I suspect I might not agree with Bishop Michael Curry on everything.
And maybe his sermon was a little long and a touch repetitious. I didn't hear every word as the dear children were beginning to clamber around the sitting room, allowing the dog to steal their food and risking spilling their drinks.
And its possible that not all English Anglicans could carry it off quite as the Bishop did.
But surely there is a lesson to us here that most of us could afford to risk showing a little more enthusiasm, passion and intensity from time to time. According to the content of our preaching, we could deliberately speak as though we have a joyful, urgent and important message which we believe and which we think others ought to hear.
Too often I think my own sermons might be a little staid, not really having the quality of exciting life changing news with which I long to engage my hearers. I suspect I lapse into giving a take it or leave it statement of the truths of Scripture, whereas I ought to strive to hold up and to hold out Jesus Christ and his gospel, to be received with a hungry faith.
Whatever the strengths or weaknesses of today's televised wedding sermon, let us pray that the Holy Spirit enables the bold and powerful proclamation of the Lord Jesus in pulpits around the world this coming Lord's Day.
Saturday, May 19, 2018
Friday, May 18, 2018
An OK Dad?
I am struck by the dedication in the non-autobiography of Frederick Forsyth I have just dipped in to. "For my sons, ... in the hope that I was an OK dad." I guess many people if they look back on their lives would say that there are few things more important.
Ready?
Frederick Forsyth, writing in 2015, says: "My life has been blessed with extraordinary good fortune, for which I have no explanation."
After giving some examples he goes on:
"I have been married to two beautiful women and raised two fine sons, while enjoying so far robust good health. For all this, I remain deeply grateful, though to what fate, fortune or deity I am not quite sure. Perhaps I should make my mind up. After all, I may have to meet Him soon."
(The Outsider: My Life in Intrigue, Penguin / Corgi, page 18)
After giving some examples he goes on:
"I have been married to two beautiful women and raised two fine sons, while enjoying so far robust good health. For all this, I remain deeply grateful, though to what fate, fortune or deity I am not quite sure. Perhaps I should make my mind up. After all, I may have to meet Him soon."
(The Outsider: My Life in Intrigue, Penguin / Corgi, page 18)
Failing to score political points
I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that politicians attempt to score political points. That is part of their job. But I thought that Diane Abbott tried to do so particularly overtly on yesterday's Question Time. Though on a couple of occasions she failed to do so by accusing others of saying or thinking things that they disavowed. To those who are listening, these are shots which are off-target. In fact, they are own-goals which just make the sticker look silly, careless or low.
Are Tories rats?
A member of the audience on Question Time last night was wearing a t-shirt with the slogan: "You are never more than 10 feet from a Tory" with a large picture of a rat.
Now, I am all for free speech, but this seems to me cheap, wrong-headed and offensive.
No doubt there are mean, nasty, greedy, treacherous people in all political parties.
It is quite wrong to assume that all Tories are rats.
Some might say it's unfair to rats!
But surely one might be a conservative because one thought that smaller government or lower taxation or individual opportunity or conservation of the good were core principles of freedom or the flourishing of society more represented by the centre-right than the Left.
To mix metaphors, it is just wrong to think that all Tory votes are the deliberate promotion of selfish fat cats.
And these days, of course, one might find it hard to find a Tory, say in London.
Now, I am all for free speech, but this seems to me cheap, wrong-headed and offensive.
No doubt there are mean, nasty, greedy, treacherous people in all political parties.
It is quite wrong to assume that all Tories are rats.
Some might say it's unfair to rats!
But surely one might be a conservative because one thought that smaller government or lower taxation or individual opportunity or conservation of the good were core principles of freedom or the flourishing of society more represented by the centre-right than the Left.
To mix metaphors, it is just wrong to think that all Tory votes are the deliberate promotion of selfish fat cats.
And these days, of course, one might find it hard to find a Tory, say in London.
Disproportionate force
A member of the audience on Question Time last night made a good point about disproportionate force, I thought.
If a team of police officers come upon terrorists with knifes, the armed officers would not throw down their guns and pick up knives so that they use proportionate force.
The point about proportionate force is actually that we want to use the minimum necessary force.
If a team of police officers come upon terrorists with knifes, the armed officers would not throw down their guns and pick up knives so that they use proportionate force.
The point about proportionate force is actually that we want to use the minimum necessary force.
The State and Grenfell
There was quite a bit of discussion of Grenfell on Question Time last night.
Part of the story of the story is, it would seem, a catalogue of state failure.
I was struck by the fact that much of the response was a call for more or better state.
I can't help thinking that can't be all that needs to be said.
Part of the story of the story is, it would seem, a catalogue of state failure.
I was struck by the fact that much of the response was a call for more or better state.
I can't help thinking that can't be all that needs to be said.
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