This week's news
Three judges removed from the bench for watching pornography at work
Three judges have been removed from office and a fourth has resigned ahead of his removal following the outcome of an investigation into allegations that they had viewed pornographic material on office computers. The material was not illegal, but it was deemed to be an ‘inexcusable misuse’ of their public IT accounts.
Alleged cover-up over allegations that Cyril Smith was involved in child abuse
Newsnight on Monday revealed that there had been cover-up surrounding allegations that Sir Cyril Smith, former Liberal MP for Rochdale, had been involved in child abuse in the 1970s and 80s. The accusation is that the Metropolitan Police and Special Branch were involved in keeping the story out of the newspapers using the National Security defence.
X+Y
X+Y is a new film that tells the story of Nathan, a young man who has trouble relating normally to other young people, but who is brilliant at maths. This fictional story is based on a documentary film called Beautiful Young Minds which looked at the process by which a team was selected for the International Mathematical Olympiad. Many of the young people the documentary followed have a form of autism like Nathan in X+Y.
Still Alice
Alice Howland is a fictional professor of linguistics in Still Alice. The part, for which she won an Oscar, is played by Julianne Moore and in the film she portrays a woman of 50 who is diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s Disease. Still Alice shows how this highly intelligent woman who teaches about communication within the space of two years is barely able to articulate any intelligible words.
Reflection
Many preachers will have stood in a pulpit and seen facing them a metal plaque on which was inscribed, ‘Sir, we would see Jesus’. The Gospel passage today tells of some people who were Greek-speaking who wanted to see Jesus for themselves, but they needed to go through an intermediary, Philip. In turn, Philip spoke to Andrew and together they went to see Jesus. These verses in this passage are about the need for communication. The text in the pulpit says something else. It suggests an expectation that it is the role of a preacher to ‘show’ Jesus to her congregation. Perhaps that is also the role of all Christian people – to show Jesus to the world.
The judges who lost their jobs did so because it was believed that their behaviour meant that the public would not have confidence in their ability to act justly. To put it another way, the public would not ‘see’ justice when they looked at these judges.
An investigation is to take place into whether or not there was a cover-up over allegations that Sir Cyril Smith and other senior public figures were involved in child abuse. If there was a cover-up, it would recognise the validity of the argument that the judges could not continue in their posts. If there was a cover-up, it was a recognition that government could not function if its members were no longer considered trustworthy.
Being able to communicate is something we take for granted. Yet a stroke or a condition such as Alzheimer’s or Motor Neurone Disease can rob us of this ability. In the films X+Y and The Theory of Everything people found different ways of communicating, whether by numbers or by a machine. The gospel of Jesus Christ can be communicated in many ways. Jesus was a Jew and a man of his time and therefore set in a specific context. However, the gospel transcends culture and is not tied to any particular language, mode of dress or style of worship
Prayer
Our God, we thank you that you have shown us who you are by sending us your Son.
We thank you that you have communicated with us through becoming one of us, becoming part of your creation. In Jesus we have seen your face.
We thank you for inspired Scripture through which you have spoken, and continue to speak by your Holy Spirit.
We thank you for those people known to us now and in the past who have shown Jesus to us in their words and in their deeds.
Our God, we pray for those who try faithfully, week by week, to show us Jesus in their preaching and teaching. We pray for those who work in children’s ministry in our churches who show Jesus to the children in their care by their words and deeds. We pray that our children will ‘catch the faith’ of those with whom they spend time in their classes.
Our God, we pray for ourselves, that people with whom we live, work and play will see Jesus in us. May our words not overshadow our deeds, nor our deeds our words.
Amen.
Questions
- ‘Playing God’ is usually considered to be a bad thing. What does this expression mean to you?
- With reference to Philippians 2.5-8, might ‘playing God’ be able to be re-interpreted as following in Jesus’ footsteps and so allowing people to ‘see Jesus’ and see the Father?
- A number of musicians have been convicted of serious offences in the last few years. Stephen Fry has argued that, while Richard Wagner was anti-Semitic and his music influenced Hitler, it is OK to listen to his music. Should radio stations avoid playing Rolf Harris or Gary Glitter songs on the grounds of decency? For light relief, you might like to watch this.
Action
The Stroke Association helps patients and advises the public on how to recognise when someone is having a stroke. You could organise a visit from a speaker to help educate your congregation and explain what it is like to have difficulty communicating.
There are opportunities for volunteering including befriending people recovering from strokes that might be of interest to your congregation.
Young People
Are there people that you admire?
What is it about them that makes them admirable?
Are there people whom you once admired, but whose behaviour has changed your opinion?
Are there people in your family, church or school who have ‘shown you Jesus’?
Simon Carver is a Baptist Minister in St Albans and takes a particular interest in film.
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