Wednesday 11 May 2011

Christian Aid

Every morning 12 year old Etebane Jemal sets off on a four km walk to collect clean water for her family. It's a journey she makes twice a day, carrying 10 litres of water on her back. That's 16 km a day - and it's a trek that puts her at risk of abduction and rape.

Thanks to Christian Aid partner Water Action, Etebane's community have been able to dig trenches and lay pipes so that clean water now flows right into their village.

This Sunday is the start of Christian Aid week.

Monday 9 May 2011

Virtue Reborn Index

Regular visitors to this blog will know that I have started to review Tom Wright's Virtue Reborn. They will also know that this is likely to take a long time with chapter reviews spread all over the place, spanning months if not years! So here is an index of where to find each chapter - and I will update it as I go along.

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Virtue Reborn Chapter Three

On the 10 March I promised that I would be back in a few weeks with my review of the third chapter in Tom Wright's Virtue Reborn - so here I am, nearly nine weeks later. At this rate I should finish the book in about a years time.

[An index of all other posts relating to this book can be found by clicking here]

In the previous chapter we saw how part of what the Christian is supposed to be about, between the point at which they believe and the point they die is preparing for their place in God's new creation. In this chapter Tom Wright takes it one step further and starts to reveal what that role is to involve. Using various Bible passages including Revelation 22 and 1 Peter 2 Wright argues that the Christian's goal is worshipping and reigning - priests and kings - a royal priesthood. And if that is to be the ultimate destiny then that will be anticipated in the present time - so life here, now, will be a preparation for the future a bit at a time. And so what the Christian is to be about is 'bringing the presence of God to the wider world, carrying forward the mission of declaring God's powerful and rescuing acts and beginning the work of implementing the messianic rule of Jesus in all the world' [page 75].

Wright is quick to note the sort of behaviours that last point does not mean. It is a life that involves submission and persecution - it is not about lording it over anyone, or the abuse of power... In all the discussion so far Wright is keen to ensure that the language of reigning and ruling etc. is not misunderstood.

Wright then moves into a discussion from Romans 5-8. When someone like Tom Wright unpacks a passage of Scripture that he refers to as dense then you know you're in real trouble. So I'll just pick out a few highlights. [By which I mean the one or two sentences I could understand.]

Wright argues that Paul too, in this passage, is assuming that present behaviour is shaped by the future goal. And so in the present we should be learning habits of mind and heart that will point us in the direction of the eventual 'reign', and these are characterised by holiness and prayer. If our future goal is to involve reigning and judging the whole of creation then in the present we should be in control of...our own bodies - not being a slave to sin, but replacing slave habits of mind, heart and body with freedom habits.

This is anticipated in the present through prayer - the priestly role of groaning with the pain of the world as that pain is brought into the presence of God.

See you again in a couple of months...

Wednesday 4 May 2011

A Right Royal Weekend in Blackpool

Whilst the Norbreck Castle Hotel in Blackpool might not be everyone's first choice venue for a Royal Wedding Bank Holiday Weekend, when it comes to venues for the annual Baptist Assembly it can't be beaten. With three young children to think about this venue offers everything you need without having to leave the building - and when the sun shines all weekend as it did this year - the beach is just over the road.

The theme for this year's Baptist Assembly was 'Your Kingdom Come'. This theme was explored on the main stage through some excellent teaching by Pat Took, Wale Hudson-Roberts, Jeff Lucas, Julie Pennington-Russell, Lynn Green and Jonathan Edwards. And the message that came through clearly again and again was that whatever this kingdom might look like it is to be an inclusive kingdom; a place where all are made to feel welcome regardless of who they are.

Sunday morning's communion service was a particular highlight, during which the question of the inclusion of children within the communion service was tackled creatively. Two children provided a great running commentary on what was happening from a child's perspective and concluded with the two children serving the servers, who were then to serve the assembly.

It was perhaps a bit ironic that these were the only children present - all the others were being brilliantly catered for elsewhere in the building by Arise Ministries. In the past I remember at least one of the main sessions - possibly the final one on the Monday morning - being all age - I think this changed last year. What conclusion has assembly come to? That we want to include children as long as they are somewhere else on the premises where they can't be seen or heard? There was certainly a fair amount of 'tutting' going on during the Royal Wedding on Friday, which we watched on a big screen in the hotel as various children behaved like children during the ceremony - although apparently it is ok for adults to comment on 'the dress', hats, no hats...

Over all we had a great assembly, probably one of our best yet. The children loved their clubs, and were sad when they had to leave. The theme and the speakers were thought provoking and challenging. The worship was engaging with well known songs, new songs, interesting arrangements, some slightly off the wall choices that somehow worked and even the odd Christmas Carol thrown in. The commissioning of newly accredited ministers and BMS missionaries was moving.

Assembly 2012, in London, has a lot to live up to. Hopefully it will be as accessible with three small children as the Norbreck.