Yesterday we held our first half-day conference at the Scottish Baptist College to discuss and explore the Scottish Christian Spiritual Tradition. Thanks to those who came and encouraged the work we’re trying to do.
The theme, ‘Perspectives on George Macleod and the Iona Community’ gave us the chance to talk together about one of the most colourful and determined 20th C ministers of the Scottish Kirk. His two primary parish ministries were in the contrasting contexts of the West End of Edinburgh and then in Govan, Glasgow, though he is now associated in people’s minds with the restoration of Iona Abbey and the foundation of the Iona Community.
Anne Muir, the official Oral Historian of the Iona Community has just completed the Oral History up to 1969; 86 Interviews now located at the School of Scottish Studies, University of Edinburgh. Using recorded audio material, she introduced us to a number of witnesses and testimonies, and we heard the voices of people who ‘were there’ at the beginning – with memories that were clear, impressions and opinions that were personal, specific, at times partial, but entirely authentic. Some of these we found deeply moving, as people spoke of their childhood and early years in Govan, or on the Island. Others remembered, not uncritically but always with respect, the personality and influence of ‘George’. Some skilled tradesmen, apprentices at the time, spoke of giving up their jobs for the summer to go to Iona for the restoration work, and had to go back home and find another job 4 months later. Who says vocation is only (even mainly) about clergy / ministers?
Anne spoke of her methodology and of the main themes of her research, including early years, Abbey restoration, women, worship, community. The result is a thorough, fascinating collection of slices of personal history told as story and testimony. A fascinating discussion about the merits of oral history, as people’s owned personal history and self understanding articulated from their own expereince – quite different from any official or authorised account. Raised for me interesting questions about the earliest memories, that became oral history and story and then became our written Gospels.
Stuart demonstrated the craft and care Macleod took in preparing and in preaching his sermons. A broadcast sermon on ‘Why the Cross’ began with human experience and took that experience to the biblical passion stories. In his preaching, powerful integrating streams colaseced: his shrewd compassion for human nature, his deep hopefulness about the love of God, his passionate faith in the Cross as the place of new creation for humanity and for the Creation itself. The result was a man embodying truth through the attractive power of personality submittesd to the Word of God – and words he often used in his prayers, such as ‘pulsate’, ‘vibrate’, ‘radiate’ became true of this preacher who was clearly an accomplished performer of the Word.
My own paper was based on the written prayers now held at the National Library of Scotland. A number of these have been collected and edited for the slim book, ‘The Whole Earth shall Cry Glory’ – but there are many others, written in scrawled ballpoint or pencil, or typed with a ribbon hammered to near inklessness, the text itself littered and disfigured with corrections, insertions, deletions etc. The result though, confirmed by an interview Anne played for us, were prayers that, when offered in the place of worship, brought people to a knowledge and experience of the holiness and mystery of God they have never known since. When the prayers are read alongside his CND and peace addresses, it becomes clear also, that a theology that was Trinitarian and incarnational, informed the prayers and provided a profound theological rationale for protest against the military applications of nuclear technology.
Stuart’s piece and mine will be available on the College Website later, and I’ll post a wee reminder then.
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