Pausing for Thought on Radio 2 again this morning, on the Richard Allinson show (in case you missed it)
Sunday, 8 January 2012
Saturday, 7 January 2012
Pause for Thought 2012 01 07
I was presenting Pause for Thought on this morning's Zoe Ball show,
in case you missed it...
Wednesday, 21 December 2011
Imago Dei
One morning, God was staring at the wall.
Not a blank wall, but not patterned either. It was a wall of chaos: bright
colours, dark colours, swirling patterns, eternally dark and infinitely bright
both at the same time. God wondered what could be made of the wall, so he
reached out a hand and swirled the colours around. Soon order and pattern began
to emerge: luscious pastoral greens coalesced, deep aqua blues combined, and this
new creation seemed very pleasing to God.
After contemplating the wall for a while
longer, God began to wonder what to do next, so he spoke gently to the wall,
and a lustrous sheen began to appear. The wall became shiny, as if a layer of
glass had been laid over the top of it. As God continued to stare at the wall,
he could now see his own reflection within it. He saw himself inside his
creation. When he moved his hand, the image of God waved back. When God smiled,
his image smiled back. When God blew at the wall, the image blew a kiss back.
God loved the image in the wall, and was happy with all that he had made.
But then something unexpected happened. The
image of God reached out and punched the wall from the inside, and the shiny
surface of the wall now had a flaw in it, like a stone-chip on a car
windscreen. Suddenly the image of God didn’t look quite so much like God
anymore: the flaw in the surface had damaged the reflection. The order that God
had brought to the wall was distorted, and God was very sad. But still he stood
there, staring at the wall and not turning away. Then the image hit the wall again,
this time harder and angrier, as if trying to get out, trying to get at God.
God flinched, but still he stared at the wall. The surface was by now crazed
with cracks, and the image continued to fragment into lots of tiny, sharp
fragments. God contemplated walking away from the wall, but knew that if he did
so his image would vanish from the wall forever. Distorted as it was, it was
still his image; it was still the image he had loved, waved at, and blown
kisses to.
God wondered what to do next. And then had
an idea. He took a few steps back, and threw himself violently at the wall. The
force of the impact stunned him and shook the wall, and the millions of tiny
sharp fragments ripped at his skin. Powered forward by the momentum of his
run-up, God seemed for a moment to merge into the wall. His blood streaked the
surface, and the mark of the impact was clear to see. But God himself had
vanished.
After a while it was just possible to make
out the faint image of God through the crazed, blood-stained, fragmented surface.
God had gone into the wall. Gradually the image of God grew stronger and
larger, as God walked up to the wall from the inside. He reached out his hand
and carefully joined two broken shards together, and then two more, and then
two more. Gradually, slowly, God began to repair the wall from within. As God
repaired the wall, he looked at it very carefully, and started to see his own
image reflected back.
The end.
(c) Simon Woodman, 2011.
Tuesday, 15 November 2011
Review of "The Book of Revelation"
When John Henson produced 'Good as New', his 'radical retelling of the scriptures' (get your copy here) he controversially omitted the Book of Revelation, suggesting that it "is contrary to the mind of Jesus" (p.18). So it was with some trepidation that I started to read his review of my commentary on the Apocalypse. I was delighted to discover a review which engages in depth and with care. Thank you John.
Review - 'The Book of Revelation' Simon Woodman.
I come to the 'Book of Revelation' as very much a non-fan. Revelation is, and will always be, I fear, the happy hunting ground for religious weirdos of the 'we are the only ones' type. Like Luther I find it difficult to reconcile the Jesus of Revelation with the Jesus of the gospels. I squirm at its shameless triumphalism which alas characterizes much Christian spirituality today. Simon's commentary is intended for second and third year theology students. In my view it is also suitable for all mature and thinking Christians. It needs a Simon Woodman to make sure that our future leaders have a proper understanding of 'The Book of Revelation'. Simon has done an excellent job. I expect his commentary to become the standard work for some time to come.
Unlike previous academic commentaries, Simon does not dismiss the Nostradamuses with a wave of the hand. Painstakingly and sympathetically he devotes a whole chapter to them. He examines the conflicting schemes that emerge from the literalistic approach that seeks to match the imagery with events in past, current or future history. Simon explains why this is a misguided and misleading method of interpretation. Simon's own approach is not a dogmatic one. He provides us throughout with alternatives.
Simon goes some way to answering the reservations of people like me. I particularly like the way he brings out the Visionary's way of contrasting what is heard and what is seen. We hear about the exclusive 144 thousand; we see the multitude which no one can number. We hear about the warrior on the horse; we see the still wounded lamb. The Wedding Banquet is to be understood as a beginning rather than an end. Offspring are assumed. The Church rules with rod of iron; Jesus rules with the staff of a shepherd. The lake of fire and brimstone symbolizes not vindictive punishment, but purification and healing. Revelation cannot be used as a handbook for exclusivism and predestinarianism. Those who think so do not look closely enough. "Whosoever will may come."
Good stuff. I don't think I will ever be convinced though. I appreciate Revelation's subversive descriptions of worldly power and authority, corrupt religion, and the capitalist system, highly relevant today. But it is not sufficient to say that the language of weapons, armies, battles and conquest should be understood as spiritual rather than literal war. The militartarist mindset itself is not Jesus. The militarist language of Revelation has encouraged the Church to adopt agressive attitudes and practices in its methods of promotion. You do not only have to think of the Crusades and the 'Christian' conquest by the sword of Central and South America. The mindset is still expressed in triumphalist worship songs about dominion and power and authority. I also doubt that apocalyptic will ever be an ace way of communicating, especially not in these days of realism in the arts. It was only a minority interest in Jesus' day. Jesus used its material sparingly. Revelation was intended for those being persecuted, as comfort and perseverance, carrot and stick. But Jesus and Paul's answer to enemies was to love them rather than triumph over them. So next time Christians enter a period of severe persecution I hope it will be the Gospels that inspire them rather than the Apocalypse.
John Henson.
Review - 'The Book of Revelation' Simon Woodman.
I come to the 'Book of Revelation' as very much a non-fan. Revelation is, and will always be, I fear, the happy hunting ground for religious weirdos of the 'we are the only ones' type. Like Luther I find it difficult to reconcile the Jesus of Revelation with the Jesus of the gospels. I squirm at its shameless triumphalism which alas characterizes much Christian spirituality today. Simon's commentary is intended for second and third year theology students. In my view it is also suitable for all mature and thinking Christians. It needs a Simon Woodman to make sure that our future leaders have a proper understanding of 'The Book of Revelation'. Simon has done an excellent job. I expect his commentary to become the standard work for some time to come.
Unlike previous academic commentaries, Simon does not dismiss the Nostradamuses with a wave of the hand. Painstakingly and sympathetically he devotes a whole chapter to them. He examines the conflicting schemes that emerge from the literalistic approach that seeks to match the imagery with events in past, current or future history. Simon explains why this is a misguided and misleading method of interpretation. Simon's own approach is not a dogmatic one. He provides us throughout with alternatives.
Simon goes some way to answering the reservations of people like me. I particularly like the way he brings out the Visionary's way of contrasting what is heard and what is seen. We hear about the exclusive 144 thousand; we see the multitude which no one can number. We hear about the warrior on the horse; we see the still wounded lamb. The Wedding Banquet is to be understood as a beginning rather than an end. Offspring are assumed. The Church rules with rod of iron; Jesus rules with the staff of a shepherd. The lake of fire and brimstone symbolizes not vindictive punishment, but purification and healing. Revelation cannot be used as a handbook for exclusivism and predestinarianism. Those who think so do not look closely enough. "Whosoever will may come."
Good stuff. I don't think I will ever be convinced though. I appreciate Revelation's subversive descriptions of worldly power and authority, corrupt religion, and the capitalist system, highly relevant today. But it is not sufficient to say that the language of weapons, armies, battles and conquest should be understood as spiritual rather than literal war. The militartarist mindset itself is not Jesus. The militarist language of Revelation has encouraged the Church to adopt agressive attitudes and practices in its methods of promotion. You do not only have to think of the Crusades and the 'Christian' conquest by the sword of Central and South America. The mindset is still expressed in triumphalist worship songs about dominion and power and authority. I also doubt that apocalyptic will ever be an ace way of communicating, especially not in these days of realism in the arts. It was only a minority interest in Jesus' day. Jesus used its material sparingly. Revelation was intended for those being persecuted, as comfort and perseverance, carrot and stick. But Jesus and Paul's answer to enemies was to love them rather than triumph over them. So next time Christians enter a period of severe persecution I hope it will be the Gospels that inspire them rather than the Apocalypse.
John Henson.
Thursday, 13 October 2011
Thursday, 6 October 2011
Monday, 22 August 2011
The story of Women in Ministry in the Baptist Union of Great Britain
I was delighted to receive my copy this morning of "The Story of Women in Ministry in the Baptist Union of Great Britain".
This is the published version of a report I prepared for Baptist Union Council a couple of years ago, and provides an introduction to the history, theology and personalities involved in the debate amongst Baptists as to whether women should be ministers of our churches. It is my hope that this will offer a helpful voice in the ongoing conversations between those who disagree, and that as a Union we will continue to find a way forwards with grace and unity.
Copies will be available shortly from the Baptist Union Website www.baptist.org.uk, or from the Faith and Unity Department at Baptist House 01235 517700.
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