Grown Up Christianity is the title of an exciting series of events organised by Marlborough Churches Together to mark Lent with the Bishop of Salisbury, the Rt Rev Nick Holtam, among those taking part.
He is to lead a discussion on The Gospel and Sex – he is a supporter of gay marriage — while David Campbell, Chaplain at Marlborough College, will take on The Gospel and Social Media with former prison governor Tim Newell tackling The Gospel and Restorative Justice.
“Just over 10 years ago, shortly before it was known who was to be the next Archbishop of Canterbury, a journalist commented that one of the great strengths of Rowan Williams was that he could remind us all that Christianity is ‘interesting, important and grown up’,” Marlborough’s rector, the Rev Canon Andrew Studdert-Kennedy told Marlborough News Online.
“Somewhere in this should be mention of fun, but even so this is a useful list of qualities which church life should try and reflect.”
“One of the criticisms often made about the church is that it spends too much time pre-occupied with its own affairs and is therefore irrelevant to most people. Certainly some of the recent publicity of the Church of England at a national level leaves it open to just this kind of criticism.”
“That’s why Marlborough Churches Together has put together a Lent programme that is seeking to explore what the Christian Gospel has to say about some of the major factors in contemporary life.”
And he asked: “What might the gospel have to say about the ever increasing use of Social Media? Can Christianity dethrone the power of Money? Jesus preached both mercy and justice; might this help us place Restorative Justice at the centre of our judicial system?”
“Why did Jesus talk about money much more than about Sex? How can the gospel enrich Everyday Life?”
“These are the subjects that our Lent talks are going to explore and we are very fortunate to have some outstanding speakers who are going to guide us in our thinking.”
The talks are on five successive Wednesday evenings (7.30pm) at Christchurch Methodist church.
The full list of events:
20 February – The Gospel and Social Media led by David Campbell, Chaplain at Marlborough College.
27 February – The Gospel and Money led by Robert Willoughby, Lecturer at London School of Theology.
6 March – The Gospel and Restorative Justice led by Tim Newell, former prison Governor, now working with Restorative Justice.
13 March – The Gospel and Sex led by Nicholas Holtam, The Bishop of Salisbury.
20 March – The Gospel and Everyday Life led by Linda Woodhead, Professor of Sociology and Religion at Lancaster University.
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