – vehicle

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I have been viewing Photo Friday as a website for a few weeks and thought about taking up the challenge – not because I think I have any particularly great photos to display but purely for fun and to set myself a challenge each week unrelated to what I do for the rest of my time.

I do aim to go out with the theme in my head and the camera in my hands but this week is a bit if a cheek as I already have the photo from when the Tour de France cycled through Gillingham. I like the mix in the photo of vehicle, speed and the look of bewilderment of people as they watch the cyclists speed through. I remember we all waited nearly an hour and then hundreds of cyclists and their cycles sped past us in about 60 seconds!

Some things only make sense in the dark!

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I caught these pics over at Dave ‘wannabe’ Green’s blog the other day and I kept hold of them because they intrigue me; no doubt they can be illustrations to some sermon I preach at some point in the future. I just smile thinking of people puzzled this graffitti during the day … and then totally delighted by it’s cleverness during the night.

I’ve been finding interest in these pictures because I reckon darkness gets a pretty bad press in the Christian world …. and yet I like the dark! For myself, the quiet and secret of the darkness is an environment in which I find it easier to connect with God.

It’s in the secret dark places that seeds give birth to amazing plants and trees. It’s in the darkness of cinema auditoriums where I am amazed at God speaking through Hollywood media.
It’s in the darkness of the womb that the creator and saviour of the universe grew secretly to become the God child.
It’s from the darkness that everything was created.

Sometimes the only place something makes sense is in the dark!