christian

A Quiet English Weekend

This weekend we have had a quiet, by our standards, few days. We visited the Cowper Newton Museum in Olney on Saturday. This is a brilliant little museum celebrating the lives of two Christian men – a poet and a reformed sea captain turned Anglican minister. This museum pictures their lives and the era in which they lived.

That evening we dropped in unannounced at our friends Heather and Keith and their two daughters. The following morning, after walking through Bletchley, we attended Spurgeon’s Baptist church and renewed old relationships. In the afternoon, after a detour to the Eleanor Cross in Geddington (which included an unexpected guide by the local historian) we stayed with our friends John and Lin. They made us feel at home so we stayed an extra night. We also attended their delightful church in the evening – Baptist again. The music was warm and celebratory; the message to the point.

On Monday we did the tourist thing in London: the Eye, the Tower, a trip down the stone steps which badly bruised my thumb, the British Library with its amazing manuscripts, and the Museum of London – chasing Charles Dickens. We continued our Dickens research on Tuesday in Rochester.

Insights? Not too many. I was too relaxed. However, French and German student groups are ruder than any I have ever come across! The Tower of London with screaming German students may be a just cause for a … I think I am going to far.

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The Medieval Mind

A few days ago we went to Chartres Cathedral. One writer described it as one of the most perfect pictures of the medieval mind.

What does this massive and beautiful building tell us? Here are a few ideas for the moment.
1. God was at the heart of their thinking. God dominated their lives and they wanted to honour Him.
2. There was a fear of God – fear in a wrong sense. Confessional boxes, a maze that had to be travelled on the knees was at the heart of the Cathedral. People needed to do things to earn God’s pleasure.
3. It was an illiterate society, so the Bible story was told in great detail in the beautifully rich stained glass windows. Sadly, non Biblical Stories about Mary were added. But the detail and accuracy of the Bible stories was impressive.
4. The size of the building made God remote. Even Jesus was not a personal savior.
5. My last point, for the moment, is that this image of God does not communicate to the 21st century mind. Chartres reminds us that we need to reapply the gospel message anew for every age.

Finally, whatever our feelings, the medieval devotion makes pale in comparison.

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Past Glories

After the heights of Calvinism in Geneva, we went to the Abbey of Cluny today. It is a magnificent complex of buildings whose influence ranged over the pre reformational world. This abbey was the mother from which many others were set up, in England and France. It was an amazing picture of medieval devotion. Today its zeal was muted by tourists and bored French school groups. From there we went to the magnificent Cathedral at Orleans whose patron saint is Joan of Arc – a martyr of the French nation. Like many Cathedrals there are beggars at the door. The question as to what to what to do bothers me.

Yesterday we passed an accident on a country road. There were police cars and emergency vehicles. Cars were being redirected around the accident. On the side of the road was a body bag with a body in it. For me this was a stark reminder of the calling we have to represent Christ. Death may come at any moment (especially on French and Spanish roads) but we need to have a relationship with Christ – nothing is more important than that!

Tomorrow we plan to go to Chartres Cathedral and from their to Belgium to see family.

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Geneva – The Heart of the Reformation

Today was a fabulous day for a Calvinist lad. Hetty (not hefty – certainly not after walking 125 kms) and I went to Geneva. We visited the old city where there is a museum dedicated to the Reformation. It was informative, well laid out and we could have spent the whole day there. It narrated the story of the Reformation, its issues and its key people. There was material for all ages, including audio and visual presentations. I found the last room, which presented Protestant worship around the world, very moving. But we didn’t stay all day!

Next to the museum is St Peter’s Cathedral under which, is the most incredible area of archeology I have ever seen. The detailed information, the extent of the work, the overview from the 1st century to more recent years and the presentation, was an unexpected delight. Any person who loves archeology and visits Geneva must go. The whole set up is Swiss efficiency at its best. The same can’t be said of the Post Office which was a rigmarole at its best, or is it worst? The museum and archeology visit also allowed us up the towers of St Peter’s. This must be one of the best views of Geneva!

Finally we went to the Reformation monument – a giant facade representing the key players in the Reformation. A very powerful message, which sadly, doesn’t get heard in modern Europe.

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Some Favourite Photos of the last Two Weeks

Here are some of the photos that encapsulate the last two weeks. For some reason, WordPress on iPad has jumbled them up. But I hope you get the drift.

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Moor and Christian

I’m sitting in a restaurant in Cuenca, Spain writing this blog. We have had a most amazing four days. After traveling through Portugal we visited Sevilla, Granada, Cadiz and Cordoba. We travelled though Moor -Catholic history. The Real in Seville revealed a Moorish palace taken back by the Spanish. The Alhambra was rife with Moorish influence. However, the place that showed that intersection the most was the Mesquita in Cordoba. Here a Cathedral sits in the the heart of a Mosque. The beautiful cool Islamic mosque courtyard has been filled with a Cathedral. Very incongruous. It does reveal he relationship between Muslim and Christian over the centuries.

The Islamic influence is still clear to see in southern Spain.

A side point. If the Spanish government wants to reduce its debt, it should set up speed cameras. For most Spanish drivers, speed signs are suggestions. I am the slowest person on the roads.
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Easter Sunday in Santiago -Hetty’s Perspective

Hetty’s thoughts about Easter Sunday

We had an appointment to meet Kiki at the cathedral at 11am, so we found a car park and walked into the city centre. It wasn’t difficult to find each other. As we approached the cathedral the Risen Jesus was being wheeled in. We followed Jesus.
Just inside the doors he did a tricky 25point reverse and back outside.
Crowds of tourists/spectators were shooed out of his way. Meanwhile people in costumes arrived from all directions: little angels, Biblical characters, and traditional Spanish women in high veils. And lots of green-caped churchmen and women. Then we realized another float was coming into the square.
To drums and trumpets and a Spanish version of the bagpipes , Mary was being borne aloft by two dozen men. No wheels under this lady! Her carriers had her rocking from side to side as she and Jesus inched towards each other. We then got an Easter Pageant and a kind of sermon. It was good that we knew the story and that the word Halleluyah is universal. The two Marys went to meet Jesus, ran back to tell John and Peter who in turn ran towards Jesus. Then some angel children released some doves. After that the procession went through the town to more music.
We turned back to the cathedral for the 12 o’clock Pilgrims Service. there was a lot of pomp, ceremony, smells and bells, but we understood little of it. the priest did welcome us in English but I didn’t realize it immediately and didn’t precisely notice when he went back to Spanish.
At the commencement of the Communion we left, found our way back to the car, and started on our journey south.

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Easter Sunday in Santiago

Today was Easter Sunday and we were in Santiago witnessing how the Catholic Church firing on all cylinders does it. Many words can describe it: spectacular, rich, all involving. The ritual was dramatic and beautifully presented. The robes were rich, the processional figures spectacular and the story well told. People of all ages were involved. The Bible story was told in detail.

With my very limited knowledge of Spanish, it was obvious that the gospel was proclaimed. But something was missing. I’ll write more about that later.

Then we started for the south via Portugal. We camped north of Lisbon.

Today, Monday, we marched on south as we want to see the southern cities of Seville, Cordoba, Cadiz and Granada. We went via a town in Portugal called ” Elvas” with a most amazing viaduct. We have arrived in Seville after finding a camping ground. The gps worked well but the camping grounds didn’t exist with our first two tries. Tomorrow we will visit Seville.

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Thursday 5th April Camino Day 4

Another Camino Flashback:
At 5:30am we gathered our things, crept downstairs and readied ourselves for another day’s tramping. It was going to be a very easy, very short stint, or twice the distance. Our usual 20 something kilometers wasn’t going to work today because of a lack of albergues at that point. It seemed especially dark, and the path treacherous and unclear. But we were enjoying the solitude. Until we reached a main road and there was no indication of the pilgrim route (yellow arrows and signs). We asked at a petrol station however the attendant just ignored us when we said we couldn’t understand Spanish. On and on he went, gabbling and pointing. We turned away none the wiser and decided to retrace our steps. A few hundred meters along we reached a fork in the road and there was the yellow arrow painted on a tree. Once again we were on the right track.
We arrived in Ribadiso at 9am and Arzua at 10am. We made the decision to keep going. Which meant another 15 kilometers and a total of 30kms for the day! Could we do it? At Al Calzada we stopped for lunch (leftovers from last night), and then we pushed on. Knowing there were limited places in the albergues at Santa Irene spurred us on. Just before 3pm we got here. We have more aching bits than we thought possible!

The following day I added:
Last night we had to add 3kms to our days tally to find somewhere to eat. We wound up in a proper little restaurant and had a three course meal, ordered with help from a young woman from Minnesota. Then we hobbled back to the albergue. During yesterday both my knees started to ache terribly, especially on a downwards slope.

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Day 4 Portos to Melide

Now things are working again here are some more thoughts and experiences.

Hetty’s thoughts:
The day began late by recent standards – tumbled out of that double bed with its polar fleece sheets at 7:20 am. Left Portos soon after, which required a lot of self talk aimed at the aching joints, calf muscles, and blistered tootsies. Tramped through forests, beside main roads, along tracks warn down meters deep. There seemed to be a lot of stone today – rocky paths and paved roads. It was very hard on my feet. Not surprisingly my blister count went up. I now have three toes with blisters surrounding the entire toe, even under the nail! Ouch! Mister Veane’s advice and my Chemist shop in-a-bag is coming in handy. We passed through the town of Palas de Rei and took a wrong turn so we had to back track a bit. Then we did a bit of filming around the town San Xulian. Breakfast was a “muesly” bar, and some chocolate sustained us until we arrived weary and footsore in Melide. The Alburgue will be home for the night. Lunch was olives, Brie, bananas, grapes and yoghurt. And a chocolate croissant. There is a service at the nearby church tonight which we will check out. Buon Camino.

Pieter’s additions:
We also went to Mass last night in preparation for Maundy Thursday. The church was packed. I was the only only one in shorts! On either side of the door, inscribed in the windows was “Word of God” in Latin. During the church service that evening I prayed for the people and the priests. “That this Word might be a living reality in Melide.” There had been a funeral, that afternoon and it impressed on me the need for a living relationship with God.

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