Story Still Reigns

Tonight my boys and I watched the Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe once again. They never get tired of it, especially the battle scenes into which they places themselves as Peter and Edward. My oldest even disappeared at one point in the movied only to return from his room with a sword. The power of the story reigns over their imaginations and draws them into the world of Aslan. As the movied started tonight I told my oldest son that the author, C.S. Lewis, intended us to see Jesus in the Aslan character. And you know what, he got it!

Even with the wonderful progress that we have experienced with the rise of the scientific age, story still reigns. The scientific theory can't hold a candle to the imagination stirring power of a good story. Lewis carefully crafted the Chronicles of Narnia during the late 1940s in Great Britian. A scholar and student of religion, one of Lewis' great accomplishments was story.

This shouldn't be a surprise to us, that story still reigns. In the late 1600s a man by the name of John Bunyan offered us another story intended to communicate the path of following Jesus. It was titled The Pilgrim's Progress from This World to That Which Is to Come. The story that unfolds on these masterfully written pages have drawn our minds into a journey that is other worldly, and yet oddly real. As we turn the pages we also become pilgrims travelling along on a journey that leads to our freedom. The power of story is nothing new, even though it still catches us by surprise.

This is what good stories do; they capture us, preoccupy our minds, and motivate us to action. We walk away from our encounter much like my sons ready to slay the White Witch and become kings in their own right. This isn't because I told them that they must become kings, or that they must take up their swords and go to battle. No, instead they were inspired by the power of a story that filled their hearts and minds with visions of things once thought impossible. One day my sons will become kings, although tonight they sleep as princes. How do I know? Because I read a story as well that filled my heart with a vision of my two boys ruling and reigning with the King. Story still reigns...the Story still reigns.

Peeking Through the Cracks at Lambeth

I just read Bishop Wright's letter to the Durham Diocese at the mid point in the Lambeth Conference of the Anglican Communion. You can find it here.

As I peek through the cracks of the Lambeth conference I find bits and pieces of good ideas that might apply to the broader context in which I minister. First, Bishop Wright's description of the Indaba groups sounds like a wonderful way to build community among widely diverse particpants, and would be helpful in focusing the entire conference on Scripture. This might serve well the broader church context in which I seek to minister when addressing disputed matters of doctrine or practice. The tone might result as more collegial rather than diving straight into controvesy and debate.

Second, I found the diversity of views that are being heard and considered to be a healthy and loving way to work through what has long been anticipated to be a difficult if not contentious process. Not all can have their way, but as I peek through the cracks it appears to me that there has been an intentional process developed by Archbishop Rowan Williams to listen and discern in community what the Spirit is saying to this Anglican Communion.

I don't know about you, but this is fascinating stuff to me!

A Question of Leadership

Okay, so I admit it. I am fascinated by the on going war within the international Anglican Communion. I do not watch with the least bit of pleasure, as some are in the habit of doing, but with a morbid fascination with how a group of professing Christians can destroy the institutions that they inherited by fighting for their convictions. Conservative and liberal sides appear from this side of the pond to be engaging in this on going war with the least bit of concern for a life of love in community. Not that they are the unique is this way of fighting for "godliness." I have seen this in the church that I have been a part of as well. So what possesses a group of people to eat there spiritual young in order to have their way in the present?

Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, is attempting to lead the Communion into a place of unity at the upcoming Lambeth Conference. He has been thoroughly disparaged by both extremes in this ecclesial war on a number of issues during his tenure. Most importantly is the challenge to his quality and style of leadership, which some charge is obviously lacking in its effectiveness.

Alister McGrath was quoted as saying, "Rowan has a very high view of unity and has worked hard, but it is not going to be enough. It is virtually impossible to achieve consensus and it is very difficult to exercise leadership in that context. Leadership is about more than finding consensus - you also have to map out the route that you believe to be right." (You can read the Guardian article here.)

So, is all of this mayhem in the Anglican Communion a question of leadership? Is McGrath correct that leadership is more than finding consensus - which will most likely never going to be attained at the Lambeth Conference or any other gathering on issues of homosexuality, women bishops, and the break within the Episcopal Church USA. What happens when a leader maps out a route that they believe to be correct and the Communion/Church/Organization doesn't follow along in mass? Are they still a good leader?

Leadership is a touchy subject. Everyone wants to be their own leader, or in other words not have to take direction from someone else. Many leaders seem to be interested in maintaining and protecting their own power. And others stand back and wonder what the point of all of this is about in the first place. Is it possible for a group of Christians / Churches / Denomination to select a good leader, and then allow that person to have the authority and should come with the responsibility? And yet, can that group be able to hold their leaders accountable and still be good followers? Lots of questions...lots of sadness in the state of the Church!