Life & Work Magazine
Life & Work Magazine


4 mins

LETTERS

Children and Communion

In our Church, St Andrew’s and St George’s West in Edinburgh, children do not only receive Communion but once a year they actually take the place of the Elders and serve the Congregation with Communion.

This gives the children a real feeling of being part of the Church. Several of our children have also asked to be on the Church Roll as Adherents.

Andrena Crawford, Edinburgh

Thanks to Moderator

At the times we are living in it has been a great comfort and joy to hear our (outgoing) Moderator the Very Rev Colin Sinclair and his wife Ruth come on Facebook every morning with a wonderfully thought out reflection.

I am sure many people along with myself would like to thank them very much for their words of comfort and support along with their prayers for all of us together, prayers every morning and words that have lifted us and gave us the feeling and hope of belonging to the wider church even when we are alone in our own houses listening.

Thank you Colin and Ruth.

Margaret Cassidy, Saltcoats, Ayrshire

Hebrews and Paul

I read with considerable interest the Rev Dr Fair’s thoughts (Nurturing Communities, Bible Study) in the April edition of Life and Work concerning Paul’s fears, and the subsequent relief of his anxiety, in relation to the young Christian community in Thessalonica.

I was particularly interested in his reference to Hebrews 6: 4-6. Those verses, described by him as ‘gloomy’, are quite clear that ‘For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were partakers of the Holy Ghost [v4], If they shall fall away, to renew them again into repentance [v6]’.

Because of such a statement , there were many in the Church, particularly in the west (of Scotland) , who approached Hebrews with considerable circumspection because it promoted the teaching that there could not be a second repentance after one was baptised. Moreover, in the west there had been significant growth in practices involving penitence , which was based on the concept that all repenting sinners would find an open, and not a closed, door.

Cartoon: Bill McArthur

The Rev Dr Fair also refers to ‘the writer of Hebrews’. Who was ‘the writer of Hebrews ‘? It is, of course, traditionally considered to have been the work of Paul: the title in the King James Version of the Bible in fact ascribes it to Paul.

The authorship is not, however, universally agreed. It is worthy of note that Martin Luther clearly thought that the Letter to the Hebrews had not been written by Paul and put it in an Appendix when he translated the Bible.

Ian W Thomson, Lenzie

New Normality?

What kind of normality should Christians be hoping and praying for when, and if, the current ‘lockdown’ ends?

Something surely which is reminiscent of our long standing JPIC concerns. (For Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation.)

In terms of ‘ Justice’ we shall surely be looking above all at the need for social justice. The UK has been one of the most unequal countries in the world. This has to change – and not just for ethical reasons.

Given the amount of taxpayers’ money that has been poured into the economy to keep it – just about – going there will surely be riots in the streets if , for example, CEOs were to continue to receive the wildly excessive remuneration some have been doing.

On ‘Peace’ – war zones in the Middle East have disappeared from the radar in recent weeks but we need as soon as we can to redouble our eff orts for peace wherever there is strife. Hopefully with a new commitment to the UN (whose financial agencies such as the IMF and World Bank will surely be needed more than ever to sort out the worldwide economic problems which have arisen in recent weeks and months).

In terms of ‘Integrity of Creation’ that now has also to be a central concern. This is not just to preserve the planet (a not unimportant concern!) but because it has been shown that diseases such as Covid-19 are directly related to ecological destruction.

An even bigger JPIC agenda now confronts us!

Andrew McLuskey (Rev), Ashford, Middlesex

Research appeal

I am a cultural historian based at the University of Glasgow and am working on a book about heterosexuality and religious culture in late twentieth century Scotland.

I am at present writing about the sexual culture of the 1950s and early 1960s. This era is becoming increasingly difficult to investigate.

I wondered whether there might be some way to appeal to your readership or network for potential oral history interviewees? I should mention that interviews would be anonymous and would mostly ask about people’s religious biographies and would explore their memories of negotiating intimate life and marriage.

I have previously interviewed various members of the Retired Ministers’ Association and they have been incredibly helpful.

Dr Charlie Lynch, Research Assistant, University of Glasgow Dr Lynch can be contacted at charlie.lynch@glasgow.ac.uk

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This article appears in the July 2020 Issue of Life and Work

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This article appears in the July 2020 Issue of Life and Work