Happy Easter!

Seven up…

1) From the Empty Tomb to Today’s Abuse: Believe Women – This is apt and challenging from Amy Orr-Ewing. She has an especially striking quotation from Dorothy Sayers: “Perhaps it is no wonder that the women were first at the Cradle and last at the Cross. They had never known a man like this Man—there never has been such another.”

2) At Home with the Gettys – Happily surprised to see this pop-up on iPlayer – and I looking forward to watching it over the weekend. Easter 2021 sees the 20th anniversary of the release of ‘In Christ Alone’, sung by over 100 million people across the globe every year (how do they work these things out?!). Fascinating to have the BBC Northern Ireland cameras follow Keith & Kristyn into their home.

3) ‘Spiritual but not religious’: the rise of consumerism in church – Interesting reflection in The Spectator, with James Mumford arguing that the plea to declare that Christianity is ‘not about being religious’ is misguided, and may even underplay the call to a ‘transformation’ that goes beyond the change we’d quite like. Stunning Easter weekend magazine cover too. A recent Guardian editorial also reflected on how things may look in the latest UK Census and notes that whilst it may be appropriate to consider the UK post-Christian, perhaps we’re also ‘post-secular’: “Congregations may have since thinned out, but spiritual hunger is part of the human condition. It will find other outlets and means of expression in the years to come.”

4) FREE – A fab little spoken word video for Easter from Dundonald Church.

5) The State of Evangelicalism – Mark Meynell has written a hugely stimulating and perceptive series of blog-posts about evangelicalism ‘from within’ over the last six months – and now you can read them all as part of an eBook for free.

6) Easter Message Without Words – Dunno if this is the original, but loved this powerful image. If you’d prefer something with a few words, I loved this short video of UK Member of Parliament, Tim Farron, share his story of how Easter Changed his life.

7) Dedicated churchgoer, 82, has dressed up in her Sunday best for 52 weeks of VIRTUAL church services – For something a bit different, I’m just glad my mother-in-law is getting the respect she deserves.

Seven up…

1) Easter Videos, Resources & Songs at Go Chatter – Need some visual resources for services, events or social feeds this wee? Look no further than Go Chatter! You can also see their selection of songs for church services, and customisable ‘scroll-stopping’ videos.

2) Jonathan Fletcher Abuse Report – Sobering and distressing reading this week, after independent Christian charity Thirtyone:Eight produced this long-awaited ‘Independent Lessons Learned Review’ (146 pages) concerning Jonathan Fletcher and the church where he was vicar, Emmanuel Church Wimbledon (at their request and on their terms). This is after news first broke publicly in 2019 about his abusive behaviour. More on the scope of the review can be found here. Not least in terms of listening to the 27 survivors who felt able to speak out, the report is important reading. One victim, Lee Furney, waived his right to anonymity and spoke out this week, including to Channel 4’s Cathy Newman and at length to Christian investigative journalist Julie Roys. An Independent Advisory Group, including one of Fletcher’s victims and four members who would identify as ‘conservative evangelical’, met with the Reviewers and produced this separate 5-page statement. It draws out some of the wider questions and concerns about what kind of ministry culture fails to identify or act appropriately on Fletcher’s abuse and what might need to happen to navigate a way forward together with integrity. As Thirtyone:Eight’s reviewers said, “Where ‘protecting the gospel’ or ‘protecting the network’ is synonymous and seen as the ultimate goal, where institutions are prioritised over individuals, where there is no, or insufficient external oversight or accountability and where psychological maltreatment is down-played and dismissed, the potential for harm is significant.” As if that wasn’t harrowing enough, another report, this one concerning John Smyth (now deceased), also an abuser and connected to Fletcher, was published this week for Scripture Union. Pray. Listen. Weep. Thank the Lord for those who have pursued truth and justice at cost.

3) Five Lessons Learned in Preparing for Easter – So. Much. Wisdom. A good read ahead of this week.

4) A Renewed Hope: Parliamentarians tell the Easter Story – There’s something powerful about this retelling of the Easter story from across the political spectrum.

5) Keswick Convention 2021 – Keswick Ministries announced last week that they’re planning “with caution and optimism and looking forward to seeing you at this year’s Keswick Convention (17 July – 6 August).” The Government’s roadmap confirms that the Convention can go ahead this year as the restrictions ease, but due to Covid it will be a very different year to normal. There’s a list of Frequently Asked Questions here.

6) Why Counting Counts – Praying the Census – After Census day last week, Alianore Smith reflects on how we might respond as Christians.

7) Drone Flies Over Volcano – For something a bit different, this is stunning footage from the violator that began erupting near Reykjavik last weekend. And if that doesn’t captivate you, then it’ll have to be this thread of Premier League managers as pieces of art.

Seven up:

1) From March to March, How Music Made Meaning – As we mark a year of lockdown, this is a collection of the music that formed a part of that year: “Thank God we have the ability to make meaning in a chaotic world. Thank God we can create beauty as a testament to hope in a world of fear, and resurrection in a world of death.”

2) For When the Saints Come Marching In – Garry Williams with some profound reflections on what it means to pastor people emerging from lockdown.

3) Pam Against Posturing: On the Michael Scott Theory of Social Class – Ok this is niche, but if you’re into the American version of The Office, it may be just your cup of tea – a kind of theo-sociological reading of the characters.

4) I’m an Evangelist. We Must Think (and Feel) Our Way Out of This Mess – There’s been some dialogue over the last few years as to the relationship between mind and heart, not least in how people change. A few weeks ago I linked to this article from James K. A. Smith offering one perspective. Esther O’Reilly offers this healthy response which reflects on the role of truth and the mind.

5) What would a conversion therapy ban mean for gay Christians like me? – Largely the social media heat around banning gay conversion therapy has shrugged off any suggestion some nuance would be important. Ed Shaw in The Spectator speaks from his own perspective and with his own story, offering a concern.

6) New Song: It Was Finished Upon That Cross (City Alight) – Just in time for Holy Week: “Free from every plan of darkness Free to live and free to love Death is dead and Christ is risen! It was finished upon that cross…”

7) Line of Duty Series 1-5 Summarised in 6 Minutes – For something a bit different, if you’re about to start L.O.D. Series 6 (or just have), then this is a fun whistle-stop catch-up on the major plot points. Take a deep breath first.