Blog on the Learig

  3 August 2026 There has always been an ambivalence to art within the church. But the opening chapter of the Bible encourages us not only to see that God is the Creator but we are all made in the image of God. As such, we participate in the creativity of God. We do this in all sorts of different ways - art, music, dance and drama. These are human activities which stretch back to pre-historic   times. Historically, the Church has had two problems with art. At various times in its history it has taken a dislike to religious art and art of any form within the worship space.   Hence the two great iconoclasms. In the eighth century, the Eastern   Church was split over the issue of icons in the worship space. In the sixteenth century, the Western Church was split at the Reformation over the use of images. Objections to religious art all stem from the prohibition enshrined in the Ten Commandments. The first four are about God and the second reads, ‘ You shall not...

  2 August 2026 Jesus says three important things about the extravagant gift which the woman with the alabaster jar of expensive ointment gave him. Firstly, ‘ you always have the poor with you and you can show kindness to them whenever you wish.’     Jesus is not saying that the poor should be ignored at the expense of an extravagant gift. He is saying that the poor are part of us and we should be kind to them, literally treat them as our kin! Secondly, he says of the woman’s extravagant gift, ‘ She has performed a good service for me.’    The word which is translated ‘good’ not only has moral content – good as opposed to bad but also beauty. The word is used to describe goodness which is beautiful, attractive, bonnie, winsome and so on. God’s creation is described as good. It is beautiful. Jesus is the Good Shepherd. The beauty of his love attracts. And that’s the point! The woman’s extravagant gift was not dutiful but spontaneous. She did what she did b...

  1 August 2026 ‘The Parish Communion’ was a set of essays edited by AG Hebert in 1937. The essays were on various subjects pertinent to a deeper understanding of the Eucharist. Austin Farrer wrote, ‘Eucharist and Church in the New Testament’ and Gregory Dix wrote, ‘The idea of ‘the Church’ in the primitive liturgies’ and so on. The book was designed to encourage members of the Church of England to gain a deeper understanding of the Church and its central act of worship, the Eucharist. It was part of an initiative to centre the worship of the Church on the Sacrament of Holy Communion instead of Matins. In the Preface, Hebert emphasises the importance of teaching within the parish. Some have tried out the Parish Eucharist but it has failed through inadequate preparation. He introduces the testimony of a Belgian parish priest who has taken eight years to introduce liturgical reform: ‘ He would be a simple man who thought that he could gain from my people an active participati...

  31 July 2026 Erella has sent us another update on life in the West Bank. As she travelled to see a friend who was dying of cancer, she heard about the theft of 200 sheep. They had been stolen by armed Jewish settlers   from the pens of the Moor family in the village of Mnezel. Although the sheep had Palestinian Authority ear tags, they were being driven out in broad daylight by settlers who claimed they had been stolen from them! Full military backing prevented the herd owner, his family and his friends from resisting this outrageous theft. Friends got together to discuss the situation. Samir   drafted an e-mail to all the villages in the Masafer and beyond. Within twenty-four hours, 85 sheep had been brought to Samir’s home. They were loaded into a large truck and taken to the Moor family in Mnezel. As Erella wrote, ‘Neither reporters from the Palestinian Authority nor foreign correspondents showed up. It wasn’t reported in any newspaper or on the news. They di...

  30 July 2026 Last Saturday, there was an interesting act of worship on the island of Papa Stronsay in the Orkney Islands. It took place in the chapel at the Golgotha Monastery and lasted four hours. Three bishops from South America consecrated Father Michael Mary, the Superior of the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer, a bishop. The consecrating bishops were unauthorised by Pope Leo to conduct this act of consecration. As such is was considered to be a   schismatic act. Prior to this, the Society of St. Pius chose to ordain four new bishops without the authorisation of the Pope. It constitutes an act of schism. Michael Mary’s consecration comes late in life. He is now 73 and without this consecration the future of the order would be in jeopardy. It is only bishops who can confirm new communicants and ordain new priests so a bishop is essential for the future well-being of the community. Listening to what some of the members say is disheartening. Like many other splinter ...

  29 July 2026 In one of his holiday poems, Cardinal Newman wrote, ‘Welcome the thorn – it is divinely sent!’ This enduring faith is evident throughout his life. He was only free to take this extended holiday because of a specific thorn. In his work as tutor at Oriel College, he displeased the Provost by spending too much time with his students. One of Newman’s gifts was his pastoral care which he exercised effectively throughout his ministry. In the days when tutors had little personal contact with their students, Newman took time to listen, engage, guide and care for them in a way that is expected nowadays. But not then! As a result, his students were removed. Two things happened. Firstly, he had time to travel. And out of this experience came his sense of purpose. Secondly, he had time to concentrate on what became known as the Oxford Movement. In his second letter to the Corinthians, St Paul writes about a thorn which was given to him to keep him from becoming too ela...