Anglican Mainstream

I am following this page to see if our views align: I feel they may well do so.

https://anglicanmainstream.org/

Powerful Stuff

 I agree

A bit of a jump

The C of E website has this page.

I quote: "... believe and trust. This is called faith. It is a different sort of knowledge. It is the knowledge of being known and loved, and of loving in return."

How does faith suddenly become knowledge?

I was taught, at school, that faith is when we believe something we are told because we trust those who have told us (as I recall the origin of bananas was used as an example. The teacher believed that they came from South and Central America, India, China and Africa even though he had never been to those places).

One possible reason fewer people go to church now is because there is much less trust, these days, in what people tell us. Just look at what politicians say by putting a spin on something. Think Boris!

The case is often used that the parents who tell their children about Jesus are the same parents who have told them about Santa Claus. How can you trust someone who lies to you?

Bible stories

I have trouble with many Bible stories, especially when somebody reports something which was uttered even though they were obviously not present at the time. In fact I have serious doubts about much of the Old Testament.

Whilst some stories are, I suppose, 'fun' for children, what are we seriously asking them to believe? The image says it all.

Dementia

I went ringing today with a group which meets on a monthly basis. We visited a tower where I used to ring some 30 years ago. The then tower captain - I was told - is still alive but in a care home: he has dementia. His name appears on peal and quarter peal board in that and other towers.

I wonder about religion when I think about dementia. If a person is 'lost' where have they gone? If we are sinful beings and are ultimately to be brought to account for our wrong-doings by God, who will a person with dementia be when they die? Are they responsible for anything they do whilst afflicted?

Likewise, if everyone has a soul, how are children who die in infancy judged? What about people of other religions: do they get a 'free pass'?

Religion does not have answers to these and similar questions: I have asked. It is, apprently, all down to the grace of God.

It is often said that God has a plan for each of our lives. It can be very hard to work out what the plan was for someone murdered in an attrocity such as have been in the news recently.

Yet we carry on going to church, singing our hymns and behaving as if everything will turn out OK. Perhaps we are all like Julian of Norwich.

All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well.