A phenomenal experience last night, as Les and I went to see Jesus Christ Superstar at the Echo Arena (a late birthday present - thanks family!) I was totally gripped by the whole performance, amazed at the power and the energy, and deeply moved by the story. I've seen it on stage once before, years ago, and am acquainted with many of the songs. After all, it's been around since 1969! Interestingly JCS was released as an album before it was a stage show. Lloyd Webber, who wrote the music, was only 21 at the time. It's hard to believe that, when it first came out, it was regarded as blasphemous by some Christians, who opposed it vehemently, not least because it finishes with the Crucifixion - there is no resurrection. Somehow, they seemed to miss the point: this was a representation of the Gospel story, not the whole truth.
Cleverly, the setting for this performance is the global economic crisis, and the Occupy! movement. Jesus' disciples come from the ranks of the protesters outside an unidentified government building. From the beginning, revolution was in the air and the message of Jesus was one that naturally threatened authority, both political and religious. He drew people around himself, eager for his 'good news' of love and empowerment for the weak, the sick and the powerless; he shows himself indifferent to the opposition of the state. You could tell it was written by young men! He was always controversial, and a key figure in the show is Judas - an anguished and desperate man, who is disillusioned in the end by Jesus. Like everyone else in the story, Judas just doesn't 'get Jesus'. ('What's it all about', sings Mary Magdalene.)
The most powerful moment in this production is Jesus in Gethsemane, wrestling with God (a truly amazing performance by Ben Forster) as he finally surrenders himself to death. Humanity and divinity in conflict, and resolved only by surrender. Goodness, it seems, must sacrifice itself in order to triumph. The final scene in this production is the kind of shrine that we see nowadays, when a community or nation mourns - as we first experienced when Princess Diana died. A huge outpouring of grief, guilt, love and sorrow.
It made me think how tame sometimes is our presentation of the 'good news'; how ineffective the church in commending the power of God's love, proclaming the arrival of a new world order under the sovereignty of the now risen and ascended Lord Jesus Christ. Perhaps it is because we are unwilling to sacrifice ourselves. Perhaps we are more interested in self-preservation. How does one - how do I - recover that sense of a divine, cutting-edge mission which brings good news?
I have been driven back to the Gospel, and spent a couple of hours reading Mark this morning. It's interesting how often (in Tom Wright's translation, which I read for freshness) the words 'astonished' or 'amazed' or 'afraid' occur in reaction to Jesus' words and actions. How often is there any kind of reaction to what the Church does? Is that about social indifference to the Gospel in our culture, or our failure to connect?
The Gospel of Mark begins: 'This is where the good news starts...'; it ends 'They (the disciples) went out and announced the message everywhere...' There is an obvious connection between the message Jesus brought (and died for) and what the Church is about (and dies for?) I'm not sure we always 'get it' - 'get Jesus'.
Wednesday 16 October 2013
Monday 14 October 2013
Stocks, Shares and Stories
I have never owned stocks and shares, but I have a sense that the flotation of the Royal Mail reveals something of what is wrong in our society and with modern capitalism. As I understand it, the original idea of stocks and shares was to enable a company to set up business and the shareholders had literally a vested interest in the enterprise. Those who paid the piper called the tune, you might say: managers or directors managed or directed on behalf of the shareholders. But with the growth of capitalism and the flourishing of huge multi-national corporations, the distance between shareholder and manager grew and grew with the result that ownership was separated from overall control. Managers/directors reign supreme and shareholders have become impotent, though with one benefit: the shareholder has exchanged control and responsibility for the delights of liquidity (F. Mount, The New Few). In other words, the shareholder can make a killing and institutional investors make vast fortunes: in the case of Royal Mail, £433m on the first day!
Now there is nothing wrong with this per se, and it is a perfectly acceptable way of investing and making money. However, it seems to me that lack of 'ownership' is a problem becoming endemic throughout society, and our economic system reveals it. There is powerlessness on the part of the many, and increasing power and wealth for the few. Everything is someone else's problem, which leads to the opt-out we are seeing in our political system. In the end, we just play the game and do what's right by ourselves. Or as someone said recently, 'No one believes anything any more'. An overstatement that makes the point.
How refreshing then to see the film Les and I watched at the weekend, Life of Pi. It was a wonderful film, both visually and the plot. Often you asked yourself, 'how did they do that?' - boy and tiger on lifeboat following shipwreck. The best line for me is when Pi describes himself as a Catholic Hindu (or was it Hindu Catholic?) 'I didn't know you could be both,' says his friend. 'Yes,' says Pi. 'I feel guilty before a hundred gods!' Essentially, it is a story about human growth through adversity with a richly spiritual theme, as Pi does battle with what St Paul might call 'the elemental spirits of the universe.' In the end, it turns out there are two versions of the same story and Pi's friend is invited to choose which he prefers - with or without God? The version with God being the better, according to Pi.
Now there is nothing wrong with this per se, and it is a perfectly acceptable way of investing and making money. However, it seems to me that lack of 'ownership' is a problem becoming endemic throughout society, and our economic system reveals it. There is powerlessness on the part of the many, and increasing power and wealth for the few. Everything is someone else's problem, which leads to the opt-out we are seeing in our political system. In the end, we just play the game and do what's right by ourselves. Or as someone said recently, 'No one believes anything any more'. An overstatement that makes the point.
How refreshing then to see the film Les and I watched at the weekend, Life of Pi. It was a wonderful film, both visually and the plot. Often you asked yourself, 'how did they do that?' - boy and tiger on lifeboat following shipwreck. The best line for me is when Pi describes himself as a Catholic Hindu (or was it Hindu Catholic?) 'I didn't know you could be both,' says his friend. 'Yes,' says Pi. 'I feel guilty before a hundred gods!' Essentially, it is a story about human growth through adversity with a richly spiritual theme, as Pi does battle with what St Paul might call 'the elemental spirits of the universe.' In the end, it turns out there are two versions of the same story and Pi's friend is invited to choose which he prefers - with or without God? The version with God being the better, according to Pi.
Monday 7 October 2013
A New Identity
I watched our latest rental DVD on Friday night: 'Blood Diamond', with Leonardo diCaprio in the lead role. The setting was Sierra Leone 1999, and a story about diamond smuggling. The subtext was about young boys being brutally kidnapped from their homes to become boy soldiers on the side of rebel forces. For me the most moving scene occurred when one such boy is pointing a gun at his own father, who gently approaches him, reminding him of the life they once shared and of their relationship which could now be restored. Both characters are in tears, as the boy lowers the gun and they embrace each other. His identity as 'soldier'gives way to that of 'son'.
On Saturday, I had the great privilege of sharing half a day with 40 or so key leaders from our three churches. I spoke to them of our identity in Christ, of how despite the challenges which face us in today's world, it is our identity as God's people (with which God clothes us) which is determinative for all we do and say. I also shared this quotation from CS Lewis from Mere Christianity:
‘The Church exists for nothing else but to draw men into Christ, to make them little Christs. If they are not doing that, all the cathedrals, clergy, missions, sermons, even the Bible itself, are simply a waste of time. God became man for no other purpose.’
It's a challenging statement, but I do believe it is ultimately what we are about: helping everyone to find a new identity. This does not mean of course that we are overbearing or manipulative; but it does mean that we are in a state of constant invitation. We hope to follow this through with a Week of Blessing at the end of this month, with the themes of Heaven, Hope and Hospitality.
Then on Sunday, it was the 30th anniversary of a couple from St Barnabas, who wanted the whole church to celebrate with them. I spoke again of the new identity, how man and woman accept the identity of husband and wife, given them by their marriage vows. From the realisation of that identity should come the necessary changes in behaviours and priorities which go with being married.
I suppose 'become what you are' sums it all up.
On Saturday, I had the great privilege of sharing half a day with 40 or so key leaders from our three churches. I spoke to them of our identity in Christ, of how despite the challenges which face us in today's world, it is our identity as God's people (with which God clothes us) which is determinative for all we do and say. I also shared this quotation from CS Lewis from Mere Christianity:
‘The Church exists for nothing else but to draw men into Christ, to make them little Christs. If they are not doing that, all the cathedrals, clergy, missions, sermons, even the Bible itself, are simply a waste of time. God became man for no other purpose.’
It's a challenging statement, but I do believe it is ultimately what we are about: helping everyone to find a new identity. This does not mean of course that we are overbearing or manipulative; but it does mean that we are in a state of constant invitation. We hope to follow this through with a Week of Blessing at the end of this month, with the themes of Heaven, Hope and Hospitality.
Then on Sunday, it was the 30th anniversary of a couple from St Barnabas, who wanted the whole church to celebrate with them. I spoke again of the new identity, how man and woman accept the identity of husband and wife, given them by their marriage vows. From the realisation of that identity should come the necessary changes in behaviours and priorities which go with being married.
I suppose 'become what you are' sums it all up.
‘The Church exists for nothing
else but to draw men into Christ, to
make them little Christs. If
they are
not doing that, all the cathedrals,
clergy, missions, sermons, even the
Bible itself, are simply a waste of
time. God became man for no other
purpose.’ CS Lewis Mere
Christianity
‘The Church exists for nothing
else but to draw men into Christ, to
make them little Christs. If
they are
not doing that, all the cathedrals,
clergy, missions, sermons, even the
Bible itself, are simply a waste of
time. God became man for no other
purpose.’ CS Lewis Mere
Christianity
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