Always Hope

Oh, the things I never knew (that I would have liked to). Fortunately I was alerted to one of them by this blog post on Tall Skinny Kiwi. I'm sure you knew it, but yesterday was the anniversary of C. S. Lewis's birth (to call it his "birthday" is surely pushing the bounds of good taste). 112 years is not a significant anniversary, but Lewis is current because of the imminent release of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, the third Narnia movie, following the deeply disappointing The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and Prince Caspian, which I avoided in case it was equally dismal. The production company Walden Media bought the rights to Narnia with the stated aim of producing "wholesome" films, which seemed to equate in this case to " po -faced". However new owners Fox have apparently sacked them, so there may be hope for The Dawn Treader. I loved Narnia as a child, and honestly, I still do. As an adult reader one becomes sensitive to Lewis's ...

Just in case any of us going to church today are tempted to take it less than seriously: Sherif Hassan is an Egyptian citizen who has been detained in Egypt after returning from the UK for a family visit. It is not clear what he is accused of but what seems clear is that he has been picked on because he is a Christian. Mark Meynell of All Souls, Langham Place has set up a website for people to follow Sherif's case and to offer support. Do visit and find out more . I don't wish to comment on this incident because idle comment isn't helpful. But we should remember those many thousands of Christians around the world who are threatened and abused for their faith in Christ. At times like this I wonder how my comfortable British Christianity would withstand the test of the scourge of persecution.

Something a bit more edifying today. Apparently Advent Sunday is the start of the Church's year, something that means very little to most people (including me), but what does make sense is the idea of preparing for a new year, for the new birth that Christmas celebrates. Isaiah 2:1-5 Romans 13:11-14 Matthew 24:36-44 This Sunday's Gospel reading calls us to be ready in an urgent way. The doctrine of the second coming is not everyone's favourite, and perhaps suffers from the over-simplistic interpretation of fundamentalism, but "He will come again" is a creedal statement which is one of the building blocks of our faith. Advent Sunday focuses us on that future coming, which completes the cycle begun with Christ's first coming into the world. Did Jesus' disciples expect it to happen in their lifetime? Certainly , at least for the first few years. Did Jesus expect it to? Not necessarily . Despite the urgency of this saying, "no-one knows the day or the h...

Oh dear. Grossly unfair stereotyping of the Alpha course, but just enough truth in it to be eye-wateringly funny. Hop over to Phil's Treehouse and watch this: Vampires on the Alpha course Full marks to Phil for simultaneously posting a subversive clip and making a serious point. There is more to Alpha than this - have a look at their website . And nobody uses tambourines in church anymore (or do they?).

Bloggers have raised eyebrows at this article , a dreadful piece of hackery on the Guardian's Comment is Free , which takes exception to Iain Duncan Smith's use of the phrase "that's a sin". Our author draws two earth-shattering conclusions from this: one, that he is a Christian, and two, that his faith affects his politics. Cranmer is predictably acerbic and defends the political implications of original sin. The Church Mouse dismantles the journo's argument with forensic anger. Meanwhile, Suem , among others, is interested to hear that Rowan Williams has apparently decided to suspend the Primates Conference, the zoologically-named gathering of the world's most senior Anglican Archbishops. Apart from revealing that Suem reads the Church of England Newspaper, the most surprising thing about this is that the Conference is one of the so-called "instruments of communion" that are supposed to hold the global Anglican church together. What this say...

There was rapture of Spring in the morning When we told our love in the wood, For you were the Spring in my heart, dear lad, And I vowed that my life was good. But there's winter of war in the evening, And lowering cluds overhead, There's wailing of wind in the chimney nook, And I vow that my life lies dead. For the sun may shine on the meadow lands, And the dog-rose bloom in the lanes, But I've only weeds in my garden, lad, Wild weeds that are rank with the rains. One solace there is for me, sweet but faint, As it floats on the wind of the years, A whisper that Spring is the last true thing, And that triumph is born of tears. It comes from a garden of other days, And an echoing voice that cries, "Behold I am alive for evermore, And in Me shall the dead arise." G. A. Studdert Kennedy (1883-1929)

Comments on a post earlier this week prompted me to write a little bit more on the role of the clergy. This is a matter for hot debate at the moment, particularly in the light of the changing shape of the church and the need for more missional leaders. Without attempting to produce the final answer to the question, I offer the following observations: The clergy are human. I know some people don't believe this (indeed some of the clergy themselves don't believe it), but they are. This means there is no ontological difference between the question "what is the role of the clergy" and "what is the role of people in all kinds of ministry". The parishes that the clergy serve are enormously diverse in their situation, character, needs, and aspirations. "Vicar" is a job description, but this is only part of what it is. Ordination is an attempt to recognise gifting for the benefit of the church, and gifting comes from the Holy Spirit who provides the hug...