Blair's Conversion?

Two things have struck me about the story of Tony Blair's conversion from the Church of England to the Catholic Church.

The first is this:
What is the big news. I know i don't fully appreciate the complicated history between the CofE and the Roman Catholic Church but i know there is not difference in the God they worship! What is the big news here. Is it a case of the media making to much of something again or is it really that important?

Secondly:

I read the below comment that made challenged me about the state of our nation. it read:

Blair's obvious religious side has long been viewed with suspicion, even hostility, by the largely agnostic or secular British intellectual and media elites. (http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1196847405564&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull)

The questions for me is "how much should the church be involved in politics?" and "how can we be involved in politics?"

I will have a think and come back to those.

I hope and pray you have all had a wonderful Christmas!

Matt

Nativity

Anyone else see the "Liverpool Nativity" on BBC 3, if not it is being repeated.......

Liverpool Nativity
Sun 23 Dec, 22:45 - 23:50

BBC One
Contemporary music drama which reworks the Nativity story. Set in a fictitious state, it tells the story of a pregnant young girl set against a backdrop of political tension. [S]

It was an excellent example of "God's" story being brought into a modern day context. I was also pleased to hear that the Bishop of Liverpool was consulted with the planning. I was encouraged by the fact that there were so many people there to take part. For some, I am sure, they would have been there because it was a free night out, singing some Beatles songs and maybe get on TV. Yet everyone looked like they wanted to be there and enter into the "spirit" of the Christmas story for themselves. Who said people don't want to be part of a bigger story!

Matt

Just Pray!!!!!!

Can we ever "just" pray?

This word has been challenging me over the last few weeks about my prayer life and how I pray. I have heard people so often say "we are just going to pray" or "shall we just pray. Just Pray!!! Isn't there more to it than that, isn't it bigger than that. I just check my emails, I just phone a friend or just make a coffee. Surely pray is more than just speaking to God, more than a last resort or more than a menial task.

Or is it?

Pray should be not something that is set a side for certain people or for certain times but a intergrated part of our spiritually well-being and experience. Pray is what keep us in tune with our maker the one who is on the other end of our prayers. Pray is not an excact science but a act of faith, who are we to judge the right and wrong way to pray.

I have really been enlightened whilst reading "Prayer, Does it make any difference?" by Phillip Yancey. His book has helped me think deeply about what I believe pray is and isn't. The book is hard work but has opened up my understanding and allowed God to speak to me about my own prayer life.

The word "just" is something that I still have to work through but I am more convinced than ever about the nessecity to speak to the One who made prayer possible about anything and everthing.

Matt

Standing out!

"Thought Harry Potter was blasphemous? That was kids' stuff compared to the His Dark Materials trilogy, in which God is an impostor, angels are sexually ambiguous and the Church kidnaps, tortures and assassinates to achieve its goals, one of which is stealing children's souls." - http://www.mtvasia.com/News/200711/05014981.html

A Christian group has lost its High Court battle to prosecute the BBC's director general over the screening of Jerry Springer - The Opera in 2005. - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7128552.stm

I am glad that the Christian group lost their bid to prosecute the BBC. Not because I think that the BBC should be protected from prosecution but because as a Christian I have no problem with these things being made, even shown. What have we to worry about! I am going to see the Golden Compass because I want to know what all the fuss is about. I want to be able to have opportunity to work through some of the questions for myself because I work with young people who no doubt will go and see it.

I know that God is bigger than any film or opera made by man and if we are to be effective witness we need to know that answers (or work through them with people) when questions are raise through these mediums.

Matt

We won!!!

For only the second time in my life I have seen my beloved Southampton win. We beat Leicester 2 -1. Both time have occurred when i sat in the opposite end to the Saints fans. Today I was sitting in the Grand Hall Stand, comfortable seats, free programme and free tea and coffee. Great.

I didn't wear my Saints shirt and was very restrained when we scored, I don't think anyone noticed me. I just blended in pretending to clap Leicester but really clapping the Saints. We are still in the bottom half but hey ho, there is still a long way to go.

Question for the next post: How can we make the Kingdom visible and not left unnoticed (like me in the crowd)?

Matt