Unravelling the mystery

We have recently started a house group at our church. It is being led by a professor who is also an ordained minister. In the three sessions we have had we have looked at the books of Amos and Philippians - not at the same time! Our leader has given us a lot of information on the context of both books, some insight into the issues surrounding authorship and context, whilst also explaining world views that were current at the time. In many ways these aren't traditional Bible studies, they raise more questions than answers and challenge traditionally held beliefs. It has provoked much discussion and debate within the group and often we leave with a slight headache, but also the feeling of a deeper understanding of the book. This group has led me to feel quite uncomfortable and question many of my own beliefs about how I express God and view the Word of God which is no bad thing. Due to this, the group isn't to everyone's taste and one member has not been back since the second session which is sad but understandable.

At the same time I have been reading "Dawkins' God" by Alister McGrath as part of my portfolio for candidating. This book seeks to demonstrate how many of Dawkins' atheistic and anti-Christian beliefs are based upon misunderstandings, inconsistencies and out dated theology. It was a useful book as even I could understand most of the arguments that McGrath was presenting even though I have very little scientific knowledge.

However, both the book and the Bible study group have led me to question this unrelenting pursuit of knowledge and desire to explain every facet of life and Christian belief. Don't get me wrong, we all need to strive for a deeper understanding of who God is and what he does. We need to try and grasp more of what Jesus means for us and our society. And we need to have a greater awareness of the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives and the life of our church. However, this desire for facts and evidence can lead to the removing of mystery that is an essential element of God's nature. Even when we unravel some mysteries, new ones present themselves. I wonder whether we can spend our whole time trying to find facts, and actually miss the God behind them all. I think that sometimes, the correct outlook is just to celebrate the mystery.

Speed restrictions

In the last two days I have followed vans with these stickers indicating the speed restriction that their vehicle is limited to. Am I the only one that thinks this is a bit of a nonsense - aren't we all limited to 70mph - by something called the law??

Universal Benefits?

There has been a lot written and spoken about the removal of child benefits for those families who have someone paying the higher level of tax. There are many who oppose it on economic grounds. There are some who oppose it on the grounds of fairness. Still others oppose it because it will be their benefit removed.

I am not an economist and I have no children so I can't oppose it on any of those grounds. I oppose the cut in benefits, not because the families necessarily need the money, or that anyone has a right to this money, but because of what it appears to say about the values of our society. Having universal child benefits, like universal winter heating allowance, demonstrates that our society values people as being the most important asset that makes up our society. Universal child benefit says that, regardless of whether the child comes from a rich family or a poor family, each child is of equal value and that society should invest in them. This move signals the end to that. It shows that economics and money are of greater worth. I don't deny that savings have to be made - and where ever the savings come from people will be unhappy. However, we should not sell out on our principles and values just to save money. Children are the future of this country - we must invest in them. Just as the older generation have served us well and deserve to be warm this winter. People must always come before money.

Has harvest had it?

I had an interesting chat with a local Anglican vicar the other day. He is a good friend and I have great respect for him and all he does with young people. However, he said that he felt harvest was an irrelevance and that Remembrance Sunday had lost meaning for today's society. Both of these events he felt should be dropped from the church calendar.

Yet I can't help but feel we would miss out on an awful lot if we scrapped harvest. Although in many parts of our country we have lost that link with agriculture and rural life, we all depend on it day by day for the food that sustains us. Harvest is a time to stop and be thankful for the many people in our country who work long hours, often for little pay, to provide food for us to eat. Harvest is also a time to think of trade justice. It is a time to support movements like Fairtrade that ensure that all producers of food and clothes receive a fair wage for the work that they do. While we must always support our local farmers and producers, if it wasn't for producers in far off lands we would not have the coffee, tea, spices, chocolate, cotton and many other products that we enjoy in our life.

We must never forget the harvest and harvesters. We must never cease to pray for them and their produce. We must never stop educating our young people about where their food comes from. And we must never stop thanking God for all that he blesses us with, while at the same time remembering all those who will be going hungry this harvest.