Recommended Links

"The Saint Barnabas’ Blog"
(the vague ramblings of the Revd. Fr. Edward Tomlinson SSC……)

has a couple of interesting posts on secularism and Christianity (no Virginia, they are not the same).

The first is "Its all in the soil....". Here is a teaser:

"Yet despite profound ignorance in matters floral I have harvested one tiny colonel of wisdom in my life-..."

(And I always thought that was "kernel" of wisdom)

"...that the soil is every bit as important as the plant. How often we wrongly check blooms for disease when the real problem lies buried underground.

Now to Christian life where, like a wilting rhododendron chocking in an alkaline soil, the church is floundering rooted to modern culture. Where all too often we gaze inwards, bewildered at the rotten fruit we find, when we need to gaze outwards to the true source of our malaise- the anti-Christian values drip feeding into souls by means of a rampant, secular agenda. How can the ten minute homily compete with the modern ‘values’ of the BBC that enter our ears by the hour?"

The second post is from Dec. 15, 2009 is titled "In the soil part2." Again, I give you a tease:

"Accepting the secular model of ‘justice’ (freeing people to ‘do what thou wilt’), as Western society has done, can lead to fixation on self. We see the evidence for this in the cult of celebrity that pervades modern life. Very soon this self-centredness, for the liberation secular ‘justice’ seeks is centred on self, breeds hubris. We grow cocksure and unable to recognise our weakness. This is seen in the modern scepticism of the past and the desire to deconstruct our heritage. The novel and new is embraced, look at how politicians fawn over minority faiths, but the old order is rejected, consider how Christianity is singled out for ridicule and attack."

Is there an answer to secularism? I believe that there is, and it lays within reach of every person who accepts the rule of Christ. Can Jesus compete with the modern media? Of course He can, and of course He would be mocked, scourged, and hung for so doing. Will He triumph? Yes. What will that look like?

When will He come again in Glory?