eChurch Blog

If you didn’t watch Derren Brown’s Channel 4 broadcast Miracles for Sale, then you can watch it on 4oD here.

Richard Bartholomew has a provided a comprehensive outline of the show, which can be found here.

As for me, I found it painful viewing. It’s sad to watch Christians duped by the ‘faith, wealth & health prosperity gospel’.  I’ve seen the devastating consequences of this movement all too damn often in those most vulnerable, the mentally unwell.

Within this movement the Christian suffering from mental illness tends to come under the accusation of either a lack of faith, demon possession, or hidden sin. I’m not exaggerating, I have personally encountered far too many such cases. I have also encountered cases in which ‘faith’ leaders have requested a mentally unwell person cease taking medication and rely on faith, with predictable outcomes.

I’m not saying that miraculous healing is not possible, but I am saying that God is not a puppet-master pulling strings for his favourites at the whim of a ‘faith’ preacher. Suffering is part of the human experience and in some ways more so, for the Christian.

Anyway, I have posted previously on the ‘wealth & health prosperity gospel’ in relation to mental illness, in a post entitled: Exposing the Myth that Christians Should Not Have Emotional Problems.

Here’s a few links I found interesting for one reason or another:

Beaker Folk of Husborne Crawley – In Cyberspace, no-one can see your mitre

JoeThorn.Net – The Tragedy of a Self-Centered Life

Ugley Vicar – Why ‘Piss Christ’ was crap art

Telegraph – A six-year-old girl writes a letter to God. And the Archbishop of Canterbury answers

Catholic and Loving it – Christ came to destroy religion?

Christian Post – Belief in Angry God Keeps Students From Cheating

David Lindsay – It’s Auntie’s Time Again

Kineti L’Tziyon – What’s the difference between Messianics and Christians?

Point of no Return – MidEast Christian fate is intertwined with the Jews

Yesterday was of course Easter Sunday, focusing on the glorious resurrection and wondrous victory over death and sin of our Lord Jesus Christ.

In view of this, I was somewhat surprised, puzzled, and a little disheartened, to view the ‘theme of the day’ emanating from prominent Christians.

We had Cardinal O’brien attacking secularists, Lord Patten attacking secularists, Bishop John Sentamu attacking secularists and Cranmer attacking secularists.

Now, this post is not about the march of secularism, but is a gripe at the use of our most Holy Day to vent our spleen at those opposed to our faith.

The Church Mouse has also rightly criticised Bishop John Pritchard for choosing Good Friday to discuss admission policies to Church schools.

Surely, Easter at least, is a time when we can leave far behind the concerns of this world and focus our minds on the things above.

The Lord is risen, He is risen indeed. Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Interesting essay on the health benefits of the Christian faith and the role of faith in medical care, published by the Chrsitian Medical Fellowship, and well worth a read.

Here’s a snippet on mental health:

In the popular imagination, religion commonly underlies florid mental illness such as psychosis. In reality though, religiosity has been shown to protect against psychosis, and patients who used religion to cope had better insight and were more compliant with medication.

‘In the majority of studies religious involvement is correlated with well-being, happiness and life satisfaction; hope and optimism; purpose and meaning in life; higher self-esteem; better adaptation to bereavement; greater social support and less loneliness; lower rates of depression and faster recovery from depression; lower rates of suicide and fewer positive attitudes towards suicide; less anxiety; less psychosis and fewer psychotic tendencies; lower rates of alcohol and drug abuse; less delinquency and criminal activity; greater marital stability and satisfaction.’

This is the conclusion of the largest literature review, and is endorsed by a former President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists. He laments the lack of attention given to the strong evidence: ‘for anything other than religion and spirituality, governments and health providers would be doing their utmost to promote it’.

Read all

OK, in case anyone else has had St. George’s day confusion, I can confirm that the secular world is celebrating today, but not the Church.

The Church has moved it to Monday week (2nd May) to avoid Triduum, but Gregg is still determined to celebrate it today regardless.

Cranmer has nice piece on Holy Saturday and the oft forgotten harrowing of hell which is worth a read.

The following Scripture was the reading for today, in my wife’s Sacred Space booklet by the Irish Jesuits for Lent 2011:

Luke 24:1-12

Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.

And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.

And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.

And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:

And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?

He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,

Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.

And they remembered his words,

And returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest.

It was Mary Magdalene and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles.

And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not.

Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass.

Did you notice the disciples thought the women were telling them idle tales? I highlight this because quite frankly I have been treating the Gospel as an idle tale.

I have been living for myself, consumed by the things of the flesh and of this world, and walking accordingly.

Where has this lead?

To a heart of granite, confusion, depression, apathy and self-pity.

It took a simple, profound, Children’s Stations of the Cross Church service, to feel those familiar stirrings in my heart, that have been absent for so long. It was during this service that I realised just how long it has been since I perceived the softening caress of our Lord.

It staggers me how far I’ve drifted away, drip by drip, almost imperceptibly.

I can honestly say that Jesus is harrowing the hell of my darkened heart.

Today really is a new day, the light is finally dawning and this is the day death died.

Thank God.

As Leila powerfully articulates:

The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is offered continually, hour upon hour, all over the globe — save for this one day. On Good Friday, there is not one Mass said on this earth. The tabernacles of every nation are empty, the sanctuary lamps across the world have all been extinguished, literally.

Left in darkness, agony and sin, we wait….

Hat-tip: Lucy

TIME’s list of the 100 most influential people in the world has just been released and I’ve only time to quickly scan once before heading for Church.

Surprisingly, the only Christian leader that immediately jumped out at me was Rob Bell.

Do have a look at the list and let me know if you spot any other prominent Christian leader that I may of missed.

A fun little test to see how addicted to blogging you are. I’m sorry to say that I’m hopelessly addicted:

74%How Addicted to Blogging Are You?

You can take the test here and you don’t have to sign up for results. If you look at the bottom of the page once you’ve completed the test, there’s a link for: “No thanks, take me to my quiz results”.

Let me know your results if you take the test.