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The religious power invested in objects
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(Sorry I think this video may only play in some regions, and for a limited period of time.)
I watched this film last night- a documentary tracing the journey through one and half millennia of religious objects, saints remains and art made out of body parts.
My personal favourite was a little silver case containing the eyeball of a Catholic priest hung drawn and quartered some time around the reformation in England. Body parts were parboiled and displayed around town- at which point some brave soul popped out an eye ball to save as a keepsake.
What I was less aware of was the fact that for hundreds of years, in order to celebrate mass, the relics of saints were required- contained in mini- altars and often invested with huge power and wealth. It was this trade in body parts and objects- from the thorn crown of Jesus and bits of the ‘true cross’. to fragments of bone and hair purported to be from saints old and new that was one of the targets of the Reformation.
Certainly, growing up in an Evangelical reformed tradition we found all such things ludicrous- idolatrous and heretical even. They were one of the more visible things that seperated us still from any close relationship with the Catholic tradition.
Of course- we had our own objects of sanctification- I remember in one church I belonged to there was a carved communion table, which was moved about three meters- leading to bloody revolt by some members of the congregation.
The power of the symbol, and the anchor that connection to people who have gone before us in faith- these things seem to me to be important still.
As I watched the programme I was amazed at the obvious power that the objects had over the presenter- and also on me. It was difficult to be cynical in the face of such obvious veneration.
Having said all that- like most of our religion- it clearly had the capacity to go badly wrong. All that mad trading, and competition to get the best objects. And the possibility that the objects become more important than the object of the objects.
There is a shorter clip of the opening of a mini altar and examination of some remains (including hair supposed to have belonged to St John) here. In fact- I will add this video as a different post, as it is quite something.
I do not believe that I have any right to doubt the devotion of people who made objects like these, or who worshiped around them. Whilst I might not seek to collect any bits of saints to give meaning to my faith- I do believe that my experience of God is enhanced by symbols- by spaces and by objects within them.
Sharon goes in for the cake…
Our lovely friend Sharon had a birthday- cue for a cake.
Here she is going in for the kill.
May this year (for her) be full of sweet (yet wholesome!) things…
New website for Sgath an Tighe…
I have spent much of this weekend working on our new website for all things Sgath an Tighe. I hinted at a possible change of direction for the family recently- well here it is made real in cyber space!
Eventually this will be a portal for a number of different things happening in or around out house-
- Self catering accommodation (already available)
- B and B accommodation (still a work in progress)
- Craft workshops (Blue Sky programme is on the website)
- Crafts- woodworking, pottery, all sorts of other things
- Retreats- both in the house and wilderness retreats
- Photography
- Writing
- Information about our lovely area
The website is still under development, but there is a lot there already. I have used a wordpress platform, which has not been without the odd frustration, but is mostly OK, even to a relative novice like me.
Call by and let me know what you think!
Is there hope for Evangelicalism yet?
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10-15 years ago, when I was attending a fairly large Evangelical Church near Preston- more or less everything this church seems to stand for, I would have celebrated enthusiastically. I loved the Church I attended, and the wonderful people it contained (I still do) although I felt considerable frustration about how isolated we were from engagement with real need in our communities.
Although to be honest, I spent most of my time behind an instrument of one sort or another, so my rhetoric did not necessarily match my actions.
As time went on, these frustrations grew- it was ever more obvious to me how Church can suck you in then suck you dry, and how activists within church spend all their time serving the machinery of the church, with little room left for anything else.
These days, I suspect that there would be a lot about Frontline Church in Liverpool that I would struggle with- in terms of theology, world view and underlying culture. Not to mention the politics.
But I am grateful that there are places like this still.
Grace factories.
And although grace can not really be manufactured, where people are motivated by their faith towards acts of love- then we should rejoice…
As John Harris puts it in the Guardian-
The next day I meet a former sex worker, now apparently off drugs, set on somehow starting college and a regular Frontline worshipper. “I was a prostitute and a drug addict for 11, 12 years – maybe more,” she tells me. “God is so forgiving – he wants me to win.” Wider society, she says, is “too judgmental … it’s: ‘That’s a prostitute, that’s a drug addict.’ They don’t want to know.” And how has the church helped her? “Oh, it saved my life,” she shoots back. “I would be dead if it wasn’t for this church.”
A question soon pops into my head. How does a militant secularist weigh up the choice between a cleaned-up believer and an ungodly crack adict?
On being uncertain of place…
I liked this quote (via Emergent Village.)
I think it is true- whilst wondering at how easily it is to fall into a place that is cushioned and safe- particularly if (like me) you are rather too used to the feeling of being an outsider- strange in the midst strangers…
When I reflect back on my life so far, many of the most pivotal moments have occurred around tabernacle-like events: a surprising conversation that changed the course of my life, a chance encounter with a person who would became a lifelong friend, or a memorable moment when my imagination was stirred by a divine whisper that would sustain me through dark times ahead.
It’s no accident that these liminal experiences so often occur when we are far from home and in the company of strangers. We are generally more open to the movement of the Spirit when we are uncertain of our place.
A few photos of our annex…
Here are a couple more snaps of our annex– we are still sorting out a few more bits and pieces (first guests the week after next!) slowed down somewhat by me being flat out because of a back problem most of this week.
I will post a few more when we have completed our tidy up.
It is attached to our house, but totally self contained. Downstairs there is a kitchen (with washing machine), a lounge with an open fire, while upstairs there is a double room, and a room with two bunk beds. I’ll post some photo’s when I get around to taking them!
The annex is within our garden- complete with chickens and veg beds, and a large table and chairs that you are welcome to use should the sun be shining. Which it does sometimes honest!
We charge £250 a week, inclusive of gas and electricity.
Father Ray comes out…
I have been thinking a little about this issue again recently- partly because of the film above, but also because sexuality is a subject that always seems to get people in the church steamed up.
The other day, my nephew Josh posted a link on FB to this organisation in America- Truth Ministry- Healing From Homosexuality Through Jesus Christ. Josh was not particularly complementary- and I have posted about my feelings in relation to these ‘ministries’ before- here and here for example.
The root of all this has nothing to do with therapy- and little to do with ministry- rather it is all to do with how we understand scripture.
Father Ray seems a decent bloke- although the film above (despite his stated wish to avoid controversy and upset) was clearly made as a political statement by a man who is not averse to risk taking. It does humanise the debate again though- which is something I am a lot more comfortable with than trying to make rigid theological arguments.
I wonder when this will all be behind us? I think it will be one of those things that we (the Church) will look back on and wonder how we got so steamed up about it all.
A day of mixed blessings…
We had a lovely day yesterday- on the whole.
We were up and away on the 7 AM ferry because Michaela, Emily and Danielle participated in the Race For Life which took place on Glasgow Green- a 5K run/walk in aid of cancer research. Michaela walked- taking around 40-50 mins, Emily and Danielle ran and took around 25 mins. Well done!
It was a bitter sweet moment- as everyone running had the names of people on their backs- survivors and sufferers of cancer, and people no longer with us. We remembered most Michaela’s step father Robert whose died just over a year ago.
Unfortunately, whilst standing around and NOT running, my back suddenly went into spasm. It may have been some kind of empathetic response to all these thousands of exercising women, or it could have been associated with a hard day of DIY the day before.
I managed to hobble back to the car and take a handful of pain killers, but our next destination was Edinburgh, where Will and I were due to play a cricket match against a Royal Botanical Gardens Cricket Club side- an old fixture between our clubs, competing for our own little ‘Ashes’ urn.
When we arrived I could not get out the car- but I then did manage to free up a little- and being the first match of the season that has not been rained off, I was really keen to play, so out I went. Movement helped, and I managed to send down a few overs of arthritic wrist spin- 4 overs, no wickets for 12 runs. Beat the bat a few times, took an edge that was missed.
On the whole we got tonked- they rattled up 176 off 40 overs.
I went in to bat at number 4 with 40 odd to our score- not looking good. I blocked out the pace man whose tail was up and then took guard against a spinner, eyeing up a short boundary. I let the first one go by, but then had a go at the second- a bit of a stiff-back swing at one that kept low and under edged on to the stumps. Out. Blast.
William went in at number 6- and fared rather better! He looked very small- the youngest player by far. Campbell was batting well at the other end, and had a chat between each over- instructing Will to block out the bowlers- which he did, for around 5 overs- finishing with one run, but a whole lot of respect from the opposition! Even if he did put his Dad to shame.
We lost by the way- making around 120 all out.
Finally, we met my brother Steve, his wife Kate and wee Jamie and went for a meal- before catching the last ferry (midnight) home.
This morning we all slept in- kids late for school. I can barely move, so my plan to go walking with Simon is done for. But it was a good day. Full of good people.
And cricket.
Holiday accommodation- our annex…
I spent today repairing and painting the door to our annex, along with a load of other jobs today.
We are slowly improving the annex- it has been used for longer lets over the past few years, but we decided that it would be good to offer it for use as holiday accommodation.
I put up a TV aerial too,so we could install digital TV- it is strange how installation of television somehow makes a place feel more established- more home like…
If you are looking for accommodation in the West of Scotland, then you might be interested in in our cosy annex.
The area around where we live is stunningly beautiful- check out the Visit Cowal website. Or check out some of the photos on my flickr site (on the left of this blog.)
It is attached to our house, but totally self contained. Downstairs there is a kitchen (with washing machine), a lounge with an open fire, while upstairs there is a double room, and a room with two bunk beds. I’ll post some photo’s when I get around to taking them!
The annex is within our garden- complete with chickens and veg beds, and a large table and chairs that you are welcome to use should the sun be shining. Which it does sometimes honest!
We charge £250 a week, inclusive of gas and electricity.
You would be welcome…
this fragile tent 