Quiet Day: Poetry and Prayer

We had a wonderful day at St Mary's Runwell for our latest Quiet Day which explored poetry and prayer. It was lovely to share the day with people from our parish, from elsewhere in the Diocese, and friends from St Martin-in-the-Fields. We looked at poems about prayer and poems written as prayers. We reflected on poetry by John Berryman, John Donne, Carol Ann Duffy, George Herbert, Gerard Manley Hopkins, Elizabeth Jennings, Tasos Leivaditis, Ann Lewin, John O'Donohue, Mary Oliver.

In my introduction to the day, I said:

'David Yezzi, writing in the New Criterion, states that: “Prayers and poems share an uncanny family resemblance. In fact, they look so much alike at times they could be thought of as identical twins separated in childhood.” “The common origins of poetry and prayer date back at least to the second millennium B.C., when the two functioned seamlessly as one expression.” (https://newcriterion.com/issues/2012/4/power-of-some-sort-or-other-on-poems-and-prayers)

Similarly, Derek Rotty writes that the “idea of making poetry into prayer has ancient roots, as far back as the choral chants of Greek theater. Yet, it was in the Hebraic tradition that poetry became prayer in a specific way. The Psalms, ancient Hebrew poems mostly attributed to King David, became the prayer book for the worship of the Jewish people. These Psalms contain the gamut of human emotions: from love to despair; from joy to sorry; from cries for protection to cries for mercy after grave sin.” (https://catholicexchange.com/poetry-as-prayer/)

Roughly 33% of the Bible is poetry, including songs, reflective poetry, and the passionate, politically resistant poetry of the prophets ... (https://overviewbible.com/poetry/)

Poet Gideon Heugh notes that “The Bible brims with the poetic. Psalms, Ecclesiastes, Proverbs, the Song of Solomon, Job and most of the Old Testament prophets are written either entirely or in part as poetry ... (https://www.tearfund.org/stories/2021/03/how-poetry-can-help-us-pray)'

With Ellen McGrath Smith we noted that many poets: “invoke the spiritual writing of Simone Weil, including her assertion that ‘absolutely unmixed attention is prayer.’ This … broadens the possibility for poetry as prayer, regardless of content, since writing poetry is an act of acute mindfulness.” (https://talkingwriting.com/poetry-prayer)

My poem about St Mary's entitled 'Runwell' takes the reader on a visit to St Mary's Runwell, while also reflecting on the spirituality of the space plus its history and legends. Click here to read the poem.

Our next Quiet Day at St Mary's will be on WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2023 AT 10:30 AM – 3:30 PM. The Rhythm of Life will be a day spent reflecting on Celtic Spirituality, its place in our history, its saints, prayer and worship, music and art.

Reflect in the magnificent mediaeval building that is St Mary’s Runwell, and relax in its beautiful churchyard. St. Mary’s itself is often described by visitors and by regular worshippers as a powerful sacred space to which they have been drawn. Experience this yourself, while also exploring its art and heritage.

Led by Revd Sue Wise, Team Vicar, Wickford and Runwell Team Ministry.
Cost: £8.00 per person, including sandwich lunch (pay on the day).
To book: Phone 07941 506156 or email sue.wise@sky.com.

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Mary Gauthier - Prayer Without Words.

Stations of the Cross 2016: Experience the Passion in a pilgrimage for art lovers

Stations of the Cross 2016: An exhibition across London in 14 iconic destinations. Experience the Passion in a pilgrimage for art lovers. Feb 10 - March 28

We, at St Stephen Walbrook, are proud to participate in this unique exhibition across our city, from Ash Wednesday to Easter Monday.

For Christians, the Stations of the Cross represent 14 moments in Jesus’ journey through Jerusalem, from condemnation to crucifixion and burial. Across the chasm of two thousand years, this tortured path resonates with current events for people of many faiths and cultures. In particular, it calls to mind the hazardous journeys of refugees from today’s Middle East.

This exhibition invites people of all backgrounds to experience London as a ‘new Jerusalem.’ It tells the story of the Passion in fresh ways, using existing masterpieces and new commissions by Jewish, Christian, and Muslim artists. Take this Journey through London and let the Stations provoke your passions.

The Bishop of Stepney, the Rt Revd Adrian Newman, said that the Stations “navigate a journey” that was still relevant to “dispossessed communities, fleeing refugees, displaced identities, and all who suffer injustice and oppression”.

The exhibition is curated by Dr. Aaron Rosen and artist Terry Duffy. It is supported by King’s College London, Cambridge Inter-faith Programme, Coexist House, and Art & Sacred Places.

To learn more about this and other Stations—including an interactive map, podcasts, and events—visit the website: www.coexisthouse.org.uk/stations2016. Download the Alight App to listen to podcasts about the Stations on the go! Visit the Interactive Map. Download a Devotional Guide by Dr. Carolyn Rosen to prompt your prayers or reflections.

@Stations2016L, #Stations2016
www.facebook.com/stations2016

Station ​13. Jesus is taken down from the cross
Michael Takeo Magruder, Lamentation for the Forsaken, 2016

As he took his last breath, Jesus cried out ‘My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?’ Resurrection must have felt far away in this moment, and later for the paltry few who remained to tend to his corpse. In this work, Takeo offers a lamentation not only for the forsaken Christ, but others who have felt his acute pain of abandonment.

In particular, Takeo evokes the memory of Syrians who have passed away in the present conflict, weaving their names and images into a contemporary Shroud of Turin. The Shroud, of course, is itself an image—an ‘icon’ in Pope Francis’ words—better known by its photographic negative than its actual fabric. Takeo’s digital re-presentation participates in and perpetuates this history of reproduction. But the real miracle isn’t the Shroud itself, it’s our capacity to look into the eyes of the forsaken—and see our Saviour.

Two events at St Stephen Walbrook in this period will foster reflection on the themes of Takeo’s
installation:

• 'Grief and Hope: reflecting on the refugee crisis’ will be an awareness raising event held at St Stephen Walbrook on Monday 15th February at 6.00pm. Takeo will speak about the motivations behind his installation and Dionne Gravesande, Head of Church Advocacy at Christian Aid, will speak about the refugee crisis and the work which Christian Aid is doing with partners in the ACT Allianceand other agencies to support practical and political action to help those fleeing, and address the longer term issues. There will also be contributions from David Glasser (Chairman, Ben Uri Gallery - Museum of Art, Identity & Migration) andRevd Richard Carter (Associate Vicar, St Martin-in-the-Fields).
• ‘Discover & explore: Soul’ will be a service of musical discovery at St Stephen Walbrook on Monday 21st March at 1.10pm. This service will explore the themes of Takeo’s installation through music and liturgy together with the Choral Scholars of St Martin-in-the-Fields, Dr Carolyn Rosen (ordinand at Westcott House), Jonathan Evens and Sally Muggeridge (ministers at St Stephen Walbrook). This service will be followed by an open discussion with Michael Takeo Magruder.

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a-ha - Crying In The Rain.

'Lamentation for the Forsaken, 2016' and 'Stations of the Cross 2016'

St Stephen Walbrook will be a venue for the Stations of the Cross 2016 exhibition across London in 14 iconic destinations. Experience the Passion in a pilgrimage for art lovers during Lent 2016 (Feb 10 - March 28).

On the day he died, Jesus walked the Via Dolorosa through the streets of Jerusalem, a holy city for Jews, which would later become sacred to Christians and Muslims. Jesus’ journey is traditionally commemorated by the Stations of the Cross. Across the chasm of two thousand years, this tortured path resonates with current events for people of many faiths and cultures. In particular, it calls to mind the hazardous journeys of refugees from today’s Middle East.

This unique exhibition uses works of art to tell the story of the Passion in a new way, for people of different faiths. In this pilgrimage for art lovers, viewers will travel across London, mapping the geography of the Holy Land onto the streets of a ‘new Jerusalem.’

The Stations will weave through religious as well as secular spaces, from cathedrals to museums. The art on display will run the gamut from Old Master paintings to contemporary video installations. Artists will include Christians, Jews, Muslims, and atheists. Instead of easy answers, the Stations aim to provoke the passions: artistically, spiritually, and politically.

“Lamentation for the Forsaken”, 2016 by Michael Takeo Magruder, images copyright and courtesy of the artist (multi-layer digital print on clear acrylic, generated from the names of civilian casualties who have died during the present Syrian conflict digitally woven into an image negative of the Shroud of Turin - detail)
St Stephen Walbrook will host Station Thirteen, Michael Takeo Magruder’s Lamentation for the Forsaken, 2016. In this work, Takeo offers a lamentation not only for the forsaken Christ, but others
who have felt his acute pain of abandonment. In particular, Takeo evokes the memory of Syrians who have passed away in the present conflict, weaving their names and images into a contemporary Shroud of Turin. The Shroud, of course, is itself an image—an ‘icon’ in Pope Francis’ words—better
known by its photographic negative than its actual fabric. Takeo’s digital re-presentation participates in and perpetuates this history of reproduction. But the real miracle isn’t the Shroud itself, it’s our capacity to look into the eyes of the forsaken—and see our Saviour.

Two events at St Stephen Walbrook in this period will foster reflection on the themes of Takeo’s
installation:

• 'Grief and Hope: reflecting on the refugee crisis’ will be an awareness raising event held at St Stephen Walbrook on Monday 15th February at 6.00pm. Takeo will speak about the motivations behind his installation and Dionne Gravesande, Head of Church Advocacy at Christian Aid, will speak about the refugee crisis and the work which Christian Aid is doing with partners in the ACT Alliance and other agencies to support practical and political action to help those fleeing, and address the longer term issues.
• ‘Discover & explore: Soul’ will be a service of musical discovery at St Stephen Walbrook on Monday 21st March at 1.10pm. This service will explore the themes of Takeo’s installation through music and liturgy together with the Choral Scholars of St Martin-in-the-Fields, Dr Carolyn Rosen (ordinand at Westcott House), Jonathan Evens and Sally Muggeridge (ministers at St Stephen Walbrook). This service will be followed by an open discussion with Michael Takeo Magruder.

Visitors can take the full Stations of the Cross tour, which includes free entry to St Paul’s and the Tower, by downloading maps and podcasts from the project website (http://www.coexisthouse.org.uk/stations2016.html), along with a new app which will launch on 10 February. Details about an interfaith pilgrimage and other associated events at the National Gallery, The Wallace Collection, and churches across London are available on the website. Donations will be collected online and in person for Syrian refugees.

For more information - web: http://www.coexisthouse.org.uk/stations2016.html.
www.facebook.com/stations2016. Twitter: @Stations2016L. Email: stations2016l@gmail.com.

The exhibition is supported by King’s College London, Cambridge Inter-faith Programme, Coexist House, and Art & Sacred Places.

Locations: King’s College London, Parliament Square, Methodist Central Hall, Westminster Cathedral, Wallace Collection, Cavendish Square, National Gallery, Notre Dame de France, The Barbican and St Giles Cripplegate, Salvation Army HQ, St Paul’s, Tower of London, St Stephen Walbrook, Temple Church.

Artists: 

Old and Modern Masters: Jacopo Bassano, Eric Gill, Jacob Epstein, Jean Cocteau. Contemporary Artists: Bill Viola, Philip Jackson, Terry Duffy, Roland Biermann, Michael Takeo Magruder, Güler Ates, James Balmforth, Leni Dothan, Guy Reid, Hannah Habibi.

Curators: Dr. Aaron Rosen: Lecturer in Sacred Traditions & the Arts, King’s College London. Author of Art & Religion in the 21st Century (Thames & Hudson, 2015). Mr. Terry Duffy: Artist with exhibits in London, Paris, Berlin, New York, Cape Town. Shown during Liverpool Biennial & Venice Biennale.

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Sam Phillips - Reflecting Light.

Stations of the Cross: Art & Passion

Stations of the Cross: Art and Passion is an exhibition across London in 14 iconic destinations: A pilgrimage for art lovers. Experience the Passion: Lent 2016: 10 February (Ash Wednesday) - 28 March (Easter Monday).

On the day he died, Jesus walked the Via Dolorosa through the streets of Jerusalem, a holy city for Jews, which would later become sacred to Christians and Muslims. Jesus' journey is traditionally commemorated by the Stations of the Cross. Across the chasm of two thousand years, this tortured path resonates with current events for people of many faiths and cultures. In particular, it calls to mind the hazardous journeys of refugees from today's Middle East.

This unique exhibition — held in 14 stations across London — uses works of art to tell the story of the Passion in a new way, for people of different faiths. In this pilgrimage for art lovers, viewers will travel across London, mapping the geography of the Holy Land onto the streets of a ‘new Jerusalem.’

The Stations will weave through religious as well as secular spaces, from cathedrals to museums. The art on display will run the gamut from Old Master paintings to contemporary video installations. Artists will include Christians, Jews, Muslims, and atheists. Instead of easy answers, the Stations aim to provoke the passions: artistically, spiritually, and politically.

The Trail

1. Jesus is condemned to death by the mob and Pontius Pilate washes his hands.
King’s College London Chapel
Terry Duffy, Victim No Resurrection
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2. Jesus takes up his cross and begins his journey.
Parliament Square
Philip Jackson, Mahatma Gandhi, 2015
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3. Jesus falls the first time.
Methodist Central Hall
James Balmforth, Intersection Point, 2015
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4. Jesus meets his mother.
Westminster Cathedral (Catholic)
Eric Gill, Stations of the Cross (Station IV), 1915
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5. Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus carry the cross.
Wallace Collection
Twenty-four Plaques after Albrecht Dürer's Small Passion Woodcut Series, Limoges, France, c. 1570- c.1625
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6. Veronica wipes the face of Jesus.
Cavendish Square
Jacob Epstein, Madonna and Child, 1950-52
With nightime image projection planned by Hannah Habibi
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7. Jesus falls for the second time.
National Gallery
Jacopo Bassano, The Way to Calvary, c. 1544-5
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8. Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem.
Notre Dame Refugee Centre/Notre Dame de France Church
Jean Cocteau, Our Lady’s Chapel, 1959
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9. Jesus falls the third time.
The Barbican & St Giles Terrace
G. Roland Biermann​

10. Jesus is stripped of his garments.
Salvation Army International Headquarters
Guler Ates will create a piece using children’s clothes collected from the Salvation Army in London, which she will mould into a sculptural form which connects the theme of Jesus’ torment with the experiences of refugees.
​
11. Crucifixion: Jesus is nailed to the cross.
St Paul’s Cathedral
Bill Viola and Kira Perov, Martyrs, 2014
​​
12. Jesus dies on the cross.
Tower of London
Guy Reid, Crucifixion. Life-size (183 cm x 180 cm), lime wood

13. Jesus is taken down from the cross (Deposition or Lamentation).
St. Stephen, Walbrook
Michael Takeo Magruder will create a multi-media sculpture in the form of a tomb with walls displaying videos related to tragic contemporary events.

14. Jesus is laid in the tomb.
Temple Church
Leni Diner Dothan, Crude Ashes: Three Faces for Death, Burial, and Resurrection

Events

The Passion in Art: From Old Masters to Contemporary Installations
Feb 8: Monday, 1–1.45pm
National Gallery (Sainsbury Wing Theatre)
Dr. Aaron Rosen, author of Art and Religion in the 21st Century (Thames & Hudson, 2015)
http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/whats-on/calendar/lunchtime-talk-8-february-2016

Contemporary Artists Take on the Passion
Feb 16: Tuesday, 6:00pm - 7:00pm
Wallace Collection
Artists Leni Dothan & Michael Magruder in conversation with Dr. Aaron Rosen
Price: £7.00
http://www.wallacecollection.org/collections/event/7412

In Conversation: Stations of the Cross
March 16: 1pm
National Gallery, Room 9
Artist Terry Duffy and National Gallery Curator Dr. Matthias Wivel

Does Religion Belong in Museums?
March 22: Tuesday, 6:30pm - 7:30pm
Wallace Collection
Panel discussion with:
Dr Christoph Vogtherr, Director of the Wallace Collection
Rev Prof David Jasper, University of Glasgow
Mr Jonathan Ruffer, Chariman, Auckland Castle Trust
Dr Aaron Rosen, King’s College London
Price: £7.00
http://www.wallacecollection.org/collections/event/7504

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U2 - Moment Of Surrender.

The King James version in context

Yesterday I attended the special lecture for Bible Year 2011 arranged by Dr Graham Gould at Holy Trinity with St Augustine of Hippo Harrow Green. Entitled The King James version in context: the Church of England and the Bible in the early seventeenth century, the lecture was given by The Very Revd Dr David Hoyle, Dean of Bristol.

Hoyle began by vividly describing the awkward and difficult nature of the Reformation as it impacted in parish level where, as Eamon Duffy has demonstrated, Catholicism was in rude health. So, candlesticks and church plate had to be melted down and sold off, altar tables removed, rood screens defaced or torn down, chasubles unstitched, walls whitewashed, relics discarded and paintings of saints hidden in parishioners’ houses.

He then spoke about the central significance of the Bible to Protestantism, quoting William Chillingworth as saying, "... the Bible only, is the religion of Protestants!" Prior to the Reformation, only one translation of the Bible was in use; the Vulgate, created by St Jerome and used by Catholic churches for 1,000 years prior to the Reformation. However, sermons and prayers in services were in English and English compendiums of Gospel stories were in circulation. Bible stories were also told through the visual imagery of Catholic churches.

Leading up to the Reformation we see: English becoming established as a language of power and excitement through the work of Chaucer, Langland and others; the development of the printing press with Caxton printing collections on the Catholic saints; and the beginnings through such as Erasmus and Wycliffe of new translations of parts of the Bible. Luther understood himself to have been saved from his anxiety about Hell by his reading of scripture leading to his emphasis on sola scriptura. Tyndale was similarly convinced that the truth could not be known until we hand the scriptures in our hands in English.

Tyndale was a literary genius and 75% of the King James Version of the Bible is essentially his translation. This occurred via 'The Great Bible,' which combined Tyndale's translations of the New Testament and part of the Old - Tyndale was unable to complete his translation of the Old Testament - with the Coverdale translation (a full translation of the Bible into English based on the Vulgate) making up the gaps including the Psalms in particular. The King James Version was not a new version, being based on The Great Bible, but sought to make a good translation better through its various translation companies or committees. Interestingly, it was read aloud before being finalised and this testing by ear contributed to its subsequent influence on English language and literature.

Hoyle was particularly interesting in his emphasis on the complexity of the process of change with the irony that Henry VIII gained the title 'Defender of the Faith' for opposing Protestatism, giving instances of reluctant conformity to Protestantism, and dissatisfaction with the King James Version following its publication in contrast to the later acceptance of it as the 'Authorised' version.

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Philip Bailey - Bring It To Jesus.

Living the Story (3)

Philip Ritchie has posted on the Living the Story session which I led on Friday and which made use of poems by Carol Ann Duffy, George Herbert and John Berryman.

In this Lent series for the Chelmsford Diocese we have been comparing and contrasting artworks which can be said to be living the Christian story with others that seem to view that same story from the perspective of a non-participant. This is not in order to suggest that one is better than the other but simply to see and explore the different types of insights and understandings which come when your perspective is inside or outside the story.  

It was interesting to note that the course participants had most to say about the two poems - Duffy's Prayer and Berryman's Dream Song 201 - which seemed to have been written from the perspectives of characters without a Christian faith. In the first, they identified with its evocations of moments of particular attention or epiphany which come with a sense of gift or realisation or revelation. In the second, with its sense of the meaningless mundanity of a faithless existence.

It is a source of interest that, as we have sought to explore in this series, so many artists (like those we have looked at in this series, Nick Cave, Mike Nelson, Denys Arcand, Carol Ann Duffy, Philip Pullman) remain fascinated by the stories, beliefs and impact of Christianity at a time when the secularist narrative remains that of the decline of faith. Why this should be can in some measure be gleaned from the works we have explored in the series e.g. the intertwined nature of passion and violence to which Cave responds, the strength for survival in the face of marginalisation that Nelson sees as stemming from belief systems, or the existence of moments of gift or illumination in life that Duffy evokes.

These may not be the principal reasons why those who seek to live the story of Christianity do so but they are undoubtedly among the reasons why Christianity retains an inspirational and provocative place within contemporary culture. Those who seek to live the story have much to learn from the responses to that story of those who don't, both in the significance for our faith of those aspects of Christianity to which others respond and in understanding connections and context for mission.  

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Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Brompton Oratory.   

A junction in the mind where poetry happens

There is a great opening para or two to the main leader in today's Guardian which focusses on the appointment of Carol Ann Duffy as the new and first female poet laureate:

"Poetry happens at a sort of junction in the mind, says Rowan Williams, a poet himself, at a place where new combinations of words and ideas spring up together. The effect, he adds, can feel like a venture into anarchic territory. Inevitably, some fare better on this voyage into the unknown than others, but poetry's exhilarating imaginative leap is not the preserve of a select few. Everyone has a mind, and millions have felt theirs stirring, whether they have tried to write a poem or been moved by someone else's, or even if they have sought to express themselves in a newspaper editorial in words that sing with a bit of style. The need to express oneself well is part of the human condition.

Carol Ann Duffy, who was named yesterday as the poet laureate, often writes in just the way that the archbishop describes, as here: "Some days, although we cannot pray, a prayer / utters itself. So, a woman will lift / her head from the sieve of her hands and stare / at the minims sung by a tree, a sudden gift." Those four lines at the start of Ms Duffy's 1993 sonnet 'Prayer' are full of connections and of the unexpected alike."

The news of Duffy's appointment has also been linked with news of the death of UA Fanthorpe, whose quiet Quaker faith is mentioned in the Guardian's obituary and to whom Duffy dedicates a new poem 'Premonitions', also published in today's Guardian.

Here is UA Fanthorpe's 'BC:AD', now a much-loved Christmas poem and one which, like Duffy's 'Prayer' is also "full of connections and of the unexpected alike":

This was the moment when Before
Turned into After, and the future's
Uninvented timekeepers presented arms.

This was the moment when nothing
Happened. Only dull peace
Sprawled boringly over the earth.

This was the moment when even energetic Romans
Could find nothing better to do
Than counting heads in remote provinces.

And this was the moment
When a few farm workers and three
Members of an obscure Persian sect
Walked haphazard by starlight straight
Into the kingdom of heaven.

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K. D. Lang - Hallelujah.