Address given at St Mary Abbots, London
Sunday 12th December
“You who call evil good and good evil; who put darkness for light and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.”
Isaiah 5.20
1. I am just back from a 10 day visit to the Middle East; based in Israel we toured the borders of Jordan, Syria, Lebanon as well as visiting the Palestinian Authority Area.
2. In this season of Advent we look to the great themes of
Bethlehem
Peace
Coming again of Jesus
3. George Mitchell returns this week to the region to try to restart the peace process all over again.
Israel/Palestinians/US/EU have all issued statements appealing to both sides to keep on talking.
4. Peace between Israel and the Palestinians – massive piece in the world peace jigsaw
5. Key issues:
The right of the Palestinians to have autonomous area with all resources
The removal of several Israeli settlements on Palestinian land
6. To understand the complexity of the area it is worth looking at three towns which feature in Christianity to remind ourselves of how the land is complicated.
Nazareth: relatively peaceful/Israeli Arabs/sees few problems
Bethlehem: separated by the horrendous wall: monument to human failure
Jerusalem: divided between East (Arab) and West (Jewish)
7. Amos Oz: “We are talking not about guilt and penitence but about concluding a sensible agreement between two parties with no love lost between them.”
8. What we learn, of course, that the history of Israel is consistent with the kind of issues we are facing today – t’was ever thus.
A quest for God’s peace in a hostile world
Jesus wept over the City and prayed that God’s Kingdom would come
9. Bernard Lewis – in his new book Faith & Power writes:
“With steadfastness and patience, it may now be possible at last to bring both justice and freedom to the long tormented peoples of the Middle East.”
“You who call evil good and good evil; who put darkness for light and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.”
Isaiah 5.20
Don’t use semantics to cloud the real questions facing the Middle East.
Monday 13 December 2010
Friday 26 November 2010
A Case of Exploding Mangoes: Mohammed Hanif
I decided not, in the end, to put this first novel for Hanif on the book club reading list for the Book Club I run.
It is a very readable, fast moving and humorous novel and it is well written.
It is an attempt to answer the question as to why a Hercules C130 aircraft carrying Pakistan's military dictator, General Zia ul Haq, crashed without explanation.
Weaving a series of plots and stories which, at times become confusing and occasionally difficult to follow - the novel is a good introduction to this part of the world.
It's a good book for the train or the bus - and leaves you asking a lot of questions about humanity and humour.
It is a very readable, fast moving and humorous novel and it is well written.
It is an attempt to answer the question as to why a Hercules C130 aircraft carrying Pakistan's military dictator, General Zia ul Haq, crashed without explanation.
Weaving a series of plots and stories which, at times become confusing and occasionally difficult to follow - the novel is a good introduction to this part of the world.
It's a good book for the train or the bus - and leaves you asking a lot of questions about humanity and humour.
Monday 22 November 2010
Update
It's been a great few weeks.
Busy at work, enjoying lots of parish events - and spending lots of time with friends as well.
Saw Stephen today and we did some filming together in Derbyshire.
Attending Derby Diocesan annual conference after preaching at the Feast of Christ the King last night.
Busy at work, enjoying lots of parish events - and spending lots of time with friends as well.
Saw Stephen today and we did some filming together in Derbyshire.
Attending Derby Diocesan annual conference after preaching at the Feast of Christ the King last night.
Monday 8 November 2010
Bishop Michael Ramsey on The Transfiguration
This is a transcript of a conversation I had with Bishop Michael Ramsey whilst a student in Durham in 1982.
We discussed The Transfiguration of Jesus and it was captured on an old tape.
Here is a transcript of
Michael Ramsey on the Transfiguration.
RM: The Feast of the Transfiguration is not given the prominence it deserves in the Church of England is it?
MR: It is not in our Church of England but the Eastern Orthodox Church makes a great deal of it. It is one of their three or four top feasts. And the Church of Rome makes more of it by keeping it in Lent on one of the Sundays in Lent as does our new ASB. It is a good place for the Transfiguration on the way towards the Passion.
RM: What about the theories of Bultmann and Boobyer and Riesenfeld?
MR: Bultmann’s idea that the Transfiguration is a misplaced resurrection account can, I think, be discounted altogether.
Boobyer’s idea that the Transfiguration is a prefiguration of the Parousia is true. In a sense, any visible manifestation of glory would be a forecast of the Parousia.
Riesenfeld’s view is too definitive and speculative to be convincing.
RM: What about your book, Bishop?
MR: Thinking on it now I am struck by the difference between Mark’s presentation and Luke’s presentation. I do not think that Mark’s Gospel gives us a kind a biographical narrative of the Lord’s mission. Mark’s Gospel is a set of episodes or pericopes but sometimes there are links and Mark’s narrative is linked with what has gone before by those words ‘after six days’.
That links the narrative with the prediction of the passion and links them in such a way that I think the Transfiguration narrative says ‘Yes in spite of the forthcoming passion Jesus is in glory’. Jesus is in glory with perhaps the thought that this is a prefiguring of the glory which he predicted after the Passion.
RM: What about the divine voice and the cloud:
MR: Here I think the presence of Moses and Elijah is a sign according to traditions of the time and the reappearance of these figures means that the Day of the Lord is here on the earth.
The cloud I read as a sign of the divine presence: it is the cloud of the presence and it’s just that the disciples are overwhelmed with the sense of God’s presence. God is here. God is here. God is here. Stop talking God is here. Especially as St Peter has been making some rather unprofitable remarks. The cloud says to him ‘Stop talking God is here’.
The voice proclaims the sonship. I think that the point is that at the baptism the voice has proclaimed the sonship to Jesus himself according to Mark. Now the voice the sonship through the disciples. It tells them God’ son has unique authority and they have to listen to him.
RM: Where in the OT do you think the words of the voice come from?
MR: Well I don’t know that the words need to come from anywhere. The point is that Jesus is proclaimed to be Son. It’s the Son language that we get in Psalm 2 but I don’t think that it need come from anywhere. It’s just a testimony to the sonship in its own right.
There is no need for everything to come from anywhere. These parallels merely indicate that it’s rather meaningful language
RM: What about other references to sonship in Mark?
MR: I agree. I think the stories of the baptism and the transfiguration have a kind of structural place. I don’t think that the narrative is consecutive. But there is a string of pericope and there are certain pericope which come with a certain kind of bang.
Baptism – Son. Transfiguration – Son. Crucifixion – Son.
The novelty being that it is in his death that the sonship is supremely revealed. I don’t think that Mark’s Transfiguration story specifically links it with the death apart from simply the note ‘after six days’. It is the Jesus who is going to die that is proclaimed the son.
In the artistry of Mark there is a son theme in which the Baptism, Transfiguration and Calvary are all kind of stages.
RM: What elements do Matthew and Luke add?
MR: In Matthew I see, first of all, just a little making explicit of the Old Testament imagery. For instance, Matthew says his face shone as the sun. That’s a contrast between the brief reflected glory of the face of Moses and the sort of authentic glory in the face of Jesus. I think that the contrast is there. Another point in Matthew is the shining cloud. That identifies it more explicitly with the cloud of the presence. Then there is just this difference. In Matthew it’s the voice that makes them afraid and Jesus bids them not to fear. I don’t know that there is very much significance in this but it’s just a way of bringing out the luminous character of the event a bit.
In Luke, the word Transfiguration is avoided and the word Glory is explicitly brought in.
‘Transfiguration’ is avoided maybe simply because Luke thinks he can say it as well by bringing in the word ‘doxa’. Some commentators have said that Luke was avoiding what might sound like a pagan kind of word. That is possible. I think the point is that Luke makes the same point as the others. He does not have ‘transfigured’ he has doxa’ and that links it with a doxa theme which we have in Luke.
In Luke the key point is that they spoke of the ‘exodus’. This means not just the death but all that follows. The going forth to glory. And I link it with Luke in the post resurrection episode. Jesus says “Behold did not the Chris suffer these things and enter into his glory”. I think that with the exodus. Luke sees the Transfiguration in terms of a theme of Jesus is moving from suffering to glory. The glory being already anticipated. In a kind of way, Mark links it with the theme of his Gospel by direct link with ‘after six days’ and by the term ‘son’ which as we have seen comes at these very significant terms. Luke links it with his story rather more with his theme of the movement of Jesus through death to glory.
Luke brings this out dramatically. He sets his face towards Jerusalem. He is aware of his movement towards Jerusalem.
Mark is rather ‘Here is Jesus’ manifested as the Son and particularly manifested in the Son in his death. Luke is rather the movement of a story in which the Transfiguration is an episode in the movement.
RM: What about the relationship between the Kingdom and the Transfiguration?
MR: The reference to ‘here’ is more explicit in Matthew than in the other two. Mark 9.1 says there are some standing ‘here’.
RM: What about Boobyer?
MR: I think the point in my mind is simply that a theme of Mark is that after the Passion the Son of Man will be seen in glory. No more and no less than that. I don’t think that it is necessary to find a specific explanation for the story because I think that the motifs of the story – of Jesus in glory and of Jesus the Son are sufficient. It doesn’t require any particular imagery to explain it. In a sort of way Booyber is making rather a fuss of it.
Boobyer treats it all as Parousia picture. I am saying that it is not only a foretaste. I am saying that the glory will be here. I would say that. It’s a bit difficult to be absolutely precise. I am just assumed that law and prophecy are witnessing to fulfillment.
Have I just been sermonising nicely.
I have noticed that the order is reversed in some Gospels. Elijah is given priority in Mark but I am not sure about it.
RM: What about Peter?
MR: Well Peter was the spokesman and Peter often is the spokesman in Mark’s Gospel and elsewhere. It depends on what one’s outlook is. We can say that from the beginning a strong tradition that Peter used to always make comments or you can say that there was an ideology about Peter in the early Church that produced these stories.
There was in the Church a tradition of dialogue between Peter and Jesus and we have specimens of dialogue between the two.
RM: What about historicity?
MR: if this Transfiguration notion were known to be a prominent notion in the Early Church then it’s something that you might expect to get written up in the Gospel tradition. But it does not seem to have been a dominant theme. There is only 2 Peter to go on and that’s very late.
If Jesus is Son there is something unique in the tradition. The content of Peter’s confession is something unique. The claim of Jesus to be inaugurating the Kingdom of God is unique. The claim of Jesus that through his death the kingdom of God is unique. It’s something unique, not isolation, but it is amongst a series of unique concepts. Are these concepts derived from the mission of Jesus or are they imported into the mission of Jesus either by oral tradition or by editing?
RM: What about the concentration of motifs?
MR: The fact that there is such a concentration of motifs can make it a little suspicious.
The Transfiguration is not a parable, it’s not a miracle, and it’s a bit of both in a funny kind of way. It’s supernatural and literal. The motifs on offer are simple motifs. Prophecy is being fulfilled. Jesus is Son. Jesus is in glory – a glimpse of the glory that is going to be. Meanwhile there is going to be the suffering.
In Mark the important context is the Baptism, Peter’s Confession and the Passion.
Luke gives it much more of a context as editor and biographer.
The turning point in all of the Gospels is Peter’s confession. The transfiguration just gives it more of a dramatic headline.
In all the traditions from Caesarea Philippi, it’s known that the Passion is coming, it is predicted and the Transfiguration is a bit more an interpretation of the Passion. I think that the turning point has already happened. Jesus has already begun the journey towards his death.
RM: And the Exodus imagery of the OT?
MR: I think that it’s possible that there may be an exodus motif there already in the tradition. Luke is not inventing it, it was probably there already. The motif was there already in Matthew in the tradition. Matthew makes it explicit.
Whether we would have realised that if we had only Mark’s story I am not sure.
RM: What is the message of the Transfiguration?
MR: Well the message of the Transfiguration is this. That Jesus, on his way to death, is in glory. And what is in glory is the mission of Jesus to die. And the message for us is that glory, now and in the future, is not apart from the vocation to suffer and die. And that is something that the disciples did not realise at the time but came to be realised in the concept of the Transfiguration of suffering which we do find in Christianity and in the New Testament in so many ways. John’s account of the Passion is one instance. The treatment of suffering by Peter in I Peter is another instance; in St Paul there is a good deal about suffering transfigured. I think that the transfiguring of suffering is a great Christian theme that appears on a number of ways in the New Testament.
I don’t think that it consciously related to the Transfiguration story but I think for us Christians, the Transfiguration is a great focusing of the theme of suffering aglow in the mission of Jesus and suffering and glory in the Christian life.
We rightly use the Transfiguration as the sort of Festival of a great Christian theme without necessarily saying that there is a plausible connection.
I think there is a good deal of Transfiguration theme in the New Testament which makes it more significant.
I think it’s a theme in its own right. It’s linked with the passion. It has very little relation to the resurrection as such. That’s why it’s very unlikely to be misplaced resurrection story.
The book was published in 1949 – over thirty years ago. My recollect on that the story appealed to me as a piece of biblical study that had been rather neglected and also that the theme appealed to me very strongly as an aspect of the Christian life.
I [preach about it very often but I use it more often than not. I use it on clergy retreats which I do from time to time. I go on using it. It has become a spiritual theme.
Rob Marshall London 2010
We discussed The Transfiguration of Jesus and it was captured on an old tape.
Here is a transcript of
Michael Ramsey on the Transfiguration.
RM: The Feast of the Transfiguration is not given the prominence it deserves in the Church of England is it?
MR: It is not in our Church of England but the Eastern Orthodox Church makes a great deal of it. It is one of their three or four top feasts. And the Church of Rome makes more of it by keeping it in Lent on one of the Sundays in Lent as does our new ASB. It is a good place for the Transfiguration on the way towards the Passion.
RM: What about the theories of Bultmann and Boobyer and Riesenfeld?
MR: Bultmann’s idea that the Transfiguration is a misplaced resurrection account can, I think, be discounted altogether.
Boobyer’s idea that the Transfiguration is a prefiguration of the Parousia is true. In a sense, any visible manifestation of glory would be a forecast of the Parousia.
Riesenfeld’s view is too definitive and speculative to be convincing.
RM: What about your book, Bishop?
MR: Thinking on it now I am struck by the difference between Mark’s presentation and Luke’s presentation. I do not think that Mark’s Gospel gives us a kind a biographical narrative of the Lord’s mission. Mark’s Gospel is a set of episodes or pericopes but sometimes there are links and Mark’s narrative is linked with what has gone before by those words ‘after six days’.
That links the narrative with the prediction of the passion and links them in such a way that I think the Transfiguration narrative says ‘Yes in spite of the forthcoming passion Jesus is in glory’. Jesus is in glory with perhaps the thought that this is a prefiguring of the glory which he predicted after the Passion.
RM: What about the divine voice and the cloud:
MR: Here I think the presence of Moses and Elijah is a sign according to traditions of the time and the reappearance of these figures means that the Day of the Lord is here on the earth.
The cloud I read as a sign of the divine presence: it is the cloud of the presence and it’s just that the disciples are overwhelmed with the sense of God’s presence. God is here. God is here. God is here. Stop talking God is here. Especially as St Peter has been making some rather unprofitable remarks. The cloud says to him ‘Stop talking God is here’.
The voice proclaims the sonship. I think that the point is that at the baptism the voice has proclaimed the sonship to Jesus himself according to Mark. Now the voice the sonship through the disciples. It tells them God’ son has unique authority and they have to listen to him.
RM: Where in the OT do you think the words of the voice come from?
MR: Well I don’t know that the words need to come from anywhere. The point is that Jesus is proclaimed to be Son. It’s the Son language that we get in Psalm 2 but I don’t think that it need come from anywhere. It’s just a testimony to the sonship in its own right.
There is no need for everything to come from anywhere. These parallels merely indicate that it’s rather meaningful language
RM: What about other references to sonship in Mark?
MR: I agree. I think the stories of the baptism and the transfiguration have a kind of structural place. I don’t think that the narrative is consecutive. But there is a string of pericope and there are certain pericope which come with a certain kind of bang.
Baptism – Son. Transfiguration – Son. Crucifixion – Son.
The novelty being that it is in his death that the sonship is supremely revealed. I don’t think that Mark’s Transfiguration story specifically links it with the death apart from simply the note ‘after six days’. It is the Jesus who is going to die that is proclaimed the son.
In the artistry of Mark there is a son theme in which the Baptism, Transfiguration and Calvary are all kind of stages.
RM: What elements do Matthew and Luke add?
MR: In Matthew I see, first of all, just a little making explicit of the Old Testament imagery. For instance, Matthew says his face shone as the sun. That’s a contrast between the brief reflected glory of the face of Moses and the sort of authentic glory in the face of Jesus. I think that the contrast is there. Another point in Matthew is the shining cloud. That identifies it more explicitly with the cloud of the presence. Then there is just this difference. In Matthew it’s the voice that makes them afraid and Jesus bids them not to fear. I don’t know that there is very much significance in this but it’s just a way of bringing out the luminous character of the event a bit.
In Luke, the word Transfiguration is avoided and the word Glory is explicitly brought in.
‘Transfiguration’ is avoided maybe simply because Luke thinks he can say it as well by bringing in the word ‘doxa’. Some commentators have said that Luke was avoiding what might sound like a pagan kind of word. That is possible. I think the point is that Luke makes the same point as the others. He does not have ‘transfigured’ he has doxa’ and that links it with a doxa theme which we have in Luke.
In Luke the key point is that they spoke of the ‘exodus’. This means not just the death but all that follows. The going forth to glory. And I link it with Luke in the post resurrection episode. Jesus says “Behold did not the Chris suffer these things and enter into his glory”. I think that with the exodus. Luke sees the Transfiguration in terms of a theme of Jesus is moving from suffering to glory. The glory being already anticipated. In a kind of way, Mark links it with the theme of his Gospel by direct link with ‘after six days’ and by the term ‘son’ which as we have seen comes at these very significant terms. Luke links it with his story rather more with his theme of the movement of Jesus through death to glory.
Luke brings this out dramatically. He sets his face towards Jerusalem. He is aware of his movement towards Jerusalem.
Mark is rather ‘Here is Jesus’ manifested as the Son and particularly manifested in the Son in his death. Luke is rather the movement of a story in which the Transfiguration is an episode in the movement.
RM: What about the relationship between the Kingdom and the Transfiguration?
MR: The reference to ‘here’ is more explicit in Matthew than in the other two. Mark 9.1 says there are some standing ‘here’.
RM: What about Boobyer?
MR: I think the point in my mind is simply that a theme of Mark is that after the Passion the Son of Man will be seen in glory. No more and no less than that. I don’t think that it is necessary to find a specific explanation for the story because I think that the motifs of the story – of Jesus in glory and of Jesus the Son are sufficient. It doesn’t require any particular imagery to explain it. In a sort of way Booyber is making rather a fuss of it.
Boobyer treats it all as Parousia picture. I am saying that it is not only a foretaste. I am saying that the glory will be here. I would say that. It’s a bit difficult to be absolutely precise. I am just assumed that law and prophecy are witnessing to fulfillment.
Have I just been sermonising nicely.
I have noticed that the order is reversed in some Gospels. Elijah is given priority in Mark but I am not sure about it.
RM: What about Peter?
MR: Well Peter was the spokesman and Peter often is the spokesman in Mark’s Gospel and elsewhere. It depends on what one’s outlook is. We can say that from the beginning a strong tradition that Peter used to always make comments or you can say that there was an ideology about Peter in the early Church that produced these stories.
There was in the Church a tradition of dialogue between Peter and Jesus and we have specimens of dialogue between the two.
RM: What about historicity?
MR: if this Transfiguration notion were known to be a prominent notion in the Early Church then it’s something that you might expect to get written up in the Gospel tradition. But it does not seem to have been a dominant theme. There is only 2 Peter to go on and that’s very late.
If Jesus is Son there is something unique in the tradition. The content of Peter’s confession is something unique. The claim of Jesus to be inaugurating the Kingdom of God is unique. The claim of Jesus that through his death the kingdom of God is unique. It’s something unique, not isolation, but it is amongst a series of unique concepts. Are these concepts derived from the mission of Jesus or are they imported into the mission of Jesus either by oral tradition or by editing?
RM: What about the concentration of motifs?
MR: The fact that there is such a concentration of motifs can make it a little suspicious.
The Transfiguration is not a parable, it’s not a miracle, and it’s a bit of both in a funny kind of way. It’s supernatural and literal. The motifs on offer are simple motifs. Prophecy is being fulfilled. Jesus is Son. Jesus is in glory – a glimpse of the glory that is going to be. Meanwhile there is going to be the suffering.
In Mark the important context is the Baptism, Peter’s Confession and the Passion.
Luke gives it much more of a context as editor and biographer.
The turning point in all of the Gospels is Peter’s confession. The transfiguration just gives it more of a dramatic headline.
In all the traditions from Caesarea Philippi, it’s known that the Passion is coming, it is predicted and the Transfiguration is a bit more an interpretation of the Passion. I think that the turning point has already happened. Jesus has already begun the journey towards his death.
RM: And the Exodus imagery of the OT?
MR: I think that it’s possible that there may be an exodus motif there already in the tradition. Luke is not inventing it, it was probably there already. The motif was there already in Matthew in the tradition. Matthew makes it explicit.
Whether we would have realised that if we had only Mark’s story I am not sure.
RM: What is the message of the Transfiguration?
MR: Well the message of the Transfiguration is this. That Jesus, on his way to death, is in glory. And what is in glory is the mission of Jesus to die. And the message for us is that glory, now and in the future, is not apart from the vocation to suffer and die. And that is something that the disciples did not realise at the time but came to be realised in the concept of the Transfiguration of suffering which we do find in Christianity and in the New Testament in so many ways. John’s account of the Passion is one instance. The treatment of suffering by Peter in I Peter is another instance; in St Paul there is a good deal about suffering transfigured. I think that the transfiguring of suffering is a great Christian theme that appears on a number of ways in the New Testament.
I don’t think that it consciously related to the Transfiguration story but I think for us Christians, the Transfiguration is a great focusing of the theme of suffering aglow in the mission of Jesus and suffering and glory in the Christian life.
We rightly use the Transfiguration as the sort of Festival of a great Christian theme without necessarily saying that there is a plausible connection.
I think there is a good deal of Transfiguration theme in the New Testament which makes it more significant.
I think it’s a theme in its own right. It’s linked with the passion. It has very little relation to the resurrection as such. That’s why it’s very unlikely to be misplaced resurrection story.
The book was published in 1949 – over thirty years ago. My recollect on that the story appealed to me as a piece of biblical study that had been rather neglected and also that the theme appealed to me very strongly as an aspect of the Christian life.
I [preach about it very often but I use it more often than not. I use it on clergy retreats which I do from time to time. I go on using it. It has become a spiritual theme.
Rob Marshall London 2010
Friday 5 November 2010
Thought for the Day cancelled
A bit of a first tonight.
I was due to present Thought for the Day on the Today programme tomorrow but due to the BBC strike the slot has been cancelled.
So - a bit of extra time I didn't know I was going to have!
I was due to present Thought for the Day on the Today programme tomorrow but due to the BBC strike the slot has been cancelled.
So - a bit of extra time I didn't know I was going to have!
A good week
It's a been a good week this week.
Having led a training course for recently ordained clergy in Chesterfield on Tuesday it was on to a Conference on Addiction in central Leeds on Wednesday.
Back into London to face a tube strike on Wednesday night and then a couple of days catching up in London but making super progress!
Having led a training course for recently ordained clergy in Chesterfield on Tuesday it was on to a Conference on Addiction in central Leeds on Wednesday.
Back into London to face a tube strike on Wednesday night and then a couple of days catching up in London but making super progress!
Alan Sugar :What you see is what you get
I didn't know what to expect when I bought a copy of Sugar's autobiography in Oban to read at the end of a disrupted pilgrimage.
But this is one of the best, honest and fast moving personal stories which I have read for a very long time.
You can hear Lord Sugar speaking every word. We hear of the humble beginnings, his frustration and being employed rather than working for himself; and then of the formidable and quite remarkable rise of his small electronics empire into Amstrad and all that follows.
"You can't buy entrepreneurial juice" Sugar keeps on saying: you either have it or you don't. That is classic Sugar throughout this book.
But apart from the rise and rise of his Empire there are two other stories which dominate this narrative. The first is his buying of Spurs Football Club. The shocking revelations of the pain and frustration at being involved in the commercial world of football makes you wonder why anyone would ever want to get involved in the first place?
The other is the advent of The Apprentice. The way Sugar tells this story - with such honesty (again) and clarity - you realise that he never expected the programme to change his life in the way that it did and also gain some insight into the magical editing job which is done on the programme to ensure that it turns out as good as it does.
Other bits of Sugar wisdom include "I'd discovered that as soon as any new business idea is born, up springs the competition" and his less than sympathetic description of a Daily Mail journalist: "a pathetic loser who does nothing in life other than engage in spiteful sniping to cover his own lack of achievement."
I strongly recommend this book. It's a great read and, whilst I might have had reservations about Alan Sugar prior to reading it - I finished the book with a sense of gratitude that I had taken time out to read it in the first place.
But this is one of the best, honest and fast moving personal stories which I have read for a very long time.
You can hear Lord Sugar speaking every word. We hear of the humble beginnings, his frustration and being employed rather than working for himself; and then of the formidable and quite remarkable rise of his small electronics empire into Amstrad and all that follows.
"You can't buy entrepreneurial juice" Sugar keeps on saying: you either have it or you don't. That is classic Sugar throughout this book.
But apart from the rise and rise of his Empire there are two other stories which dominate this narrative. The first is his buying of Spurs Football Club. The shocking revelations of the pain and frustration at being involved in the commercial world of football makes you wonder why anyone would ever want to get involved in the first place?
The other is the advent of The Apprentice. The way Sugar tells this story - with such honesty (again) and clarity - you realise that he never expected the programme to change his life in the way that it did and also gain some insight into the magical editing job which is done on the programme to ensure that it turns out as good as it does.
Other bits of Sugar wisdom include "I'd discovered that as soon as any new business idea is born, up springs the competition" and his less than sympathetic description of a Daily Mail journalist: "a pathetic loser who does nothing in life other than engage in spiteful sniping to cover his own lack of achievement."
I strongly recommend this book. It's a great read and, whilst I might have had reservations about Alan Sugar prior to reading it - I finished the book with a sense of gratitude that I had taken time out to read it in the first place.
Monday 1 November 2010
Thought for the Day 30th November
Copyright is with the BBC )www.bbc.co.uk/religion)
For better or worse, the clocks go back tonight and the darkness is about to get deeper. The Celtic Festival of Samhain was celebrated about now. It marked the end of summer and the official start of winter. The arrival of short days and long nights represented that moment in creation when the boundary between this world and the next was said to be at its thinnest. So the evil spirits, which could easily transfer from one world to another had to be fended off by lighting fires, eating special foods, dressing up. The Celts had faith that the light would persist.
The link between Halloween and Samhain seems obvious, though the actual name Halloween seems to have derived from a corruption of the Scottish festival of “All Hallows Eve”. And that’s because Christians also use this time of the year to celebrate All Saints and All Souls. The great saints of the church are commemorated followed by those all those souls whose example is a source of inspiration to us.
I personally have no problem with Halloween. It’s now a 21st century heavily marketised campaign about the battle between light and darkness. What’s wrong, particularly in teaching our children, that we look for protection from darkness with a longing that the light always shines through; that truth and justice might always overcome the ways of evil?
But it’s back to that that Celtic notion of now being the thinnest time between this world and the next which intrigues me most. Of all spiritual questions – what happens next? – where does this life lead us? – are amongst the most prevalent when I talk to people about faith.
Next week, the British Museum presents a new exhibition featuring the 3000 year old Egyptian Book of the Dead. It is evidence that even a thousand years before the Incarnation people were asking exactly the same type of questions and trying to influence where they and their loved ones would end up: The Exhibition will show that questions should as “What happens in the afterlife? What can I hope for? Why am I afraid?” have always been part of the mystery of life and death for every human person.
When St John writes in his Prologue that the light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it, he underlines that much of Jesus’s teaching deals exactly with these kinds of questions. Faith is interpreted as a pathway through all the periods of doubt and darkness which affect every human spirit. Faith is not a way round them.
At this thin spiritual time of the year when the religious and secular join together in waging war on all that is evil – it is to those very saints and souls who have gone before us that we look: they are more than a source of encouragement and example.
For better or worse, the clocks go back tonight and the darkness is about to get deeper. The Celtic Festival of Samhain was celebrated about now. It marked the end of summer and the official start of winter. The arrival of short days and long nights represented that moment in creation when the boundary between this world and the next was said to be at its thinnest. So the evil spirits, which could easily transfer from one world to another had to be fended off by lighting fires, eating special foods, dressing up. The Celts had faith that the light would persist.
The link between Halloween and Samhain seems obvious, though the actual name Halloween seems to have derived from a corruption of the Scottish festival of “All Hallows Eve”. And that’s because Christians also use this time of the year to celebrate All Saints and All Souls. The great saints of the church are commemorated followed by those all those souls whose example is a source of inspiration to us.
I personally have no problem with Halloween. It’s now a 21st century heavily marketised campaign about the battle between light and darkness. What’s wrong, particularly in teaching our children, that we look for protection from darkness with a longing that the light always shines through; that truth and justice might always overcome the ways of evil?
But it’s back to that that Celtic notion of now being the thinnest time between this world and the next which intrigues me most. Of all spiritual questions – what happens next? – where does this life lead us? – are amongst the most prevalent when I talk to people about faith.
Next week, the British Museum presents a new exhibition featuring the 3000 year old Egyptian Book of the Dead. It is evidence that even a thousand years before the Incarnation people were asking exactly the same type of questions and trying to influence where they and their loved ones would end up: The Exhibition will show that questions should as “What happens in the afterlife? What can I hope for? Why am I afraid?” have always been part of the mystery of life and death for every human person.
When St John writes in his Prologue that the light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it, he underlines that much of Jesus’s teaching deals exactly with these kinds of questions. Faith is interpreted as a pathway through all the periods of doubt and darkness which affect every human spirit. Faith is not a way round them.
At this thin spiritual time of the year when the religious and secular join together in waging war on all that is evil – it is to those very saints and souls who have gone before us that we look: they are more than a source of encouragement and example.
All Saints and All Souls
It's been another one of those weekends. Busy but rewarding.
Saturday, I presented BBC Thought for the Day. Former Chancellor Norman Lamont was in the Green Room before the broadcast and we chatted about various things. Evan Davies and Justin Webb give the Saturday Today programme a good feel. Evan is particularly relaxed with ad libs before and after set pieces.
So I wondered how he would link an informative piece on Druids with my "Thought" on Pagan festivals of increasing darkness and the Christian understanding of All Saints and All Souls? It went well in the end.
Had a good weekend of cooking and relaxing along with a busy morning at St Mary Abbots. Preached at a service marking the Battle of Britain ending on 31st October 70years ago.
One of the highlights of the week was Nani's amazing goal for Manchester United v Tottenham. One of the lowest points of the week was the X factor. Cowell has ruined this programme with his sycophantic comments to Cheryl Cole. Thank the Lord for DM.
Schools are back today so I did the St James Senior Boys School Assembly in Ashford today and the celebrated Mass for All Saints.
Relaxing evening with family before heading off to Derby tonight.
Saturday, I presented BBC Thought for the Day. Former Chancellor Norman Lamont was in the Green Room before the broadcast and we chatted about various things. Evan Davies and Justin Webb give the Saturday Today programme a good feel. Evan is particularly relaxed with ad libs before and after set pieces.
So I wondered how he would link an informative piece on Druids with my "Thought" on Pagan festivals of increasing darkness and the Christian understanding of All Saints and All Souls? It went well in the end.
Had a good weekend of cooking and relaxing along with a busy morning at St Mary Abbots. Preached at a service marking the Battle of Britain ending on 31st October 70years ago.
One of the highlights of the week was Nani's amazing goal for Manchester United v Tottenham. One of the lowest points of the week was the X factor. Cowell has ruined this programme with his sycophantic comments to Cheryl Cole. Thank the Lord for DM.
Schools are back today so I did the St James Senior Boys School Assembly in Ashford today and the celebrated Mass for All Saints.
Relaxing evening with family before heading off to Derby tonight.
Monday 13 September 2010
Ground Zero
My article in the Derby Evening Telegraph
http://findarticles.com/p/news-articles/derby-evening-telegraph/mi_8020/is_20100911/faith-files-rob-marshall-ground/ai_n55182912/
http://findarticles.com/p/news-articles/derby-evening-telegraph/mi_8020/is_20100911/faith-files-rob-marshall-ground/ai_n55182912/
Tuesday 7 September 2010
Egyptian Surprise
Apparently, the National Museum in Dublin is saying that the discovery of Egyptian papyrus in the 1200 year old cover of a book of Psalms have raised questions about traditional understanding of the rise of Christianity in Ireland!
Madrid Airport and Iberia Airlines
Just back from a late summer break in Madrid and surprised at how shocking the level of customer service has descended to in Sapin generally.
Madrid International Airport looks stunning. It is beautifully presented and great on the eye.
But as a functional, practical traveller-friendly airport it is astonisingly ineffecient.
Arriving in Terminal 4C on a British Airways flight the journey to baggage control involved as very long walk, up and down lifts and escalators and then a train ride to the main terminal 4. Then - with about 20 luggage carousels idle all flights' baggage was arriving on the same conveyer belt. We waited 40 minutes for our baggage (no wonder most travellers had carried the most ridiculously large hand luggage into the cabin which BA had allowed) and left for the Metro 65 minutes after touching down.
The return flight on Iberia started with an inability to check in online because it was a BA booking - despite it all being part of the One World Alliance. So no seats together when we arrived at the airport.
Once again - queues for the bag drop were ridiculous with tens of desks unpersonned.
Then - and I am really sorry to read blog after blog about the terrible experience of flying Iberia - the shockingly cramped economy seats - really no space for my legs at all - followed by the trolley bar with drinks starting at £2 for water and up to £10 for a sandwich and drink.
Would I use Madrid Airport if I had a choice? No if I could help it.
And Iberia? Never again.
Madrid itself - despite the journey there and back - was smashing!
Madrid International Airport looks stunning. It is beautifully presented and great on the eye.
But as a functional, practical traveller-friendly airport it is astonisingly ineffecient.
Arriving in Terminal 4C on a British Airways flight the journey to baggage control involved as very long walk, up and down lifts and escalators and then a train ride to the main terminal 4. Then - with about 20 luggage carousels idle all flights' baggage was arriving on the same conveyer belt. We waited 40 minutes for our baggage (no wonder most travellers had carried the most ridiculously large hand luggage into the cabin which BA had allowed) and left for the Metro 65 minutes after touching down.
The return flight on Iberia started with an inability to check in online because it was a BA booking - despite it all being part of the One World Alliance. So no seats together when we arrived at the airport.
Once again - queues for the bag drop were ridiculous with tens of desks unpersonned.
Then - and I am really sorry to read blog after blog about the terrible experience of flying Iberia - the shockingly cramped economy seats - really no space for my legs at all - followed by the trolley bar with drinks starting at £2 for water and up to £10 for a sandwich and drink.
Would I use Madrid Airport if I had a choice? No if I could help it.
And Iberia? Never again.
Madrid itself - despite the journey there and back - was smashing!
Wednesday 1 September 2010
Sheffield Filming
Spent the day yesterday filming a sequence of You Tube type film pieces with Steven Croft as Bishop of Sheffield.
Steven has written the 2011 Lent Book and this series of short films to camera will elucidate some of the theme which Steven has written about.
So we went to various venues across South Yorkshire to record the various shots.
It was the first day of the autumn season yesterday with lots more media activity and enquiries across the client range.
Took the train back to London from Sheffield. East Midlands trains showed their crass incompentence once again by getting us to "change train sets" at Derby on the "through train" to London. When the train pulled into Derby the platform staff were not ready for the steady procession of heavily laden passengers including many elderly who stood on the platform for several minutes waiting for them to open the new train set. Only, they decided, let's take half of it to London empty and keep it locked - presumably to avoid cleaning it in London. So -two sets attached together with only one open. The poor train manager struggled to find enough words for "apologise".
Last night it was a question of getting ready for a long weekend with friends in Spain to bring a lovely summer to a close.
There's a chill in the air in the morning and at night - but this was one of the best days weather wise for quite some time! Lovely.
Steven has written the 2011 Lent Book and this series of short films to camera will elucidate some of the theme which Steven has written about.
So we went to various venues across South Yorkshire to record the various shots.
It was the first day of the autumn season yesterday with lots more media activity and enquiries across the client range.
Took the train back to London from Sheffield. East Midlands trains showed their crass incompentence once again by getting us to "change train sets" at Derby on the "through train" to London. When the train pulled into Derby the platform staff were not ready for the steady procession of heavily laden passengers including many elderly who stood on the platform for several minutes waiting for them to open the new train set. Only, they decided, let's take half of it to London empty and keep it locked - presumably to avoid cleaning it in London. So -two sets attached together with only one open. The poor train manager struggled to find enough words for "apologise".
Last night it was a question of getting ready for a long weekend with friends in Spain to bring a lovely summer to a close.
There's a chill in the air in the morning and at night - but this was one of the best days weather wise for quite some time! Lovely.
Monday 30 August 2010
Guardian article on Pope's media team
This is an interesting article in today's Guardian on whether or not the Pope's media team are up to the challenge.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/aug/30/pope-benedict-media-team-britain
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/aug/30/pope-benedict-media-team-britain
Thought for the Day
Just finished another series of Thought for the Day on Saturday's in August
www.bbc.co.uk/religion
www.bbc.co.uk/religion
Bank Holiday Monday
I have nno idea where the time has gone. So much for keeping up to date with this more regularly. At least the itention is there!
It has been a really busy summer. A great holiday in the US followed by the week in Durham celebrating Celtic Christianity in the north east (a really super group this year).
Then - throughout August - I have been pretty much the priest on duty at St Mary Abbots on the High Street in W8 as colleagues have been away.
The past week, however, has been tough.
My mother's younger brother David died suddently in France and I had to hop to a small town near Poitiers to take his funeral. My first bi-lingual funeral in France and it was a very interesting and moving occasion.
Then news that Martin Warner - one of my closest friends and the new Bishop of Whitby - has been in hospital for tests following a heart attack whilst in Florence. Martin - get well soon!! We were all rooting for you.
It's the Notting Hill Carnival today - and it's one of those days when to be at the heart of things isn't always the easiest option!
So - more blogging in the autumn!!
It has been a really busy summer. A great holiday in the US followed by the week in Durham celebrating Celtic Christianity in the north east (a really super group this year).
Then - throughout August - I have been pretty much the priest on duty at St Mary Abbots on the High Street in W8 as colleagues have been away.
The past week, however, has been tough.
My mother's younger brother David died suddently in France and I had to hop to a small town near Poitiers to take his funeral. My first bi-lingual funeral in France and it was a very interesting and moving occasion.
Then news that Martin Warner - one of my closest friends and the new Bishop of Whitby - has been in hospital for tests following a heart attack whilst in Florence. Martin - get well soon!! We were all rooting for you.
It's the Notting Hill Carnival today - and it's one of those days when to be at the heart of things isn't always the easiest option!
So - more blogging in the autumn!!
Monday 31 May 2010
Trinity Sunday
What Kind of God do you believe in?
Summary of a sermon preached at St Mary Abbots, Kensington on Sunday 30th May 2010
Trinity Sunday.
Epistle was Romans 5.1-5
The questions: what kind of a God do you believe in ? – is increasingly asked.
What’s more, it is an increasingly difficult question to answer.
The context in which the question is asked includes:
General rise in secularism
A defensive mindset for Christianity in general
Pluralism – lack of basic Christian identity
The great science v Christianity debate
We are still too inward looking as a church.
The Trinity is about going back to basics:
When we say “I believe in one God”, which we will shortly in the Creed – what are we saying?
St Paul in this passage from Romans – reminds us that one of the easiest starting points for answering the question – what kind of God do you believe in? – is
God the Father
God the Son
God the Holy Spirit
Through God the Father – love is revealed
Through Jesus the Son – peace is offered
All because the Holy Spirit has been poured out for us.
We say the Creed now as an act of rededication in the God in whom we believe – three in one and one in three.
Summary of a sermon preached at St Mary Abbots, Kensington on Sunday 30th May 2010
Trinity Sunday.
Epistle was Romans 5.1-5
The questions: what kind of a God do you believe in ? – is increasingly asked.
What’s more, it is an increasingly difficult question to answer.
The context in which the question is asked includes:
General rise in secularism
A defensive mindset for Christianity in general
Pluralism – lack of basic Christian identity
The great science v Christianity debate
We are still too inward looking as a church.
The Trinity is about going back to basics:
When we say “I believe in one God”, which we will shortly in the Creed – what are we saying?
St Paul in this passage from Romans – reminds us that one of the easiest starting points for answering the question – what kind of God do you believe in? – is
God the Father
God the Son
God the Holy Spirit
Through God the Father – love is revealed
Through Jesus the Son – peace is offered
All because the Holy Spirit has been poured out for us.
We say the Creed now as an act of rededication in the God in whom we believe – three in one and one in three.
Sunday 30 May 2010
Eurovision
For goodness sake - someone get us out of this.
I watched it last night out of sheer curiosity that anything this bad can really be taken seriously.
And, from and island with great musical traditions, how can the UK year after year produce such a load of tosh?
A Eurovision song has eurovision components and our songs just don't have them?
Last?
It's a joke.
We should really get out.
(By the way, i heard the German song in Austria last week and because I like Lily Allen - I also like this one!)
I watched it last night out of sheer curiosity that anything this bad can really be taken seriously.
And, from and island with great musical traditions, how can the UK year after year produce such a load of tosh?
A Eurovision song has eurovision components and our songs just don't have them?
Last?
It's a joke.
We should really get out.
(By the way, i heard the German song in Austria last week and because I like Lily Allen - I also like this one!)
Friday 28 May 2010
Cycle Hire Scheme London
Just heard a great interview with Ken Livingstone and Transport for London on LBC about the upcoming Cycle Hire Scheme for London.
First, I think it's a brilliant idea and will almost certainly have a go.
But the implications of implementing such a scheme are enormous - as the interview suggested.
There were lost of contrasts which the Parisien scheme where they learnt to theri cost how man people walked up to Monmartre and then took a bike down - so there were never any bikes at the top of the hill.
The bikes are also so well designed that they are not really worthg stealing at all.
It's going to be a good scheme to watch unfold.
First, I think it's a brilliant idea and will almost certainly have a go.
But the implications of implementing such a scheme are enormous - as the interview suggested.
There were lost of contrasts which the Parisien scheme where they learnt to theri cost how man people walked up to Monmartre and then took a bike down - so there were never any bikes at the top of the hill.
The bikes are also so well designed that they are not really worthg stealing at all.
It's going to be a good scheme to watch unfold.
Thursday 27 May 2010
The Shipping News Annie Proulx
Just ploughed through Annie Proulx's major classic (I believe that is the right phrase for it now) The Shipping News.
Our church book club is studying it in July and I read it whilst in Austria.
You can smell the cold air of Newfoundland and the dominance of fish and boats throughout its pages.
Quoyle, played in the movie based on this novel by Kevin Spacey, takes a job on a local newspaper and what I will always remember about this book is one of the opening chapters where the essence of writing a good news story are laid out to the new journalistic recruit.
It's so good - you could use it in any media training seminar.
This is a good beach read if you don't mind the thought of cod pies and lobster salads.
It;s the story of triumph over endurance, difficult children, the power of the sea - and ultimately - the power of the written word.
Our church book club is studying it in July and I read it whilst in Austria.
You can smell the cold air of Newfoundland and the dominance of fish and boats throughout its pages.
Quoyle, played in the movie based on this novel by Kevin Spacey, takes a job on a local newspaper and what I will always remember about this book is one of the opening chapters where the essence of writing a good news story are laid out to the new journalistic recruit.
It's so good - you could use it in any media training seminar.
This is a good beach read if you don't mind the thought of cod pies and lobster salads.
It;s the story of triumph over endurance, difficult children, the power of the sea - and ultimately - the power of the written word.
Friday 21 May 2010
Rediscovering Austria
After the Oberammergau Passion Play we moved swiftly into Austria for 5 days of exploration and relaxation.
We arrived in Strobl - a quaint little village not far from Salzburg sitting on the edge of a fresh water lake and surrounding by mountains.
Unfortunately, as news of 26 degrees in London permeates our rain drenched boots - the conistent lack of sunshine, dank winter-like wet ness and the swirling mists on the mountains disguise the true beauty of this extraordinary country.
Austria is stunningly beautiful. So well kept. The air is special and the water fresh.
The food is tasty - if heavy for this time of year - and the beer excellent.
Austria is a place to chill: to reconnect; to find nature.
I'll be back.
We arrived in Strobl - a quaint little village not far from Salzburg sitting on the edge of a fresh water lake and surrounding by mountains.
Unfortunately, as news of 26 degrees in London permeates our rain drenched boots - the conistent lack of sunshine, dank winter-like wet ness and the swirling mists on the mountains disguise the true beauty of this extraordinary country.
Austria is stunningly beautiful. So well kept. The air is special and the water fresh.
The food is tasty - if heavy for this time of year - and the beer excellent.
Austria is a place to chill: to reconnect; to find nature.
I'll be back.
Monday 17 May 2010
Oberammergau Passion Play 2010
The 2010 Oberammergau Passion Play opened this week and it was both an immense privilege and an exercise in endurance to sit through the magnificent efforts of the villagers.
Since 1633, every ten years, the community in this superb village have produced a vivid portrayal of Jesus’ last days – though modern efforts are predictably more commercial, organized and glossy than in previous generations.
The weather for the opening in the “open air” stadium on Saturday was foul – freezing cold driving winds for almost 7 hours in pretty upright seats with hardly any leg room could be regarded as a penance. But by Sunday the clouds had cleared and the cold was nothing a thick blanket couldn’t deal with.
Over 1000 local residents take part in the drama. They play on stage, sing, have a place in the orchestra or work behind the scenes.
Many of the local men look distinctly middle eastern because they have grown their hair and beards.
What works at Oberammergau is the sense of space – the context of the passion – the doves and camels and horses and sheep – all adding to the sense of harsh reality.
And the actual scene of crucifixion is also very moving – with atmospheric lighting.
My main reservations about the overall experience concerns first, the pace of the production and then the theological interpretation applied to the blending of the four Gospel accounts. The portrayal of Judas and Pilate needs a lot of discussion. Someone should start a blog on this.
The production is very slow: it has no movement. Instead the principal characters and chorus saunter on and off as if there is no concern other than to get to the next scene. Only rarely does an actor show some sense of light and shade in movement and the choreography of the chorus which introduces each tableaux and act needs urgent revision. It is soporific.
I think it is because that it is delivered in German throughout the almost 7 hours that an English ear starts to raise pertinent questions about some of the important dialogue.
“What is Mary going on about?,” I found myself asking in the 6th hour as the Mother of our Lord had huge chunks of dialogue to deliver at the point of crucifixion: “It’s him. It is my son. It is my Jesus. Ah, I see you this way, led to death like a criminal between criminals. Lord, why have you hidden yourself in the clouds; no prayer pierce them. You have turned him into scum and garbage among the nations.”
This kind of made up dialogue with no biblical precedent eventually starts getting to even the most liberal of theologians as the seat becomes more uncomfortable and the wind howls around your legs.
But let’s be positive. A passion play almost fully booked between May and October attracting 4000 people every performance from all over the world is a great thing – a massive boost to our post Christian culture.
Each and every one of those taking part do their utmost to depict the eternal truth of the life of Jesus.
It just could be a bit tighter and move with a bit more vivacity. But I’ve been to Oberammergau and I will always remember the experience for many different reasons.
Since 1633, every ten years, the community in this superb village have produced a vivid portrayal of Jesus’ last days – though modern efforts are predictably more commercial, organized and glossy than in previous generations.
The weather for the opening in the “open air” stadium on Saturday was foul – freezing cold driving winds for almost 7 hours in pretty upright seats with hardly any leg room could be regarded as a penance. But by Sunday the clouds had cleared and the cold was nothing a thick blanket couldn’t deal with.
Over 1000 local residents take part in the drama. They play on stage, sing, have a place in the orchestra or work behind the scenes.
Many of the local men look distinctly middle eastern because they have grown their hair and beards.
What works at Oberammergau is the sense of space – the context of the passion – the doves and camels and horses and sheep – all adding to the sense of harsh reality.
And the actual scene of crucifixion is also very moving – with atmospheric lighting.
My main reservations about the overall experience concerns first, the pace of the production and then the theological interpretation applied to the blending of the four Gospel accounts. The portrayal of Judas and Pilate needs a lot of discussion. Someone should start a blog on this.
The production is very slow: it has no movement. Instead the principal characters and chorus saunter on and off as if there is no concern other than to get to the next scene. Only rarely does an actor show some sense of light and shade in movement and the choreography of the chorus which introduces each tableaux and act needs urgent revision. It is soporific.
I think it is because that it is delivered in German throughout the almost 7 hours that an English ear starts to raise pertinent questions about some of the important dialogue.
“What is Mary going on about?,” I found myself asking in the 6th hour as the Mother of our Lord had huge chunks of dialogue to deliver at the point of crucifixion: “It’s him. It is my son. It is my Jesus. Ah, I see you this way, led to death like a criminal between criminals. Lord, why have you hidden yourself in the clouds; no prayer pierce them. You have turned him into scum and garbage among the nations.”
This kind of made up dialogue with no biblical precedent eventually starts getting to even the most liberal of theologians as the seat becomes more uncomfortable and the wind howls around your legs.
But let’s be positive. A passion play almost fully booked between May and October attracting 4000 people every performance from all over the world is a great thing – a massive boost to our post Christian culture.
Each and every one of those taking part do their utmost to depict the eternal truth of the life of Jesus.
It just could be a bit tighter and move with a bit more vivacity. But I’ve been to Oberammergau and I will always remember the experience for many different reasons.
Sunday 16 May 2010
Oberammergau 2010 Day One
Saturday
A simple journey from London Heathrow via Lufthansa to Munich Airport. Greeted locally and then we took a top notch coach from the airport to the Village where the clouds were heavy and the rain pouring. It was cold too as the clouds continued their firm grip on the pointed hills which surround this quaint fairytale-like village.
We were driven to local guest houses where arranagements to eat and relax were in place along with our waiting tickets for the Passion play which opens tonight (press night) and which will show to the general public (us) for the first time tomorrow (Sunday).
My home for two nights was to be the Christine Magold appartments in Kleppergasse. Can't be more central than this. Mr Magold, or at least I think it was him, was washing the car with a jet wash in the garden despite the heavy rain and Magold Junior was keen to welcome us.
The room is excellent - clean, well appointed and - wait for it - very warm.
There was time for some relaxation, evening prayer and then as super dinner of carrot and ginger soup;, salmon with rice and fresh fruit salad swilled down with two glasses of strong German white wine.
10pm and bed already? I'mafraid so. It's raining and it's the PassionPlay tomorrow.
A simple journey from London Heathrow via Lufthansa to Munich Airport. Greeted locally and then we took a top notch coach from the airport to the Village where the clouds were heavy and the rain pouring. It was cold too as the clouds continued their firm grip on the pointed hills which surround this quaint fairytale-like village.
We were driven to local guest houses where arranagements to eat and relax were in place along with our waiting tickets for the Passion play which opens tonight (press night) and which will show to the general public (us) for the first time tomorrow (Sunday).
My home for two nights was to be the Christine Magold appartments in Kleppergasse. Can't be more central than this. Mr Magold, or at least I think it was him, was washing the car with a jet wash in the garden despite the heavy rain and Magold Junior was keen to welcome us.
The room is excellent - clean, well appointed and - wait for it - very warm.
There was time for some relaxation, evening prayer and then as super dinner of carrot and ginger soup;, salmon with rice and fresh fruit salad swilled down with two glasses of strong German white wine.
10pm and bed already? I'm
Sunday 9 May 2010
Saturday 24 April 2010
Dads
This has been a week that will remain with me probably for the rest of my life.
Dad has been ill. Very poorly. As the eldest of five siblings I have felt proud of the way in which each of his sons and daughters have rallied round together as our dad's health went first from bad to worse but, as I write today, has improved for the time being.
Dad has not seen a doctor for decades. Typically northern, shy and stubborn - every ailment would always heal itself. he is quite deaf - lame and had had stomach problems for some time.
And then, a week last Monday - it all happened. Liz, my sister, forced dad to visit the doctor, he was admitted to hospital with a moment's thought and, after a week of test after a test a touch and go operation followed on Wednesday night during which some of us I think feared the worse.
But dad is still here. Parched. Fed up. Not happy. Those postponed and put off visits to the doctor have caught up with him with a vengeance. The surgery should have cured what was wrong. The challenge now is to build up his strength and his weight to something like it was before. And it's going to be a long haul.
For many years now I have visited people who are sick and I have spoke to many of my contemporaries who have lost a parent, or both, sometimes with a nodding human acceptance that - well, it's normal, it's what happens.
But when you actually face such a tremendous shift in family love and concern head on - it's quite a sobering moment.
Thanks to everyone for their prayers and support.
Dad has been ill. Very poorly. As the eldest of five siblings I have felt proud of the way in which each of his sons and daughters have rallied round together as our dad's health went first from bad to worse but, as I write today, has improved for the time being.
Dad has not seen a doctor for decades. Typically northern, shy and stubborn - every ailment would always heal itself. he is quite deaf - lame and had had stomach problems for some time.
And then, a week last Monday - it all happened. Liz, my sister, forced dad to visit the doctor, he was admitted to hospital with a moment's thought and, after a week of test after a test a touch and go operation followed on Wednesday night during which some of us I think feared the worse.
But dad is still here. Parched. Fed up. Not happy. Those postponed and put off visits to the doctor have caught up with him with a vengeance. The surgery should have cured what was wrong. The challenge now is to build up his strength and his weight to something like it was before. And it's going to be a long haul.
For many years now I have visited people who are sick and I have spoke to many of my contemporaries who have lost a parent, or both, sometimes with a nodding human acceptance that - well, it's normal, it's what happens.
But when you actually face such a tremendous shift in family love and concern head on - it's quite a sobering moment.
Thanks to everyone for their prayers and support.
Friday 2 April 2010
Royal Maundy
Yesterday I helped out at derby Cathedral where HM The Queen distributed the Royal Maundy money at a special service.
84 men and 84 women were honoured to receive these gifts.
Standing so close to The Queen I was reminded at what a truly extraordinary person she is. Her devotion to duty and sense of service really has been an example for many decades now.
To think - she has worked with Prime Ministers from Churchill to Thatcher and indeed Blair and Brown - and she looks amazingly good for her age.
What struck me most yesterday was how much like her mum she is beginning to look.
Britain has a great deal to be thankful for, for this remarkable woman.
84 men and 84 women were honoured to receive these gifts.
Standing so close to The Queen I was reminded at what a truly extraordinary person she is. Her devotion to duty and sense of service really has been an example for many decades now.
To think - she has worked with Prime Ministers from Churchill to Thatcher and indeed Blair and Brown - and she looks amazingly good for her age.
What struck me most yesterday was how much like her mum she is beginning to look.
Britain has a great deal to be thankful for, for this remarkable woman.
Monday 22 March 2010
St Mary Abbots 21st March 2010
The anointing of Jesus as Bethany is a fascinating story.
It is one of those rare events where John seems to have had all 3 synoptics Gospels open in front of him.
Bethany is a small town outside of Jerusalem.
It is 6 days before the Passover.
They are in the home of Lazarus - who "was dead" so that must have been an interesting conversation! Along with Judas - who would betray him. Quite a dinner party.
Mary of Bethany serves.
She pours expensive perfume over the feet of Jesus.
Judas complains - what a waste - you could have kept that for the poor!!
Two key themes
anointing - the preparation of Jesus for what is to happen and for his burial
betrayal - epitomised in the character of Judas.
Passiontide is the constant collision between the pureness of God's love and potentiality towards sin in every human person.
our baptism - the moment at which we too are anointed - links us to this great event.
It is one of those rare events where John seems to have had all 3 synoptics Gospels open in front of him.
Bethany is a small town outside of Jerusalem.
It is 6 days before the Passover.
They are in the home of Lazarus - who "was dead" so that must have been an interesting conversation! Along with Judas - who would betray him. Quite a dinner party.
Mary of Bethany serves.
She pours expensive perfume over the feet of Jesus.
Judas complains - what a waste - you could have kept that for the poor!!
Two key themes
anointing - the preparation of Jesus for what is to happen and for his burial
betrayal - epitomised in the character of Judas.
Passiontide is the constant collision between the pureness of God's love and potentiality towards sin in every human person.
our baptism - the moment at which we too are anointed - links us to this great event.
Where have I been
It has been another one of those busy periods but I hope to blog better from today.
I have tried other templates and other forms but what's the point when this is part of your main email activity?
So I will try better: honest!
I have tried other templates and other forms but what's the point when this is part of your main email activity?
So I will try better: honest!
Tuesday 26 January 2010
Herta Muller: The Land of Green Plums
This was perhaps the toughest assignment for the book club so far.
We all ploughed through Michael Hoffmann's translation of this grim novel,, set in Romania at the height of Ceausecu's regime.
It is a frightful, grim shocking account of how low humanity can stoop and how miserable life can be
We all ploughed through Michael Hoffmann's translation of this grim novel,, set in Romania at the height of Ceausecu's regime.
It is a frightful, grim shocking account of how low humanity can stoop and how miserable life can be
Monday 25 January 2010
25th January Conversion of St Paul
St Mary Abbots
Paul - human, road to Damascus, grit and honesty.
Conversion:
Old Testament doundation:
Covenant
Turn to Me
David - Job
New Testament
John the Baptist/Jesus/Paul
Characteristics of Conversion
repentance
transformation
new life
Conversion as the "foundation of the authentic Christian life"
Paul - human, road to Damascus, grit and honesty.
Conversion:
Old Testament doundation:
Covenant
Turn to Me
David - Job
New Testament
John the Baptist/Jesus/Paul
Characteristics of Conversion
repentance
transformation
new life
Conversion as the "foundation of the authentic Christian life"
South Africa - the return
I didn't have email access for the latter part of the trip - at least not on a daily basis.
Cape Town proved to be a brilliant destination for the last week of my holiday.
The hotel - at the Waterfront - was a brilliant run place to stay with gorgeous breakfast and a breathtaking view of Table Mountain.
Did the great drive to the southern most tip of Africa - cape point - and visited the wide variety of beaches along the road of the Twelve Apostles.
The food was great and the company was superb.
J's family reunion proved to be much easier than I thought - not least because they had wall to wall English Premier League football on (3 games in all) so watching Manchester United v Burnley in 32 degrees wasn't that bad at all!
I will be back!
Cape Town proved to be a brilliant destination for the last week of my holiday.
The hotel - at the Waterfront - was a brilliant run place to stay with gorgeous breakfast and a breathtaking view of Table Mountain.
Did the great drive to the southern most tip of Africa - cape point - and visited the wide variety of beaches along the road of the Twelve Apostles.
The food was great and the company was superb.
J's family reunion proved to be much easier than I thought - not least because they had wall to wall English Premier League football on (3 games in all) so watching Manchester United v Burnley in 32 degrees wasn't that bad at all!
I will be back!
Tuesday 12 January 2010
11th Jan Zulu Land
Great day today.
Starter with an early breakfast before setting off on a great drive to to see new parts of Durban and to spend most of the day in the Zulu live history centre.
We got there in time for lunch and enjoyed an open air meal in 30 degrees.
Ryan decided on the ultimate challenge: eating crocodile meat in a compound of live crocodiles - which proved to be a laugh for everyone - particularly when the guide got two of the crocs to move!!
Then we visited the crocodile park and saw the various stages of croc development from the youngest to the oldest (104 years old).
Then it was time for the snakes- a bit more scary - ending with Zulu culture, dancing and marriage!
A great day all round.
Starter with an early breakfast before setting off on a great drive to to see new parts of Durban and to spend most of the day in the Zulu live history centre.
We got there in time for lunch and enjoyed an open air meal in 30 degrees.
Ryan decided on the ultimate challenge: eating crocodile meat in a compound of live crocodiles - which proved to be a laugh for everyone - particularly when the guide got two of the crocs to move!!
Then we visited the crocodile park and saw the various stages of croc development from the youngest to the oldest (104 years old).
Then it was time for the snakes- a bit more scary - ending with Zulu culture, dancing and marriage!
A great day all round.
Sunday 10 January 2010
Sunday 10th January
Up late for me - and then off to gym for a good work out.
A light lunch of bananas and chocolate before Ryan acted as chauffeur to the Gateway Shopping Centre followed by a fascinating trip via Umhlanga Drive - past the casinos, through town and then back the docks, wilson's wharfe and maiden wharfe road with its record number of railway crossings.
Touring the Bluff was fascinating - seeing the Navy Base and Millionaire's mile.
Evening of toasted sandwiches and south African red wine.
A light lunch of bananas and chocolate before Ryan acted as chauffeur to the Gateway Shopping Centre followed by a fascinating trip via Umhlanga Drive - past the casinos, through town and then back the docks, wilson's wharfe and maiden wharfe road with its record number of railway crossings.
Touring the Bluff was fascinating - seeing the Navy Base and Millionaire's mile.
Evening of toasted sandwiches and south African red wine.
Sat 9th
A good night's sleep and breakfast buffet - everything you would wish to eat.
We went then to see the new Durban World Cup Stadium next to the Sun Coast Casino where the famous and rugby stadium and swimming pool also are.
Then, in the afternoon we went to Ushaka - a beach complex with a water wonderland.
In the evening Manchester United grabbed a point against Birmingham whilst our hosts put on a Braai (Barbecue) where lots of meat and food was prepared.
Another good night's sleep.
We went then to see the new Durban World Cup Stadium next to the Sun Coast Casino where the famous and rugby stadium and swimming pool also are.
Then, in the afternoon we went to Ushaka - a beach complex with a water wonderland.
In the evening Manchester United grabbed a point against Birmingham whilst our hosts put on a Braai (Barbecue) where lots of meat and food was prepared.
Another good night's sleep.
Friday 8th Jan
Arrive in Johannesburg.
What a change in temperatures from -2 in London to +32 here.
Great airport - all upgraded for the World Cup.
South African Airlines found us a seat on the flight to Durban because of the delay.
Landed at `1300 and temperature rose.
Transferred to hosts - very cloudy, warm and refreshing.
Great welcome dinner of home made lasagna and curry.
Early night having missed a night's sleep. But it was great and Africa - well super.
What a change in temperatures from -2 in London to +32 here.
Great airport - all upgraded for the World Cup.
South African Airlines found us a seat on the flight to Durban because of the delay.
Landed at `1300 and temperature rose.
Transferred to hosts - very cloudy, warm and refreshing.
Great welcome dinner of home made lasagna and curry.
Early night having missed a night's sleep. But it was great and Africa - well super.
7th Jan Departing London in the Ice
J and I began our journey to South Africa and it ends tomorrow in the sun of Johannesburg.
The trip to Heathrow was eventual - hours then to check in and the flight delays increased as the ice and snow gripped the airport.
An Iran Air aircraft slipped off our stand resulting in a 2 hour delay.
But the Virgin 747 800 series took off 2 hours later and I was bound for my first ever visit south of the Equator.
The trip to Heathrow was eventual - hours then to check in and the flight delays increased as the ice and snow gripped the airport.
An Iran Air aircraft slipped off our stand resulting in a 2 hour delay.
But the Virgin 747 800 series took off 2 hours later and I was bound for my first ever visit south of the Equator.
Sorry it's been busy
Sorry not to have updated the blog over the past month.
It has been the best Christmas ever. A super build up in Kensington followed by the family Christmas party in Brough.
Then a few great days with Jonathan in Birmingham and London followed by a truely special Christmas in Kensington.
New Year with Carol Ann and friends - what can I say?
The off to South Africa
It has been the best Christmas ever. A super build up in Kensington followed by the family Christmas party in Brough.
Then a few great days with Jonathan in Birmingham and London followed by a truely special Christmas in Kensington.
New Year with Carol Ann and friends - what can I say?
The off to South Africa
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