Simon Says ...

I went to hear a paper at the University this evening entitled 'The Apocalypse according to Johnny Cash: Examining the 'Effect' of the book of Revelation on a contemporary apocalyptic writer'. As well as some fine music and lots of humour from YouTube , the paper was examining how we detect the effect of the Bible on the world, and using Cash's The Man Comes Around as a means of doing this. One of the papers themes was that because Cash doesn't name Jesus as the Man (who comes around) he has a weak Christology and leaves his work open to a range of interpretations of who 'The Man' could be - from Cash himself to George W. Bush! Lots of food for thought about how what we say is then heard and repeated in our culture, which has little understanding of the Gospel. But the thing that really stood out for me was the suggestion that it was possible to tell that Cash was really reading the Bible in this song (rather than just regurgitating what his traditio...

One for Sunday's sermon (on John 2.1-11): A policeman stops a car which is driving erratically. When he approaches the driver, he sees that he's a priest. 'Excuse me Father', says the policeman, 'but have you been drinking?'. 'No', says the priest, 'I only drink water'. The policeman spots an empty wine bottle on the passenger seat and says to the priest 'So why do you have that?'. 'Well I never', replies the priest, 'he's done it again!'. One because it's true: A man is making a tour around England visiting churches. He starts in Canterbury Cathedral and spots a golden phone with a sign saying 'All calls £10 000'. Asking a steward what it is he is told that it is a direct line to heaven. He finds similar phones in Westminster Abbey, York Minster and Durham Cathedral. He finds them in Roman Catholic churches, Methodist chapels and even in hospital chapels. All golden with a sign saying 'All c...

Just back from a deanery chapter retreat in Glastonbury, where Christianity nestles between homeopathy and Goddess (at least it did in one bookshop I went into - and that was the one the mentioned Christianity!). We were watching films (or at least long extracts from them) which was both fun and full of insight. On Monday night we watched the Life of Brian which is always entertaining. I seem to spot new things every time I watch it (the Chariots of the Gods insert baffled me for ages until I worked it out!). But it struck me yesterday that, despite all the fuss at the time it came out, these days only Christians (or ex-Christians) can hope to get the jokes. The secular world simply doesn't know the story well enough to get the basic jokes, never mind the digs at liberal exegesis, Eric van Daeniken, first century history etc. Will the same be true of Jerry Springer: The Opera in 20 years time? The Life of Brian remains essential viewing for all Christians.

Eliot's Epiphany poem worked well for us this year - the heating broke down yesterday (Epiphany). Apparently, it's the circuit board and 'these things just don't break'. That'll be why we drove 20 miles for a shower last night. Happy New Year everyone.