What does the world say?

Peter Leithart quotes Jonathan Edwards:

I am not ashamed to own that I believe the whole universe be full of images of divine things, as full as language is of words.

If Edwards is right, then there's a lot more study of the universe to do, a lot more images of divine things to be seen there. Language is, after all, very full of words: it is words! It seems Edwards would have said that the universe speaks of God in a million ways. This is something a bit more developed and varied than "the world looks as if it was made by an inteligent designer" or "the order of the universe suggests God is a God of order". Lots more work and thinking to do!

A week in the life

So far, I know this "normal" week includes:

Morning Prayer

A hospital visit in Eastbourne

8:15am Midweek BCP Communion

Church Primary School Assembly, Governors’ Meeting and Friends’ Meeting

Church Walking Group

PCC

An evening about mission work in Rwanda

A funeral at Tunbridge Wells Crematorium

A wedding (and rehearsal)

A barbeque with the curates I trained with

Church yard clear up

Sunday: 8am, 9:30am, 11am, 4pm Family Event, 6:30pm Churches Together Service

And I probably won’t go to:

Chaps who lunch meal in the pub

The Parish Council Meeting

Various homegroups

And I might try out the History Society meeting

One Line Psalm Summaries

Mr Williamson has done it again: One Line Psalm Summaries. A great help. Now it's much easier to find a Psalm for any occassion!


I think (or at least, a bit of Googling seems to remind me) that the 2nd Council of Nicea stipulated that Bishops should have memorised the Psalter.


Ben's summaries might at least make us a step nearer being able to pass this ordination exam.
I'm sure someone must have done one line summaries of each Bible book and each Bible chapter. They'd be a great resource too.

Child Communion

The admission of children to Holy Communion before confirmation

(in The Church of England)

Historically the normal practice in The C of E has been that children are admitted to Communion only after confirmation[1].

It’s hard to say anything precise about the normal age of confirmation. Some Bishops set lower limits. Somewhere between 10 and 16 would be usual but some children just never get round to it!

The C of E does allow those who “are ready and desirous to be confirmed” or who are baptised and in danger of immediate death to receive Communion before confirmation (Canon B15A)!

In March 1997, the House of Bishops issued guidance on the admission of baptized persons to Holy Communion before confirmation. Since then the practice of Child Communion has been growing in the Church of England and General Synod passed new regulations in 2006. The Church of England website says that about 15% of parishes have so far introduced Child Communion.

The Archbishop of Canterbury has commented: “If there are risks, they are worth taking for the sake of really sharing Christ's life in his Body with the children whose company he loved on earth and loves still.”[2]

Under the regulations, Incumbents may apply to the bishop of the diocese to introduce child communion in their parish(es) with an accompanying resolution from the PCC in support of the application.

Personally, I am keen to see baptized children who are regularly receiving Christian nurture at home and in church, admitted to the Lord’s Table. I would not want the church children to feel excluded or like second-class Christians because they can’t receive the bread and the wine.

However, some parents (or indeed some children) may want to wait until after confirmation for the first Communion. That is absolutely fine and we would carefully avoid any pressure to rush children into taking Communion.

Incumbents may only admit children to Communion prior to confirmation with the parent’s permission. I would want to discuss with parents when and how children might best be prepared for Communion. We will want to work together on the on-going Christian nurture of our children and seek to grow their understanding of the Holy Communion and other aspects of the faith.

Recall that Jesus said: “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." (Matthew 19:14) and “I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." (Mark 10:15). I don’t think we should worry too much about our children not understanding everything about the Holy Communion. Which of us does? We hope that their participation will aid their understanding and their growth in grace, as it does ours.

We would, of course, admit adults with learning difficulties to Holy Communion even though we might suspect that they might not understand everything that’s going on. Faith is the key to receiving the blessings of Holy Communion, and this faith can include different degrees of understanding. Of course, none of us can see into one another’s hearts. 

The guidelines state that a register should be kept of those admitted to Communion before confirmation and the child’s baptismal certificate should be endorsed or, failing that, they should be given another certificate to show that they have been admitted to Communion in the Church of England.

Once a child has been properly admitted to Communion in a C of E church, he may receive Communion in any other parish church regardless of the policy in that church.

The expectation is that even when children have been admitted to Communion before confirmation, they will still be confirmed in due course in the normal way.

Further reading:

http://www.churchofengland.org/education/children-young-people/ministry-with-children/children-and-holy-communion.aspx including the Children and Holy Communion regulations.

Stephen Lake, Let The Children Come to Communion (SPCK, 2006)

   

---

[1] It seems likely that children received Communion from ancient times (as they still do in Eastern Orthodox Churches) until the rise of the doctrine of Transubstantiation in the 12th Century. See further Tommy Lee, ‘The History of Paedocommunion: From the Early Church until 1500’ available at http://www.reformed.org/social/index.html?mainframe=http://www.reformed.org/sacramentology/tl_paedo.html

[2] Rowan William’s foreword in Stephen Lake, Let The Children Come to Communion (p.vii)

Child Communion in C of E

It appears that according to figures published in 2005, virtually every diocese in the Church of England was giving permission for parishes to admit children to Communion before confirmation. Sodor and Man was not. Carlisle, Hereford and York were holding discussions or consultations.

57 churches in our own diocese of Chichester had been given permission.

1064 parishes had permission in 2001 and 1650 had permission by the middle of 2005, about 10% of the total.

ABC on Child Communion

The Archbishop of Canterbury seems to be in favour of admitting baptised children to Communion before confirmation. In his brief foreword to Stepen Lake's Let The Children Come to Communion (SPCK, 2006) he has a number of positive things to say about the practice and adds:

If there are risks, they are worth taking for the sake of really sharing Christ's life in his Body with the children whose company he loved on earth and loves still.... I hope [Stephen Lake's]... vision will invite and persuade... (p. vii)

Christian Andent Calendar with Chocolates!

What more is there to say?

Psalm Wordles

Ben Williamson has cleverly provided wordles for the Psalter and for each of the 5 books of the book of Psalms. (You know the things, size of word proportional to the number of times its used). I wonder how this would compare to our hymn books or our contemporary worship songs?

Parish Magazine Item for October

From the Rectory

As well as being Halloween, much more happily, 31^st October is also Reformation Day. On 31^st October 1517, the German monk and scholar, Martin Luther, nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg and sparked the Protestant Reformation. Europe, and indeed, the world would undergo a cultural and spiritual, not to say, political, revolution.

So what was the Reformation all about? Far more than Henry VIII’s desire for a divorce, though of course that helped it along in England. Theologians have summed up the essence of Reformed Theology in the following 5 slogans, all in Latin, of course, with which you can impress your friends when next the dinner-party conversation turns to 16^th Century doctrine!

Sola Scriptura – Scripture Alone. The Reformation was a great rediscovery of the Bible. It is the only ultimate God-given authority. The church and the Pope are subject to the Word of God. It was in this period that the Bible was becoming available in English and other vernacular languages and people could check up on what the Vicar had been preaching! When forbidden to translate the Bible into English, William Tyndale had famously said: “I defy the Pope and all his laws. If God spare my life, ‘ere many years I will cause a boy that drives the plough to know more of the Scripture, than he does!”

Sola Gratia – Grace Alone. We are saved by grace alone, that is, by the undeserved love of God. However many good works we might do, or however much penance, or however many Masses we might attend, or pay the clergy to say on our behalf, we can never earn or deserve God’s favour. The good news is we don’t have to: it’s a free gift.

Sola Fides – Faith Alone. We are justified (put right with God) by faith alone. It’s not possible to buy an indulgence to get your sins forgiven. You need simply to put your trust in Jesus.

Solo Christo – Christ Alone. The way to God is through Jesus. You don’t need a priest to be a mediator. And nor do you need Mary or the Saints to pray for you. You can go straight to the top, direct to Jesus!

Soli Deo Gloria – For The Glory of God Alone. God alone deserves the glory for our salvation. And all of life is to be enjoyed and lived to the glory of God. Thankfully, it’s not necessary to sign up to a monastery to really please God.

Why not give yourself the treat of reflecting on these riches of Reformed theology on 31^st October?

Bible By The Beach 2012

Dates for the diary: 4th-7th May. Subject: Christ in all the Scriptures. Speakers.

Independent Living in East Sussex

The Independent Living Service (formerly managed by the Anchor Trust) seem to provide all sorts of free useful help to people who might need some assistance living independently in East Sussex, including advice on benefits, handymen, aids for daily living, community activities etc. I haven't spotted a website? but you can read a bit more blurb here. Phone 01424 464890 or freephone 0800 9174569 - email ils@intouchsupport.co.uk

Nice

We just walked past a church with a large poster outside saying:

It's nice to be important
but it's more important to be nice

Well, yes, I guess so, but we couldn't help thinking that perhaps they could find something a little more Christocentric, gospel-filled etc. to say to the world.

The difference Jesus makes

Again by popular demand (!) some jottings from this week's sermon. Readings: Hosea 2vv14-23 & Mark 2:18-22:

Don’t you just love a good wedding?

It’s not just the delicious canapés, and the champagne and everyone in their glad rags.

A good wedding is such an occasion of happiness and hope.

Weddings are full of joy.

It would be most odd if the guests at a wedding were gloomy and miserable, if they refused all the food and drink and behaved more like they were at a funeral than a wedding.

That’s the argument that Jesus uses in our reading.

Some people ask Jesus (v18),

“How is it that John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees are fasting, but yours are not?”

Jesus answers (v19):

“How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them?

They cannot, so long as they have him with them.”

It would be totally inappropriate for Jesus’ disciples to fast during his ministry on earth because he’s the bridegroom and the’re like guests at a wedding.

Guests at a wedding are meant to rejoice.

The point is that Jesus brings joy.

For Bible readers, it’s charged with significance that Jesus calls himself the Bridegroom.

Throughout the Bible, God is described as the husband of his people.

Israel is an unfaithful bride, she flirts with other gods and becomes a prostitute, but God is determined to win her back.

That’s what’s going on in our reading from Hosea.

Despite her unfaithfulness, God says he will allure his people again and speak tenderly to her.

God will be his people’s husband and they will be betrothed, engaged, pledged to one anotherm for ever in righteousness, justice, love, compassion and faithfulness.

In the Bible, God is the bridegroom and his people are his bride.

And now Jesus turns up, claiming to be the bridegroom.

So, implicitly, Jesus is claiming to be God, The Bridegroom, come to win back his people.

It’s rather like the healing of the paralysed man, earlier in the chapter, that we thought about a couple of weeks ago:

Only God can forgive sins,

Jesus can forgive sins

Therefore Jesus must be God.

God is the bridegroom,

Jesus is the bridegroom,

Therefore Jesus is God.

The Bible often describes the climax of history as like a wedding banquet.

Jesus is throwing a wedding party, and we’re all invited to the feast.

The Lord’s Supper that we’re about to share together is a little foretaste of that wedding feast.

It’s meant to be a joyful celebration, yet we often make it more like a funeral that a wedding!

We’re meant to enjoy this Communion together.

You don’t have to stare seriously at your boots!

You’ll allowed to acknowledge the other guests at the fest.

In Jesus’ ministry on earth, the future was breaking in to the present.

Jesus was always feasting, and remember last week, 2vv15-16, eating with sinners.

That’s exactly what Jesus does at Communion: he shares his bread with sinners.

Jesus’ ministry was like a bit of heaven on earth, a bit of the future in the present.

Jesus’ healing miracles, for example, are a sing of the way Jesus is going to transform and renew the whole creation.

Of course, we’re not in heaven yet!

Jesus says, v20:

“But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and on that day they will fast.”

On Good Friday, Jesus will be taken away from his disciples, his life will be  taken away.

On that day, it was appropriate for Jesus’ disciples to fast.

There were other times when the first Christians fasted too, and we might fast from time to time.

Jesus is not with us now in the same way that he was with his first disciples in his earthly ministry.

Now, Jesus is both with us by his Spirit, but also absent, bodily.

We have some of the blessings of Jesus’ presence now, but not fully and finally.

The Wedding Supper of the Lamb is yet to come.

We live looking forward to that day.

The Christian life is a battle.

We’ll have our struggles and sorrows.

Jesus often spoke of the cost of following him.

Our lives won’t be one long wedding party from now until eternity.

Yet we mustn’t lose sight of the fact that Jesus brings joy.

The Christian life is the most blessed life, the most happy and hopeful life.

It’s the best way to live.

The Apostle Paul says:

“Rejoice in the Lord always.

I will say it again: rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4)

It’s possible for us to get this all out of balance.

The Old Testament required just one fast day a year, on the Day of Atonement.

And yet some of the Jews of Jesus’ day were fasting every Monday and Thursday.

We too can get the balance wrong.

Joy is to be the key-note of our Christian lives.

Do we know the joy that Jesus brings?

Have we pledged ourselves to Jesus, the bridegroom, are we seeking to be faithful to him?

Jesus brings joy.

Secondly and finally, Jesus brings radical transformation.

That’s the point of all this talk of new and old cloth and new and old wineskins in vv21-22.

I’ve never tried this, and I’m not about to, but apparently, v21, a new unshrunk piece of cloth, patched into an old garment, will pull away and make the tear worse.

V22: new wine will burst old wineskins.

New wine requires new wineskins.

Jesus is doing something new, and it requires new structures, new ways of life.

Jesus brings in a New Covenant, and so we no longer live under the law of Moses as the people of Old Testament times did.

Jesus is doing something radically different, something new and explosive.

Jesus can’t be fit in to our existing way of living and thinking.

Jesus changes everything.

Jesus is not an add-on or an optional extra.

Jesus came to be our husband, not our hobby!

It’s no use getting married and living as if you were still single.

Jesus claims the first place in our lives.

We can’t follow Jesus on our terms, as long as he’s not too inconvenient.

Jesus is Lord.

Trying to fit Jesus in to the existing way of things can be the worst of both worlds.

A compromised Christian will be a miserable Christian.

Following Jesus wholeheartedly isn’t easy, but it’s the way to joy.

Jesus brings joy.

And Jesus brings radical transformation.

Let’s commit ourselves afresh to following him and allow him to radically transform us, to dictate the way we think and live.