| The Church of the South Pacific |
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Well, it's been a long time since I posted anything here, so I'm going to share the sermon I gave yesterday and then I'll repost the articles I wrote that I wrote for the Coconut Press, all but one of which have already been published. But first, the sermon:
Genesis 12: 1-4a (NRSV) Wrote:12 Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. 2 I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” John 3: 1-17 (NRSV) Wrote:3 Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. 2 He came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God.” 3 Jesus answered him, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.” 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. 6 What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not be astonished that I said to you, ‘You must be born from above.’ 8 The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” 9 Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” 10 Jesus answered him, “Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things? Faith is such a hard thing to explain, isn’t it? When we were first going through the process of trying to move down here from Aberdeen, looking at jobs and places to live, I was secretly rather relieved that there were so many practical reasons for the move, like being closer to family and taking the opportunity while our daughter was still in nursery. It was a lot more difficult to explain that the main reason we were making the move was because we thought God was telling us to come down here, that we had been kinda uncertain about the whole thing, but saw an opportunity God seemed to be giving and, having prayed about it, had faith that that was what He wanted us to do. That became even harder to explain and harder still to live when, two years later, we were no closer to moving than when we’d first begun and had to make a whole new leap of faith - to go ahead and move without having the jobs or the house waiting for us at the other end. Even now, that journey continues with new uncertainties and lots of seeking God to determine what actually He wants us to do down here. We are learning what it means really to live by faith: it’s challenging and scary, but also exciting and rewarding. So I can understand a little how Abram must have felt when God called him to leave everything he had known - for a second time; he had already travelled to Haran from Ur with his father’s household, after all - and go to a distant place of which he had very little knowledge. Indeed, Abram really only had God’s promises to guide him, but, nevertheless, he went. This is one of the reasons Abram/Abraham is listed in the heroes of faith section in the letter to the Hebrews. In chapter 11 verse 8 it says that ‘By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to set out for a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; and he set out, not knowing where he was going.’ And this is just the first step for Abraham - the first step on a journey of faith that would see him choosing to follow God into the unknown again and again and yet never truly to see what he had been promised; at least, not in his mortal lifetime. For, of course, we partake in that promise, too, and it is by faith that we too journey towards its ultimate fulfilment, which is where our gospel reading comes in. Nicodemus has come to Jesus in the night, possibly because he is afraid of being seen with this radical teacher, possibly because he is actually a fastidious student of the Torah and seeks answers to his questions even in the dark: we can’t know for sure. What we can know, however, is that he has a very hard time believing the explanations of faith that Jesus gives him before he even manages to get out whatever it was he came to Jesus to ask. His questions in response to Jesus’ declaration that all must be born from above (or again) have a slightly bitter, incredulous edge to them, because, to him, these things just don’t make any sense. The deeper explanation with which Jesus follows up doesn’t seem to help much either. Indeed, Jesus is able to return Nicodemus’ incredulity with “Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things?” If anyone ever needs Biblical proof that God has a sense of humour, then Jesus’ answers to the questions put to him in the gospels will more than suffice! But, surely Jesus is being unreasonable, here? We’d be as confused as Nicodemus at this point, wouldn’t we? Perhaps we still are, despite years of church-going and Bible-reading? It’s not easy to untangle the imagery Jesus uses here and make sense of it in a world that seems so unrelentingly physical as this one. I mean, what does being born from above really mean? The key part of this conversation, for me, is when Jesus compares the life of the Spirit - the life born ‘from above’ - with the wind. He uses something physical, something tangible and undeniably real, and yet also invisible, untamable and yet, to first century minds, completely inexplicable, to show us what it is like to be born of the spirit. It doesn’t take a lot of faith to believe in the wind - we can feel it, afterall - but it does take some. So, faith is needed to trust in the life that Jesus is explaining here, faith to partake in it and faith to continue on with it even though it might not always make a lot of sense to us (or those around us). It is a life that will lead in unexpected directions, like thousands of miles across the Middle East, away from the home you’ve always known, in your old age! Abram’s faith was built on the promises of God - firm, reliable - and yet God’s call on his life was still an enormous one. The spiritual life that Jesus speaks of seems less tangible, but it is still based on those same promises. It merely admits to the great mystery that is interacting with the divine nature. So much about our faith is a wonderful, compelling mystery - not to be solved, but to be lived, experienced, treasured and pondered, so that we might lean ever deeper into that mystery. But, though the journey of faith is unpredictable, the destination has already been vouchsafed: the promised land, or, in the bigger Biblical picture, the eternal rest of God, the doors of which Jesus flung open when he was lifted upon that cross. It takes faith to look at a snake on a stick and believe that it will save you from venomous bites, as in the allusion to Moses’ bronze snake in the book of Numbers, and it takes greater faith still to look upon a man dying on a cross and believe that he will set you free from sin and death, but whether that faith is based on the firm promises of God, or leaning into the deep - exciting, terrifying - mysteries of the life born of the Spirit - and in truth it will be both - we know that ‘God ... gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life’. A promise and a mystery, and so we take the next step on our journeys of faith. Let us pray. Father God, thank you for the faith you have kindled within us already. Feed it with your promises, fan it with your Spirit that we might be ready to follow wherever you call us. May we have faith for the long journeys and the short, the perilous and the merely embarrassing or inconvenient. May we keep our eyes on the destination and on Jesus Christ, your son, our Saviour, who was lifted up for us and in whose name we pray. Amen. Founder of the Church of the South Pacific [Forum Thread] [Discord], a safe place to discuss spirituality for people of all faiths and none (currently looking for those interested in prayer and/or "home" groups);
And The Silicon Pens [Discord], a writer's group for the South Pacific and beyond! Yahweo usenneo ir varleo, ihraneo jurlaweo hraseu seu, ir jiweveo arladi. Salma 145:8
Coconut Press article 1: Lenten Disappointment.
I’m almost always disappointed by Lent. That might sounds like a strange thing to say, especially if you’re familiar with the period of the Christian calendar known as Lent, a six-week period running up to and including Holy Week and ending on Easter Sunday. Inspired by the story of Jesus being tempted for forty days in the wilderness near the start of gospel narratives, Lent is a period of fasting - of giving stuff up - with the intent to focus instead on more spiritual things. For many in the western world in particular, Lent isn’t really a spiritual time at all, however, but, rather like a spring version of New Year, it’s an opportunity to try giving up a bad habit or to challenge yourself with something new. There’s nothing wrong with that, of course, but for Christians Lent is supposed to be an opportunity for something deeper than mere lifestyle change - it’s an opportunity to draw closer to Christ. And this is why Lent so often disappoints me. Not because I try really hard and find that I’m no closer to God at all, but because I so often don’t try hard enough or, to put it in a way that has less to do with my own personal effort, I don’t submit enough. My first problem is always choosing something to give up (or, indeed, take up) that has sufficient meaning to me to be a real sacrifice. The issue here is that I inherently don’t want to make too big a sacrifice. The last thing I want is to feel like I’ve really lost something, to feel the pain of absence that comes when you no longer have something you love, or are just addicted to. No - it mustn’t be too great a sacrifice - that’s clear! But then, of course, it mustn’t be too little. It’s got to be meaningful, after all! And it can’t just be something I want to give up anyway because, surely, that’s not the point. I tend to circle around these arguments for quite a while, often even a week or two into Lent, during which period I’ll find myself refining what it is I’ve actually given up, setting conditions, get-out clauses, ways to make the sacrifice just a little less sacrificial. And in the midst of all this I find myself losing sight of the purpose of the sacrifice and, if I’m lucky, I catch myself and make a token effort to refocus. It maybe lasts a couple of days. I repeat this pattern most years, or, sometimes, I don’t bother at all, but occasionally, just occasionally, I actually manage to reach into the heart of what Lent is supposed to be and, for once, I find myself reall and truly blessed. The best example of this would be back in 2014, when I gave up fiction for Lent, choosing to read theology instead and then blogged my way through the process and my thinking about Lent at the time. It was a really helpful experience and I found that, with the theology and listening to more sermonds, etc, I was genuinely finding my relationship with God improving all the time. Though I returned to my old habits once Lent was over, I didn’t forget what I had learned and, I think, I grew a little as a Christian. This year, I have fallen into many of the same traps as usual - I’ve whittled away at my sacrifice until it is relatively easy to bear, I’ve lost focus, I’ve strayed - but I’ve also been reminded of my own human weakness and Christ’s strength. He who has lived and died for me has also undergone all manner of sacrifice for me so that I don’t have to and when I find myself wandering off, I hear Him calling me back and my focus returns. There’s a lot going on in my life spiritually at the moment, with a possible call to ordination working itself out. This Lent, no matter how disappointing I am, Christ is leading me on towards the bright resurrection light ot Easter, and that is never disappointing, for it fulfills all my need. The Church of the South Pacific is a safe space to discuss spirituality of all kinds and is open to people of all faiths and none. Founder of the Church of the South Pacific [Forum Thread] [Discord], a safe place to discuss spirituality for people of all faiths and none (currently looking for those interested in prayer and/or "home" groups);
And The Silicon Pens [Discord], a writer's group for the South Pacific and beyond! Yahweo usenneo ir varleo, ihraneo jurlaweo hraseu seu, ir jiweveo arladi. Salma 145:8
Coconut Press Article 2: Liturgical Precision
As well as being the founder of the Church of the South Pacific, I’m currently a member of the Church of England in real life, a Protestant denomination which embraces aspects of both the Catholic tradition and that of the Reformed churches, varying considerably from congregation to congregation and, sometimes, holding them in tension. I recently had the pleasure of visiting some of the different CofE churches in my town and went from one Anglo-Catholic church with processions, plainsong and a smoking censer to another that took place entirely in the church hall and had about as informal a service as I’ve ever experienced. One element which is both had in common, however, and which is almost universal in the Church of England, is the use of liturgy. Liturgy, if you’re unfamiliar, is defined as ‘a form or formulary according to which public religious worship, especially Christian worship, is conducted.’ Basically, it’s a set of words through which the vicar leads the congregation, covering all sorts of things like prayer, confession, profession of faith and Holy Communion. It is an essential part of both Roman Catholic and Orthodox worship, but in the Reformed tradition it is much more rare, with many denominations eschewing it entirely and others merely paddling in the pool of potential forms. For myself, I grew up largely unchurched, coming from a nominally Protestant family*. I say largely, because Christain stories and teaching were still kinda a part of my primary education, but I didn't treat them as more than just stories. Once I became a Christian (aged 11 - a story for another article, perhaps?), I still didn't go to church because there was no one to go with me, but as an older teen I became involved in a Christian youth group at a Presbyterian church, where liturgy was all but unheard of. All my prior church experiences were Presbyterian, too and once I moved away to Scotland to go to uni, apart from a brief dalliance in a Baptist church (another non-liturgical denomination) I ended up at a Presbyterian church there also. Presbyterian churches can vary a fair bit, but they usually have a fairly stripped-down style of worship with no liturgy and a strong focus on prayer and teaching (often in the form of lengthy sermons), especially amongst Evangelicals. Despite having been baptised in the Church of England as a baby, my first conscious experience of it, then, was when I visited my now-wife's hometown (where I now live) and experienced Sunday worship in her home church. For many reasons I was absolutely terrified, but the liturgy was a major part of that. I wrote a haiku about my feelings about liturgy during one of these visits. Here it is in all it's unrefined glory: God is found, I think, Not in fixed words or refrains But in the silence. As you can see, I was skeptical about both the intent of liturgy and its effectiveness. At the time, for me, an authentic experience of God was all about finding your own words and talking to Him naturally. The fixed patterns of liturgy seemed both too restrictive and too forced, turning worshippers into robots and eradicating the Spirit of God from proceedings. Though we made many visits south during our courtship and marriage over the next decade and a bit, I don't think my opinion of liturgy changed all that much. But then, in the last couple of years before we moved, I found my ideas on Christianity evolving. I still considered myself to be a kind of Evangelical (a general term for Christians who hold that the Bible is, in its entirety, the inspired word of God), but I was also increasingly liberal in how I approached that and in my outlook on life in general. One of the side effects of this was being more open to other ways of doing church. I was certainly never the kind of Christian who dismissed other views outright, but, equally, I was very protective of the kind of experiences that would affect me personally. But now, suddenly, I found myself opening up to different Christian experiences with greater ease than ever before. Once we moved, we settled into a Church of England church which was as we had expected, given my wife's past and the fact that both her parents were now CofE vicars. What we didn't expect, however, was that, rather than going to the bit, clearly Evangelical town centre church which had been my wife's home church when she was younger, we settled at a small village church at the edge of town which, despite having an Evangelical vicar, was a church filled with a broad range of views on and knowledge of the faith. And boy did it feel liberating! Don't get me wrong; I loved my church in Scotland and still do, but there was something about this different kind of church that I found freeing and it is one of the reasons why, after years of saying I could never go into full time church ministry, I'm now looking to see if I can get ordained in the Church of England, but, of course, that would require a very different approach to the liturgy which is so common in CofE worship, wouldn't it? Lucky, then, that I have come to appreciate liturgy for exactly the same reasons my wife has always loved it. The form of words serves as a way of focussing the mind on the aspects of God being spoken of or appealed to. At worst, it is indeed a fairly mindless experience, but one which still means you are engaging with the divine, even if you don't feel it. It is habit-forming and habits can be an important part of spiritual discipline. At best, liturgy is a well-trodden path, sometimes comfortable, sometimes disturbing to somewhere you long to reach and from which you can snatch vistas of incredible grandeur. I haven't just adapted to liturgy as part of regular Sunday worship, however, but have moved to include it in all aspects of my spiritual life, even going so far as to use the ancient offices of Morning and Night Prayer, in whole or in part, as a regular part of my prayer time with God. Here, liturgy reminds me of the majesty of God, the holiness of His presence, the privilege of spending time with Him. It forms a habit it is harder to break than any more informal prayer structure and, for once who struggles with anxiety like I do, it can also help one to reach the kind of meditative calm that is so important to enduring the rest of life. Liturgy has gone from being something alien and restrictive to something close to my hear which leaves me feeling more free to worship God in the ways that come most naturally to me. It is a paradox that is hard to explain and, whilst I would argue that there is no substitute for experience, yet I would urge anyone reading this to explore lots of different forms and styles of worship, for we have all been made differently and I don't believe any one tradition is the perfect, one-size-fits-all solution to the world's quest to find and know God. As I continue on my own journey of faith, I look forward to learning more ways to reach out to God and to learn from him. I'm going to round this off with the liturgical call and response which finishes many a CofE service. The part in bold is said by the congregation. Go in peace to love and serve the Lord. In the name of Christ, amen. The Church of the South Pacific is a safe space to discuss spirituality of all kinds and is open to people of all faiths and none. * It was Northern Ireland, so that mattered even if you weren't religious. I once heard an anecdote about an Atheist who, when visiting Northern Ireland, was asked “Are you Protestant or Catholic?”. When the Atheist explained that they didn't believe in God they received the reply, “Ah, but is it the Protestant God or the Catholic God that you don't believe in?” Founder of the Church of the South Pacific [Forum Thread] [Discord], a safe place to discuss spirituality for people of all faiths and none (currently looking for those interested in prayer and/or "home" groups);
And The Silicon Pens [Discord], a writer's group for the South Pacific and beyond! Yahweo usenneo ir varleo, ihraneo jurlaweo hraseu seu, ir jiweveo arladi. Salma 145:8
Coconut Press Article 3: Faith and Mindfulness
One of the things about which I care deeply these days is Mental Health. I care that people are talking about it, that they are aware of it and how to support others with mental health issues and, most of all, I care that if you have a mental health issue, you’re getting help to overcome it yourself. My concern about such things, virtuous as they might seem, has not developed in a vacuum. My brother suffered from depression for a long while whilst I was still a teenager. A close friend of mine suffered from severe depression and social anxiety through university and on into their adult life. The husband of another friend committed suicide whilst at a mental health facility for severe depression. This list could go on to quite some length, especially if I included all the friends I’ve made through NationStates who suffer from some form of mental ill health or another, but I’ll round it up with what is going to prove the most significant example for the purposes of this article: I am currently suffering from/recovering from a moderate Generalised Anxiety Disorder. I also suffer bouts of mild depression from time to time and was almost certainly suffering from mild to moderate depression for most of my late teens and early twenties - but didn’t ever see anyone about it. So, I care about mental health issues because I have some experience of them through others and in myself. It might come as some surprise to you, dear reader, as you read this article on Faith and Mindfulness, but I also care about spirituality, particularly in the form of the Christian faith and, as a natural consequence, these two aspects of my existence often run alongside one another and interact. At times, mental health issues can get in the way of our experience of spirituality, just like they can get in the way of all the other elements that make up our lives, from our schoolwork or jobs to our home life and relationships. Mental health issues disrupt the pattern of our lives and make it difficult for us to reassemble them in ways that still make sense, that still work as intended. Religion and spirituality are often no different, but I believe it doesn’t have to be that way. For a start, I believe in a personal God, a loving caring Father whose involvement in our lives is real and tangible. I appreciate that many of you don’t, but bear with me here. It is undeniably a challenge to my faith when mental health issues separate me from experiencing a relationship with that personal God, rather than being themselves swept away by him. And yet, it is that personal relationship, that intersection with the divine, which ultimately offers a way through the suffering of mental illness. One of the most helpful things I’ve discovered, whilst trying to work through the myriad apps and self-help guides that exist dealing with anxiety, has been the practice of mindfulness and meditation. For many coming from Christian backgrounds, especially in the West, the words mindfulness and meditation automatically create a kernel of suspicion. They are associated most readily with eastern philosophies and religions and, in some traditions, are viewed as negatively as seances and ouija boards. But, in understanding the secular principles behind mindfulness - of being completely aware of your body, your thoughts, or your emotions in the present moment - and what meditation actually is - slow, deliberate, focussed thinking or absence of thought - it becomes possible to see how a Christian mindfulness might exist and, indeed, a truly Christian meditation has existed as long as Christianity itself, with the practice of meditating on the Scriptures being passed on from Judaism. So, as I’ve explored mindfulness it has been quite natural for me to seek out God in the present moment as much as to monitor myself and my state of mind. I have turned mindful meditation into prayer and prayer into mindful meditation, sometimes flitting from one to the other, sometimes holding both together at the same time. I have discovered the power of the offices of prayer - set daily readings, psalms, responses and prayers that have a simple, focussed rhythm to them - and have used them to prepare me for the day to come, or soothe my mind once the day has passed, all whilst centering myself on the one I believe is the ultimate reason for and purpose of my existence. And here we come to that core element of faith I mentioned earlier - the personal, relational nature of God. For in seeking the divine in meditation and mindfulness, I’m not merely accessing a set of mental tools designed to help me cope - I’m also able to speak to one who cares deeply for my distress and who has the power to help me and strengthen and to change the circumstances which caused it in the first place and, though I believe there’s a place for process in all of this, for learning and growing through experiencing difficulty, I also believe in a God who does act for the good of those who love him and that, as I come to him, using him as my anchor to the present, to ultimate reality, he will deliver me. If you suffer from mental health issues, then my prayer is that you, too, find the ways that will help you cope and that, if those coping mechanisms connect you to a spiritual reality, you may find what you seek there, that you may know love and strength and affirmation and, ultimately, what in Biblical Hebrew is termed shalom - peace and rightness and wellbeing and rest. The Church of the South Pacific is a safe space to discuss spirituality of all kinds and is open to people of all faiths and none. Founder of the Church of the South Pacific [Forum Thread] [Discord], a safe place to discuss spirituality for people of all faiths and none (currently looking for those interested in prayer and/or "home" groups);
And The Silicon Pens [Discord], a writer's group for the South Pacific and beyond! Yahweo usenneo ir varleo, ihraneo jurlaweo hraseu seu, ir jiweveo arladi. Salma 145:8
Coconut Press Article 4: Denominative Determinism (unpublished)
Growing up in Northern Ireland, before I became a Christian, I was often asked to define myself as either Protestant or Catholic. The first time I was asked the question, I didn’t even know what it meant and had no answer to give, but it didn’t take me long to realise that, as far as the divided communities of Ulster were concerned, I was definitely a Protestant and, without even understanding why it should be, I developed an innate suspicion of Roman Catholics and saw them as distinctly other. When I finally did become a Christian it was, inevitably, as part of Protestant Evangelicalism. Though I dabbled in Pentecostalism and Presbyterianism, I mostly didn’t associate myself with any particular denomination as I wasn’t a regular churchgoer. This changed when I finally left Northern Ireland to go to university in Scotland. I joined a Baptist church for a while and eventually settled as part of a Church of Scotland Presbyterian congregation, where, if anything, I grew only more evangelical. The church I was part of eventually left the C of S over an issue surrounding gay ministers. I fully supported the decision at the time. Why am I telling you this? I’ve recently begun to look at my Christian journey as one which has, mostly unintentionally, explored the broad spectrum of denomination even as I have gradually moved in a more liberal direction. I’m now a member of the Church of England, a church organisation even more broad in its range of opinions and styles of worship than the Church of Scotland ever was. When leaving the C of S, I saw that breadth as weakness of doctrine. Upon joining the C of E years later, I had begun to see it, not only as a kind of strength but, ultimately, as a more honest reflection of the Christian Church worldwide and the vast range of experiences of Christians throughout the ages, also. I’ve spent much of the past year exploring the idea of vocation in the Church of England and I hope to formally put myself forward for ordination, but as part of this process, I have been encouraged to experience the breadth of Anglicanism. Even in my own small market town, the range of Church of England churches is staggering and I have found their differences both enlightening and challenging. The biggest of these challenges, however, was visiting the local Anglo-Catholic church, where the liturgy and style of worship more closely resemble that of a Roman Catholic mass than any other. Thanks in part to my upbringing and in part to the doctrines I had adhered to in evangelicalism, I had tended to think rather poorly of the kind of theatricality often displayed in this kind of worship. ‘High Church’ for me had always had negative connotations - all bells and smells, no sound doctrine or teaching - and yet the service I took part in on that Sunday morning was one which, though not the kind I would want to experience every week, I found fascinating, refreshing and actually very helpful in helping me to find space to seek God at that moment. I was able to understand how the many styles of worship across the Christian Church are representative of the kinds of people who make the church and, like most examples of diversity, something to be encouraged. Earlier this year, in response to some of my work in the Church of the South Pacific, I was invited to join the Discord server of the NationStates Core of Catholics, a group of Roman Catholic players from across the game. I was rather nervous, to begin with, but, in the spirit of broadening my horizons, I decided to join. As a non-Catholic, I retain ‘observer’ status and that’s exactly what I have been, for the most part: observing the kinds of discussions that take place more than actually taking part in them. It has been in equal parts a fascinating and uncomfortable experience. I have been able to rejoice in the diversity of the Church and have seen, even on the most controversial of issues, such as the Church’s response to transgenderism, that a range of opinion does exist, but I have also had both my more liberal outlook (I do not think I would agree with my former church’s decision to leave any more) and my Protestantism confirmed. There are aspects of the Roman Catholic faith that I could never sign up to. My faith relies too much on certain aspects of doctrine that simply aren’t compatible with a Roman Catholic understanding of the Church, for example. I am, however, still glad to remain part of that server and to rejoice, even in frequent disagreement, alongside my brothers and sisters in Christ; because that is how I see them. They are different, yes, but they are no longer other and I believe that it is important to keep these connections open so that no part of the Christian church can claim it is the sole authority on God and salvation, nor the only part whose members are ‘truly Christian’. We must rub alongside each other and, even if we rub each other the wrong way, we must be tolerant and loving and seek to understand. “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34-35 (New Revised Standard Version) The Church of the South Pacific is a safe space to discuss spirituality of all kinds and is open to people of all faiths and none. Founder of the Church of the South Pacific [Forum Thread] [Discord], a safe place to discuss spirituality for people of all faiths and none (currently looking for those interested in prayer and/or "home" groups);
And The Silicon Pens [Discord], a writer's group for the South Pacific and beyond! Yahweo usenneo ir varleo, ihraneo jurlaweo hraseu seu, ir jiweveo arladi. Salma 145:8
The previous unpublished article was also supposed to be accompanied by the following interview. Please note that, since this was written, the NationStates Core of Catholics has ceased to exist as an NS-related entity, although it continues on as a place of discussion and Bible study for Catholics on and off NS.
- - - - - - - Having spent some time in the server of the NationStates (NS) Core of Catholics, I recently spent some time getting to know Wonderess, the Founder of the Core, and explored with them their reasons for creating such a distinct organisation. Seraph: You're pretty well-known in certain parts of NS, but I don't believe that the South Pacific is one of them, so, for the benefit of our readers, could you please first tell us a little about yourself and your NS career? Wonderess: I am Wonderess, known by my main nation Castle Federation. I originated from the Coalition of Catholic States in 2011 when it was quite active. I departed NS for a few years and returned in The North Pacific in 2018. I was Speaker of the Regional Assembly there for one term. I am the Servant Wonderess and founder of the NationStates Core of Catholics, which is an interregional organization of Catholics who wish to further the mission of the Church in-game. It is also an organization open to the company of non-Catholics who can deliberate and engage in dialogue with us. Seraph: You've clearly had an interesting a varied career and seen a fair bit of the breadth of the NationStates community. What, in particular, made you decide to found the Core? Could you tell us a little about the journey to that point? Wonderess: The Catholic faith is truly a universal one as the term "catholic" expresses. There is an understanding that faith is to be lived out unabashedly and so there was a need for a place where the Catholics of NS could come and discuss that. The Core became a place where collaboration and organization was possible. I wanted a non-region so that people could still be a part of their regional communities while still taking part in the Core. We all come from different regions, but we are able to come together to talk about the more innate things of our humanity and faith. One day I just decided to dedicate myself to this project, and I am so thankful to everyone who has made the Core possible Catholic and not alike. Seraph: It's very obviously a work of passion for you and, speaking from my own experience there, it shows in how you interact with everyone. Have you found it a rewarding thing to be part of? What are the standout moments for you? Wonderess: You would be surprised how hard it can be to find a place in NationStates where respectful discourse can take place without misgiving. I try to make sure within my power that the Core is always able to be that first and foremost. Every conversation is an opportunity to change someone's life including my own. I remember I was in a voice chat with [a fellow-Catholic and] a practising Jew, and for us to be able to sit down and just talk about differences and theological subjects without that anger or awkwardness you can find in culture today is very refreshing and truly a gift. Seraph: I've certainly been impressed by the robust nature of the discussions there and how no topic is off-limits, although I've occasionally found it a little intimidating coming in as a non-Catholic. Nevertheless, the sense of an open forum is strong, as is a certain ecumenical recognition of varied beliefs, which is refreshing. How do you see the Core growing and achieving its goals? Do you feel that God has more in store for this venture in the future? Wonderess: I think the Core will remain a conduit by which we all grow as people. I hope we can get more people in, both Catholics and non-Catholics alike. Anyone is welcome to invite their friends or interested parties who would be able to respect the spirit and atmosphere the Core currently has. I am not one for advertising or shameless recruiting, but I usually just bring it up if the situation seems right to do so. We as a Core wish to serve God first and foremost, and you can rest assured that we constantly seek to discern how that is to be done more perfectly. Seraph: NationStates is a very broad game - indeed, much more a conglomeration of communities than it is a game. Given the many and varied ways that people "play" NS, what would you say is the role of the Christian and the Christian life and witness in NationStates? Wonderess: So this is very much a social game played by real people interacting in a shared space, whether that be Discord or a forum. This in itself provides the opportunity to reach for those inherent aspects of the human experience which we would attribute to philosophy and, yes, theology. I see it as my job to educate people about the faith I belong to while also listening to the ideas of others’ traditions. Religion most definitely should be discussed without fear or disdain in the public sphere because that is how understanding comes about. The idea of keeping it private or to the self leads to stagnation and leaves a significant aspect of human understanding and experience off the table. I see religious topics to be just as important as scientific ones. I wish the dichotomy of the mythos and logos to be preserved and even reestablished in our culture as it was in the Ancient Greek world because understanding under both forms is essential. I do the best I can to be a part of that push for reestablishment. Seraph: That's encouraging to hear. One of the reasons I started getting involved in NationStates, beyond just answering issues, was to be part of an online community within which I could be a witness to Christ and the gospel. I firmly believe that online communities are increasingly the most unreached people-groups out there and that there is a severe lack of understanding of what ordinary Christians are like and what they believe. I felt a calling to be part of that, though it took me a long time before I expressed it very much in public, so, though I may not be Catholic, it warmed my heart to see the existence and mission of the Core so mirror my own, albeit in a considerably more organised and forthright way. There would be those, however, who might find the existence of such an organisation to be in some way sinister. Would you have anything to say to such people? Wonderess: Often times we fear what we do not understand. I would say that such people would have to examine truthfully what the Church and what we as an organisation stand for to really be able to make a judgement. I would hope that hearsay and pop-cultural so-called knowledge would not be enough to convince people that we are working towards ill will. I consider the Core to be a safe haven from all that. If you don't want to be bullied or feel like an outcast then I invite you to join us. We can talk about many things, but we also want to be compassionate towards those who just want to be treated kindly. Anyone who would like to see what the Core is for themselves is more than welcome to join us. Seraph: Thank you for your time, Wonderess, and may God bless you as you continue to serve Him. Wonderess: Thank you, Seraph. May God be with you as well. - - - - - - - - - Founder of the Church of the South Pacific [Forum Thread] [Discord], a safe place to discuss spirituality for people of all faiths and none (currently looking for those interested in prayer and/or "home" groups);
And The Silicon Pens [Discord], a writer's group for the South Pacific and beyond! Yahweo usenneo ir varleo, ihraneo jurlaweo hraseu seu, ir jiweveo arladi. Salma 145:8
These are great, Seraph! Thanks for sharing.
God's blessings!
Fuentana
Minister Without Portfolio (but with Padfolio), TWP Prime Ambassador to Karma, TSP, NPO Poet Laureate of Haiku
I posted the following on Facebook yesterday morning. Sharing here because you'll probably see the fruits of it here soon enough.
"With church services suspended, it seems to me that's it's more important than ever for the Church to be the Church, big C, across whatever platforms it can. If you consider yourself a Christian of any denomination, then use this time to live your faith out in the world around you, whether that's a local community you can support or just your family. On top of that, those reading this are out in the world already, even if they are in self-isolation, so share your faith here! Talk about your concerns and your prayers and share with others in worshipping and beseeching God in this time of most peculiar and particular need. I'm going to start posting short reflections on scripture and on our situation and, if you think you have that gift at all yourself, share in that ministry, but we all have different ways to serve and different gifts to enable us to be the church, so let your creativity or your practicality or whatever it may be flourish and share those gifts here as much as anywhere! Go in peace to love and serve the Lord, Amen." Founder of the Church of the South Pacific [Forum Thread] [Discord], a safe place to discuss spirituality for people of all faiths and none (currently looking for those interested in prayer and/or "home" groups);
And The Silicon Pens [Discord], a writer's group for the South Pacific and beyond! Yahweo usenneo ir varleo, ihraneo jurlaweo hraseu seu, ir jiweveo arladi. Salma 145:8
We live in unprecedented times. Even if one is to look at past pandemics, like the Bubonic Plague, or past events that transformed national life, like World War II, the culture we live in is so far-removed from those times as to make any comparison shallow and unhelpful. The world has never faced anything like this before and to have the very foundations of normality pulled out from under us and life reset to its basic elements is an unsettling thing for many of us.
Much discussion has taken place already concerning the nature of the crisis we face and the changes it must wreak upon our lives - after all, many of us don’t have much else to do now we’re locked up in our homes for the majority of the day. I’ve seen discussions about how this will impact our view of economics in the future; how it might alter relationships and our appreciation of friends and family; how it helps us to value the most essential services we are offered in life, like medical care or the provision of groceries. People have made much of our suddenly reduced impact on the environment and, yes, there has been an ongoing conversation about what this means for the Church, which is my concern. With church services across our and many other nations suspended indefinitely and the Archbishop of Canterbury calling on Christians to be Church in a radically different way, I have found myself reflecting on what this might mean. How can the Church be radically different when it cannot meet in any traditional way? What can replace the usual Sunday services or weekly Bible studies? Are there ways to be Church online that we haven’t really explored yet? I am convinced that there are, that the way forward for the Church at this time, and as something that must be ongoing for many of us even when this crisis is over, is to be found in expressing our faith in new creative and practical ways - online for now, but unleashed onto the world as well just as soon as we can leave our homes. I don’t know how this will look in practice, however, and I’m not convinced anyone else really does either. I think, first and foremost, we all need to look at the gifts God has given us and ask ourselves (and God) how we might best use those gifts in our current situation. Only once Christians start to do this en masse will this radical “new” vision for the Church become clear. I put ‘new’ in quotation marks there for a reason. I’ve been hearing talk of new opportunities for the Church, when, actually, what I see are the old paths rarely taken becoming the only options once the well-trodden ways have been closed off to us. I was directed by my ADO to Psalm 137, ‘By the rivers of Babylon…’, and found much there to consider in this current situation. There are obvious comparisons to be made between the Jewish community in exile in Babylon and the Church in exile from its buildings during this pandemic. Certainly, whilst Christians everywhere are greeting this new way of living in very different ways, some of us must be taking this enforced absence from Sunday rituals very badly. Are we sitting down and weeping by the living-room sofa as we remember Holy Communion? It might sound silly put that way, but for some this level of unsettling change will be very upsetting and whatever action the Church takes to continue being God’s people in this strange exile, we must consider how to care for and encourage those who are finding it difficult. Similarly, whether we realise it or not, many of us will be clinging on to old ways of doing things, just as the writer of Psalm 137 seems to be in the second stanza. Certainly, the immediate response to the closing of churches has been to recreate what we know of church online through live-streaming. There’s nothing wrong with that at all and, indeed, it will prove very helpful for many of us, but I am convinced that we will soon discover that that alone does not constitute Church and we may find ourselves longing for something more and grieving what we have lost. The Psalmist, too, laments over the loss of Jerusalem and fears forgetting it as we might fear whether it will ever be the same again after the pandemic has passed. He asks ‘How can we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land?’ and we too must ask ourselves this question. How can we sing the Lord’s song with social-distancing, in self-isolation, in lockdown? The exiled Jews found ways to answer that question. The exile was a period of incredible spiritual growth for the Jewish people, with much scriptural material written and revised during this time as well as many talmudic writings as commentary. Whilst we mustn’t pressure ourselves into doing more than we can in a time which will be trying in lots of unexpected ways - strained relationships, finding time and energy to educate our children, worrying about work and finances, etc. - there is no reason that we too can’t find some time to grow in our spirituality, gaining new insights into scripture, into the way God is working around and through us, learning to love God more and our fellow humans too along the way. Perhaps we will find Psalms like 137 helpful to consider during a time of readjustment. We might at first relate with its picture of fear and sorrow, but by asking its questions, by hurling them at God if necessary, hopefully we can learn to move on. Here I find Romans 12 verses one and two helpful. “I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.” In the light of our current circumstances, I read this rather differently than I have done in the past. I am very conscious that it is by God’s mercies - the way that he condescends (comes down with us) to be with us in our daily lives - that we might be able to become living sacrifices and live out our faith - our being Church without the usual Sunday worship rituals. Indeed, this verse talks about spiritual worship, which doesn’t require bricks and mortar, or a worship band, or even a preacher, at all. I am reminded also of Hosea 6:6, “For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.”, or Psalm 51: 16-17, For you have no delight in sacrifice; if I were to give a burnt offering, you would not be pleased. The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. Both speak of relating to and worshipping God outside of the traditional religious practices of the day and so our living sacrifice might also be a living liturgy or a living prayer - turning our lives into the act of worship we are no longer allowed to perform in the way to which we have become accustomed. And that living sacrifice, that liturgy of our lives, is also to be something novel, something transformed and renewed. We need not conform to the patterns of our religious traditions any more than to those of this world. There is much they can teach us of course and much we can borrow and use - I’ve been learning much from exploring Celtic Christianity, for example - but they do not need to constrict us. We have the opportunity now, as we have always had, to worship God and to serve His kingdom in new ways, with new creativity and new love guided by the Spirit. As I see it, the Church is always on the edges of Heaven and Earth, always at the point of standing up, jumping in, taking action. Right now that image is more clear to me than ever before, because all the old patterns we might have fallen back upon have been taken away from us, thus now, now we can perhaps show the world something new and in so doing reveal the most ancient of truths. And so, hopefully, I write these reflections and share them publicly in ways I might not a few weeks ago, because this situation emboldens me. This is but one part of the Church we might become, but I do what I can see to do and hope to have my eyes opened further the deeper into this time of darkness we go. Founder of the Church of the South Pacific [Forum Thread] [Discord], a safe place to discuss spirituality for people of all faiths and none (currently looking for those interested in prayer and/or "home" groups);
And The Silicon Pens [Discord], a writer's group for the South Pacific and beyond! Yahweo usenneo ir varleo, ihraneo jurlaweo hraseu seu, ir jiweveo arladi. Salma 145:8
Ezekiel 37: 1-14, John 11: 1-45
The Church of England’s Revised Common Lectionary gives two rather lengthy readings for this Sunday, but, unlike so many such pairings, they have a clear common theme: resurrection. The passages approach the concept of resurrection in very different ways. In the case of Lazarus’ resurrection, the story is, for the most part, very literal: Jesus raises a man from the dead, although his declaration that He Himself is ‘the resurrection’ takes the concept beyond mere bodily resurrection into the world of spirit and metaphor. The resurrection vision which Ezekiel sees, however, is not to be taken literally at all. God Himself explains the meaning of the vision and it’s clear that he is not talking about raising the people of Israel from physical death, but from the spiritual death they feel they are experiencing in exile, or, indeed, the spiritual death that had sent them into exile in the first place. At this extraordinary time, when everything we do seems strange by context - for most of us, cooped up at home, watching the pandemic grow ever worse in the world outside - and when we are cut off from our traditional concepts of Church, there are a few comforting things that I take from these passages. Firstly, there is the promise of “the shortest verse in the Bible”, John 11:34, which, in the NRSV linked above is translated ‘Jesus began to weep’. In the NIV it’s famously just ‘Jesus wept.’ This verse is so often used to point to Jesus’ fragile humanity, how He experienced pain and suffering in incarnation just as all humans must. At a time when many are anxious and fearful, when so many are losing loved ones very suddenly, when what appears to be a lottery of death hangs all about us, there is comfort in knowing that Jesus weeps, too. Even knowing what is about to happen to Lazarus, He shares in the suffering of Lazarus’ sisters; He feels their pain as He feels His own at the loss of a friend. Thus, as we suffer through this pandemic in many ways, we can draw near to Jesus and grieve with Him. Secondly, there is the promise that death is not the end. Jesus is the resurrection and the life and, as He says, ‘Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live.’ In Jesus there is hope, even in the face of death and, contrary to how many present it, it is an inclusive hope, one offered to any and all who put their trust in Him. The only barrier, it seems, is our own decision to do otherwise. Thirdly, and perhaps most significantly for the majority of us at this moment, there is a promise for the life we live now. Though we may feel cut off from the Church we love and the familiar patterns of our faith through isolation, though we may feel we are going through a tough and empty time where all the joys of our life have been stripped away and God has never seemed further, though we may be utterly dead in faith and feel unable even to choose to believe in Jesus, the vision of Ezekiel gives us hope. God is able to bring new life in all its forms and in all its fullness. As the Psalmist wrote in Psalm 16, 'You show me the path of life. In your presence there is fullness of joy; in your right hand are pleasures forevermore.' God can put flesh on the bones of our life, breath in our bodies and allow us truly to live. Right now, when we may feel enervated, apathetic or hopeless; that there is little for us worth doing or little we can contribute to our friends, families and communities; that ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely’, God is able to reach down to us in our living death and lift us up to be an army for His purposes. And that is God’s work, not ours! We don’t have to pick ourselves up by our bootstraps, nor despair at the work to be done, we just have to trust that God will do His work and thus enable us to serve him effectively. And so we pray: Father God, Thank you that you are with us in our suffering Through your Son, Jesus Christ, That you, too weep and grieve, That, though death may come for us all, In you it does not have to be the end. And now, as we struggle to find the energy To face many days cut off from life as we have known it, Give us new life and new energy and new faith, So that we may serve you well now and always. In the name of Him who weeps with us, Our saviour, Jesus Christ, Who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forevermore, Amen. Founder of the Church of the South Pacific [Forum Thread] [Discord], a safe place to discuss spirituality for people of all faiths and none (currently looking for those interested in prayer and/or "home" groups);
And The Silicon Pens [Discord], a writer's group for the South Pacific and beyond! Yahweo usenneo ir varleo, ihraneo jurlaweo hraseu seu, ir jiweveo arladi. Salma 145:8
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