Surely this has helped people believe...

Proof-texting does not work

An 'approach to the biblical evidence is to discuss the explicit texts that refer respectively to the equality and the subordination of women in society and culture. I am not convinced of the usefulness of such a discussion, since for every text pointing in one direction there is usually a countertext. If Eph 5:24 states that wives must be subject in everything to their husbands, Eph 5:21 introduces that section by commanding “Be subject to one another.” If 1 Cor 11:7 says that the man (anãr) is the image and glory of God, while woman is the glory of man, Gn 1:27 states that both man and woman are in the image of God. If 1 Cor 14:34 rules that women should keep silence in the churches,(3)1 Cor 11:5 recognizes the custom that women pray and prophesy—and prophecy is the charism ranking second after apostleship (1 Cor 12:28), to the extent that Eph 2:20 has the Church, the household of God, built upon the foundation of apostles and prophets. I might continue listing contrary voices, but then we would still have the question of how to evaluate the voices that stress subordination. Once more we would have to ask: Is that purely a cultural pattern or divine revelation?



Interesting. So succinctly put by Raymond E. Brown. 'Roles of Women in the Fourth Gospel', Union Theological Seminary, N.Y.C.from: Theological Studies 36 (1975) pp. 688-699.

SIT WITH JESUS

I am writing a course. It is preliminary to the one for mothers that is featured over at Mums The Word.

This is a course written for women coming to faith or for those who are curious about what Jesus might come to mean for them. It is for sceptics, it is for post-modern, independent women. It is for those who come with all sorts of presuppositions as to what the Bible might be like. It is for those who consider themselves spiritual and open but have only ever thought of the bible as a patriarchal memorial to by-gone days. It is for those wondering or willing to be open to the idea that the Bible can actually be very good news for women. It will take women through encounters with Jesus in the gospel of John.

It will focus on what the writer of John's gospel has done with space. After exploring the significance of the space there: liminal, gendered, crossing boundaries, we will explore together space we have in our own lives for faith, for formation.

It will look at intimacy and relationship and have us ask questions about our own relationships and even how we feel about ourselves.

It will look at identity: Jesus', the women's he encounters, his encountering us and how we are transformed, left changed, left bewildered, even.

There will be a website to support the course, so it can grow and change and adapt as it is rolled out.

Any suggestions welcomed.

Not just a baby...

Abraham’s Seed (Genesis 22:18; Galatians 3:16).
Advocate (1 John 2:1).
Almighty (Revelation 1:8).
Alpha and Omega (Revelation 1:8; 22:13).
Amen (Revelation 3:14).
Angel (Genesis 48:16; Exodus 23:20,21).
Angel of God’s presence (Isaiah 63:9).
Angel of the Lord (Exodus 3:2; Judges 13:15-22).
Apostle (Hebrews 3:1).
Arm of the Lord (Isaiah 51:9; 53:1).
Author and Finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).
Author of eternal salvation (Hebrews 5:9).
Beginning of the creation of God (Revelation 3:14).
Beloved (Ephesians 1:6).
Beloved Son (Matthew 12:18).
Branch (Jeremiah 23:5; Zechariah 3:8; 6:12).
Bread of Life (John 6:35, 48).
Bridegroom (Matthew 9:15).
Bright and Morning Star (Revelation 22:16).
Captain of Salvation (Hebrews 2:10).
Captain of the Lord’s hosts (Joshua 5:14,15).
Carpenter (Mark 6:3).
Carpenter’s Son (Matthew 13:55).
Chief Cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20; 1 Peter 2:6).
Chief Shepherd (1 Peter 5:4).
Christ (Matthew 16:20; Mark 14:16; Luke 23:2).
Christ Jesus (Acts 19:4; Romans 3:24; 8:1; 1 Corinthians 1:2; 1:30).
Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:39; 1 Timothy 1:12).
Christ of God (Luke 9:20).
Christ the Lord (Luke 2:11).
Commander (Isaiah 55:4).
Consolation of Israel (Luke 2:25).
Cornerstone (Matthew 21:42; Ephesians 2:20).
Counselor (Isaiah 9:6).
Creator (John 1:3).
David (Jeremiah 30:9; Ezekiel 34:23).
Dayspring (Luke 1:78).
Deliverer (Romans 11:26).
Desire of all nations (Haggai 2:7).
Door (John 10:7).
Elect of God (Isaiah 42:1).
Eternal life (1 John 1:2; 5:20).
Everlasting Father (Isaiah 9:6).
Faithful and True (Revelation 19:11).
Faithful witness (Revelation 1:5; 3:14).
First and Last (Revelation 1:17; 2:8).
Firstborn (Psalms 89:27; Hebrews 1:6; Revelation 1:5).
Forerunner (Hebrews 6:20).
Fountain (Zechariah 13:1).
Glory of the Lord (Isaiah 40:5).
God (Isaiah 40:9; John 20:28).
God blessed forever (Romans 9:5).
God’s partner (Zechariah 13:7).
Good Shepherd (John 10:14).
Governor (Matthew 2:6).
Great High Priest (Hebrews 4:14).
Head of the Church (Ephesians 5:23; Colossians 1:18).
Heir of all things (Hebrews 1:2).
High Priest (Hebrews 4:14).
Holy Child (Acts 4:27).
Holy One (Psalms 16:10, with Acts 2:27; 3:14).
Holy One of God (Mark 1:24).
Holy One of Israel (Isaiah 41:14; 54:5).
Horn of salvation (Luke 1:69).
I AM, (Exodus 3:14, with John 8:58).
Image of God (2 Corinthians 4:4).
Immanuel (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23).
Jesus (Matthew 1:21; 1 Thessalonians 1:10).
Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:1).
Jesus of Nazareth (Matthew 21:11; Mark 1:24; Luke 24:19).
Judge (Acts 10:42; 2 Timothy 4:8).
Judge of Israel (Micah 5:1).
Just One (Acts 7:52; 22:14).
King (Zechariah 9:9, with Matthew 21:5).
King of Glory (Psalms 24:7-10).
King of Israel (John 1:49).
King of Kings (1 Timothy 6:15; Revelation 17:14).
King of peace (Hebrews 7:2).
King of righteousness (Hebrews 7:2).
King of Saints (Revelation 15:3).
King of Salem (Hebrews 7:1).
King of the Jews (Matthew 2:2; 27:37; John 19:19).
King of Zion (Matthew 21:25).
Lamb (Revelation 5:6, 12; 13:8; 21:22; 22:3).
Lamb of God (John 1:29, 36).
Lawgiver (Isaiah 33:22).
Leader (Isaiah 55:4).
Life (John 14:6; Colossians 3:4; 1 John 1:2).
Light of the world (John 1:8; 8:12).
Lily of the valleys (Song of Solomon 2:1).
Lion of the tribe of Judah (Revelation 5:5).
Living Bread (John 6:51).
Living Stone (1 Peter 2:4).
Lord and Savior (2 Peter 1:11; 3:18).
Lord Christ (Colossians 3:24).
Lord God Almighty (Revelation 15:3).
Lord God of the holy prophets (Revelation 22:6).
Lord Jesus (Acts 7:59; Colossians 3:17).
Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 11:17; 16:31; 20:21).
Lord of all (Acts 10:36).
Lord of glory (1 Corinthians 2:8; James 2:1).
Lord of Hosts (Isaiah 44:6).
Lord of Lords (1 Timothy 6:15; Revelation 17:14; 19:16).
Lord our righteousness (Jeremiah 23:6; 33:16).
Man of Sorrows (Isaiah 53:3).
Mediator (1 Timothy 2:5).
Messenger of the covenant (Malachi 3:1).
Messiah (Daniel 9:25; John 1:41).
Mighty God (Isaiah 9:6).
Mighty One of Israel (Isaiah 30:29).
Mighty One of Jacob (Isaiah 49:26; 60:16).
Morningstar (Revelation 22:16; 2 Peter 1:19).
Most Holy (Daniel 9:24).
Nazarene (Matthew 2:23).
Offspring of David (Revelation 22:16).
Only Begotten Son (John 1:14, 18).
Our Passover (1 Corinthians 5:7).
Power of God (1 Corinthians 1:24).
Prince (Acts 5:31).
Prince of life (Acts 3:15).
Prince of peace (Isaiah 9:6).
Prince of the kings of the earth (Revelation 1:5).
Prophet (Matthew 21:11; Luke 24:19; John 7:40).
Rabbi (John 1:49, 20:16).
Ransom (1 Timothy 2:6).
Redeemer (Job 19:25; Isaiah 59:20; Isaiah 60:16).
Resurrection and life (John 11:25).
Rock (1 Corinthians 10:4).
Root of David (Revelation 5:5; 22:16).
Rose of Sharon (Song of Solomon 2:1).
Ruler of Israel (Micah 5:2).
Savior (Luke 2:11; 2 Peter 2:20; 3:18).
Second Adam, Man (1 Corinthians 15:45, 47).
Seed of David (2 Timothy 2:8).
Seed of woman (Genesis 3:15).
Servant (Isaiah 42:1; 52:13; 53:11; Acts 4:30).
Servant of Rulers (Isaiah 49:7).
Shepherd (Mark 14:27).
Shepherd and Overseer of Souls (1 Peter 2:25)
Shepherd of Israel (Psalms 80:1).
Shiloh (Genesis 49:10).
Son of David (Matthew 9:27).
Son of God (Luke 1:35; John 1:49).
Son of Joseph (John 6:42).
Son of man (John 5:27).
Son of the Blessed (Mark 14:61).
Star (Numbers 24:17).
Stumbling Stone (1 Peter 2:8).
Sun of righteousness (Malachi 4:2).
Sure Foundation (Isaiah 28:16).
Teacher (Matthew 23:8; John 3:2).
Tender Plant (Isaiah 53:2).
True God (1 John 5:20).
True Light (John 1:9).
True Vine (John 15:1).
The Truth (John 14:6).
The Way (John 14:6).
Wisdom (Proverbs 8:12).
Wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:24).
Witness (Isaiah 55:4; Revelation 1:5).
Wonderful (Isaiah 9:6).
Word (John 1:1; 1 John 5:7).
Word of God (Revelation 19:13).
Word of Life (1 John 1:1).

You're amazing!

Watch through to the end with sound.
Search within this Christmas!

Mothering and God

Changes to "Mums the Word blog" - and new post from the Rev Katie Tupling now available.

New features: part of my theological rationale for the course and slideshare sample of the course.

If any churches would like to run a course for women rediscovering their spirituality after child-birth please look at the blog and get in touch.

Sign and signifier

I am interested in semiotics and grammar. I like language and how it acts as symbol and there is always this interpretative gap between the language we use and the reality of what we are describing. With Jesus there is no gap. He is the Word. I like it how God is the most powerful verb in the universe: I am. The infinitive - to be. Is. Are. Exists. So God is reality. Ours is only 3D and his is infinitum D. It kind of blows your mind.

We think we know. We think we are so clever, we only see 3. We only have 5 senses. There are actually so many more lying dormant which I think the Holy Spirit can awaken. So it's really pretty cool being a Christian, isn't it? God speaks the word and the Word is a person. Jesus is the performed speech act. He is the Word manifest, incarnated, enfleshed.

We are asked to be living signs and we are to point to the actual sign, Jesus, who points to himself and says I AM

I AM GOD
I AM REALITY
I AM THE ULTIMATE HUMAN
I AM

No gap.
No distance.
No interpretation.

We are called also to interpret the signs of the times. What will 2011 bring I wonder and how might God speak into those times?

And when we also use language as sign and symbol like we do with the Eucharist, the breaking of bread, the sipping of wine, we come close again to this space where there is less gap, where sign and symbol and reality do something different. This is a liminal and a timeless space, something unchanging, forever remembering. This is a performative speech act. It has a meaning in faith that it cannot have without faith.

We are called also to keep preaching this word against all the odds, in the face of rebuff and criticism and aggressive atheism and non-belief, holding on to its foolishness that defies the wisdom of the world, knowing that this wisdom, this logos, this Word, this Jesus Christ came to his people and dwelt amongst them and they did not even recognise him and so we should not be surprised if they still do not recognise him now, in the noise and with the distractions, with the tinsel and the glitter.

And so my prayer is that you might find Jesus this Christmas, that he might become more real to you than the reality you have carved out for yourself or you might at least give him a place within the reality that he has in fact given as a gift to you. He might be where you least expect to find him, call on him and you might just find yourself harbouring a patience you never know you could muster with those relatives over the Christmas dinner table, dwell upon him a little and you might just find you face the New Year a little more hope-filled, think upon him and you might see that what you have is gift and where you struggle, he has gone before you and knows how you are feeling. At least listen for him as you sing your Christmas carols, it is probably very likely that he is calling you by name.

Caricatures and their truths

"Great enthusiasm, but a fly has enthusiasm and it doesn't stop it head-butting the window." (Lord) (Sugar) 

Rachel Marsovenus: The thing is, Lesley Bloke, I'm really really excited. I see Barth having a point of contact in the revelation to us and Brunner developing that point of contact like upwards, and it's all about the impact the Bible can have on your life and we obviously don't want to be doctrinal when we get people interested but there are Christian standards like. But I read your blogs and I don't get that, so I get like theological subjectivity if it is theological at all. Where's the rumour? Is it some theology we haven't done yet at college, or they might do at a different college.

It is quite strange to find yourself caricatured.

In training for priesthood, we're encouraged to become self-aware, to think over our strengths and weaknesses and to be accountable. With theological reflection and the pastoral cycle, transactional analysis, modules on pastoral care and counselling and a day working out our 'Myers-Briggs-iness', we gain insight and discover too that the traits that make us who we are are unlikely to disappear completely. I think the gospel also teaches us that God has made us each unique and he can use some of those characteristics about which we feel ambivalent for his purposes, if we let him.

Lesley Fellows has been reflecting on her caricature, as have I. Throughout my life, on school reports and work reports and now on the so-called 'Bishops Report', which is written throughout your training so that you might be placed somewhere as a curate with care, I have always been described as 'enthusiastic'. It is only during theological training that I have been encouraged to look at this aspect of my personality and wonder about it. I am learning that it needs to be tempered with a kind of steadiness, a long-term, big-picture perspective and sometimes a suitable sombreness. I think the priestly vocation requires some kind of careful balance between a gospel child-likeness and a careful maturity.

So Adrian's Radio Chatterbox dialogue asks his imaginary guests why they blog and I guess for me it has a lot to do with this child-like enthusiasm and this desire also for a kind of maturity that might be aided by the insights of others, who either challenge me with their comments or write interesting posts of their own from which I can learn.

Child-like enthusiasm has me instinctively trust people and so far, so good. I have not had to turn a comment down or filter anything particularly. My public profile is non-existent so perhaps I have little to risk, I have no episcopal oversight, I do not influence public opinion. I admire those bishops who blog their reactions to world events both at home and abroad and who share their joys and frustrations.

I think that the Anglican blogosphere is motivated by a desire to share a journey due to an orientation towards people, creating community, even a virtual one and to wanting to share that sense of awe and wonder that there is in being alive, however sometimes painful and frustrating that might be.

I intend to continue blogging, throughout curacy too. It is a habit that strikes some people as rather strange and as Adrian implies, a little risky, but I think overall, the risk is worth taking.

Adrian made me laugh at myself with the name he has given me: Rachel Marsovenus. It just shows how well someone gets to know you through all 'your stuff' exposed in posts over the years. I can only think it must allude to my interest in gender issues and how these are played out in the church ('Men are form Mars and Women are from Venus'). He has captured my enthusiasm with my 'really, reallys' and probably some of the ridiculous tangles I get caught up in, awed by theologians whose words fascinate and frustrate me.

Lesley has worked out who the rest of the team are and I must admit I really rather enjoyed being included in this group, even if our meeting was imaginary.

Merry Christmas fellow bloggers!!

The post-modern fixation with the spiritual

We have a compulsion to bring polarities and dualisms where they do not exist.

There is a search out there for the spiritual. When is it also a desire for escape, an add-on to the material, an off-shoot? The spiritual actually is calling the material, there is no dichotomy, so in this way, Christianity is radical, in so much as it calls for the transformation of the whole of your life.

So what do we do with this quest for the spiritual?

A Midlands chaplaincy changed its name to 'Faith and Spirituality centre' and saw a huge increase in interest.

Do we just need to repackage what we are doing? How much are we giving in to
social mores or inculturating ourselves into context?

So 'Anyone who resolves to do the will of God will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own,' (John 7:17).

Are we being invited to build relationships and to walk the journey through with people? Do we have to look again at our evangelism programs and ask questions? Should we have programs?

We are to engage with people and address together what matters in our local communities so that justice and transformation can come.

Ramachandra in 'What is integral mission' explores how our calling is to love God and love our neighbour.'

So this takes priority over doctrinal assent - yes?

James Heard in Inside Alpha Explorations in Evangelism,believes that Alpha is for those who are de-churched, those who have some faith. It re-calls. Billy Graham recalled in the seventies and eighties, brought people back home again to the faith that they had deeply buried or even lost. 


Do we need to start further back? Have people got this buried treasure or is there more the sense that they are beginning something truly new in our post-Christendom context?


There is the Emmaus course, which describes itself this way: 


Emmaus: The Way of Faith is a course designed to welcome people into the Christian faith and the life of the church. It aims to involve the whole church in evangelism, the nurture of new believers and ongoing Christian discipleship. It is rooted in an understanding of evangelism, nurture and discipleship modelled on the example of Jesus in the story of the Emmaus Road.


One other way through all of this and the pressure to move on, which we often suffer from with courses, is where you go instead for something organic and creative, at the pace of the people in the group and in respondse to their areas of interest or puzzle. Become a group of people on a journey together. 


So how do we balance the received set of stories that are peculiarly Christian with the exploration of individual stories and people's spiritual experiences? We need a definite content and a shape but the content should not dominate and time needs to be allowed to explore certain issues that might really touch people where they are vulnerable etc. Be holistic in approach. And to do this well, perhaps we need to be more responsible and creative, adapting and creating material to our own particular contexts.  

Funny....

Just a thought on Τετέλεσται

We are looking at John's gospel the control Jesus exercises over his own death.

Τετέλεσται - "It is finished" - imperfect and passive in the Greek.

Look at Jesus' authority here, he is not passive victim.

Jesus is active in offering himself.

Is it hard to look at John and argue subordinationism? I wonder what this does for our doctrinal stances on the trinity. How does it impact doctrine about the atonement? How can we argue subordinationism from this and have this impact our gender- thinking?

Happy Digital Christmas

H/T Jack of all Trades

Fresh Expressions

Mission shaped Church has become one of the most popular church documents ever produced and has helped to inspire lots of new thinking.

The Revd. Michael Mitton visited college on Friday from Derby diocese. His presentation on Fresh Expressions created fruitful discussions.

Michael has had a long-time interest in Church Renewal. He encouraged us to wonder what happens when the gospel is dropped into a highly particular culture. What kind of church is birthed?

He helps us to think through the kind of healthy disposition that best lends itself to Fresh Expressions and the key to this is to have a listening disposition. I am reminded of John Taylor and his 'Go-between God', Michael discusses the Holy Spirit who initiates, the church has to wait and watch. There seems to be a real coming along side people as they come into relationship with God. The sense of the Holy Spirit as paraclete seems important here. Fresh Expressions are often orientated to people who are not yet members of any church but Fresh Expressions of the church have the potential to become mature expressions, they just look a bit different.

To find out about different ventures for bringing the gospel to particular settings, see the Fresh Expressions website.

Michael discusses Vincent Donovan's ground breaking work which the world heard about in his Christianity Rediscovered of 1982 and how Donovan's aim was to “...go with people to a place that neither you nor they have ever been before.” I like the idea of this journeying together. I believe that w

e need to engage ourselves in an approach that is dialogical, where conversation is two-way and there is a levelling and mutuality truer to the biblical presentation of the body of Christ. Where we seek to bring change, we will find also that we are transformed as we uncover the beauty and diversity of person-hood and thereby discover our own. If our sense of community is rooted in the word κoιvωvία, it is a result of our relation of faith to Christ (1 Cor. 1:9, 1 Cor. 10:16, 2 Cor. 13:13, Gal. 2:9, Phil. 1:5, Philem. 6) and can become the status out of which we function. As Karl Barth discovers, it is Jesus Christ who gives us the ultimate image of what person-hood can be.


Michael's ventures have included Soul Café, Soul Sanctuary and Soul breakfast. I have been to two out of the three of these and I remember on my first visit to Soul Café, the Lord really challenging me to rethink my marriage. I went alone and understood a degree of hospitality and welcome which I was in danger of losing within my own marriage because of the busyness of my life at the time. I kept imagining how it might have felt to be there with him whom I had left at home babysitting; we're in that season of our lives where we often take it in turns to go out, leaving the other one at home caring for children. At other times, we are often pretty exhausted from all the juggling of different schedules. The result of that visit to Soul Café was our finding more time for one another and setting some time aside to read together, light a candle or two and listen to some music. With the loose framework of something like Café, God has an opportunity, I think, to reach us and challenge us exactly where we are at. On that evening, that is how God spoke to me, he probably had a very different message for other people there.

Michael describes how Soul Café is subtle with great coffee, story-telling, montages with accompanying images and live music. It is a presentational evening. It somehow causes people to open up and have conversations with others like never before. Michael also cautions us that we can never exactly replicate what other people are doing with their Fresh Expressions. We have to listen to our own context and its needs. Replicating café at home worked for me, though.

Michael is very confident that Café Church will stay. He talks about church furniture and how changing this around can completely change the feel of a place. His church set out a café at the back of the church itself, doing clever things with lighting to completely change the atmosphere. “We're shifting our furniture!” he says. I think about how this phrase works both literally and metaphorically. He goes on to tell us of the disciplines that he has integrated into his thinking as he has ventured out and into Fresh Expressions. But I will leave you to speak to Michael about this. He can be hired for consultation and I do not think I could do justice to what he said but his thoughts were very illuminating and I have them committed to file for future reference. 

He speaks briefly of the cost, both financially and psychologically for those venturing forward and those who can, for a while, feel left behind and I think that this is encouraging for all of us who are learning to appreciate more the counter-cultural 'seed' planting, in face of the numbers-hungry world we live in.

Michael explains how church should be a place where you can truly be yourself and I am captured by the idea that it should feel like a homecoming and a return to the radical person that Jesus has called you to be. We are encouraged to bless what is already there and join in and to follow a river that is constantly changing its course and learn to live with change, in the transience, with the liminality and within it.

We are encouraged to venture forward in teams so that we can be there to pray together and feel the protection of one another when facing criticism. We discuss how we have to trust that people will be brought to faith through the promptings of the Holy Spirit. We wonder about the point at which we explore orthodox beliefs and sets of behaviours and must seek to do this from within an environment of the ongoing activity of the Holy Spirit who will lead into all truth.

We are also challenged to think about the problems of syncretism; to wonder about whether there can come a point where we lose Christian distinctives and so we need to also know our principles and keep checking where we are. We also begin to consider those new leaders, born of Fresh Expressions – how do they become the next leaders when they do not have the grounding in the orthodox faith? How do we disciple and mentor? And so to do all this we must hold our nerve and wrestle with the ambiguities and the questions that arise and it at this point that Michael shows the image of the squirrel from the Ice Age film, which I think captures so well what he is describing.

• So for how long is a Fresh Expression fresh?
• When those of the Fresh integrate themselves into the traditional, how does it feel for them?
• When new leaders are born out of the Fresh expressions of Church, how are they nurtured so that Christian distinctives are not lost or compromised?
• How do we hold together those keen for change with those who are resistant?
• What are the Fresh Expressions of our day? Which expressions of old have now become standard features of church life?
• What do we mean by inclusive welcome: what does it look like for the church as it makes decisions about whom it marries ad whom it baptises, about what are compromises not to be made?

Holding on to Fresh Expressions with Michael Mitton

Holding on to Fresh Expressions with Michael Mitton. 

You can find out about Rev'd Michael Mitton (Click name)

Rev Mitton

'Connecting the old and the new...new initiatives...breaking down suspicion...risk-taking innovators....learn about and spread the Good News,' Rowan Williams.

I will write up some of the points that Michael made this morning later - very exciting stuff!

The Gospel of John

I am enjoying this morning, it takes me back to English teacher days, there are a lot of transferable practices, looking at language, rhetorical devices and metaphor.

"It's a very good place to start...."

In the beginning...was the Word...

The sense of Jesus having been sent...is more obvious here.

The dramatic irony - we see what the characters do not see, there is a use of dramatic irony throughout. The truth about Jesus is declared also in ironic statements where Pilate for example does not understand the import of what he is saying about the claim: 'I have written what I have written'. Indeed. That is the truth. But 'What is truth?', asks Pilate - how very post-modern!

The idea of Jesus' body as a temple and that meeting place between heaven and earth. Paul will have us understand that also we are the acceptable temple, the temple of the Holy Spirit and the body.

The irony of being lifted up to humiliation in the crucifixion which is the ultimate enthronement and exultation.

A gospel of very vivid metaphors which have shaped our language and are taken up into Pauline theology.


We have to look carefully at how John is using language and not what we would want to make of it. There are limits. Read scripture through scripture, the new in light of the old. Jesus is not saying that all became before is false and I am true but instead you understand the manna, the water because of me - look to me: I AM!


I have to decide on some pericopes to exegete but this might not be so easy in an unfolding gospel.

For example, commentators treat 1:1-18 as prologue but some treat 1-5 or 1-13 as prologue. It is difficult to decipher the beginning and the end of sections. Some say 14 is the end of the prologue or is it instead the beginning of a new section in which we are being led to consider glory and grace.

"The Book of Signs": 1:19—12:50 (Wedding at Cana, Dialogue with Nicodemus, Samaritan Woman at the Well, Healing at the Pool of Bethesda, Bread of Life Discourse, Man Born Blind, Raising of Lazarus, etc.) Does Lazarus and his raising signify the end of this section before we move on to "The Book of Glory": 13:1—20:31 (Washing the Disciples' Feet, Farewell Discourses, Jesus' High Priestly Prayer, Passion Narrative, Crucifixion Scene 19, Resurrection 20, Appearances, esp. to Mary Magdalene and Thomas)

Jesus knows....

He knows where he has come from...the Father...

He knows how all is to end

"...through believing you may have life in his name..."

But then...

... then have the Epilogue: 21:1-25 (Another Resurrection Appearance at the Sea of Tiberias/Galilee - added later)

See this St John's video on John


Richard Burridge is good on the seven signs - these acts are signposts and are revealing Jesus' identity. After the feeding of the five thousand we have discourse about Jesus being bread - look carefully we have combination of sign and discourse. Richard explains Bultmann's theory about the bringing together of two styles of writing but Burridge disagrees and thinks that this combination was all a part of John's writing purposes.

I AM sayings - Burridge discusses these sayings too. I remember following the indaba discussions 08 on this part of John's gospel, there are quite a lot of links online to General Synods' unpicking of these sayings. Burridge looks at how Jesus is fulfilling/replacing OT practices.

Burridge uses Tolkien's Lord of the Rings to give his exposition shape - very interesting.

Poetic response to Dr Barth and Dr Suess

Ben Myers' poem about the commonalities between Dr Barth and Dr Suess generated poetic responses in turn, all from the same 'anon', although I have my suspicions as to whom he might be.

Read and enjoy...


Are your books of any use?
Are they? Are they, Dr Seuss?
Rhymes divine, but logic flimsy:
aren’t your works mere idle whimsy?

Cat in Hat, Things One and Two -
do they speak of what is true?
True, my friend? You ask what’s true?
True is what’s revealed to you.

Logic is not here or there.
Logic won’t go anywhere.
Sometimes what you read won’t fit.
Sometimes that’s the point of it.

Look, here’s Karl. Now gather round:
he will show you what he’s found.
Word is spoken (can you guess?):
God’s big No and bigger Yes.
Yes, I like the Son of Man!
Yes, I choose him, says I Am.

Seuss and Barth and Barth and Seuss:
sauce for gander, sauce for goose.
Thus a simple children’s rhyme
holds a truth to last all time.
Jesus loves me, this I know,
for the Bible tells me so.

Who’d have thought that Fox in Socks
might be neo-orthodox?

(Ben Myers)

No, no, no,
It isn't so -
Dr Seuss
Is much too loose.
The Fox in Socks
Is a liberal in frocks.
The Cat in a Hat
Is no fan of Church Dogmat-
ics; and full disclosure:
Green Eggs and Ham
Isn't healthy, isn't kosher.

No, no, Ma'am -
Sam-I-am,
Sent by Herr Professor Dr Barth
(He's busy chatting with Mozarth
'bout music, opera and all kinds of arth)
To save your children from the Grinch -
For if you grant him just an inch,
If you open his book, his book
(just for a look, a look at his book)
He'll steal their Christmas in a trice -
Not nice, not nice, you'll not do it twice!

The Fox in Socks
Is not orthodox:
He always battles with Mr Knox.
He must be quite contrarian,
And possibly an Arian
To quarrel with that scary man,
The Scottish Presbyterian
Who chided that Queen Mary an'
Came up with a hairy plan
To scold and irk
Those who shirk
The Scottish Kirk
And Sabbaths work
Like the heathen Turk!

***

A poet?
Oh, it
would be fine
to craft a line
so taut and terse.
But I just go
from bad to verse.
Since Dr Seuss became my model,
my Muse began to dream and dawdle.
Now my scansion's askew
And my rhymes ridicholas
So I'll bid thee adieu
On the Feast of Saint Nicholas.

Encounters with Jesus in the gospel of John

I hope to design and write a course for women coming to faith in Jesus. Beginning at the beginning I hope to debunk the myths that modern women might have in coming to the Bible for the first time. I was very struck a few years ago by an acquaintance in the playground saying to me, on discovering what I was doing, "Oh but I have read the Bible, it portrays a patriarchal culture, I've read it through, I do not agree with it." The hugeness of her statement left me a little flabbergasted, on pausing to consider, the bell rang, children were hurried into classrooms, she was gone and on walking back to my car I was rehearsing all the possible responses I could have given. So perhaps this will be my answer...long overdue.

College gives us the opportunity to begin things that we can then develop in ministry. Who knows when this course might get used. I envisage it would be in a woman's study group. I wonder if it might follow on from or even come before the Mother's course which began in embryo last year. That can be found here.

Any recommendations for books, articles would be appreciated. I aim to think through three or four pericopes from John's gospel and exegete one with reflections/study questions for the purposes of the assignment that I will write to introduce the idea of the course. Thanks.

...the hour I first believed

SATURDAY SPOLIGHT DAVID BAINBRIDGE

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Women bishops?

Okay...I know...with that film clip, you could argue I am being a little dramatic - what me? Never!


The point I want to make is captured by the Church Times this week, "This year, 72 per cent of those in ministerial training in theological colleges are male; 28 per cent are female" (Church Times 3/12/10). 


So what's going on? 


God only calls 3 women for every 7 men into recognised ministries in his church? 


Or is it that men are more inclined to get the theological education they need to better serve the church? 


Is it that our culture still associates leadership with men? 


Is the Bible being taught so that women are more inclined to take up roles in other, unrecognised (yes and before you write in, I know this 'recognised/unrecognised' thing is a very worldly way of talking) ministries? 


Are our theological colleges better geared to men? 8am morning prayer is always an interesting wrestle - does God require each morning be set aside for liturgical response to him rather than a walk with the children to school?


Yesterday, we were visited by a vicar in charge of a rural benefice, he remarked on how fortunate he was to have Sally, his excellent curate because if she had happened to be a man, she would have found a post in a much larger urban church, but these churches are not 'employing' women and so he bags a very gifted curate. 


I have just served my placement in the biggest Anglican urban church in my diocese under a highly gifted female minister. I am very grateful to have had this opportunity to see the fruitful managing of a large church by a woman.

* * * *

Perhaps we have to begin further back, taking a look at our theological colleges which tend to employ many more ordained male lecturers than female and who arrange their days so that children are unable to be taken to school by the person in training. We still live in a climate where this presents more of a problem for female ordinands than it does male. We might have to seek for change for the sake of those who come after us so that those figures about theological college can begin to change and this church of ours can facilitate as well the journeys of its women into leadership as it does its men. If 'we have to stay true to our convictions no matter how high the price,' then perhaps we need to begin to ask questions of our training institutions too?