Three bishops, one Imam: change and spirituality

Yesterday the Bishop of Barking spoke on 'The Art of Leadership in Transition' at Redbridge Deanery Synod which was hosted by St John's Seven Kings. Today the Bishop of Chelmsford (together with Bishop Trevor Mwamba, Team Rector of Barking) spoke about 'Drawing close to God' at a meeting of the East London Three Faiths Forum hosted by the Al-Madina Mosque in Barking and to which the Imam from the Mosque also made a contribution.

Bishop David took the Exodus for the theme of his talk to the Redbridge Deanery Synod. Grumbling and blaming the management are natural parts of our human response to change but we need to view change as natural and positive if we are to travel well. Change brings us back to our primal needs for security, food and relationship. It throws us back on God to meet our needs, including that of spiritual food which is met through God's word and the sacraments. Communion has been instutionalised but was originally, as Passover and Last Supper, a meal prior to transition taken in transit. So, we gathered in a crowd around the altar at St John's dressed ready to leave but lingering long enough to share bread and wine together (made more poignant still by Bishop David's imminent retirement).

The context of change about which Bishop David spoke also featured in the presentations made at the East London Three Faiths Forum meeting. Concern was expressed about the secularisation of society but it was also noted that many people have a thirst for God to  which the faith communities do not always make an adequate response. Bishop Stephen told stories of adult education classes on Zen Buddhist meditation and on Christian meditation which were full of those who didn't identify with institutional religion but did want to draw close to God. The desire to draw close to God is prayer in its most basic expression. The desert fathers taught that one should stay in your cell because your cell will teach you everything. We also draw closer to God through love of neighbour.

Imam Mohammed Afzal spoke about human beings as the crown of creation but impacted by dual desires and motivations; the real (selfish actions in the here and now) and prospective (compassion generated by awareness of eternity). Drawing closer to God involves allowing the prospective to rule the real. Bishop Trevor contrasted the awe and reverence for God found in African Christianity with the loss of awe in favour of a familiarity with God that he observed as part of the European response to secularism.

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John Tavener - Fragments Of A Prayer.