Dear Friends
I imagine 2016 will go down as a pivotal year in our history! For our world, an extraordinary presidential race for the White House. For Europe, our referendum and the UK’s astounding narrow vote to ‘Brexit’ the European Union. For our nation, a new woman Prime Minister, a new government – and Her Majesty’s opposition beleaguered. For us here in Hampstead, we progress through the interregnum, and await very shortly now, the appointment of our new vicar! These are testing times. They prove our mettle. Are we ready to respond to these new horizons? What are our hopes for the future? What are my hopes for the future?
It seems there is in every sphere of life today a wave of people moving towards the certainty and comfort of extreme positions! Simple answers to clear-cut issues. But of course we know that life is not simple, that solutions to the complex issues of our world cannot be simple either! However attractive simplicity might be! Rather our responses need to be both subtle and supple, embracing the conundrum of being both open to the other and inclusive – yet resisting pressure from quarters which could compromise that very principle itself. There are communities whose needs have been woefully ignored. How sad that rejection of Europe appeared their only option for making their voice heard – precisely the political organisation supporting their development. Yet too few of those who voted Leave had understood the economic impact of that choice. Had understood what sovereignty is actually about. What being part of the European Union is about. Understanding who we are is vital to making good decisions.
The Church of England is famously a ‘broad’ church. It embraces the full spectrum of the diverse ways of being Christian. This is a great strength and we at Hampstead Parish Church (HPC) take our vital place in the middle of this spectrum, holding the centre ground, pulling back from the certainties of simple clear-cut positions, rather encouraging exploration of our faith together recognising that our understanding will always be developing – that is, if we hope to be growing spiritually! We hold to the position that Scripture, tradition and reason must all have their place to play as we seek to grow in faith. This is our central ‘liberal catholic’ tradition.
On the agenda of the last General Synod1 in July were ‘Shared Conversations’ on the thorny issue of human sexuality. Perhaps it should be seen as a sign of progress that these ‘Conversations’ did not make ‘the News’! Though not for lack of effort on the part of Ruth Gledhill, the last religious affairs correspondent for the Times. On the BBC Sunday programme before Synod met, she boldly declared that the issue in hand was no longer only sexuality – or rather homosexuality, but nothing less than the authority of Scripture itself! Of course this is nonsense. It is not the authority of Scripture that is in question, but the interpretation of Scripture, and the various avenues along which Scripture may be approached. We too, in the ‘liberal’ centre, firmly believe in the authority of Scripture! We also believe that our reading of Scripture needs to embrace a critical understanding of the context of any text! We concur with the Jewish rabbis of the first century who following the fall of Jerusalem in the year 70, set up a new rabbinic school at the coastal city of Yavneh where they developed Midrash, (which means ‘commentary’, a word whose root is ‘to seek’), an interpretation of Scripture rooted in the twin principles of compassion and relevance for the day. To be of God any interpretation needs to be fostering human flourishing.
My hope is for a vicar whose vision of God is big! God who is far bigger than our puny minds can ever hope to comprehend! Yet God revealed in Christ, intimately involved in our lives, in the life of all creation, passionately desirous of our well-being, of our determination to pursue our spiritual potential. Vicar who can help us become a growing Christian community, a community keenly attractive to those in our wider community looking for spiritual dimension to their lives: those who want to think deeply about life, applying intellectual rigour to question current events and ideas, those passionate to be building the just society Jesus so desires for all humanity, those looking for support and encouragement.
Let us be praying together for the appointment of our new vicar, and all involved in this process.
Wishing you God’s richest blessings in all your doing
With love and prayer
Jan
1 The General Synod is the decision-making body of the Church of England which meets over several days to confer together twice a year
Jan Ruston writes