Sorry about the US emphasis this week, but it would have been hard not to have noticed that the US Presidential Inauguration took place last week (twice). And in the mass of reporting and comment one of the most commonly quoted phrases was actually from President Franklin D Roosevelt’s Inaugural Address in 1933, ‘The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.’
To some it may be heresy or naïve to say this, but how much worse are our economic woes because of the fear that has been created by constant reporting in the media? It’s hard to know how much we have created self-fulfilling prophecies, and not just about the economy.
The Guardian, on a positive note, reported ‘Crime in England and Wales down 3%, figures show’. Meanwhile The Times went for a recession angle, ‘Ministers’ worst fears confirmed as the recession fuels crime surge’? Who was right?
And ironically, one newspaper said that politicians should be sending out a positive message instead of all the gloom (presumably the same gloom reported by newspapers). Nehemiah resisted the attempts of his enemies to stop his work by making him fearful. How can we resist fear in an age of 24 hour news?
For many people, the most memorable part of the inauguration ceremony will be Rev Joseph Lowery’s benediction. It may have drawn some affectionate laughter but it also drew on the same lessons as Nehemiah. It looked back to God’s Law and his faithfulness in the past.
Emlyn Williams
Tuesday, 27 January 2009
Monday, 19 January 2009
Big chief, Little Chef?
How many bosses would say this to their senior managers, 'If nobody else does, I love you guys – in a biblical way, which is all about respect, feeling valued and forgiveness for mistakes'?
Well the new chief executive of Little Chef restaurants did just that when he started last May. And according to the Guardian last week, ‘… three days later turnover went up, demonstrably up’.
That’s not the only interesting example of leadership which has been around recently. Part of the discussion about the possible move of footballer Kaka to Manchester City (for £100 million!) has been his Christian faith.
An Italian journalist said, ‘Kaka’s an evangelical Christian, … he’s got quite a different world outlook than a lot of other players … he really believes he has a broader message to spread off the pitch as well … not by preaching, but through his example. He may find that this country (United Kingdom) might be a fertile place for him to spread his word.’
But it’s not just Christian footballers and businessmen who face issues of living faithfully at work. For a bus driver in Southampton it has meant refusing to drive buses with adverts saying, ‘There's probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life’. And his bosses were sympathetic.
Nehemiah and Daniel (this week’s readings) weren’t the last to bear witness to God in their work.
Emlyn Williams
Well the new chief executive of Little Chef restaurants did just that when he started last May. And according to the Guardian last week, ‘… three days later turnover went up, demonstrably up’.
That’s not the only interesting example of leadership which has been around recently. Part of the discussion about the possible move of footballer Kaka to Manchester City (for £100 million!) has been his Christian faith.
An Italian journalist said, ‘Kaka’s an evangelical Christian, … he’s got quite a different world outlook than a lot of other players … he really believes he has a broader message to spread off the pitch as well … not by preaching, but through his example. He may find that this country (United Kingdom) might be a fertile place for him to spread his word.’
But it’s not just Christian footballers and businessmen who face issues of living faithfully at work. For a bus driver in Southampton it has meant refusing to drive buses with adverts saying, ‘There's probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life’. And his bosses were sympathetic.
Nehemiah and Daniel (this week’s readings) weren’t the last to bear witness to God in their work.
Emlyn Williams
Wednesday, 14 January 2009
Skeletons and miracles
We live in a pretty unforgiving world. Three years after the event, and thanks to the News of the World, Prince Harry faces the consequences of using an army comrade’s offensive nickname, with video evidence to establish a cast-iron case against him. It would be nice to be sure that no money changed hands in the process of the newspaper acquiring the video…
Jesus’ invitation to those ‘who have never sinned’ to ‘throw the first stone’ (John 8:7, CEV) might be a good principle for journalists. And that idea may well have been in the mind of whoever posed the question in last week’s Economist, ‘Who has a closet without a skeleton?’
Thank God that he didn’t ‘send his Son into the world to condemn the world’ (John 3:17, ESV) – he sent him to save the world. Is that the positive message the world hears from Christians?
When a blade snapped off a huge wind generator in Lincolnshire, the most popular explanation in the newspapers was also the most unlikely – UFO activity. It’s the kind of explanation you go for when you can’t think of anything else. Other possibilities suggested were a little more ordinary, a block of ice falling from an aircraft being popular.
As in Jesus’ time, for many people the miraculous and mysterious is more attractive than the straightforward (see John 4:48). Perhaps God’s grace is demonstrated in his willingness to respond to that desire with the miraculous. What we can’t do is assume that he will always act in that way.
Emlyn Williams
Jesus’ invitation to those ‘who have never sinned’ to ‘throw the first stone’ (John 8:7, CEV) might be a good principle for journalists. And that idea may well have been in the mind of whoever posed the question in last week’s Economist, ‘Who has a closet without a skeleton?’
Thank God that he didn’t ‘send his Son into the world to condemn the world’ (John 3:17, ESV) – he sent him to save the world. Is that the positive message the world hears from Christians?
When a blade snapped off a huge wind generator in Lincolnshire, the most popular explanation in the newspapers was also the most unlikely – UFO activity. It’s the kind of explanation you go for when you can’t think of anything else. Other possibilities suggested were a little more ordinary, a block of ice falling from an aircraft being popular.
As in Jesus’ time, for many people the miraculous and mysterious is more attractive than the straightforward (see John 4:48). Perhaps God’s grace is demonstrated in his willingness to respond to that desire with the miraculous. What we can’t do is assume that he will always act in that way.
Emlyn Williams
Monday, 12 January 2009
iTunes Podcast issues
We are aware of an issue with downloading the podcasts via iTunes. This is being looked at and will be sorted as soon as possible. I'll let you know when all is well.
In the meantime you can access the podcast via a direct RSS feed here
In the meantime you can access the podcast via a direct RSS feed here
Wednesday, 7 January 2009
Religious think tank welcomes launch of atheist buses
Theos, the public theology think tank, has welcomed a new atheist bus campaign, being officially launched in Central London today (Tuesday).
The bendy-buses, with the slogan "There's probably no God", are the idea of the British Humanist Association and have been supported by prominent atheist Professor Richard Dawkins. They are now running on the streets of London.
Commenting on the launch of the buses, Director of Theos, Paul Woolley, said:
"We think that the campaign is a great way to get people thinking about God. The posters will encourage people to consider the most important question we will ever face in our lives.
"The slogan itself is a great discussion starter. Telling someone "there's probably no God" is a bit like telling them that they've probably remembered to lock their front door. It creates the doubt that they might not have done so.
"A new Theos research study, to be published next month, shows that there are as many people finding God in Britain today as losing it, so this campaign is speaking into a very live debate.
"Mike Elms, a Fellow of The Marketing Society and former Chief Executive of ad agencies Ogilvy & Mather and Tempus/CIA, has said that the campaign could play a role in the revival of Christianity.
Mr Elms said "For too long, the British public has been able to dodge the 'God choice' - is there or isn't there? - by scribbling C of E on their hospital admission form. But now atheists are challenging us to make that choice one way or another. The atheist campaign opens the door toward a very public debate on the existence and nature of God."
www.theosthinktank.co.uk
The bendy-buses, with the slogan "There's probably no God", are the idea of the British Humanist Association and have been supported by prominent atheist Professor Richard Dawkins. They are now running on the streets of London.
Commenting on the launch of the buses, Director of Theos, Paul Woolley, said:
"We think that the campaign is a great way to get people thinking about God. The posters will encourage people to consider the most important question we will ever face in our lives.
"The slogan itself is a great discussion starter. Telling someone "there's probably no God" is a bit like telling them that they've probably remembered to lock their front door. It creates the doubt that they might not have done so.
"A new Theos research study, to be published next month, shows that there are as many people finding God in Britain today as losing it, so this campaign is speaking into a very live debate.
"Mike Elms, a Fellow of The Marketing Society and former Chief Executive of ad agencies Ogilvy & Mather and Tempus/CIA, has said that the campaign could play a role in the revival of Christianity.
Mr Elms said "For too long, the British public has been able to dodge the 'God choice' - is there or isn't there? - by scribbling C of E on their hospital admission form. But now atheists are challenging us to make that choice one way or another. The atheist campaign opens the door toward a very public debate on the existence and nature of God."
www.theosthinktank.co.uk
New faces, old problems
The world can breathe a sigh of relief: the new Doctor Who has been revealed. And just in case we’re fearful in the interim, David Tennant, the previous Doctor Who, has recovered from his bad back and can return to playing Hamlet. Sadly, our heroes are fallible.
More significantly, Barack Obama is again feeling the chilly winds of politics, two weeks before his inauguration as US President. Bill Richardson, who had been nominated as Commerce Secretary, has stood down over an investigation into a business deal when he was Governor of New Mexico. Criticising our leaders seems to be much easier than supporting them. And like our screen heroes, they too are fallible.
Perhaps our public figures could learn from the example of John the Baptist, who pointed out his own fallibility before anyone else could draw attention to it (see John 1:27). But what would Jesus have made of the bad economic news that has emerged recently? Some of it is misfortune. Some of it the predictable consequence of greed (and many of us have been part of that). And some of it, such as the Bernard Madoff investment scandal, seems to have been outright fraud compounded by lax regulation.
Yet it’s too easy for Christians to criticise everyone else and forget that the Church is not exempt from financial scandal. What kind of a warning is Jesus’ clearing of the temple?
Emlyn Williams
More significantly, Barack Obama is again feeling the chilly winds of politics, two weeks before his inauguration as US President. Bill Richardson, who had been nominated as Commerce Secretary, has stood down over an investigation into a business deal when he was Governor of New Mexico. Criticising our leaders seems to be much easier than supporting them. And like our screen heroes, they too are fallible.
Perhaps our public figures could learn from the example of John the Baptist, who pointed out his own fallibility before anyone else could draw attention to it (see John 1:27). But what would Jesus have made of the bad economic news that has emerged recently? Some of it is misfortune. Some of it the predictable consequence of greed (and many of us have been part of that). And some of it, such as the Bernard Madoff investment scandal, seems to have been outright fraud compounded by lax regulation.
Yet it’s too easy for Christians to criticise everyone else and forget that the Church is not exempt from financial scandal. What kind of a warning is Jesus’ clearing of the temple?
Emlyn Williams
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