LETTERS

Burns and the Church

I read with much interest the Very Rev Dr James A Simpson’s article in the January edition of Life and Work entitled ‘The Bard and the Church.’ He referred to the Rev Dr George Lawrie of Louden Church as being one of the Bard’s close friends and how much Burns respected the minister and his family.

Dr Lawrie had been ordained at Louden and continued there all his life. Burns appreciated profoundly the reception to their home given to him by the family. He eventually had cause to be even more grateful to Dr Lawrie because the minister was impressed to such an extent with the work of Burns that he forwarded a copy of the Kilmarnock Edition to Dr Blacklock, a poet in Edinburgh and a person of some influence there. In reply Dr Blacklock wrote approvingly of the work to Dr Lawrie. Burns got to know of its reception in Edinburgh . That proved to be a pivotal point in the life of Burns because it helped to change his plans to depart for Jamaica and his life’s journey was dramatically altered thereafter.

Ian W Thomson, Lenzie, East Dunbartonshire

I read with great interest the article by the Very Rev Dr James A Simpson on Robert Burns, Poet and ordinary church member. Reminding us we are all human beings and subject to deeds good and not so good in our sojourn through life. Life and work were indeed very different in these bygone days.

Robert Burns had his fair share of both and through his experiences was able to bring us the common touch with some fine poetry and examples of life, love, kindness and heartache.

His line: “Like the snow flake on the river, a moment white then gone for ever” surely explains our lives here on earth compared to Eternity.

Bob Jenkins, by email

Churches are expressions of the Gospel

We are, it is safe to say, passing through times of huge change in the Kirk. One motivating factor is the ambition of church leaders to see a 40% decrease in the number of sanctuaries. This goal is currently and speedily taking effect throughout Scotland as churches are closed as part of the presbytery planning process.

We are undoubtedly facing severe challenges and I do not question the good faith of those who have prescribed the goal of a 40% reduction in buildings, but I do have severe doubts about the wisdom of the goal.

In my view, all things being equal, wherever a church building is closed, and particularly if it the only place of worship in a community, the mission of the church suffers. For buildings are not simply a set of walls within which to gather, but an integral part of how a national church conducts its mission.

Our sanctuaries, whether architecturally distinguished or not, are more than simply spaces to meet, but places that evoke and sustain faith. Through their cross-shaped design, stained glass, pulpits, communion tables, crosses, and the ambience of worship that one finds in both grand and simple buildings, they are, in Larkin’s words, “a serious house” places “proper to grow wise in”.

Churches are expressions of the gospel, which remind congregations and the wider community of the God revealed in Christ.

Moreover, closed or converted buildings continue to convey a message, only now of the decline of faith and its irrelevance to the modern world.

It may be that we do need to close buildings, but we should not be proceeding down this line until we are clear on the missiological function that they play. We might also pause to consider in what sense we can continue to call ourselves a national church if we are no longer visibly present in many communities.

Adam Hood (Rev), St Andrew’s Wallace Green & Lowick, Berwick-Upon-Tweed

Marks question

It appears that only the first three of the Five Marks of Mission are specifically Christian. The others might be acceptable to those without any religious belief, so why are they marks of mission?

Kenneth Fraser, St Andrews, Fife

Online worship praise

By coincidence, I became housebound just when lockdown began. I was cut off from weekly worship. I discovered the Very Rev Dr Martin Fair’s online worship and it filled my need wonderfully. By the time his term of office ended, my own Ruberslaw church had set up its own less-elaborate online worship and, again, my need was filled. Last summer, I took a virtual holiday with the Upper Tweeddale Parishes, it proved a refreshing change and I made an appropriate donation.

Still housebound, I will be planning more virtual holidays with other parishes in 2022. But part of what I seek is unavailable: it is worship in the resource-rich style set up by Dr Fair. Is that a widely felt wish and one that might be met on a regular basis by YouTube videos on the Church of Scotland website?

Michael Braithwaite, Hawick

Science, trust and love

Many thanks to the Moderator, Lord Jim Wallace of Tankerness for his very valuable article on science and faith.

Scientific discovery requires faith in all aspects of the process (observation, techniques) just as religion embraces it during approach to God and prayer.

Having faith is part of living and the faith seen in a scientist works together with the faith shown in religion.

Both expand our sense of awe. But many authorities do not accept this and wish to set science and religion against each other. I am writing to now to see if we can replace the word “faith” with ”trust” to remove misunderstanding. Jesus uses “trust” as is very well known ( John14.1)

A scientist has to trust his results (indeed the best scientists try to prove themselves wrong!) but trust must always be fundamental. Love of the subject must always be there and this encompasses trust. The same is true for the person entering religious thought and feeling.

Trust is there and so is love.

Let us propose the following to change our wording and perhaps make issues clearer: “There is a deep trust in all the workings of the Universe, whether they be part of scientific or religious imagination and discovery.”

This trust is all pervasive and as Lord Jim says at the end of his article: “Everyone matters to God”.

We have a deep trust in this and it transforms our lives!

John Kusel, Cumbernauld

Publisher Note

I have just received the February edition of Life and Work in the post and seen that the review of my book “Mental health for all” is included. Thank you for this.

I need to point out, however, that you have listed the printer as the publisher. The book is published by Handsel Press – wellknown to members of the Church of Scotland, as is Sanctus Media, through whom it is available for purchase.

Lorna Murray (Rev), by email

Poem thanks

I just wanted to thank Hamish G Smith for sharing his poem ‘I was a tree’ with us in January’s edition of Life and Work.

I’m not a great lover of poetry and often don’t make it to the end when reading a poem but I really enjoyed the simplicity of this poem.

It came from your heart Hamish and touched mine, and many others I’m sure. So thank you.

Elaine McEwan, Jersey, Channel Islands