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Radical Story-telling?

Public Domain   The Flight into Egypt  File: Adam Elsheimer - Die Flucht nach Ägypten (Alte Pinakothek) 2.jpg Created: 31 December 1608 Which of the Gospel writers include an account of the birth of Jesus? When were they writing, for what audience? Mark’s Gospel is almost universally considered to be the earliest Gospel and it’s understood that both Matthew and Luke used it as a source text. But Mark has no account of the birth of Jesus, he begins with John the Baptist and Jesus’ baptism. Only Matthew and Luke have birth narratives and they are different whilst sharing some common features: Mary and Joseph are to be married and there’s a miraculous virgin birth in Bethlehem. But that’s about it. Jesus is born in a house in Matthew’s account whilst he is placed in a manger in Luke’s because there’s ‘no room at the inn’. Mary’s thoughts and feelings are not mentioned in Matthew at all, whilst from Luke we get the story of the Visitation, Annunciation and the wonderful radical

Are you a winner?

'One who is more powerful is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.’ I wonder if you are someone who has always wanted to be the headliner, the main act, the charismatic leader? All of us undoubtedly have at least some desire to be the first - the one that has got ahead, proved themselves, won the race, become successful. Our culture is great at celebrating the ones who achieve poll position: the winners of Strictly, the Apprentice, Master Chef - everything is a competition to find the best.  Yet, there are many faithful number 2s and 3s and 4s - those willing to be in the shadows but nonetheless influencing the action. Their stories are not so often told. John the Baptist is known as the forerunner, the one who prepared the Way, making the paths straight - creating an environment in which it would be easier for others to receive Jesus and his message. An itinerant p

'Remember Us'

Reflections on War, Remembrance Sunday 2019 Srebrenica Genocide Memorial I stand before you today a broken woman – a woman who has heard first hand stories of unbearable suffering, of the absence of mercy, and the failure of the international community to protect and build lasting peace. I have spent 6 days in Bosnia-Herzegovina, reflecting on the nature of evil and human suffering in the light of their recent conflict (1992-95). Put in that context and experience Remembrance Sunday raises some profound questions for me about the politics of remembrance, the responsibilities of those who remember and the nature of Christian remembrance. The stories that nations tell about their past are only ever partially true; it is a brave country that is willing to tell stories of the past that recognise sin, barbarity, aggression and poor military decisions. The poets of the First World War have raised their voices loud and clear so that the stories of wasted life and poor leadership have be

Love of Money

Jesus talks about money a lot in the Bible. At some point in their life the disciple will have to face full on the battle between God and money.   What is money? Money of course is not the issue, but rather the promises that money makes. Come to me and you will be secure! Come to me and you will be welcomed by others! Come to me and you will have power and status! The things that money can buy are things that we as humans crave: a sense of complete security, acceptance and status in society, freedom from vulnerability and servitude. We see evidence all around us that the poor are dependent, vilified, judged, lacking in status and power, rejected and needy. In order to follow Jesus and to have God as our Lord and Saviour we must fully face the false promises that money dangles before us. Jesus’ story or parable from Luke 16 verses 1-13 is about just that. He describes a wealthy man and his manager. The manager has been squandering the wealthy man’s property and on being found out

Celebrating the birth of a girl ?

Feast Day of the Birth of Mary, Prophet  8th Sept 2019 Congratulations it's a girl! A huge, recent, analysis of worldwide population data suggests sex-selective abortions have led to at least 23 million fewer girls being born in the world. The majority of these “missing” girls are in China and India.   (The New Scientist, 16 th April 2019, Deborah MacKenzie) This puts in very real terms the effect of the devaluation of women which is directly linked to their lack of economic power. If girls will be a financial burden to a family living in poverty, the choice to abort when it becomes available, is understandable if not ethical. Throughout history women have had to earn their value (if they make it into the world) through brave and creative responses to the unprotected and perilous positions they find themselves in. Think of Ruth in the Old Testament who is commended for her faithfulness to her mother-in-law, Naomi. All the men in their family die and Ruth’s sisters return to t

Truth that Divides

'Do you think I have come to bring peace to the earth?' Jeremiah 23.23-29 Luke 12:49-56 As Christians we live with paradox – we believe after all in God made man ; perhaps the greatest example of a paradox that there is. Jesus talks in our passage from Luke about bringing division – which seems highly paradoxical, as isn’t he the Prince of Peace ? Why would Jesus come to divide households, mothers against daughters and fathers against sons? Surely, we can’t worship a God who proclaims such a message? The reason that Jesus brings division, and that he is labouring to see it completed (‘what stress I am under until it is completed’ ) is because the Word of God is not neutral, bland or irrelevant. As the Living Word our response to Jesus can’t be neutral or bland either. The Word of God is, as the prophet Jeremiah says: ‘ like fire and like a hammer that breaks rocks in pieces’ Or, ‘ The Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edge