Bishop John

‘Christ and culture’ and ‘the public Christian’

Written by

Bishop John

in

A front page article in our State’s major newspaper today illustrates some of the challenges of following Jesus in today’s Tasmania. 

Newspaper article here, Anger at ‘happy clappers’. Some brief notes:

1. We live in challenging times. Making the Good news of Jesus Christ relevant to the diverse people and cultures of our State requires a diversity of worship and relational styles. We need to add new relevant ways of worship and fellowship while retaining the traditional for those who are nurtured by the traditional. Both are needed. One is not more Anglican than another. Change is hard. We pray, love and labour. We labour, love and pray.

2. We suffer from a lack of healthy relationship between people. We live in a faceless world and I note with a heavy heart the varied comments, and the unfairness of anonymity both of the unattributed and pejorative definition of ‘happy clappers’ in the newspaper article and in the online comments on the article that the facelessness of the web can bring. Let us speak ‘face to face’ in love and holding difference in respect and hospitality.

3. We need some of our best to be ordained. Given the demands of the leadership challenge to relate Christ to culture, we need some of our best to be called of God to commit to Christian ministry and ordination; to a discipleship that is very public and therefore open to comment both fair and unfair. May God raise up such men and women, young and old, to ordination and such public Christian roles.

4. We must pray for those called to be ‘public Christians’. At the recent ordination retreat I spoke with the ordinands of the joys and sorrows, blessings and challenges, of becoming a very ‘public Christian’ as a result of ordination as a deacon, priest or bishop in the Church. Please pray, seeking the Holy Spirit’s strengthening and wisdom for those who have responded to God’s call on their lives to become ‘public Christians’.

Related posts:

  1. Northern Territory Emergency Response: an indigenous Christian view
  2. Obama speaks peace to the Muslim world
  3. Is Euthanasia A Morally Acceptable Way To Ease Suffering Of The Elderly?
  4. Pope Benedict and Islam: Betrayal of faith or learning words they can hear?
  5. Do we Aussies need a Charter of Human Rights?

Comments

2 responses to “‘Christ and culture’ and ‘the public Christian’”

  1. Marie White Avatar
    Marie White

    I am concerned that there is a lack of truly pastoral ministry in ‘new ministries’. Rural ministries are not faceless, our moves and encounters are on show the whole time, so we are careful to present the “face of Christ” in all we say and do. The assumption that our ministry is not evangelical is insulting. we preach the gospel at all services, no platitudes, John3:16 at every opportunity. There is growth here, young and old seek us out; we proclaim Christ and administer the sacraments.we minister to many families, across four generations. It seems to be honoured by God, is it therefore invalid? Incidently the cost to the diocese is minimal. I would welcome an opportunity for further dialogue!!!

  2. Bishop John Avatar
    Bishop John

    Thanks, Marie. Relationships are at the heart of the Gospel and a healthy community. Just this weekend I had the joy of experiencing the joy of ‘face to face’ engagement with the parishioners of Circular Head. We were opening new facilities due to the growth of an all age ministry in this rural parish. These achievements are a delight. See, http://imaginarydiocese.org/bishopjohn/2010/01/24/circular-head-celebrates-growth/ God is clearly at work honouring your calling as seen in the fruit of the Spirit’s blessing on your ministry. This Good News and news like it, such as from Smithton and Battery Point-Southern Midlands, etc, is what we struggle to communicate both between ourselves [hence the Barnabas Column initiative] and to the wider community. Not clear to me as to what you have in mind re “lack of truly pastoral ministry in ‘new ministries’”? Could this be true of all new ministries as they outreach into new areas or groups of people and establish relationships with them? Blessings for Australia Day.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

More posts