Sabbatical 3

It's been an absorbing few days. I have effectively become site manager for Jude's house, where I'm making almost daily visits to check on things then discussing with the 'boss' in the evenings! There has been cuddle time with baby Chloe and, this afternoon, an outing with our Chris and Chloe's big brother George - lunch and a game of tenpin bowling (I came 3rd!)

Last Monday, I spent the day in London. The reason for the visit was to advance discussions leading to a biography of David Sheppard, our former bishop. I don't go to London very often, but love it when I do: the buzz, the cosmopolitan atmosphere, the antiquity. A feeling of walking where the great and the good have walked for centuries, seeing some of the buildings, street- and place-names which speak of bygone ages. And of course, you know you are at the centre of much wealth and power. I find it almost intoxicating. Much progress has been made on the biography: an excellent author has been appointed, who has put forward a most attractive proposal and outline for the book. He has described its purpose as 'history with contemporary relevance'. It essentially tells the story of a great Christian leader in cricket, the Church and society, who was unafraid to bring his Christian values as much to society as to Church. We hope it will be ready in time for Christmas 2017.

Values-based leadership is sorely lacking in today's society. With almost every utterance and report of our politicians, you have a sense of wanting to score points rather than address issues with an eye to the common good. The train journey to and from London enabled me to finish reading a book by Jim Wallis, On God's Side. The book takes its title from some words of Abraham Lincoln: My concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God's side. Wallis's book is about 'the common good': how Christians can partner with one another, across denominational and party divides, and with those of other faiths and none, to work for a more just, equitable and healthy society. Wallis points out that so often politicians address a problem thus: First, they try to make people in the public arena afraid of the problem. Then they try to blame the problem on the other political side. The result of course is a sterile debate which progresses little towards effective solutions. Think, for example, of immigration and the economy as two immediate issues. We have to move, says Wallis, to governing by problem solving and that strategy needs to involve a much wider consensus in society to bring it about.

Interestingly, as part of the common good, Wallis lays strong emphasis on marriage and family life: marriage (which may not necessarily be male/female), because there is practised faithfulness, truth-telling and commitment; family life because there role-modelling, community, and affirmation are practised and taught. He invites us all to consider how much we value and prioritise our life-partner and our children (or grand children, for that matter, I guess). Compassion and justice as well as charity begin at home.

This morning, I spent a refreshing, illuminating hour with our local rabbi. I had asked him what 'blessing' meant in Jewish faith, life and culture. I was so grateful that he had prepared for my visit by looking up various passages in the Jewish Scriptures (the Old Testament) and, in effect, we spent an hour in Hebrew Bible study! What was the first thing he said? We are not interested in what people think. The question is, what does God think? What does God want from us? We then looked at various passages, particularly in Genesis and Deuteronomy where 'blessing' is mentioned and demonstrated. The main theme of our discussion was that God wants all to know him, for all to live his way (as expressed in the Ten Commandments and the other of the Books of the Law) and so we should not be satisfied until the earth (is) filled with the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea (Isaiah 11.9, Habakkuk 2.14) That's a mighty big vision, which goes rather further than that of most local church congregations!

As a consequence, many Jewish people have a profound sense of being present in the world for the world. Not to 'bless' the world, using the gifts and talents God has given, would be an offence to God. Consequently, I was informed there is a disproportionate number of Jewish people among Nobel prize-winners and a high proportion of Jewish people are involved in voluntary service of some kind. In their liturgy, blessings are regularly called down upon the nation, with the prayer that the people might themselves be a vehicle of that blessing. The rabbi ended our session with these words of exhortation of the former Chief Rabbi, Jonathan Sacks: Be true to your faith; be a blessing to others, regardless of theirs. Great words - and not just for Jews!

All this proves that the term 'community of blessing' needs to be seen in a broad context. The local church should be concerned not just with the re-formation of the individual in the likeness of Christ (discipleship), but with the making whole of society. The vision of a world where all are filled with the knowledge of the Lord, is one to inspire and challenge us all.

There was a pleasant end to my London visit. I shared an evening meal at a restaurant with my two remaining aunts (my mother's younger sisters), who still live in the house where they grew up in Ealing. It was good to catch up with each other's news. I was astonished to find that the older one turned 80 last month, and I didn't even realise. She seems no older to me! I think we remembered to send a birthday card, but it wasn't a special one.