This is the next in my series of update posts for those of you who are interested in what we've been up to since we left Lancashire. I've covered up until the move, so I'll try and update you on what's happened since.
We spent our first few days in the new house, with the help of my parents, cleaning, decorating and unpacking boxes. As always, though, the list of jobs was bigger than the time we had available. By the weekend, we were plunged into life at Westcott. the induction week started in a very civilised manner with afternoon tea, but from then onwards it got a little hectic. The programme was crammed with orientation talks, briefings, social events, and of course the offices. We certainly felt the strain of living out of college during the first week. My cycling muscles were slowly remembering what to do again, and DrLanky was pounding the pavements of north Cambridge with alarming frequency in a bid to provide us with some family time.
Since the selection of course options and the start of the timetable, things have settled somewhat. We're now getting into a bit of a routine, and it feels like life may actually be manageable again, but the first week or so was hard. My advice to anyone thinking of training for ministry would be to try very hard to put some space between your old job and your house move, and then some more space between your house move and the start of term. We have a thousand jobs that need doing in the house, and they will just have to wait because there's no time during the term.
22 October 2010
20 October 2010
Inept herds
I'm quite proud of the fact that my trusty Marin Bolinas Ridge (bike) is still going strong nearly fourteen years after I bought it, but it's not sheer chance that this is the case. I'm not a maintenance freak who spends hours in the garage tinkering with gears and brakes, but I do realise the importance of looking after your bike; cleaning, occasional lubrication, adjustment of gears and brakes when required etc. I try to do enough to keep the bike functioning smoothly and reliably, and I haven't found the need for a mass of specialist tools or insider knowledge.
In Cambridge, it seems that cyclists wear their mechanical ineptitude like a badge! I've lost count of the number of times I've passed a bike with a rubbing brake pad, or a gearing problem. There are even more bikes in the city that look like they would struggle to move with a following breeze! What is it about such a cycling-mad city that makes people take their bikes for granted? Also, what is it that makes many cyclists feel they are visible to other road users at night-time when they make no effort to wear reflective materials or even to have lights on their bike?
I conclude that it's something to do with herd mentality. People feel artificially safe on their bikes because there are so many other cyclists about. It's the same with helmets, though there are more wearers in the city than I thought there would be.
On the plus side, I am enjoying cycling in a city where the cyclist commands more respect than I have experienced elsewhere. This is the positive side of the herd (for the cyclists), though I accept as a driver this is not necessarily good all round.
Rant over.
In Cambridge, it seems that cyclists wear their mechanical ineptitude like a badge! I've lost count of the number of times I've passed a bike with a rubbing brake pad, or a gearing problem. There are even more bikes in the city that look like they would struggle to move with a following breeze! What is it about such a cycling-mad city that makes people take their bikes for granted? Also, what is it that makes many cyclists feel they are visible to other road users at night-time when they make no effort to wear reflective materials or even to have lights on their bike?
I conclude that it's something to do with herd mentality. People feel artificially safe on their bikes because there are so many other cyclists about. It's the same with helmets, though there are more wearers in the city than I thought there would be.
On the plus side, I am enjoying cycling in a city where the cyclist commands more respect than I have experienced elsewhere. This is the positive side of the herd (for the cyclists), though I accept as a driver this is not necessarily good all round.
Rant over.
19 October 2010
I should be doing reading for tomorrow's lectures...
...but I just discovered that a fellow Westcott ordinand is a blogger. Hurrah! Here's a link.
A nice way to start the day
This was the view this morning as I arrived at Westcott House for Morning Prayer. The church spire is that of All Saints Church, a 'redundant' church which is kept open by the Churches Conservation Trust, and used by the Westcott community for services where the Chapel is too small for the congregation.
One of the nice things about 'commuting' in to College is that I often see beautiful things at silly times in the morning.
Anyway, off to morning prayer now. Have a good day.
18 October 2010
Confused and concerned
I don't profess to be an expert on German politics, but I was surprised to see the comments from Chancellor Merkel in the press this weekend. The BBC gave a very balanced report about her speech, but I found myself more in sync with the coverage in this morning's Independent. Here's the headline: Weak Merkel stokes xenophobia as she fights for political survival. The Independent doesn't often go all hyperbolic, but I thought this was quite a stroppy headline for them. I agree with them too; I thought Merkel was meant to be a liberal conservative, but this story paints Germany in a bad light.
15 October 2010
The stress of the big move
Anyone who knows us personally will have realised that DrLanky and I possess a lot of stuff. Much of it in the form of books. So moving was always likely to be an intense experience, especially with LittleLanky on the scene, and me at work until just a few days before the move. And so it proved to be!
We had gone with the cheapest removal quote, but the firm had a good reputation, so we weren't worried at all. The estimator had visited the house and given his quotation like all the others. On the day, though, it transpired that too small a lorry had been allocated to the job. They couldn't fit all of our stuff on, and had to hire a second van to take the surplus. They had clearly underestimated the size of the job.
The hardest bit about this was the stress it caused all round. DrLanky was stressed and exhausted after having pulled an all-nighter, and the removal men were stressed as they saw their working day being stretched out before them.
The other difficulty was that we were still packing on the day. Because we had long ago outgrown the house, there was no room to pack until some of the stuff started to be removed. This meant that we relied heavily on a couple of friends (you know who you are). They took a huge amount of time to help us pack, and look after LittleLanky. They also provided the space and motivation for DrLanky to take a mid morning snooze to stop her from collapsing. Friends are a marvellous gift, and we are truly grateful for their help. Without them, we really wouldn't have managed.
We finally handed our keys back to the landlord late in the afternoon (we were meant to be underway by lunchtime). Thankfully the sedation administered to the cats in the morning was still effective, and we had a relatively smooth journey to Cambridge.
We met my parents at the house, and in the morning the removal van arrived to unload. That bit went quite smoothly, though they could have done with an extra person to make the job quicker. I have no problem with the people who actually came to do the work. They did grumble, but they soldiered on and got the job done. If the estimator had done his job better, everyone would have been happier!
Since then, a lot has happened. I'll try to find the time to say some more soon.
We had gone with the cheapest removal quote, but the firm had a good reputation, so we weren't worried at all. The estimator had visited the house and given his quotation like all the others. On the day, though, it transpired that too small a lorry had been allocated to the job. They couldn't fit all of our stuff on, and had to hire a second van to take the surplus. They had clearly underestimated the size of the job.
The hardest bit about this was the stress it caused all round. DrLanky was stressed and exhausted after having pulled an all-nighter, and the removal men were stressed as they saw their working day being stretched out before them.
The other difficulty was that we were still packing on the day. Because we had long ago outgrown the house, there was no room to pack until some of the stuff started to be removed. This meant that we relied heavily on a couple of friends (you know who you are). They took a huge amount of time to help us pack, and look after LittleLanky. They also provided the space and motivation for DrLanky to take a mid morning snooze to stop her from collapsing. Friends are a marvellous gift, and we are truly grateful for their help. Without them, we really wouldn't have managed.
We finally handed our keys back to the landlord late in the afternoon (we were meant to be underway by lunchtime). Thankfully the sedation administered to the cats in the morning was still effective, and we had a relatively smooth journey to Cambridge.
We met my parents at the house, and in the morning the removal van arrived to unload. That bit went quite smoothly, though they could have done with an extra person to make the job quicker. I have no problem with the people who actually came to do the work. They did grumble, but they soldiered on and got the job done. If the estimator had done his job better, everyone would have been happier!
Since then, a lot has happened. I'll try to find the time to say some more soon.
5 October 2010
Letting go
Apart from my very brief update of last week, the blog has been silent for the last couple of weeks. I've just caught up with all my blog reading, which I'd also neglected, and it seems a lot has happened in the world since my silence started.
Though it's only been a couple of weeks, our world has changed in a massive way since my posts from before we left Lancashire. I think this will be the first of a brief series of posts about the changes we've experienced, and the transition we've gone through in recent days and weeks.
In our summer pack of information from Westcott was a letter from the Principal. In it, he told us that we needed to start letting go of the communities that were sending us so that we could fully embrace the community which was waiting to welcome us. At the time, I remember thinking that that was a nice idea, but that we had a house to pack, a busy time at work, and a one-year-old to care for. Letting go was something we just couldn't do at the start of the summer.
As the move date got closer, it was still difficult to let go. I was working until the Friday before our move, and you can't really let go when you're still doing the 9 to 5.
The first point at which it became real that we had to 'let go' was when we commenced our programme of farewell parties and services at Lancaster. The morning service on our final Sunday was hard. It was hard to acknowledge that we needed to let go of Lancaster and the Chaplaincy, even though we knew we had to do it. It was hard to say goodbye to friends, knowing that we had made the active decision to move away. It was really hard! And it was hard to let go of the comfort of knowing Lancaster and the University.
I found myself remembering the words of Hedley Cousin (a former Methodist Chaplain at the University) to a departing cohort of undergraduates. He said that they should treasure the experience of being part of the Chaplaincy because it was unique, and they were unlikely to find anything else quite like it. Having finally left after 13 years, I am sure that he was right. We'll treasure our memories of the Chaplaincy Community, from our days as idealistic undergrads to our more relaxed days with the Postgrad Group. We'll miss the friends we've made more than anything, though many have booked our spare room already, and those friendships will continue despite the distance.
So we've finally let go of Lancaster. Going back to visit will be nice, and we'll do it often, but it won't be the same. There will be no 'home' for us there, apart from the homes of our friends with whom we hope to stay. It still feels odd, and as DrLanky put it the other day, there's still a dull ache within us at the thought of what we've left behind. But underpinning all of these feelings is the belief and hope in God's purpose for our lives. In a very real sense, we did not choose the path that has led us here. Rather, we were chosen. In giving our lives to this vocation, we've accepted that there will be pain and discomfort along the way, and we need to learn to deal with it in a positive way.
Next time I'll fill you in with some of the details about our removal experience - I bet you can't wait.
Though it's only been a couple of weeks, our world has changed in a massive way since my posts from before we left Lancashire. I think this will be the first of a brief series of posts about the changes we've experienced, and the transition we've gone through in recent days and weeks.
In our summer pack of information from Westcott was a letter from the Principal. In it, he told us that we needed to start letting go of the communities that were sending us so that we could fully embrace the community which was waiting to welcome us. At the time, I remember thinking that that was a nice idea, but that we had a house to pack, a busy time at work, and a one-year-old to care for. Letting go was something we just couldn't do at the start of the summer.
As the move date got closer, it was still difficult to let go. I was working until the Friday before our move, and you can't really let go when you're still doing the 9 to 5.
The first point at which it became real that we had to 'let go' was when we commenced our programme of farewell parties and services at Lancaster. The morning service on our final Sunday was hard. It was hard to acknowledge that we needed to let go of Lancaster and the Chaplaincy, even though we knew we had to do it. It was hard to say goodbye to friends, knowing that we had made the active decision to move away. It was really hard! And it was hard to let go of the comfort of knowing Lancaster and the University.
I found myself remembering the words of Hedley Cousin (a former Methodist Chaplain at the University) to a departing cohort of undergraduates. He said that they should treasure the experience of being part of the Chaplaincy because it was unique, and they were unlikely to find anything else quite like it. Having finally left after 13 years, I am sure that he was right. We'll treasure our memories of the Chaplaincy Community, from our days as idealistic undergrads to our more relaxed days with the Postgrad Group. We'll miss the friends we've made more than anything, though many have booked our spare room already, and those friendships will continue despite the distance.
So we've finally let go of Lancaster. Going back to visit will be nice, and we'll do it often, but it won't be the same. There will be no 'home' for us there, apart from the homes of our friends with whom we hope to stay. It still feels odd, and as DrLanky put it the other day, there's still a dull ache within us at the thought of what we've left behind. But underpinning all of these feelings is the belief and hope in God's purpose for our lives. In a very real sense, we did not choose the path that has led us here. Rather, we were chosen. In giving our lives to this vocation, we've accepted that there will be pain and discomfort along the way, and we need to learn to deal with it in a positive way.
Next time I'll fill you in with some of the details about our removal experience - I bet you can't wait.
29 September 2010
I'm still here (a different here)
For those of you who may have thought I had expired in the tumult of removals and starting theological college, fear not! We landed safely in Cambridge and are starting to settle in. Moving house was hard, and since arriving in Cambridge, I have barely had a minute to spare. First with house decoration, and then the start of the Westcott induction programme; it's been a bit of a roller-coaster. Things are starting to settle now, and I will have some more time over the next few days, so yo may hear a little more from me. The only complication is that Sky are still working on connecting our house to the information superhighway, so my only internet access is in my study in Westcott.
That's all for now. Come back soon if you're interested in a more detailed analysis of the last couple of weeks. I'll try to get something up tomorrow.
That's all for now. Come back soon if you're interested in a more detailed analysis of the last couple of weeks. I'll try to get something up tomorrow.
10 September 2010
Last day
It's my last day at work today. I graduated from Lancaster in the summer of 2001, and apart from a short spell between jobs at St Martin's and at the University, I've been gainfully employed for all of that time. It feels very weird to be bringing such a significant phase of my life to a close.
There's one pile on my desk that needs to be sorted, and a spreadsheet I'd promised to finish, but apart from that, I'm done! Very, very odd!
There's one pile on my desk that needs to be sorted, and a spreadsheet I'd promised to finish, but apart from that, I'm done! Very, very odd!
9 September 2010
Quote of the day!
In response to the critics of a Mass in Soho which is aimed at welcoming gay Catholics, Archbishop Nichols has issued a proper dressing down. He said:
"Anybody who is trying to cast a judgement on the people who come forward for communion really ought to hold their tongue.”
Hear hear, Archbishop. Though it's a shame a special Mass is required to make gay Catholics feel able to attend.
Packers' Progress
No, I'm not referring to Green Bay's American Football team, I'm referring to Dr Lanky and myself. The last few evenings have been busy, with social engagements every night. We don't want to miss out on the last few social opportunities in Lancaster, but we also know that we need to get moving with the packing process, so we've been aiming to clear a bookcase per day by doing a late night packing flurry. Isn't it amazing how many boxes you need to pack up the contents of a bookcase!?
The good news is that just about all the books are packed now. Tonight's job is to clear the DVDs, videos and CDs, and at that point the remaining task starts to look managable.
The house is starting to look less like our home as it is gradually stripped of all our 'things'; it's sad and exciting at the same time. Though there's not much time for reflection when so much needs to be done in so short a timespan.
6 days (only 2 at work)
The good news is that just about all the books are packed now. Tonight's job is to clear the DVDs, videos and CDs, and at that point the remaining task starts to look managable.
The house is starting to look less like our home as it is gradually stripped of all our 'things'; it's sad and exciting at the same time. Though there's not much time for reflection when so much needs to be done in so short a timespan.
6 days (only 2 at work)
7 September 2010
A busy weekend
Last weekend was completely insane! We had five house guests, a meal with friends from the chaplaincy on Saturday, a farewell service at the Chaplaincy and a bring and share barbecue on the Sunday, finished off with Reflect. I meant to post about it yesterday, but I spent most of Monday trying to stay awake!
It's been a while since we had a weekend with lots of friends from the past visiting us, and it was great to do it again. It was notable, though, that life has changed in a massive way for some of us. The addition of small children puts a different emphasis on life, and bedtimes are a little more sensible than they used to be on similar weekends.
Another highlight of the weekend was our farewell service, which was the regular Chaplaincy (non-term-time) service with a liberal scattering of old faces who came back to wave us off. Since LittleLanky arrived, I've had a bit less to do with music in the morning services at Chaplaincy, and it was really good to team up with an old chaplaincy friend to plan and lead the music (with the accompaniment of RevKev on the guitar).
At this point I need to issue a **Blog Etiquette Warning**. I'm not usually one for posting the lyrics of songs and hymns on the blog, but I will do so shortly. Please turn away from the screen if you are offended by such things.
In worship, I find I am readily 'affected' by good music, and although Sunday wasn't necessarily a virtuoso performance, the final hymn was an emotional roller-coaster for me. We sang 'The Summons' by John Bell and Graham Maule from the Iona community. It's a hymn that I've always liked, despite the mauling (pardon the pun) it often gets by English organists and choirs, but on Sunday the words spoke to me in a spine tingling way that made it hard to sing - let alone lead. If you don't know it, or need a reminder, here are the words:
The other high point of the weekend was the barbecue after the service. We were joined by friends and family, and the weather was great! We had a wonderful time in each other's company, and I'm very grateful to all the people who pitched in to help with setting up and cleaning away. It always seems to be the same selfless individuals who disappear into the kitchen, without a sound, to do the washing up. You know who you are, and so do we! We notice your service to others, and we appreciate it.
Seeing so many friends from past and present made me reflect on the fact that although we are moving from Lancaster, the friends we have will support us wherever we go. We've offered the use of our spare room in Cambridge to many people now, and we really hope that at least some of them take up the offer. Our house in Lancaster has been a happy house with a sometimes revolving door, and although it can be hard work to keep on top of sheet washing and furniture re-arrangements, I'd like that to continue as we move to Cambridge. We need to start with a housewarming party, perhaps to coincide with LittleLanky's first birthday in October.
8 days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It's been a while since we had a weekend with lots of friends from the past visiting us, and it was great to do it again. It was notable, though, that life has changed in a massive way for some of us. The addition of small children puts a different emphasis on life, and bedtimes are a little more sensible than they used to be on similar weekends.
Another highlight of the weekend was our farewell service, which was the regular Chaplaincy (non-term-time) service with a liberal scattering of old faces who came back to wave us off. Since LittleLanky arrived, I've had a bit less to do with music in the morning services at Chaplaincy, and it was really good to team up with an old chaplaincy friend to plan and lead the music (with the accompaniment of RevKev on the guitar).
At this point I need to issue a **Blog Etiquette Warning**. I'm not usually one for posting the lyrics of songs and hymns on the blog, but I will do so shortly. Please turn away from the screen if you are offended by such things.
In worship, I find I am readily 'affected' by good music, and although Sunday wasn't necessarily a virtuoso performance, the final hymn was an emotional roller-coaster for me. We sang 'The Summons' by John Bell and Graham Maule from the Iona community. It's a hymn that I've always liked, despite the mauling (pardon the pun) it often gets by English organists and choirs, but on Sunday the words spoke to me in a spine tingling way that made it hard to sing - let alone lead. If you don't know it, or need a reminder, here are the words:
It was one of those situations when the writer speaks so clearly and poignantly that it feels as though the words could have been commissioned for that particular service, and for me personally. I certainly felt that God was speaking through the words of Bell and Maule, directly to my family and me as we prepare to take a massive step into the unknown. The words reminded me that although we don't know the details of how the next few years will pan out, we're being sent as God's people, under God's care, and that the journey will be one of growth and incredible change. It might be scary, but it's good-scary!
Will you come and follow me if I but call your name?
Will you go where you don't know and never be the same?
Will you let my love be shown? Will you let my name be known,
will you let my life be grown in you and you in me?
Will you leave yourself behind if I but call your name?
Will you care for cruel and kind and never be the same?
Will you risk the hostile stare should your life attract or scare?
Will you let me answer prayer in you and you in me?
Will you let the blinded see if I but call your name?
Will you set the prisoners free and never be the same?
Will you kiss the leper clean and do such as this unseen,
and admit to what I mean in you and you in me?
Will you love the "you" you hide if I but call your name?
Will you quell the fear inside and never be the same?
Will you use the faith you've found to reshape the world around,
through my sight and touch and sound in you and you in me?
Lord your summons echoes true when you but call my name.
Let me turn and follow you and never be the same.
In Your company I'll go where Your love and footsteps show.
Thus I'll move and live and grow in you and you in me.
The other high point of the weekend was the barbecue after the service. We were joined by friends and family, and the weather was great! We had a wonderful time in each other's company, and I'm very grateful to all the people who pitched in to help with setting up and cleaning away. It always seems to be the same selfless individuals who disappear into the kitchen, without a sound, to do the washing up. You know who you are, and so do we! We notice your service to others, and we appreciate it.
Seeing so many friends from past and present made me reflect on the fact that although we are moving from Lancaster, the friends we have will support us wherever we go. We've offered the use of our spare room in Cambridge to many people now, and we really hope that at least some of them take up the offer. Our house in Lancaster has been a happy house with a sometimes revolving door, and although it can be hard work to keep on top of sheet washing and furniture re-arrangements, I'd like that to continue as we move to Cambridge. We need to start with a housewarming party, perhaps to coincide with LittleLanky's first birthday in October.
8 days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
3 September 2010
A Friday roundup
I don't think there's a law about the number of roundup posts one should post per week, but I felt the urge to do another one today.
Unbelievable Church - I've been thinking and reading a lot about the way our church culture and architecture affect our missional ability, and Bishop Nick Baines' post about the Expowal has got me thinking even more. He's discovered a remarkable community which meets in an odd building on a retail park:
An apple by any other name - I saw Rory Cellan-Jones' package on the 10 o'clock news last night, and I was underwhelmed by the so-called iPad killers. I've used an iPad at work and I've been impressed. It's quick, well designed and very tactile. As usual, Apple have thought long and hard about their materials and the ways in which the product will be used. In fact, it seems to me that Apple are one of few companies who do justice to their designers. They start with the users' needs and they build a product to fit these needs. From what I saw of the competition, the same is not true in their R&D departments. Either that, or the good design features get value-engineered out to ensure the price is lower than the iPad. Either way, the iPad is still on my wish list.
Last week at work - After today, I have 5 working days left at the university. Yay and Arrgh at the same time.
Unbelievable Church - I've been thinking and reading a lot about the way our church culture and architecture affect our missional ability, and Bishop Nick Baines' post about the Expowal has got me thinking even more. He's discovered a remarkable community which meets in an odd building on a retail park:
The church’s strapline is: “Eine unglaubliche Kirche” (“An unbelievable church”). Given that 5-600 people drive out there each Sunday (two services) or on a Wednesday evening, it seems to be scratching where these people are itching. They simply want to enable people to find, in a community with others, that God can be encountered and life enjoyed. The realities of life are faced and people of all sorts welcomed. And nothing happens without food, drink and hospitality.I want to believe - not in God (I'm reasonably sorted on that one) but in the latest attempt at a peace process for the Middle East. I'm by no means an expert on the politics of this part of the world, but what I do know is that the current situation is unsatisfactory to all parties. You'd think this would be a good reason to be optimistic about some improvement coming from the process, but I really can't see it. I hope and pray that I'm wrong.
An apple by any other name - I saw Rory Cellan-Jones' package on the 10 o'clock news last night, and I was underwhelmed by the so-called iPad killers. I've used an iPad at work and I've been impressed. It's quick, well designed and very tactile. As usual, Apple have thought long and hard about their materials and the ways in which the product will be used. In fact, it seems to me that Apple are one of few companies who do justice to their designers. They start with the users' needs and they build a product to fit these needs. From what I saw of the competition, the same is not true in their R&D departments. Either that, or the good design features get value-engineered out to ensure the price is lower than the iPad. Either way, the iPad is still on my wish list.
Last week at work - After today, I have 5 working days left at the university. Yay and Arrgh at the same time.
2 September 2010
A new colleague
A friend from school recently sent a message to me and to another of her friends. Both of us are due to start theological training in Cambridge in the coming weeks, and she thought that an introduction was due. Having chatted briefly on Facebook, I now see that a blog has appeared, and I thought it my duty to post about it here so you can check the accuracy of any of my Cambridge related posts with a third party. He and I are actually studying the same programme of study with the Cambridge Theological Federation - it's a small world.
The Mendip Nomad is his blogging identity, and you can find his blog here. As he's training for ministry in the Methodist church, it will be interesting to see the way our experiences compare.
The Mendip Nomad is his blogging identity, and you can find his blog here. As he's training for ministry in the Methodist church, it will be interesting to see the way our experiences compare.
Physics Genius Stephen Hawking has restated his previously stated position about the need for God in the process of creation in slightly different words, but with precisely the same conclusion
I posted last week about why I think one can defend the creation of a BBC religion editor, and the fuss about Stephen Hawking's 'u-turn' over the possible existence of God makes the point nicely.
Otherwise intelligent journalists (like John Humphreys on Radio 4 this morning) seem to turn into gibbering, incoherent numpties when they get near a religious news story*. The whole idea that Hawking has had a major turnaround in his beliefs is something with which the Church Mouse takes issue, and I'm inclined to agree with him:
It occurs to me that a good religion editor in the BBC would have been called in here to make some sort of analysis, and they would hopefully have removed the spin and hyperbole from the BBC's coverage. They may even have offered some more incisive research into Hawking's position, and given a balanced and accurate rendering to the fact that 'Physics Genius Stephen Hawking has restated his previously stated position about the need for God in the process of creation in slightly different words, but with precisely the same conclusion'. Not such a snappy headline is it?
*I accept that's not entirley true - I enjoyed Humphreys' series of interviews about his own beliefs, but we can all use a bit of hyperbole occasionally
Update - Mark Vernon has a different angle on the issue here.
13 days
Otherwise intelligent journalists (like John Humphreys on Radio 4 this morning) seem to turn into gibbering, incoherent numpties when they get near a religious news story*. The whole idea that Hawking has had a major turnaround in his beliefs is something with which the Church Mouse takes issue, and I'm inclined to agree with him:
Here's what Hawking said in 1989:What I have done is to show that it is possible for the way the universe began to be determined by the laws of science. In that case, it would not be necessary to appeal to God to decide how the universe began. This doesn't prove that there is no God, only that God is not necessary. [Stephen W. Hawking, Der Spiegel, 1989]Compare the quote from 1989 with the one which has caused the headlines today:
"Because there is a law such as gravity, the universe can and will create itself from nothing. Spontaneous creation is the reason there is something rather than nothing, why the universe exists, why we exist. It is not necessary to invoke God to light the blue touch paper and set the universe going."If anyone can spot a difference, please let Mouse know.
It occurs to me that a good religion editor in the BBC would have been called in here to make some sort of analysis, and they would hopefully have removed the spin and hyperbole from the BBC's coverage. They may even have offered some more incisive research into Hawking's position, and given a balanced and accurate rendering to the fact that 'Physics Genius Stephen Hawking has restated his previously stated position about the need for God in the process of creation in slightly different words, but with precisely the same conclusion'. Not such a snappy headline is it?
*I accept that's not entirley true - I enjoyed Humphreys' series of interviews about his own beliefs, but we can all use a bit of hyperbole occasionally
Update - Mark Vernon has a different angle on the issue here.
13 days
1 September 2010
Two weeks and counting
The consequence of having been in Lancaster for a relatively long time is that there are many people to whom we need to say 'farewell'. This week sees the kick-off of a succession of visits, meals and gatherings to mark our departure, and we're looking forward to seeing all the people - even though we're sad about leaving Lancaster. I suppose it's made slightly easier because many of the people who are coming to say goodbye have already left Lancaster or were never in Lancaster - so our relationships with them will not be changing when we move. Being part of the Chaplaincy has meant that many of our best friends have long since moved on, having completed their studies. Of course, there are a few who have hung around like we have too, and it will be sad to say goodbye to the Postgrad Group and Reflect regulars.
The difficult thing is that this flurry of social activity is, by necessity, at the time when we are preparing to leave. This is also the time when we need to be packing our things into boxes, so we hope our house-guests won't mind assisting us in this task when they arrive later today.
We also need to reduce the amount of food and drink that we have to transport in two weeks time, so they might have to help us with a small oversupply of beer and other beverages which have been taking up space in our spare room since a party in February.
14 days
The difficult thing is that this flurry of social activity is, by necessity, at the time when we are preparing to leave. This is also the time when we need to be packing our things into boxes, so we hope our house-guests won't mind assisting us in this task when they arrive later today.
We also need to reduce the amount of food and drink that we have to transport in two weeks time, so they might have to help us with a small oversupply of beer and other beverages which have been taking up space in our spare room since a party in February.
14 days
31 August 2010
Tuesday roundup
As yesterday was a Bank Holiday, my semi-frequent Monday roundup didn't happen. Here's a Tuesday roundup instead.
KP Skipped - I worked hard for a crisp related pun there, and I think I got away with it. It turns out that the out of form Kevin Pietersen has been dropped for the upcoming Twenty20 games against Pakistan. I applaud the guts of the England selectors in leaving him out, but I can't help feeling that his downfall was brought about by his disastrous spell as England captain. Since then, he just hasn't seemed like the player he used to be. I expect the selectors had something to do with his ill-judged promotion, so they probably need to take a share of the responsibility for his current state. Announcing the news on Twitter in conjunction with an expletive probably wasn't the best move though KP.
Lies and corruption - Having posted recently about the higher moral standards in cricket (compared to other sports), I am very disappointed to see the revelations about the Pakistan cricket team. It's not the first time the sport has been rocked by a betting scandal, and I would think that the explosion of online spot-betting has made life very difficult for the ICC's anti-corruption people. It's such a shame that the Pakistan team seem to have so many problems at the moment, and I hope they return to their position as a top test team soon.
Looking forward - Matthew McMurray has broken a 2 month blogging gap with a catch-up post, and his post makes me look forward to my own training. He recounts some of the events from his current placement, and I find myself itching to get stuck in!
Speaking in tongues - This week, the Chaplaincy has hosted an exchange trip. We are linked with chaplaincies at the Universities of Oulu (Finland) and Braunschweig (Germany). Each summer, a group of students visits one of the three countries, enabling them to experience church in another culture and life in another place. A few years ago we went to the Finnish leg of the exchange, and it was fantastic! This week we have a bunch of Finns and Germans with us, and on Sunday they joined us for worship. In the service there was one of those special moments. When we say the Lord's Prayer at Chaplaincy, we often encourage people to use their own language or version of the prayer, but usually you can hear a very dominant lead from the English-speakers. On Sunday, though, there was a definite feeling that we are an international church! The sound of the different languages together was one of those moments when it felt like we were doing it right for a change. All were welcome, and all languages were welcome. We shared together, and our collective experience was broadened. Tonight is the farewell party for the visitors, so we sheall drop in to say farewell.
15 days
KP Skipped - I worked hard for a crisp related pun there, and I think I got away with it. It turns out that the out of form Kevin Pietersen has been dropped for the upcoming Twenty20 games against Pakistan. I applaud the guts of the England selectors in leaving him out, but I can't help feeling that his downfall was brought about by his disastrous spell as England captain. Since then, he just hasn't seemed like the player he used to be. I expect the selectors had something to do with his ill-judged promotion, so they probably need to take a share of the responsibility for his current state. Announcing the news on Twitter in conjunction with an expletive probably wasn't the best move though KP.
Lies and corruption - Having posted recently about the higher moral standards in cricket (compared to other sports), I am very disappointed to see the revelations about the Pakistan cricket team. It's not the first time the sport has been rocked by a betting scandal, and I would think that the explosion of online spot-betting has made life very difficult for the ICC's anti-corruption people. It's such a shame that the Pakistan team seem to have so many problems at the moment, and I hope they return to their position as a top test team soon.
Looking forward - Matthew McMurray has broken a 2 month blogging gap with a catch-up post, and his post makes me look forward to my own training. He recounts some of the events from his current placement, and I find myself itching to get stuck in!
Speaking in tongues - This week, the Chaplaincy has hosted an exchange trip. We are linked with chaplaincies at the Universities of Oulu (Finland) and Braunschweig (Germany). Each summer, a group of students visits one of the three countries, enabling them to experience church in another culture and life in another place. A few years ago we went to the Finnish leg of the exchange, and it was fantastic! This week we have a bunch of Finns and Germans with us, and on Sunday they joined us for worship. In the service there was one of those special moments. When we say the Lord's Prayer at Chaplaincy, we often encourage people to use their own language or version of the prayer, but usually you can hear a very dominant lead from the English-speakers. On Sunday, though, there was a definite feeling that we are an international church! The sound of the different languages together was one of those moments when it felt like we were doing it right for a change. All were welcome, and all languages were welcome. We shared together, and our collective experience was broadened. Tonight is the farewell party for the visitors, so we sheall drop in to say farewell.
15 days
27 August 2010
The final countdown
In exactly two weeks, I will be winding down for my last afternoon of work at the University. I've worked here for over three and a half years now, but our connections with the place go back to 1997 when I joined as an undergraduate student (DrLanky (though she wasn't a Dr or a Lanky at that time) came along in 1998). We've worshipped at the Chaplaincy Centre for the whole time, and we really feel like part of the University community.
As we get closer, it's dawning on me how strange it will be to move away from here. Lancaster is home in many ways, and it seems strange to be preparing to move to Cambridge for just two years.
Jante's tales of packing have made me realise that we really need to crack on with putting things in boxes this weekend. We keep having a go, but seem to stall after a seemingly pitiful effort. In a way it will be helpful if the bank holiday weekend is a washout - at least we wouldn't be tempted to venture out of the house much.
19 days
As we get closer, it's dawning on me how strange it will be to move away from here. Lancaster is home in many ways, and it seems strange to be preparing to move to Cambridge for just two years.
Jante's tales of packing have made me realise that we really need to crack on with putting things in boxes this weekend. We keep having a go, but seem to stall after a seemingly pitiful effort. In a way it will be helpful if the bank holiday weekend is a washout - at least we wouldn't be tempted to venture out of the house much.
19 days
24 August 2010
Taking religion seriously
Bishop Nick Baines has an interesting post about the debate concerning the case for a 'religion editor' for the BBC. In my opnion, he (along with others) makes a strong case based on the need for interpretation and balanced consideration in the news. Through the economic meltdown, we have been treated to the wise, if irritatingly voiced, words of Robert Peston. He has helped us to understand what has been going on in a balanced way - we don't just have to believe the government or opposition hyperbole, and we don't have to wade through the broadsheets analysis. We simply tune into the Beeb and Robert will walk us through it.
The argument continues to say that, as religion is such a massive and influential phenomenon in the world, it makes no sense to ignore it. Even if we disagree with it, we cannot deny its existence or its prominance in society. Rather than taking the atheist position as the objective and scientific one, a religious editor would see this as one of many positions - not the de facto 'thinking person's' view of the world.
My only problem with any of this is that I don't think it is possible for anyone (let alone those in the media) to be completely objective. We're kidding ourselves if we think that Peston is completely without prejudice and bias - we are all prejudiced and biased.
This could be an argument against any kind of mediated news on the basis that it is all prejudiced. I don't think I can successfully defeat that one to my own satisfaction! In reality, though, we rely on mediated news and we always have. Newspapers, even the local ones, have a political slant. They filter out the things they don't consider to be newsworthy based on circulation figures and pre-existing prejudices.
And you can take it back a step further. When I go home tonight and tell DrLanky about my day at work, you can guarantee that I will present the edited highlights; I won't spend 8 hours recalling every trivial occurrance. I will edit the 'news' according to my own bias and prejudice, and according to what I think she will find interesting (sound familiar?). I'm not saying that I will lie, I will just edit the truth - we all do it; we can't avoid doing it! We just don't think about it.
In the end it comes down to trust. If you trust the person giving you the news, you trust that they will tell you the things you feel you need to know, without avoiding any interesting bits. You also trust that they will not distort the facts (though we all* exaggerate to some extent).
It's exactly the same with the news. We choose our news outlets by the way they fit with our world view. This is why I don't read the Sun and I don't watch Fox News - their versions of the truth doesn't seem to match the one that I observe in the world, so I choose to ignore them. Instead, I read the BBC news website and dip into the Indendent and Guardian for my news. They don't always match with my world view, but they get close most of the time.
Once this relationship of trust is established, the viewer can start to trust (to a certain extent) the content being presented, and as long as the editor continues to play ball, everyone is happy. Our trusted editor tells us what we need to know and filters out the uninteresting bits. They also bring to our attention the important things we may not have noticed, and as such they are an important part of the news infrastructure.
The reason I read my news in a few different places, though, is because I don't trust the BBC in the same way as I trust my wife. I feel the need to check up on them to see if they are being faithful. Many people don't do this, especially those who read the red-tops, and this is where the real power of the editor lies. Many people trust the news (from whatever source), and to have a religion editor who brings balance to religious stories would be very welcome.
*pun intended
The argument continues to say that, as religion is such a massive and influential phenomenon in the world, it makes no sense to ignore it. Even if we disagree with it, we cannot deny its existence or its prominance in society. Rather than taking the atheist position as the objective and scientific one, a religious editor would see this as one of many positions - not the de facto 'thinking person's' view of the world.
My only problem with any of this is that I don't think it is possible for anyone (let alone those in the media) to be completely objective. We're kidding ourselves if we think that Peston is completely without prejudice and bias - we are all prejudiced and biased.
This could be an argument against any kind of mediated news on the basis that it is all prejudiced. I don't think I can successfully defeat that one to my own satisfaction! In reality, though, we rely on mediated news and we always have. Newspapers, even the local ones, have a political slant. They filter out the things they don't consider to be newsworthy based on circulation figures and pre-existing prejudices.
And you can take it back a step further. When I go home tonight and tell DrLanky about my day at work, you can guarantee that I will present the edited highlights; I won't spend 8 hours recalling every trivial occurrance. I will edit the 'news' according to my own bias and prejudice, and according to what I think she will find interesting (sound familiar?). I'm not saying that I will lie, I will just edit the truth - we all do it; we can't avoid doing it! We just don't think about it.
In the end it comes down to trust. If you trust the person giving you the news, you trust that they will tell you the things you feel you need to know, without avoiding any interesting bits. You also trust that they will not distort the facts (though we all* exaggerate to some extent).
It's exactly the same with the news. We choose our news outlets by the way they fit with our world view. This is why I don't read the Sun and I don't watch Fox News - their versions of the truth doesn't seem to match the one that I observe in the world, so I choose to ignore them. Instead, I read the BBC news website and dip into the Indendent and Guardian for my news. They don't always match with my world view, but they get close most of the time.
Once this relationship of trust is established, the viewer can start to trust (to a certain extent) the content being presented, and as long as the editor continues to play ball, everyone is happy. Our trusted editor tells us what we need to know and filters out the uninteresting bits. They also bring to our attention the important things we may not have noticed, and as such they are an important part of the news infrastructure.
The reason I read my news in a few different places, though, is because I don't trust the BBC in the same way as I trust my wife. I feel the need to check up on them to see if they are being faithful. Many people don't do this, especially those who read the red-tops, and this is where the real power of the editor lies. Many people trust the news (from whatever source), and to have a religion editor who brings balance to religious stories would be very welcome.
*pun intended
23 August 2010
Time is a strange thing
Today is the 14th working day before I leave the employ of Lancaster University (looking forward to the Bank Holiday). All of a sudden, my mindset has changed from 'just pottering along', to 'how am I going to fit all this in? Aaaargh!'.
That's partly because this week sees my last management team meeting; a meeting for which I do all the leg-work. I'm in the middle of preparing my last set of papers for this meeting, and even after 2 years, I forget just how much work is involved!
So on that note, back to work!
23 days - pictures off the walls and packed. Now need to fill the holes.
That's partly because this week sees my last management team meeting; a meeting for which I do all the leg-work. I'm in the middle of preparing my last set of papers for this meeting, and even after 2 years, I forget just how much work is involved!
So on that note, back to work!
23 days - pictures off the walls and packed. Now need to fill the holes.
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