The Book of Eli

Films make me blog. I’ve just been to see The Book of Eli. Here’s some meaning that me and the Hughes brothers came up with.

The words of The Bible are beautiful, potent and good for humanity. So are the words of The Koran, all other sacred texts and the works of Beethoven. Even cheap music has the power to sustain and enrich. You can’t be a hero without being violent. A surfeit of stuff blinds you to what’s important. Salvation normally comes from a lone individual. When making a “post-apocalyptic” film you have to include a shot of a ruined, iconic, American building. Politicians use religion to control the populous – don’t trust ‘em. It is really important to follow where your convictions lead and to do so with determination and discipline. Women are normally peripheral, feeble and insignificant.  Treasuring The Bible is one thing but what really matters is living out its message.  Ultimately the message of The Bible can be reduced to the Golden Rule.  Old people know some important stuff. Go West. If you are going to have a twist in the tail it will only work if doesn’t make a nonsense of all that went before.

Leading Women

An issue we at nblc are still working away at. Spread the word.

Political Correctness

Sinking in words ...
Originally uploaded by so_martinha

It’s official; we are, after all, allowed to use the expression brain-storm.

Apparently Epilepsy Action and The National Society for Epilepsy have said that it is not offensive. So all teachers, trainers, tutors and other flip-chart jockeys can breathe a sigh of relief, forget about thought-showers and just say what comes naturally.

Now, I swear I just heard some of you tittering under your breath there, or sighing and tutting, or, even worse, reaching for the address of the Daily Mail letters page. I’m not surprised. It has become the done thing to deride politically correct censorship of seemingly innocuous words. And I agree that sometimes the humourless attitudes of the p.c. militant tendency is irritating. Their eagerness publically to correct offenders seems to be set to go off with all the sensitivity of the finest of hair-triggered pistols.

But when I calm down and think about it, I have to conclude that they have a point. A big and important point. Truth is, words have power. How many of us have a had their lives blighted by things said to us years ago? Would anyone deny that words such as nigger or paki are politically explosive, socially devastating and profoundly disrespectful? (So much so that I’m curious to see if the editor will have to reach for his asterisk key.)

The power of words in this regard lies in the way they shape how we see people. And surely Christians above all others ought to be alert lest we find ourselves conceiving of fellow human beings in ways that diminish or dishonour them. This is the image of God we are talking about.

The plain, uncomfortable truth is that the way we use words has real consequences in the real world for real people. First we categorise, then we marginalise, then we diminish, then we dismiss and people bleed. Our use of words whether deliberate or unwitting can and does do damage to flesh and blood.

Consider for instance the widespread tendency to default to the word lady rather than woman. This never fails to grate. Most use the word without thinking. Those who do have a motive are usually seeking to express respect. But why on earth should it be disrespectful to use the word woman? What’s wrong with being a woman?

You may well object that there’s nothing wrong with being a lady either. I beg to differ. You see a lady is a certain type of woman. The word lady hangs out with other words such as genteel, delicate, refined. Its constant use predisposes us to see women in ways shaped by these terms and, by implication, to fail to see that it is equally womanly to be robust, vigorous and edgy.

And you don’t have to think too hard to realise that this is related to our denomination’s woeful, gospel-denying record on women in ministry.

My column on preaching a couple of weeks ago elicited a telling response from a friend, a friend who is a very capable minister, a fine preacher and a woman. She commented on how odd it seemed to her that throughout the piece I referred to my ideal preacher using feminine rather than masculine pronouns. She wasn’t complaining, just pointing out how unusual it sounded. And that’s the point. How can something become normal or commonplace if our use of language causes us to see it as odd, remarkable, exceptional?

To me this state of affairs is deeply irritating. To many women I know it is a cause of much pain and the prompt for many tears. We really ought to watch our language.

My turn to do a month's worth of opinion pieces for the Baptist Times' "Outside Edge" column has come round again. With the agreement of the editor I'm posting my BT article here. To check out the Baptist Times as a whole click here.

Growing Women Leaders

Another stunning event for your consideration:

Growing Women Leaders

Guest Speaker:
Revd Dr Kate Coleman
Former BUGB President (2006/07) Pastor of a Church Plant Director of “Next Leadership”

Saturday 21st November 2009 10.00am – 4.00pm
Wakefield Baptist Church Belle Isle Christian Centre Belle Isle Avenue Wakefield WF1 5JY
Booking Fee £15 per person (includes refreshments & lunch)

To book contact ali.mitchell@yba.org.uk

Mainsream Weekend Conference For Women in Leadership

It's been encouraging in recent months to see sections of the Baptist family becoming much more proactive in seeking to encourage women into positions of leadership. Here's details of the latest event to come to my attention. I share it because this is an issue at the heart of the gospel, one that we need to keep on and on working at until we rectify our abysmal record on gender equality.


And here's the blurb to go with it

Wonder Woman?
‘Girls Allowed’ Weekend Conference 13-15 November 2009

This is a great weekend designed specially for women leaders, ministers’ wives or younger girls or women who know God is calling them to leadership/pioneering situations.

We have a fantastic line-up of speakers who have exciting, inspiring stories to tell, including:
Baroness Caroline Cox, at one time deputy leader of the House of Lords; Kate Coleman, who made history when she became the first black female president of the Baptist Union, and others who will be part of the event. Lynn Swart has agreed to join us to lead worship.

There will be a choice of Seminar Streams:

Established Leaders: This stream will explore the joys, challenges and opportunities of being a woman in leadership and offer some support and encouragement for the journey. It’s aimed at Ministers, Youth Pastors, Pastoral workers, Deacons, Elders, and ministry leaders.

Emerging Leaders: This stream will look at exploring a call to leadership and the challenges and choices women face when they hear that call. It’s aimed at young women (16-25 year olds) who feel that God might be asking them to become leaders, or women who have done something else (career, family, caring) and who think that God is calling them to something new.

Espoused leaders!? (That’s ministers’ wives to you and me!) This stream will explore what it means to be married to ‘the minister’; how to balance the stresses of ministry and life; who you are as a person in your own right and what God’s calling is to you.

Main Sessions will run in the mornings so they’ll be loads of free time for cappuccinos and chatting, catching up with old friends and finding new ones! There’s a great swimming pool on site and squash courts for the energetic. Saturday evening will provide cafe style chill out with music and entertainment provided. There’ll be some Fairtrade stalls offering the opportunity to do some early Christmas shopping!

You can download the brochure, including the booking form, by clicking HERE

PLEASE BOOK NOW! WE’D LOVE TO SEE YOU

We realise you, dear reader, may be male! That means you know someone who should not only be aware of this weekend, but given real encouragement to be there. It may be your wife, a church leader, a full-time church worker’s wife, your church administrator, or a woman on whom you see God’s hand for leadership. Maybe your church could even consider sponsorship of some of these folk? We particularly want help to encourage the younger girls in your church, from 16 upwards, who obviously have God’s hand on their lives.