Once upon a time, many years ago, by which we mean up until the 1990s, the Scottish Episcopal Church used to publish an annual Kalendar which listed, for every day of the year, a set of bible readings for devotional reading, what saint’s day might happen to fall on that day and the liturgical colour for the day.
It was immensely useful but was immensely difficult for someone to compile.
At some point a decision was made to stop publishing it and instead to publish a comprehensive lectionary which listed all the possible combinations of bible readings that you could ever encounter along with a guide to the lectionary that was produced each year. The lectionary and guide are available on the Scottish Episcopal Church webpage here: http://www.scotland.anglican.org/who-we-are/publications/liturgies/calendar-and-lectionary/
The trouble is, people find the lectionary very difficult to use. You can’t just open it up and see what bible readings you might read on any one day as you need to know which year you are in (1 or 2 for daily readings, A, B or C for the Sunday readings in church). You need to know whether you want readings for Daily Prayer or for a Eucharist. And you need to check in the guide which form of Daily Prayer you should be using that week if you are doing that and you need to check whether it is a feast day which might alter what you are doing and the way in which it might change what you are supposed to be doing.
In short, checking the readings became something that you needed to learn how to do rather than something you could just read from the Kalendar for every day of the year. And I think this has had quite an impact. It was much easier to give people copies of the Kalendar by way of supplying daily bible readings than it is to tell people to download the lectionary and guide and teach them how to use it.
At the time that this change happened, I lamented somewhat.
However, I also thought about it. For it seemed to me that this was a task that a half-decent computer programmer could get a computer to do.
Reader, I am that computer programmer, albeit only one who is half-decent.
Anyway, I started to write some routines to calculate the Kalendar about 19 years ago thinking it wouldn’t take me long to complete.
Every year before Advent Sunday I’ve tinkered with it and had a go at producing a Kalendar. Each year I’ve failed dismally and got on with my life and muttered into my decaffeinated tea about why this is such a difficult task.
In the mean time, other offerings have appeared, notably, that outstanding digital calendar that Gareth Saunders produces each year and distributes at no cost on http://www.seccalendar.co.uk/ Gareth’s offering gives you all you might want in a form that can be uploaded into a digital calendar, for example, a google calendar. It thus means that you have the readings at hand wherever you have a digital calendar.
However, I’ve always hankered after something physical – something that you could leave lying around in the oratory in the cathedral where we gather for daily prayer that would have all the readings in a format that was easy to use. Something that you could leave by the bed or in the holy corner at home which gave you the same readings for use easily and practically when at home.
I’ve always rather regretted the fact that the church didn’t produce this as it seems to me to be the most obvious way of getting people to read the bible every day. People love lists of daily bible readings. Many people just don’t know where to start with the bible without such suggestions.
Anyway, this year was no different to any other year in that I had a tinker with the program I started to write 19 years ago. It was not particularly easy as I had chosen to write in an unpleasant computer language called Visual Basic for Applications simply because I had the lectionary tables available in Access. (Everything is a database problem as we know from our Computer Science degrees, right?). The trouble is, I’ve never learned Visual Basic and had to keep looking up the syntax just about every line I wrote.
I reached the usual muttering into my tea stage early this year, about a week before Advent Sunday. I retired to bed in a very grumpy mood. And I slept. And as I slept, I must have dreamed. For on waking, I immediately went and found a piece of paper and wrote out an algorithm for solving the problem – for putting all the right readings and all the right saints’ days on all the right days of the year.
And lo – I’ve managed to produce a new Kalendar in a similar format to that which was produced all those years ago.
Thus, this week looks like this:
And there’s even an easy explanation of how it works like this:
Now, having produced it for myself, as an intellectual exercise if nothing else, it being the first time I’ve really used my programming skills since graduating in 1989, what to do with it?
It seemed to me that this might be something that people in St Mary’s would like, not least those who have just completed the Vice Provost’s challenge to read the bible in a year.
I printed some copies off and sold them on the Sunday morning and they went like hotcakes.
Bishop Gregor has suggested that I should make them more widely available and, having checked with the chair of the Liturgy Committee that I wasn’t stepping on any toes by doing so, am now able to do so.
Copies are available from me in church for the sum of £3 or are available to purchase on this website here:
http://thurible.net/product/scottish-kalendar-2017/
There’s a hefty discount for anyone wanting to buy in bulk for a bible study group maybe or for a church stall.
For those wondering, the spelling Kalendar is a traditional spelling for a calendar kept by the church.
This one runs from Advent Sunday 2016 until the end of 2017.
I’d be happy to answer any other questions about this here. At this stage, I’m not going to be publishing a pdf – this is only available in physical form.
37 responses to “Keeping the faith”
It was an inspiring recitation. Following the English translation in the service sheet provided added insight to the life of Mary. All the more so as the cathedral is dedicated to St Mary. You are reminded of Mary every time you walk into the building with the Gwyneth Leech mural over the High Altar.
Kelvin is quite right. The very self-righteous defenders of the Bible (including the ones who trolled a brave young Muslim woman, for days, with the most vile language, and those who did not reprimand them) totally ignored the Biblical instructions for raising concerns with a brother in faith (Matthew 18:15; 2 Tim 23). Very practical instruction too! As anyone who has ever lived in community can verify. Could all these obsessive men *please* stop trying to divide our communities in Glasgow. We will not be divided. At the first sign of trouble we rush out to embrace one another. These abusers have much to repent of, even if *just* standing by while others throw stones.
I HATE it when the wrong tune is picked for a hymn … it is simply an abomination before God.
However, helping people to think about how we share hospitality, welcome and learn from each other is the WAY of God! Blessings on you Kelvin.
Some reasons why this time was different:
1. The other quaran recitations you mentioned happened at Nine Lessons and Carols, or special ecuminical and interfaith events. While 9L&C was originally a modified Evensong, nowadays it’s usually considered a seasonal community musical recitial with a religious tinge, so having a Muslim from the community recite something from their faith would seem natural enough. Civic and interfaith services will likewise naturally include representatives of every faith in the community. By contrast the Eucharist is the central act of Christian worship and people expect to hear ONLY Christian doctrine proclaimed in the Holy Eucharist. In other words, this was the wrong venue for showing hospitality to Muslim neighbors. You did not intend to practice syncretism, but I think the outcome was syncretic despite your good intentions.
2. Post Brexit (and post Trump) British Muslims are now seen as alien invaders rather than fellow members of the community.
3. Because hostility to Muslims is now fashionable, the Express and rest of the gutter press decided that this was a story worth reporting. Since conservative Americans often read the online editions of the British gutter press, the story then went global.
4. Because you are gay and out, your every action is scrutinized for any possible hint of heresy by GAFCON and Co.
Of all these reasons, only reason #1 is a legitimate criticism, but I hope you do think about criticism #1 as well as defending yourself from other, illegitimate criticisms.
Thank you for your comment Whit J – all the more because it is a thoughtful criticism.
I’ve plenty to reflect on about the how and the when we do things like that and I do hear loudly and clearly that many people think this was an inappropriate context. Though of course, I’d be bound to say that some are saying that the Eucharist is precisely the place indeed there are some saying that is what it is for.
I’m not going to get into a back and forth with all the comments on this post and I’m deliberately not letting through things that have already been said but be assured that I’ve heard the criticism and will reflect on it not simply now but over coming months. (I’ve learned a lot about where God is this week that will take a long time to process). I’m grateful for the way you’ve made your point.
I think there is a good deal in what Whit J says, although I am not sure the effect actually was syncretic. I think one does perhaps have to be a regular worshipper at St Mary’s to understand how totally orthodox the worship there is, and how much Jesus is the focus of worship – how utterly unlikely it is that anyone there would make the mistake of thinking he was not revered by the congregation as a whole as very God from very God. It would be impossible for them not to realise that all the clergy there rejoice in this belief. The congregation saw the words of the Qu’ran in an English translation which portrayed that book’s far-from-easy-to-follow account of Islam’s view of the conception of Jesus, in which there was nothing offensive, and heard a very beautiful voice singing in a strange and glorious language. These were clearly indicated to be the beliefs of another faith. We certainly neither saw or heard or understood any insult to the person of Christ. I am sure none was intended, either. Whereas, and this bears repeating, I am totally sure that many of those commenting (not of course by any means all of them, and nobody whose comments are published here) simply wish harm to relationships between the great faiths in Glasgow.
I have spent my whole adult life in dialogue with people of other religious traditions, it has been deeply rewarding. However I feel that what happened at this service was profoundly wrong. When we are truly ourselves we allow other people to be profoundly themselves. The truth of Christianity is not compatible with any other religion. To avoid that incompatibility is to avoid reality. Worship of Jesus is the fountain of our faith the Qu’ran is opposed to that. I love Jesus and therefore cannot conceive of reading the Qu’ran in an act of worship – no problem doing so in other contexts but not in worship. I am profoundly disturbed that you cannot see this Kelvin.
There are so many things aren’t there, not just around this issue which we hold dear in faith and which we can’t see from another perspective?
I can hear and see that people are upset by this and clearly there are many people not upset by it too. And obviously, at least I hope obviously, I love Jesus too.
The trouble with religious questions and the questions that religious people have I think is that so often that our love for our faith can make it impossible to comprehend others who also claim to love the same faith but who take different views about things. We can hear them claim that love but be intellectually unable to process it because it leads them to different conclusions.
I’ve found the same thing to be true in the sexuality debates very frequently though I perceive that to be changing sometimes now. Similarly with other identity issues and some political issues. Israel/Palestine conversations for example often seem to be conducted (when they are conducted at all) by people who seem to behave like ships passing in the night.
I happen to have views about Church Schools which are pretty intransigent and negative. You are one of the few people, no the only person, who ever made me really think there might be a point of view about them other than mine which might have an integrity I could respect. And I’m very grateful for that.
Kelvin, thank you for your reply. I have enormous respect for you. I have no doubt that church schools can be argued against from perfectly respectable positions. Worship of Jesus is simply a different order, it cannot include a reading from the Qu’ran. Worship is one thing, study, dialogue, relationship something else.
I am really grateful to Richard for the phrase “When we are truly ourselves we allow other people to be profoundly themselves” which reflects my experience of interfacing with sincere people of other faiths. Is a Christian Eucharist a place this should happen? I can understand some Christians feeling it is not, but as long as everything was clearly labelled as what it was and the integrity of the liturgy was intact, I can also understand some feeling it is.
Brother Kelvin,
Although I do not agree with allowing the Koran to be read in our Christian churches, I truly appreciated your firm and resolute stand for the deity of Jesus. He is our great God and Savior and I love Him very much. Blessings from Tennessee.
Just as a perhaps amusing point of reference, the 1982 hymnal of the Episcopal church in the USA has “Brightest and best of the STARS” (caps mine) “of the morning,” apparently so as to avoid offending any daughters who might be present, and the two tunes included are “Morning Star” by James Proctor Harding (1850-1911) and “Star in the East” from The Southern Harmony (1835). The Harding tune was also in the 1940 Hymnal, wherein the word “sons” was still used.
I am not clear as to whether the hospitality at St Mary’s anticipates infinite extension of parallel lines between Islam and the Church in Glasgow. Are you planning some opportunities for Glasgow Muslims to understand the Christian faith and prepare for Baptism and the glorious liberty of regeneration by the Holy Spirit? (In whichever order; no axe about that!) As you move around the Glasgow community and meet more Christians of Islamic background, why not invite such to participate in groups for new Muslim enquirers? The testimony of an ex-Muslim can express vibrantly “How I know He lives” (as your SA brethren would sing). You might find not only new hearts from a divine work of grace among your Muslim neighbours but in other neighbours too. Amen. Inshallah!
There are a small number of people in St Mary’s who are converts from Islam to Christianity just as there are a small number of people in local mosques who are converts from Christianity to Islam.
St Mary’s regularly puts on events and courses for people discovering and exploring Christianity. Most living religions do the same thing.