Living the Story / Writing on the Wall

I spent part of yesterday planning Living the Story, the Lent course I'm running as part of the Diocesan Lent and Eastertide programme together with Philip Ritchie and Paul Trathen.

We've taken as our starting point Tom Wright's description of the Bible as being like a five act play containing the first four acts in full (i.e. 1. Creation, 2. Fall, 3. Israel, 4. Jesus) and the writing of the New Testament as forming the first scene in the fifth act which also giving hints of how the play is supposed to end. We are then called to live in this story improvising our part in the play on the basis of what we know of the story so far and the hints we have of how it will end.

Living the Story in this way is something that Christian artists and writers have tried to do throughout Church history and continue to do today. So in this course we will be examining a selection of contemporary uses of the Bible and the Christian story in popular culture and considering whether or not they can be said to be 'living the story’. We plan to cover film, music, novels, poetry and visual arts.

Also included in the Lent and Eastertide programme and covering similar ground are two sessions by Maggi Dawn based on her book The Writing on the Wall.

2011 is the 400th anniversary of the publication of The King James Version of the Bible. But just how well do we understand the Bible, and its relationship to our culture? Maggi Dawn, author of The Writing on the Wall, will show how art, music, poetry, sculpture and film have been influenced by the Bible far more than we usually realize. But the arts do more than merely illustrate bible stories and characters: they also open up possibilities for interpretation.

This day will open up some of the theological and devotional adventures that become possible when the riches of the Bible are recognized within the world of the arts, and offer all kinds of inspiration, for teaching, preaching and personal spiritual growth.

The Writing on the Wall is on Saturday March 26th at Chelmsford Cathedral Centre and Saturday May 7th at St Margaret’s Church, Barking. Both are from 10am – 4pm.

For details about dates, times and venues of courses go to Lent Schools 2011 and Eastertide Schools 2011 for the full programme. Contact details for booking at Lent and Easter schools 2011.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Brompton Oratory.