21 hour working week

I am reading a report by the New Economics advocating moving to a 21 hour standard working week. Please follow the link and let me know what you think.

Halloween v Guy Fawkes: A friendly rejoinder

Good old Wikipedia!

It's interesting to compare the origins of these two festivals. But any festival can be filled and refilled with changing meanings as time and culture move forward. I suppose Christmas is a good example of a how a pagan holiday, with it's own meaning was refilled with Christian symbolism and has (arguably) now been hollowed out and refilled with shopping and 'only fools and horses'! While the origins and original purpose of each festival is important to understand, I suggest it is equally important to consider the contemporary interpretation too.

The contemporary interpretation of Guy Fawkes night (now increasingly referred to as Bonfire night) seems to me to be a family/friends/community embracing opportunity for fireworks and hot treats in what is otherwise one of the least fun months in the calendar. Perhaps the same can be said for Halloween. But the focus not simply on fantasy, but on fantasy symbolism of personified evil (witches, werewolves,devils etc), not to mention more material symbols of evil (like serial killers and assassins) surely must lead to questions about its desirability and concerns regarding it’s iconic place in our contemporary culture.

I am not suggesting that as Christians we should pretend Halloween doesn’t happen or to disengage from its reality: I’ve heard many Christians say they don’t believe in Halloween – you better believe it, because it exists! Rather I think the challenge is to engage constructively (and perhaps provocatively) with this festival: Affirming the goodness and fun of dressing up, the excitement of adopting a fantasy persona for a couple of hours, the thrill of being out on a dark night… acknowledging the symbolic struggle between good and evil, light and darkness: But without glorifying evil. I’m sure that is what our church’s party will be doing. As to your inspired choice of costume - Darth Vader, what character could better acknowledge the existence of an evil empire, while offering us all the hope of redemption and affirming the ultimate triumph of good!

Happy Halloween.

Halloween versus Guy Fawkes Night

As part of my current focus on Sabbaths and holidays as set out in Old Testament law, I have been thinking about the holidays and festivals celebrated by Christians here in the UK today.

A bigger revelation...

I 've recently written for the Missional Communities blog about "Discovering and Developing Missional Vision." Here’s what I posted…

What holds us back from discovering and developing missional vision?

Of course that's a very big question, no doubt with lots of big answers. None-the-less, I want to make just one suggestion.

The Great Financial Crisis: A Biblical Diagnosis

I came across this challenging article regarding the economic crisis and a Christian approach to finance. Food for thought...

Sabbath in the New Testament

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets: I have not come to abolish them but to fulfil them” (Matthew 5:17). He then goes on to explain how laws about murder should be extended to anger and verbal abuse (the attitudes and behaviours that lead to murder in the most extreme cases) and how laws about adultery also extend to lustful thoughts. His point seems to be that it’s the spirit of the law not the letter of the law that really matters – and, if anything, the former sets the higher standards.

So what does this mean with respect to the Sabbath?

Sabbath in the Law of Moses

My blogging thus far has, by and large, followed the chronology of the Bible from creation to the exodus from Egypt, picking out stories which, in my view, have something to say about economics. I have now reached the point where God gives the law to Moses at the summit of Mount Sinai. The books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy are chiefly concerned with setting out these laws. I will now turn my attention to the analysis of the law of Moses, as it pertains to the economic life of the people of Israel. I will take a thematic approach, assessing various elements of the law within the context in which they were given and attempting to draw out relevant applications for us today

My first theme is that of Sabbath rest. This theme centres around the fourth of the Ten Commandments:

Planning for the 'Just City'

Since as members of St. Toms (and Christians) we are committed to calling our city back to God, I thought the following lecture looks very appropriate. It also resonates with what Metanoia is about. I'll be going along and would love others to join me. If you're interested, let me know:

Planning for the 'Just City'

You are warmly invited to the First Civic University Lecture

By

Professor Susan Fainstein of Harvard University

On

Friday, 21 October 2011 at 5.30pm
In Firth Hall, Firth Court, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN

In the first Civic University Lecture, Susan Fainstein will reflect on the intellectual and policy implications of her significant new book, The Just City. The concept of the "just city" is designed to encourage policy-makers to embrace a different approach to urban development and to challenge the academic community to move beyond critical analysis. The argument applies theoretical concepts about justice developed by contemporary philosophers to the concrete problems faced by urban planners and policymakers and argues that, despite structural obstacles, meaningful reform can be achieved at the local level.

Susan Fainstein is Professor of Urban Planning in the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University. A leading authority on comparative urban public policy, urban redevelopment and planning theory, her books include: The Just City, The City Builders, Restructuring the City, and Urban Political Movements.

Professor Keith Burnett, Vice Chancellor, University of Sheffield, states: "The Civic University initiative is central to our mission. The aim is to foster mutually beneficial interactions between civic and intellectual concerns, with an underlying aspiration to make a difference. This, the first Civic University Lecture, is part of this initiative."

Entry is free of charge but by ticket only. Book online at www.shef.ac.uk/whatson/justcity

This lecture is supported by the Public Services Academy and the Department of Town and Regional Planning.

For booking enquiries please contact Gail Street in the Events Team, University of Sheffield,
Email: g.street@sheffield.ac.uk, Tel: 0114 222 8893.

For all other enquiries please contact: Jess McEwen, Business Development Manager, Public Services Academy, University of Sheffield , Tel: 0114 2228389, Email: J.McEwen@sheffield.ac.uk

Information related to this message is available at http://www.shef.ac.uk/whatson/justcity.

The Political Bible

Check out the first two parts of this series on the political nature of the Bible and its role in Britain.

Political Bible - Part 1
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/belief/2011/aug/09/politcal-bible-british-attitudes?INTCMP=ILCNETTXT3487

Political Bible - Part 2
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/belief/2011/aug/15/political-bible-justice-king-not-king?CMP=twt_gu


Of particular interest to me was the discussion of the contrasting authoritarian and libertarian emphasis in different parts of the Bible. This 'messy' combination of what we would ordinarily view as incompatible positions does set up a dauntingly complex picture of the what the Bible says to us about politics. But since one of our aims with Metanoia is to explore God's ideas about politics, we shouldn't be too daunted. Why not use this series to raise some questions about that we can discuss here? Enjoy.

Supply Shocks in the Delta and the Desert - the Economics behind the Passover

One could argue that the political and economic situation in Egypt at the time of Moses had reached an equilibrium. The Israelites found themselves stuck as victims of extreme oppression, including brutal slavery and genocide (Exodus 1:8-22). Despite their numbers, it is unlikely that they would have had the military might to launch a successful revolution and any attempt to do so would have risked making their plight even worse (suggested by the events of Exodus 5). Moreover, unlike in today’s world, there was no international community to put pressure on Pharaoh politically or militarily. Perhaps their only chance of salvation was to wait until the death of the current Pharaoh and hope that his successor might show more mercy. So what a time for the God of their fathers to reveal himself as a force to be reckoned with, overthrowing the oppressors and coming to the rescue of his people. In the language of economics, he did this by instigating a succession of supply shocks.

Ash Clouds and Magic Mushrooms - the Science behind the Passover

The Passover is one of the most important festivals in the Jewish calendar as it marks the chain of events that led to the liberation of Israel and its establishment as a sovereign nation. It was during this period that the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (who identified himself to Moses as “I AM WHO I AM”) revealed his power in a succession of signs and wonders on a scale not seen since the Great Flood. In my next post, I will discuss how this divine intervention was necessary to shift the economic equilibrium and bring about sustainable political change. But, for now, I want to consider whether the phenomena we read about in the first half of Exodus (including the plagues, the parting of the Red Sea and manna in the desert) were truly “Acts of God” at all.

Time for a stock-take

Over a year has passed and more than thirty posts have been written since we launched the Metanoia blog. Andy, Stephen and me (Nathan) thought it would be wise to take stock, pausing to consider what is working and what is not; thinking about the potential of Metanoia, and crucially, what we need to do to realise that potential. So below is a summary of our discussion, including a first stab at a vision statement. We decided to post this summary on the blog so that followers can see where we are up to in our thinking. As ever we appreciate your comments and invite relevant input.

Draft vision statement:

Our vision for Metanoia is that it becomes a place where Kingdom thinking is cultivated, a space where we can think and dream in the freedom that honesty with accountability bring. Our focus is on how the Bible relates to everyday life, all sectors of society and our culture; in order that we may discover more of God’s plans for our world and to create and innovate with Him to these ends. We affirm the importance of creative thinking – learning to imagine what could be in a renewed and resurrected world. But we long for these thoughts and dreams to become manifest in concrete change. Therefore our vision is that our learning, dreaming, dialogue finds creative expression in tangible outcomes; in short, that Metanoia’s contributors live out the values and challenges we discuss. As we do this, we aim also to invite others to collaborate with us and challenge each one to incarnate kingdom thinking too.

What could be:

We posed the following scenario as we thought about what Metanoia could grow to become in the next 12 months.

It’s June 2012. 30+ people are regularly engaging with Metanoia as contributors and/or commenters. Two well attended events (15+ people) have been successfully run. 2-3 outcomes have been identified and are being worked towards and roll outcome is complete. What did we do to get there?

Events are the gateway, so they will be the primary way of attracting new contributors/commenters/followers. Consequently we plan to have two events, the first one in late September/ early October 2011, to coincide with the return of students. From these events, interest and numbers of participants will grow. A larger core team will emerge, helping to create the ‘critical mass’ needed for the think-tank element of Metanoia to take off and to generate relevant, realistic outcomes.

We then started the process of moving from what could be to what will be: Defining what steps we need to take and who will take them.

The following list is incomplete and will be added to shortly:
• Metanoia needs to come on to the radar of St Thomas Church Philadelphia senior staff: Arrange meeting with Marjorie and/ or Nick Allen.
• Our advertising media needs to be ready: Blog/facebook/twitter all need to be up-to-date and full of relevant, current content. Paper media, including flyers need designing and a logo is needed to brand material across media.
• Decide on a topic for the first event. Identify the area of most current interest/controversy. Provisional idea is a debate on Rob Bell’s ‘Love Wins’, with invited guest speaker(s).
• Following on from the first event, identify more people who could be invited in to the core team. Start identifying outcomes (eg written/video resource, presentation, reports, and advocacy).
• Second event for spring term.

The Crisis in Egypt - The Role of Governments

In my last two blogs on the famine in Egypt, I discussed what this story has to teach us about the need to save for the future and how we form our expectations about the future. In this final blog examining Joseph’s governorship of Egypt (Genesis 41-47), I consider whether saving for the future is a responsibility of governments or the private individual.

Let’s start by envisaging the hypothetical situation that Joseph consults a panel of economists before proposing his plan to Pharaoh.

Why I will be voting Yes on Thursday

What does God think about democracy? The kingdom of Israel, as described in the Old Testament, was anything but democratic by modern standards. Nevertheless there are clues that suggest that God preferred a style of government whereby the governors were favoured and endorsed by the governed. In 1 Samuel 8, the elders of Israel decided they wanted a king. God made it clear through his prophet Samuel that he thought this was a bad idea but, if they wanted a king, they would get a king. God led Samuel to anoint Saul as king. He was presented to the people (i.e. most likely the tribal elders) and they were happy with the selection (1 Sam 10:24). This was hardly a free and fair election and Saul’s appointment certainly wasn’t unanimous (1 Sam 10:27) but, in a primitive form at least, this was a democratic process.

The Crisis in Egypt - Rational Expectations versus Prophecy

When making economic decisions, expectations are very important. We expect to retire at some point in the future and therefore we set some of our income aside for a pension. Similarly, we expect to earn a certain level of income over our career so we take out a mortgage based on the expectation that we will be able to repay it. There are also many things that we expect won’t happen but realise that there is a probability that they may occur (e.g. being made redundant, becoming seriously ill or having one’s car stolen). Unless these eventualities are covered by government provision, we can make provision for these risks through purchasing insurance or “saving for a rainy day”.

Joseph based his expectations on a prophetic dream.

Lessons in community - part 2

If we compare the creation story to a song, it's clear that the resounding chorus is the words "and He saw that it was good"

However the key suddenly changes as God, after creating man, declares that it is not good for man to be alone.

Lent Reflection - Forgive us our Debts

“At the end of every seven years you must cancel debts.” Deuteronomy 15:1

Please read Deuteronomy 15:1-11.

When God delivered the Promised Land into the hands of the Israelites, his desire was that the land would be a blessing to all his people, not just a privileged few. The avoidance of poverty was very much on God’s agenda (v4). Unfortunately, the laws of sinful nature (also known as the laws of economics) dictated that this would never be the case, a reality that God acknowledges in this same section (v11).

The Crisis in Egypt - To Save or Not to Save?

In my last post, I introduced the story of Joseph’s governorship of Egypt. I will now use this story to explore some important economic questions. These are:

Is it right to save for the future?

How should we form our expectations about the future?

Who is responsible for ensuring our future security – individuals or government?

Lent Reflection - The kingdom of heaven

Luke 14: 12-13
‘When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbours; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind…’

Since Jesus tells us to pray ‘your kingdom come’, it’s important to think about what the kingdom of heaven is like, and how it contrasts to the kingdoms of this world. I’ve picked this scripture as just one example of where Jesus’ approach to ordinary every-day situations is wildly at odds with our own. Since it is his kingdom we want to invite, perhaps this example will help us catch a glimpse of what his kingdom is like.

In our daily lives we are probably more familiar with systems/structures/social rules than with kingdoms. But a kingdom can be defined as a reality governed by a distinct rule and identity. Jesus’ instruction here shows us some of the rule and identity of the reality he calls us to usher in.

Inviting guests to share meals was a crucial part of a patronage system in Jesus’ day. It was an opportunity to network, opening up business opportunities and political favour. Those with the most used these occasions to cement their social positions, so would invite their peers who affirmed their position. Those aspiring for greater influence would invite rich neighbours and family contacts. Either way, as a host your hope was to be repaid.

There would be no place for people who could never repay - the poor, disabled, marginalised - the ‘other’. So advising hosts to invite such people would not only be uncomfortable and counterintuitive, it could be economic suicide! Nevertheless that is precisely what Jesus did. Why would he advocate such a radical challenge of social rules? Perhaps there would be something theatrical in such a blunt and shocking challenge. Perhaps it would be a worthy act of charity. But I think there’s something deeper here about the rule of the patronage system in contrast to the rule of the kingdom of heaven. In telling us to give without expecting repayment, our motivation is redirected from self-service to justice, from ourselves to the people around us, from division to inclusion. Compassion and justice were absent from the patronage system and instead, the system perpetuated the status quo of division, exclusion and injustice.

Isn’t it great that we don’t live with any systems like that nowadays…!

Where can I include rather than exclude people today? When can I act because it is right, rather than because of a benefit I might get? How can I share my banquet? Your Kingdom come Lord Jesus.

Denying the resurrection?

I found this a timely and inspiring reminder of why we're wrestling with issues of social justice and what it means to preach (and be) the good news.

Check it out...

The Crisis in Egypt - The Background

Over recent weeks, the world’s eyes have been focused firmly on Egypt as a people’s revolution threatens to reverberate across the entire Middle East region. However, the subject of this post is another crisis that engulfed the region in about 1700-1600BC.

Mankind's Authority over Nature

I wanted to make a comment on Stephen's latest post but felt that a new post would be appropriate as I'm going off on a slight tangent, and it also gives me the chance to introduce another domain into the mix.

Stephen's interpretation of the creation story in Genesis suggests that man's authority over creation is limited by God. However, I would argue that, although we cannot (yet) control the sun and the moon, there has been a significant shift in power, if not authority, over time.

We're on Twitter

Keep up to date with new posts via twitter @Metanoia_UK

Lessons in Community: The Creation Story

This is the first in what I plan to be a series of brief summaries of the thoughts I have and the things God teaches me about his ideas for sustainable communities as I read his word (yes, a thoroughly modern project!).

I've started in Genesis, since that is where God started and here is the first instalment presented just as ideas for discussion:

1. History matters
2. Man's authority is limited from the start
3. Geography matters

Click 'read more' for details...

PM: A tentative exercise in application

Here's some thoughts I've had about applying postmodern insights to our interaction with the Bible. These comments relate particularly to the antifoundational and demystifying attributes of PM as I've described them.

The Wealth of a Nation

Having covered the early chapters of Genesis and Job, virtually the entirety of what remains of the Old Testament is concerned with the history of God’s chosen people, the Israelites. Therefore, this is an appropriate juncture to set out a very brief and overarching economic history of this nation, which will hopefully provide a helpful context for some of the more in-depth analysis to come in my future posts.

Genesis and Property - an update

You may remember from an earlier post that I resolved to build a budget on www.stewardship.org.uk as a way of being more accountable to God about my own personal finances. I have now done this and shared the results with a couple of people with whom I have an accountable relationship.

I have found the process very useful and it led me to reconsider my current giving patterns. I am happy to share further details with anyone who is interested, so please let me know.

Postmodernism is... continued

Thanks Stephen. I think your examples really help get a handle on those aspects of Postmodernism. (See Stephen's comment on my previous post).

The demystifying attribute is a bit trickier. The enlightenment project is one of modernity's key characteristics - shining the light of rational deduction from observation on those parts of life previously shrouded in mystery and 'explained' by non-scientific means. To this extent it is modernity that is demystifying.

Claiming that postmodernism is demystifying involves turning the enlightenment spotlight on the very tools and institutions of modernity - for instance the scientific community, the academy, anyone or thing who claims to be the primary school teacher in Stephen's example. These institutions are deconstructed, revealing a more complicated (contradictory?) set of aims/values/assumptions than simply the neutral application of the pure light of reason.

This process raises questions about the limits of modernity's ability to explain/enlighten. But it also raises important questions about how we interact with explanation and the institutions from which explanation emanates. That links to the fourth attribute, that PM helps us to consciously (re)consider the sources we use, and the assumptions we make, without discarding the obvious benefits of the enlightenment project.

Postmodernism is...

Picking up my thread on postmodern culture and Christianity, here are some brief thoughts to stretch the grey matter. In an effort to keep my posts manageably short (for reader and writer) I'm offering a very short summary of the key attributes of a postmodern stance in order to then consider what the implications of these may be for the Bible, our ideas, our world etc...

1. PM is antifoundational - it denies any privileged unassailable starting point for the establishment of truth.

2. PM is antitotalising - it is critical of theories that seek to explain the totality of reality.

3. PM is demystifying - it strives to show that ideals are characteristically grounded in ideology, economics, or political self-interest.

4. PM does not attempt to overcome modernity (which would be a distinctly modern aim - linear progress). Rather, PM offers the opportunity to live and think in non-modern ways within the continuing cultural dominion of modernity.

As someone who self-consciously advocates a postmodern posture, I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts and discussing how such attributes might transform us.

Job and Economic Justice

Although the book of Job is found just before Psalms in the Bible (as it is essentially a poem and is therefore grouped with other poetic works), chronologically it should appear much earlier. Job was probably born about the same time as Abraham, and therefore knew God outside of the context of the Abrahamic covenant.