Here’s the next of the videos that I recorded with Marion Chatterley of Waverley Care:
marion chatterley #3.movie from Kelvin Holdsworth on Vimeo.
In it we have quite a spirited conversation about HIV and the church. Marion explains to me why she thinks churches are making the HIV/AIDS situation worse in Scotland. Marion also gives details of how to contact her for anyone who wants to speak to a chaplain.
Do take a look.
As one who grew up(?) in churches leaning toward the view “it’s a tough story for a tough world, how else would God be just?” in varying degrees, I agree the face-value-narrative understanding of the story is repellant.
One thing stood out for the first time during Sunday’s reading: the plurality in Abraham’s line – “…and we will return to you”. I’ve been idly wondering about that since.
It doesn’t make the story wholly acceptable as Abraham still ploughs on ever closer.
But if one’s goal is to find a “by faith, Abraham” in there, better to say it’s the prior confidence that things will somehow work out well (which I thought was how Hebrews was trying to define it), than to locate the commendable quality in violence (which, by rabbiting on about resurrection, Hebrews does).
In the absence of other clear & wholly mitigating contexts in which to place the story, certainly it’s simplest, easiest and probably best to file it under “that’s how they saw God back then” and move swiftly on.
Oofft.
You know, I’m just not meeting anyone who thinks the pope’s visit later this year is a good idea. In fact, I keep meeting people who think its not a good idea and expressing the view that they would prefer it if he wasn’t coming. I’m not talking the Orange Order or the usual suspects…
Talking at SCM tonight got me thinking about the various congregations that I’ve been part of. Here is my congregations cv – the list of all the congregations where I’ve belonged in some way: Leeds Central Salvation Army (Interesting video here). Clydebank Salvation Army Leeds Central Salvation Army (again) Mt Zion Free Evangelical Church, Horbury,…
Just back from Student Christian Movement. I was their invited speaker tonight. Did the life-story, politics, vocation, usual topic, any questions. Good vegan stew/soup. Good company. Glad to be there.
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Could I ask you, just for a moment. And I promise you it won’t be for long. Could I ask you to think about something you probably don’t often want to contemplate too much. Could I ask you to think about…
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