Inky Fingers
Inky Fingers
Dear Friends
Recently Bishop Tim has remarked on the increasing uptake by youngsters of Religious Education in their GCSE studies. Reports have indicated people reviewing core priorities and beliefs in these difficult times – but not necessarily through the Church. At the same time, Bishop Tim has pointed to the concern expressed by church members in these times of preventing the spread of swine flu, as to the propriety and necessity, not just of antiseptic hand gel but of suspending the taking of Holy Communion in both kinds and of avoiding personal contact during exchange of the Peace. Now there is no issue as to our concern for the safety of the susceptible and the vulnerable – the relaxing of these measures during the present abatement of the disease will certainly and properly be kept under review. What is in point is the perceptions revealed by these concerns.
We are also being exhorted to be a Learning Church – certainly there is no lack of material here or elsewhere: Bible reading aids, House Groups, our current Alpha Course and others run from time to time. Sometimes we might even try listening to sermons! Certainly I appreciate the effort and thought that goes into these by our Clergy and Readers, matched by the preparation for House Group sessions, church services, etc, by our lay leaders. And yet – do we really listen to this material, and to each other, when addressing issues of our understanding of the core realities of our faith? Or do we only relate to our own experience and understanding, tuning in only to that to which we can ourselves relate? Now I must say here that this is NOT a criticism – some of us who have been about a bit (ok, yes, that includes me too!) carry with us more practical experience and understanding than we might care to acknowledge – but we are a long way down the road from our Sunday School days! Surely we should be able first to really listen to and appreciate each other – because I truly believe there is a world out there waiting and wanting to listen clearly TO US.
I welcome the underlying interest of our community, including our youth, in what they perceive we should be able to say – not in a vacuum, but in the real world we ALL share. Theology, really and not just simplistically put, is “Talking about God” – we can ALL do it! It is also really the most important, relevant and useful exercise in “joined up thinking” that we can carry out: but it’s for real. Youth is always there to challenge us and keep us on our toes – we should be able, with confidence, to be able to say: “Bring it on – what do you REALLY want to know?”.
At the recent launch of WAVELENGTH, a soundly-based local Christian listening service, our Methodist colleague Rev. David Bagwell read the thoughtful passage set out above that I commend to you, since in order to understand someone, you have to listen out for what THEY are really trying to communicate to you. The title is mine.
Yours in fellowship
Editor