LETTERS

‘We are never alone’

I read the Very Rev Dr James Simpson’s letter regarding ageing and contentment in life as one gets older.

I often wondered why people are concerned about someone dying ‘alone’. I realise the comforts of one’s family at the end of life but we are never alone.

The Lord is so close to us in death that as we breath our last He is there to receive our spirit and lead us Home.

Amen.

Robert Jenkins, by email

Science and God

Surely it is self evident to any rational person that the universe we inhabit did not come about by a naturalistic undirected process.

Very surprisingly this seems to be the conclusion of one of the few remaining “New Atheists”, Richard Dawkins when he admits that the fine tuning of the laws of physics to permit the existence of life on earth, is a good argument for an Intelligent Designer.

Of course it isn’t the only good argument, there are myriads of others, including the Big Bang and the digital coding in DNA.

It seems also that new studies into the composition of the cell (which Darwin assumed was very simple in its construction) are revealing that it is far more complex than even 21st century scientists had imagined.

A Neo Darwinian evolutionary process cannot account for the appearance of life on earth. It seems that the buffers have been well and truly hit and we need to seriously consider that a transcendent being (outwith time and space), Spirit, infinite and eternal is the Power behind the universe we inhabit.

Who, I wonder, does that remind us of?

Alex Glen, Glasgow

Worship Thoughts

I was very interested in the suggestion to move away from the traditional sermon (October issue).

Sadly I think there’s more that needs to be done to stop the decline in attendance in many of our churches today.

I think the whole format needs to be seriously looked at because there are many other denominations, particularly in Edinburgh, where church attendance is very high, and includes many young people, which the Church of Scotland is missing.

These modern churches have a different format, dare I say more joyful...with a live band, their services start with a few songs, Cartoon: Bill McArthur lifting the spirits of those present...they will often then have prayers, followed by a bible reading and talk about the passage.

I think the Church of Scotland has adhered to its traditional format for so long that changing would be very difficult and would cause a lot of distress to its older members. 

Maybe a gradual change would work but it’s possibly too late for that now.

I find it reassuring that other churches are enabling many young people to come to faith today.

Marcia Blackie, Edinburgh