MCLARENS BLOG-2ND AUGUST 2013.
CRINAN CANAL.
ARDRISHAIG
Before visiting Iona last week, I turned to The Venerable Bede’s, The Ecclesiastical History of the English people, to read about St. Columba founder of Iona Abbey. However as I was turning the pages of the book, my attention focused on Bede’s account of St. Augustine’s mission to England.
As I was reading this I was getting more and more angry. I read about how Pope Gregory sent Augustine and some companions from Rome to convert the ‘the English Race.’ However on the journey, they become fearful, as Bede writes, “They began to contemplate returning home rather than going to a barbarous, fierce and unbelieving nation, whose language they did not even understand. Pope Gregory however, sends them encouraging letters, and basically tells them to get on with the task. Which Augustine does, he preaches to the king of kent. (There is a cross on the site, where he preached in Pegwell Bay.) Augustine and his monks convert the king, and wins his favour so the king gives them land in Canterbury where they can set up a community. Bede describes the lifestyle of the monks, “ As soon as they entered the dwelling place allotted to them, they began to imitate the way of life of the apostles and of the primitive church. They were constantly engaged in prayers, vigils and fasts; they preached the word of life to as many as they could; they despised all worldly things as foreign to them.”
This is all inspiring stuff. Then I read further, about the letters that St. Augustine sent to Pope Gregory asking his advice. This was when I started getting angry with Augustine. Some of the questions are relevant, about matters regarding the setting up of new churches, and the living arrangements of new monasteries, but then they take a most bizarre turn.
For example;
“ Augustine’s eighth question. Should a pregnant woman be baptized? And when the child has been born how much time should elapse before she can enter the church? And after what length of time may her husband have intercourse with her; and is it lawful for her to enter the church if she is in her periods or to receive the sacrament of Holy Communion? Or may a man who has had intercourse with his wife enter the church before he has washed; or approach the mystery of Holy Communion? All these things the ignorant English need to know.”
(The highlights are mine not Bede’s.) But the letters go on questions about how long women should breastfeed, questions and comments about the unhealthy habit of women who lactating, give the babies to other women to breastfeed.
As I read this I couldn’t get over to celibate men wondering about such things. I mean I really do think it is perverse. In these discussions, piling on more and more misogamy, that has beset the church ever since. No wonder the church continues to have issues with human sexuality. To my mind Augustine was a body hating individual, who has much to answer for.
St. Francis left us his beautiful canticles to nature, St. Bede gave us the history of the church, St. Aiden gave us an example of simplicity and humility, St. Cuthbert life inspired the writings of the Lindisfarne Gospels. Augustine, well he did inspire the building of Canterbury Cathedral, but to my mind he introduced a ‘body hating form of Christianity, that we could have done without.
In my opinion the Celtic missionaries were doing a good job before the arrival of St. Augustine.
I was looking in the prayer book for the collect of St. Augustine and it made my day, to discover that under his collect,( Special prayer) is the collect of Josephine Butler. And what did Josephine Butler do……..she, (and I love the irony here, and I like to think that those who compiled the prayer book did place those two together on purpose.) campaigned and worked for prostitutes to receive proper medical care, without discrimination.
YES, YES, YES, one in the eye for St. Augustine.
I was delighted to read in the introduction of the Iona worship book. The main concerns of the present community there.
The promotion of justice and peace, through for example
- opposing nuclear weapons and seeking reduction in the arms trade.
- supporting the cause of the poor and the exploited in Britain and abroad.
- Political activity in combating racism,
- engagement with environmental and constitutional issues;
The exploration of human sexuality.
Commitment to strengthening understanding between church traditions, and to the sharing of communion.
Concern for young people.
The promotion of inter-faith dialogue.
The rediscovery of an approach to spirituality appropriate to our times;
The development of the ministry of healing.
Also looking through the Iona Worship book, I was delighted to come across a hymn, that affirms women’s ministry.
THERE IS A LINE OF WOMEN.
There is a line of women,
extending back to Eve,
whose role in shaping history
God only could conceive.
And through endless ages,
their witness was repressed,
God valued and encouraged them
through whom the world was blessed.
So sing a song of Sarah
to laughter she gave birth;
and sing a song of Tamar
who stood for women’s worth;
and sing a song of Hannah
who bargained with her Lord;
and sing a song of Mary
who bore and bred God’s word.
There is a line of women
who took on powerful men,
defying laws and scruples
to let life live again.
And though, despite their triumph
their stories stayed untold
God kept their number growing,
creative, strong and bold.
So sing a song of Shiphrah
with Puah at her hand,
engaged to kill male chidren
they foiled the kings command.
And sing a song of Rahab
who sheltered spies and lied;
and sing a song of Esther,
preventing genocide.
There is line of women
who stood by Jesus’ side,
who housed him while he ministered
and held him when he died.
And though they claimed he’d risen
their news was deemed suspect
till Jesus stood among them,
his womanly elect.
So sing a song of Anna
who saw Christ’s infant face;
and sing a song of Martha
who gave him food and space;
and sing of all the Mary’s
who heeded his requests,
and now at heavens banquet
as Jesus’ fondest guests.
I always end my blog with a prayer, and would like to end with collect of Josephine Butler, who worked to give dignity to prostitutes. Remembering that one of our Lord’s closest friends had been a prostitute. I will also, in fact include the collect for Mary Magdalene.
The special prayer for Josephine Butler.
God of compassion and love,
by whose grace your servant Josephine Butler
followed in the way of your Son
in caring for those in need:
help us like her to work with strength
for the restoration of all to the dignity
and freedom of those created in your image;
through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.
The Special prayer for Mary Magdalene.
Almighty God,
whose Son restored
to health of mind and body
and called her to be a witness to his resurrection:
forgive our sins and heal us by your grace,
that we may serve you in the power of his risen life;
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
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