Rector's letter for August Fowey News
Dear Friends
Author Os Guinness says we’re in a ‘civilisational moment’ (The Great Quest, InterVarsity 2022). The western world is history’s most powerful civilisation, if only because it is now changing the entire world, and yet the faith that made this civilisation is being rejected by the West.
Guinness picks up the imagery of Matthew Arnold’s Dover Beach as he observes the "rising tide of receding faith” with religious ‘nones’ departing from traditional church structures in droves. Yet despite the ebbing tide, he observes the search for faith and meaning has not gone away. It is however hindered by the obstacles of diversion and bargaining. Guinness suggests “we have too much to live with and too little to live for.”
The obstacle of diversion was identified by the 17th century French mathematician and philosopher, Blaise Pascale who asked "Why do kings have jesters?" In human terms, they have everything anyone could want. The answer, according to Pascal, is that the jester prevents the king from thinking about the one issue he really needs to face up to. The ultimate reality for everyone of us is our mortality. But we don’t want to think about death so we surround ourselves with diversions. For Pascale, that was riches and entertainment; for us, it is more likely to be screen gazing at the ‘weapons of mass distraction’. If there is no meaning to life and hope beyond death, this makes logical sense. We need our jesters to help us make it through. Is it any surprise then that our culture craves entertainment to divert us from reality? But these entertainments cannot provide any real or reliable hope.
The obstacle of bargaining is more subtle. We recognise the question of the meaning of life is weighty and momentous, but we procrastinate and avoid it until ‘I graduate’ or ‘the kids are older’ or ‘the mortgage is paid off’ or ‘when I’ve retired’ or ‘when I have time to think.’ Such delay is however a Faustian bargain, sacrificing our souls for the illusion of more time and more experience in the face of the inevitable.
Surely Socrates was right? “The unexamined life is not worth living.” Certainly psychology professor, Jordan Peterson believes that our innate instinct for ethics and meaning gives us a basic responsibility to pursue those. In fact he goes further and suggests this is what the biblical stories tell us.
Indeed, the Bible has ancient wisdom for us. When Jesus visits sisters Martha & Mary, we’re told ‘Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing.’ And she resented the fact her sister wasn’t helping her but rather listening to Jesus. Jesus’ response was a gentle rebuke, ‘My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.’ (Luke 10:38–42 NLT)
Taking time out to listen, think and reflect is certainly worthwhile - and when it’s listening to Jesus’ wisdom then Christians would say it really is the one thing worth being concerned about.
with every blessing
Philip