Seeker

Do you hate trite answers to deep questions? From babyhood we construct mental patterns to help make sense of what is around us. With language we gain (illusory) control of the world. By 3 or 4 we ask questions that begin 'why' as often as with 'what'. Some of the 'why' questions are easily answered, some not. I think one of the tasks of adulthood is to go on asking questions and learn to live with questions with no answers, or no answers yet. This also applies to maturing in faith. Most of the world's religions provide some answer to the difficult questions of life or a way of living with them that gives meaning and purpose. I believe God is the Creator of all that there is. This gives rise to some of the biggest questions - and I'm not talking about any supposed conflict between scientific and Biblical ideas of the origins of the universe and humanity's place within it. The biggest question for me is 'why suffering?' When suffering ...

Back in 1999, when on retreat as a deacon about to be ordained priest and feeling inadequate for the changed role ahead, these words from the prophet Micah were given to me.  "He has told you, O mortal, what is good;   and what does the Lord require of you   but to do justice,   and to love kindness,   and to walk humbly with your God?  "        Micah 6:8  These words have remained in my heart and often come back to me, sometimes as re-assurance as they did on that retreat, sometimes as inspiration and challenge.  You don't have to be a Christian to take these words seriously and see their implications for faith in action -  how to relate to God and one another as human beings.  This morning I read the text of a speech given yesterday by Archbishop  Eliud Wabukala to the London Leadership Conference of Gafcon  ( Gafcon stands for Global Anglican Future Conference. The first one ...

I've been thinking about language that demeans  others - so this cartoon caught my eye. One of the things that bugs me is when people refer to adult women as 'girls'. It is usually men who do this and it can seem patronising and belittling. As I wrote this I remembered that I've just renewed my subscription to the '... Old Girls' Association' without batting an eyelid. Well, it is a school for girls and I was a girl when I was a pupil there - but should I start a campaign for a name change for the association? Any WOGA members reading this? We women can be equally guilty of using belittling terms for men. A recent public example was the UK MP Nadine Dorries who accused the Prime Minister and the Chancellor of the Exchequer as being "posh arrogant boys" .  It's all about the power games people play of course and women are just as capable of putting down men as men can put down women. Her comment was matronizing, snobbish and belittling. Wh...