Alternative Viewpoint

The last two sessions of the Alpha 10 house group were interesting. At the first one, we discussed Richard Dawkin’s book ‘The God Delusion’. Mike Ashwood led it and I thought he did a good job, as it is difficult to get a discussion going about a book if most people have not actually read it.  Dawkin’s book deals with facts, what you can see in front of you, and he has little time for those who use faith to explain something that cannot be seen. 

The second session was a discussion on a book by Reza Aslan called ‘Zealot, The Life And Times Of Jesus Of Nazareth’. Using mainly verses from the Bible, he propounds a theory that Jesus was the leader of an independence movement who was crucified (but not resurrected). Full of information about Jewish history, the book was interesting for just that. However, if you followed his conclusions through, it hardly makes it worth getting up earlier on a Sunday morning. The books were similar in that they dealt with fact only. Hard to argue with unless you had your own Wikipedia of information. 

How do you explain faith?

A Morning With Matthew

British Library Add. MS 59874 Ethiopian Bible - Matthew's Gospel (Ge'ez script) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

On Saturday 12^th October at 10.0am , a group of us gathered in the Windhill Churches Centre for a morning of exploration into Matthew's Gospel.

After an initial gathering and chat over a tea/coffee, the program started with brief introductory session led by The Rev'd Derwyn Williams. This started with the showing of 13 pictures and identifying what biblical passages these related to. These passages, as it turned out, were all unique to Matthew, and indicated how different this gospel is to the others. Derwyn then proceeded to describe the basic features of Matthew's Gospel and what it is trying to tell its readers. It is in essence a "Jewish Gospel" which portrays Jesus in a Jewish context as a fulfilment of Old Testament prophesies, and his authority in Jewish terms ("Messiah", "Son of David" etc.). The Gospel was written for the Jewish Christian Community, and presents Jesus as the "New Moses" both in the comparisons of the life stories and the presence in the Gospel of 5 books of teaching, which can correlate to the Pentateuch.

Following this, we had two short workshop sessions in which we divided into two groups for either a bible study or meditation. The first session included a meditation (Lectio Divina) on Matthew 19, 16-26 led by The Rev 'd Derrick Hinge, or a study of Matthew Chs 3-5, led by Rob Klincke. The second session was a choice of an Ignatian Meditation on Matthew 12 vv 46-50 led by The Rev'd Tim Weeks, or a study of the Nativity as told in Matthew led by Derwyn.

The groups then reassembled for a final short session of questions and reflections on the morning's activities, and closed with a short act of worship.

I found the event a very enjoyable, informative and thought provoking experience which was very well presented. Many thanks to Derwyn and his fellow contributors for a well run course. I encourage all readers to consider taking advantage of future activities like this; it does not matter what level of knowledge on the subject you already have, you will find this type of event of great benefit.

by Peter Rixson

Meeting a Muslim

Alpha 10 House Group have been working through a short series called 'Challenging Our Faith'. First up was a visit by Abdul Rashid, from the Herts & Essex mosque, on 23rd September. Great guy and very open about his own beliefs. It is not often you are able to sit and ask any questions you like about another faith.

Abdul spent some time, as a teenager, in Bangladesh, at a very strict Islamic school. His father had sent him there because of discipline problems when Abdul lived in East London. It seemed to have worked because Abdul is now a teacher at the local mosque.

He often referred to some of the similarities of the Jewish, Christian and Muslim faiths but also kept pointing out that Christianity was the only religion, of the three, that did not worship one God alone. I don't think there was any one time when we 'got him' on a issue - it was much too polite for that. It does make you think, though. I ask myself how different my beliefs would be if I was brought in another country, where another religion predominated.

Thought For The Week

The following was first published in the Herts & Essex Observer, 28th February 2013.

Author: Father Anthony Searle, assistant Curate, St. Michael's Church.

I hate ironing. It comes second to dusting on chores I'd rather not do. There are many things we do not like doing but should. Some of you may be blessed with not having to iron, but I am sure there are other practicalities that you dislike.

Chorse are not alone in causing us discomfort: there's saying sorry. I

I taught for 10 years. There was always that moment when the teen would squirm and avoid eye contact, but admit guilt and, sometimes, say sorry. We don't grow up much from this. We still squirm, making up excuses or changing the rules so that what was 'naughty' is not for 'me'.

The season of Lent is the time when we give up our squirming and admit our guilt: we say sorry, both to friend and stranger, and to God. And we say sorry in the knowledge that, within love, we are forgiven. This shouldn't mean that we do it all over again; but we ask for help not to repeat mis- takes. 

We cannot be good by ourselves - that's why we need others and God - we can be better

'with a little help from our friends'.

Shabby Journalism (Zealot: The Life And Times Of Jesus Of Nazareth)

Dr Reza Aslan is clearly a an excellent scholar  and researcher, and shows admirable patience and restraint under some fairly aggressive and ill-informed questioning from the interviewer. It's obvious that the interviewer, Lauren Green, hadn't read any of Dr Aslan's book, reverting instead to several fairly irrelevant and mis-informed quotes, and repeatedly trying to create her own story around why a Muslim should have written a book about Christianity rather than focussing on the scholarly credentials and academic research that went into the book. Perhaps Dt Aslan should have asked his interrogator whether a book on the life of Jesus would be more relevant and accurate if it had been produced by an uneducated Christian?

Shame on Fox news for some pretty shabby journalism.

The Dr Reza Aslam's book: Zealot: The Life And Times Of Jesus Of Nazareth.

The Parable of Pastor Steepek

This story has been doing the rounds on various social networks these past few days, and is almost certainly a hoax. The image does not show a Pastor Steepek, but rather an actual homeless man in Richmond, Surrey. Moreover, the only references to the alleged Pastor Steepek are those in the circulating message itself.  The idea for the story may have been derived from the experience of Tennessee Pastor Willie Lyle, who lived as a homeless person for a week and later used the experience in a sermon to his new congregation. 

Regardless of the authenticity, it still makes a good story, and brings to life the the parable that Jesus told, as reported in Matthew's Gospel, 25: 31-44. 

Pastor Jeremiah Steepek (pictured below) transformed himself into a homeless person and went to the 10,000 member church that he was to be introduced as the head pastor at that morning. He walked around his soon to be church for 30 minutes while it was filling with people for service, only 3 people out of the 7-10,000 people said hello to him. He asked people for change to buy food - NO ONE in the church gave him change. He went into the sanctuary to sit down in the front of the church and was asked by the ushers if he would please sit n the back. He greeted people to be greeted back with stares and dirty looks, with people looking down on him and judging him.

As he sat in the back of the church, he listened to the church announcements and such. When all that was done, the elders went up and were excited to introduce the new pastor of the church to the congregation. "We would like to introduce to you Pastor Jeremiah Steepek." The congregation looked around clapping with joy and anticipation. The homeless man sitting in the back stood up and started walking down the aisle. The clapping stopped with ALL eyes on him. He walked up the altar and took the microphone from the elders (who were in on this) and paused for a moment then he recited:-

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
'The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

After he recited this, he looked towards the congregation and told them all what he had experienced that morning. Many began to cry and many heads were bowed in shame. He then said, "Today I see a gathering of people, not a church of Jesus Christ. The world has enough people, but not enough disciples. When will YOU decide to become disciples?" 


He then dismissed service until next week.

Being a Christian is more than something you claim. It's something you live by and share with others.

The Installation and Induction of Rev'd Derwyn Williams

A slightly belated post about the Installation of our new vicar.

The Installation and Induction service for the Rev'd Derwyn Williams took place on Tuesday, 12^th March, 2013, at 8.00pm in St. Michael’s. The service was conducted by the Rt Revd Paul Bayes, Bishop of Hertford, and followed by a Reception in the Charnley Hall.

Derwyn is a graduate of Cambridge University, firstly in Natural Sciences, followed by two years at Ridley Hall, Cambridge, and two years further study at Ripon College, Cuddesdon, where he completed the Oxford Diploma in Ministry.   He served his curacy in Harpenden, from where he became  Domestic Chaplain to the Bishop of St Albans, then Christopher Herbert,  for three years  prior to his  current position.

Derwyn has been Rector of St Swithun’s Church, Sandy, since 2000.  He comes to us with a great deal of knowledge and experience of the “other side” of our Diocese and a keenness to learn about this side of the Diocese!  Derwyn is married to Kim and they have an infant daughter, Helena.