Just watched Andrew Marr’s Modern Britain, last episode. From John Major to Tony Blair. 16 years of our life in this country reviewed with journalistic flair, incisive observation, studied impartiality (mostly), and intelligent commentary. And I found most of it depressing – the first Gulf war, black wednesday and the economic aftermath, the murder of Jamie Bulger, the Dunblane School massacre, the death of Diana, the twin towers, the war in Iraq, the death of David Kelly, the bloody aftermath still convulsing Iraq, bombs on London Underground, the increasing mistrust of politicians and other public figures as honesty, integrity and public accountability are eroded.
Easy to blame one person, and the truth is, there is much for which accountability is required but of whom, and by whom? Perhaps one of the most revealing comments was that the religious experience we all now share is ‘buying stuff’. And yes, shopping mall’s could double as temples; their piped music representing the proffered harmony of souls yet again satisfied; the logos are secular icons and our credit / debit cards our offering. The concept that gathers together the phenomenon of our contemporary culture is globalisation, the consumer empire that provides security at the price of our freedom, a world wide web of cyber cash in which we are all enmeshed.
I watch a programme like Modern Britain and think thoughts like some of these being written here, and I wonder if the church of Jesus Christ has a clue – if I have a clue –
how to be faithful in our following of Jesus, how to know the difference between relevance that can diminish the Gospel by accommodation, and faithfulness that can make the Gospel seem inimical to modern culture
how to stand firmly with those who are victims of global power plays, how to make a difference about world poverty, how to express with effective action prophetic dissociation, ‘not in my name’
how to pray – to give thanks for God’s creation in a world so messed up by us, how to pray for orphanages of starving children tied to beds in Baghdad while their food and clothes are sold on the black market, how to not let such outrages corrode and poison the sources of hope, optimism, joy and peaceable friendships.
All of which is a bit melancholic – not sure I’m comfortable with the idea that being at times melancholic is a suspect Christian mood. Hope is not the denial of the bad stuff, but defiant trust that the bad stuff isn’t the way it has to be…or will always be. In the meantime a prayer:
Save us from weak resignation
to the evils we deplore
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage
for the living of this hour, Amen and Amen.
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