The Tomorrow Project has a new publication, Going Global: Key Questions for the Twenty-First Century, which was published last month by A & C Black with Guardian Books.
The book aims to provide readers with a ‘map’ of globalisation and its chapter headings are: 1. Getting your mind round globalisation; 2. How fast will the global economy grow? 3. Will the emerging economies catch up with the West? 4. Will the gap between the richest and the poorest countries narrow? 5. How will the world feed its growing population? 6. What will happen to global migration? 7. How will global communications impact people’s lives? 8. How will the world be governed? 9. What will successful organisations be like? 10. Who will win the “war on terror”? 11. Will global crime get the upper hand? 12. How will the world manage climate change? 13. Will we have enough energy? 14. What will change?
Each of the questions is addressed under three headings - Where have we come from? Where are we going? What do we need to think about?
Professor Jan Aart Scholte of the Centre for Globalisation and Regional Studies has commented: "A compact and comprehensive guide for the concerned citizen. Globalisation is made accessible, the choices ahead are made clear."
Going Global has been produced as part of the Tomorrow Project's collaboration with the Economic & Social Research Council and can be ordered by clicking here.
For more information or to access GLIMPSES of tomorrow, the Tomorrow Projects online database of emerging trends, visit www.tomorrowproject.net.
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Bruce Cockburn - Call It Democracy.
Thursday, 14 February 2008
Love or rules?
Two evangelical Anglican bishops have come out with contrasting statements on homosexuality recently, points out Mark Vernon in his Comment published today on Ekklesia. One recognises that the issue is about love, the other sees only rules, it seems. His full piece can be read here.
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Iris DeMent - He Reached Down.
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Iris DeMent - He Reached Down.
A new way in
The idea for the Hertford stns project came through discussion with local artists following a talk given by Revd. Alan Stewart, Priest-in-Charge of St Andrew's Hertford: “The idea came from a conversation I had with a couple of local artists after a talk I gave called 'Icons or Eyesores'. The theme of the talk was how we might use contemporary art as a window into the divine; taking often controversial pieces of art, using them to interpret the signs of the times and often investing them with new meaning. We were chatting about how Christians might tell our story through art. I've always loved the Stations of the Cross and am in the middle of completing my own personal set. Rachel Doragh, one of the artists, mentioned that she had seen a public stations of the cross in New Zealand, and the idea just grew from there.”As part of preparing an article about the project I asked Rachel how she got involved?
I have seen a similar stations project in Auckland, NZ. I thought that was excellent and very moving, so when I found people in Hertford who were interested in the concept I was keen to discuss it further and be part of helping to get it off the ground.
Why did you want to get involved in this project?
I have seen a similar stations project in Auckland, NZ. I thought that was excellent and very moving, so when I found people in Hertford who were interested in the concept I was keen to discuss it further and be part of helping to get it off the ground.
Why did you want to get involved in this project?
The concept of using an ancient tradition of the church and reinterpreting it for today, taking it outside of the church and having it interact with contemporary culture is in my mind a very exciting interaction. I like the idea of bringing something deep and spiritual and intensely meaningful and re-presenting it in a way that will open up all that is in it to a new audience or bring a new way of seeing to an existing audience.
What impact do you hope the project will have?
There will be a range of different artistic styles and interpretations of the various stations but I hope for those who see them that there is at least one that touches something within them, that brings something new and alive. I'd hope that people who see them could walk away changed in some way even if it's just that a new channel of thought has been opened up. The artworks will be spread throughout the town and I'd like to see it be something that Hertford can be proud of and that it can bring people together.
What do you think is the attraction of the Stations of the Cross for artists and for worshippers?
I think that the public nature of the stations project expands the concept of 'worshippers' and that in itself is an attraction. It's also challenging a narrow view of worship - taking it outside of any one traditional worship space, into other churches and public spaces. But I think there is a lot on offer to those who take this challenge - a new way into something enduring, not a new concept but a fresh look at it and hopefully a look at it that will lead people into worship.
As an artist it is great to be given the opportunity and privilege to explore the themes of the stations and to be able to express myself in worship through the creation of an artwork. Just as God is the creator and we are created in his image, being creative is, for me, part of being who I am created to be. Being able to contribute to this project allows me to pull together my exploration of faith and an attempt to live and understand that in today's world.
For more information on Hertford stns go to the website for Hertford & District Churches Together and click on 'Events'.
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Buddy Miller - New song (untitled).
Wednesday, 13 February 2008
John Dillenberger RIP
At Good Letters Greg Wolfe has posted his tribute to John Dillenberger who passed away on February 7 from complications of Parkinson’s Disease. Dillenberger was a Professor Emeritus of Historical Theology at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California. He was the author of many books, including Benjamin West, The Visual Arts and Christianity in America, and Images and Relics: Theological Perceptions and Visual Images in Sixteenth Century Europe.
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John Prine & Nanci Griffith - Speed of the Sound of Loneliness.
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John Prine & Nanci Griffith - Speed of the Sound of Loneliness.
St John's Church Auction
The first auction at St John's was held twenty years ago to raise funds towards the building costs of converting the church building and halls. Over the years it has raised significant sums that have supported the upkeep and development of St John's.This year's auction will be held on Saturday 1st March with viewing from 10.00 - 11.45am and the sale beginning at 12 noon. Items for sale must be notified to the auction organiser, Janet Keenan (020 8590 5191), before 16th February.
Over the years that the auction has been running, Janet has met lots of generous people, visited their homes, heard wonderful stories of their lives and what St John's means to them. She has also had a stalwart band of helpers without whom running the auction would not have been such fun or so effective.
However, due to dwindling stock, this years auction will probably be the last of its kind at St John's. So make sure you come along to snap up those bargains while they remain!
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Gallagher and Lyle - Heart On My Sleeve.
Tuesday, 12 February 2008
Biblical Art: An International A-Z - Part 3
Art histories rarely focus on modern sacred or religious art, giving the impression that the visual arts in the twentieth century were predominantly secular. This represents a Western view of art history which can itself be challenged and which completely overlooks the significant development of Biblical Art in Asia and Africa throughout this period and on into the contemporary scene. The following A-Z attempts to provide a brief sample of some of the artists and organisations that create and support Biblical Art in Asia and Africa:
He Qi (b. 1950): Qi’s vibrant biblical paintings blend together Chinese folk customs and traditional painting techniques with the western art of the Middle Ages and Modern period. He hopes to help change the "foreign image" of Christianity in China by using artistic language, and at the same time, to supplement Chinese art as Buddhist art did in ancient times.
Rorke's Drift Art School: played an important role in the development of art produced by black South Africans. Artists were trained in the use of linocut, etching and aquatint. Founded as the Evangelical Lutheran Church Arts and Craft Centre in 1962 by the Church of Sweden Mission, its pupils included Azaria Mbatha, Cyprian Shilakoe, Vuminkosi Zulu, and Gabi Nkosi.
Sacrum: A term coined by the Polish critic and art historian, Janusz Bogucki to describe the meeting of spiritual themes and Polish avant-garde artists. In the 1980s Bogucki organised a series of art exhibitions in Catholic Churches, the most famous being the 1983 exhibition, The Sign of the Cross, at the Church of God’s Mercy in Warsaw which brought together over fifty artists and photographers together with actors, musicians, art theorists, and filmmakers.
Alfred D. Thomas: an Anglican, from Uttar Pradesh in India, who depicted Christ’s life and ministry. His Christ had the ideal male body of classical Indian sculptures, with broad shoulders and narrow waist. An Indian art critic wrote that, “Thomas’s pictures of the Christ as child, man and divine-man are unique in their true oriental colouring and sentiment.”
Hatigammana Uttarananda (b. 1954): a Buddhist monk who has been influenced by Catholic theologian Aloysius Pieris. Through his interest in liberation theology, Uttarananda is aware of the way in which Jesus broke down barriers between people and consistently depicts this aspect of Christ ministry in paintings based on the Gospel narratives.
Hanna Cheriyan Varghese: a Malaysian artist who began painting on biblical themes after being inspired by works she saw in the ACAA’s Image magazine. Varghese dyes batik cloth pictures and paints in acrylics. She has said that, “Art is the expressive cry of the soul. All of us have that urge in one form or another. Discover it; nurture it.”
Sadao Watanabe (1913 - 1996): created paintings of biblical narratives in the paste-resist stencil dying technique of Japanese Folk Art called katazome. Reflecting both his folk and faith roots Watanabe said of his paintings, “I would most like to see them hanging where people ordinarily gather, because Jesus brought the gospel for the people.”
Ruben Xulu (1942 - 1985): taught to carve by sculptor Bernard Gwensa and encouraged by Father Kinch, of the Roman Catholic Mission of the Good Shepherd, Hlabisa in South Africa, Xulu and Gwensa produced many sculptures for this church and other mission churches in the area. Xulu’s Christ-Crucified is informed by his own silent resignation to God’s will after he lost his hearing as a child.
Yasantha Boange (b. 1945): Sri Lankan wood carver who has been greatly inspired by religious themes and, for whom, wood carving has deepened his understanding of religion.
Vuminkosi Zulu (1948 – 1996): a Rorke’s Drift graphic artist, his work was brought to international attention when a German Lutheran priest based in Switzerland began to collect Zulu’s works and use them to illustrate his sermons. Zulu’s work was exhibited in Germany, Sweden and the USA, as well as within South Africa.
He Qi (b. 1950): Qi’s vibrant biblical paintings blend together Chinese folk customs and traditional painting techniques with the western art of the Middle Ages and Modern period. He hopes to help change the "foreign image" of Christianity in China by using artistic language, and at the same time, to supplement Chinese art as Buddhist art did in ancient times.
Rorke's Drift Art School: played an important role in the development of art produced by black South Africans. Artists were trained in the use of linocut, etching and aquatint. Founded as the Evangelical Lutheran Church Arts and Craft Centre in 1962 by the Church of Sweden Mission, its pupils included Azaria Mbatha, Cyprian Shilakoe, Vuminkosi Zulu, and Gabi Nkosi.
Sacrum: A term coined by the Polish critic and art historian, Janusz Bogucki to describe the meeting of spiritual themes and Polish avant-garde artists. In the 1980s Bogucki organised a series of art exhibitions in Catholic Churches, the most famous being the 1983 exhibition, The Sign of the Cross, at the Church of God’s Mercy in Warsaw which brought together over fifty artists and photographers together with actors, musicians, art theorists, and filmmakers.
Alfred D. Thomas: an Anglican, from Uttar Pradesh in India, who depicted Christ’s life and ministry. His Christ had the ideal male body of classical Indian sculptures, with broad shoulders and narrow waist. An Indian art critic wrote that, “Thomas’s pictures of the Christ as child, man and divine-man are unique in their true oriental colouring and sentiment.”
Hatigammana Uttarananda (b. 1954): a Buddhist monk who has been influenced by Catholic theologian Aloysius Pieris. Through his interest in liberation theology, Uttarananda is aware of the way in which Jesus broke down barriers between people and consistently depicts this aspect of Christ ministry in paintings based on the Gospel narratives.
Hanna Cheriyan Varghese: a Malaysian artist who began painting on biblical themes after being inspired by works she saw in the ACAA’s Image magazine. Varghese dyes batik cloth pictures and paints in acrylics. She has said that, “Art is the expressive cry of the soul. All of us have that urge in one form or another. Discover it; nurture it.”
Sadao Watanabe (1913 - 1996): created paintings of biblical narratives in the paste-resist stencil dying technique of Japanese Folk Art called katazome. Reflecting both his folk and faith roots Watanabe said of his paintings, “I would most like to see them hanging where people ordinarily gather, because Jesus brought the gospel for the people.”
Ruben Xulu (1942 - 1985): taught to carve by sculptor Bernard Gwensa and encouraged by Father Kinch, of the Roman Catholic Mission of the Good Shepherd, Hlabisa in South Africa, Xulu and Gwensa produced many sculptures for this church and other mission churches in the area. Xulu’s Christ-Crucified is informed by his own silent resignation to God’s will after he lost his hearing as a child.
Yasantha Boange (b. 1945): Sri Lankan wood carver who has been greatly inspired by religious themes and, for whom, wood carving has deepened his understanding of religion.
Vuminkosi Zulu (1948 – 1996): a Rorke’s Drift graphic artist, his work was brought to international attention when a German Lutheran priest based in Switzerland began to collect Zulu’s works and use them to illustrate his sermons. Zulu’s work was exhibited in Germany, Sweden and the USA, as well as within South Africa.
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Flying Burrito Brothers - Sin City.
TASK Newsletter No. 3
Welcome to our third TASK email newsletter, which aims to introduce new and continuing supporters to some of the headlines about what we are doing in and around the area.
Lorry park
We have made direct contact with Swan Housing, who are the successful bidders for the controversial High Road car/lorry park development site, to find out more about their plans, especially around the quality of the build and planned community services. Chris recently met up with them locally - along with Audrey Shorer from the local Seven Kings and Newbury Park Residents Association - and can advise that they plan to design and develop the site themselves, using mixed housing arrangements, to include rental, shared ownership and sales. They also seem genuinely keen to consult local residents and traders on the non-housing aspects of the scheme; and ideas discussed included quite literally pitching a big tent on the lorry park itself, allowing for maximum local access, involvement and conversation. We very much liked this simple yet effective notion, and filled them in on the various bits of community consultation over the years, all of which signalled strong preferences for community use, including a new library. They were at pains to point out that they are a business with a clear social purpose, and are not the kind of commercial developer to build and run, so lets hope we can all keep talking and that they listen closely to local voices. Keep reading the newsletters. Our sense is that this one will run and run.
Traders for TASK
Doug has done great work over the last few weeks talking to our local traders and businesses about our new group. A number have signed up as supporters and others have generously made contributions to us, totally around £275. Thanks to all those who donated, who we will list in our next newsletter. We also will photograph their shop fronts for a new section of our website (http://www.task7.co.uk/) called 'traders back TASK'. This generosity has allowed for the printing of leaflets for door to door delivery. We used local business Nickel Press to do the printing.
Door to door leaflet drops
A few of us set off last weekend to deliver leaflets in the area around Aldborough Road South, and were blessed with a gorgeous sunny winter afternoon. It is something we plan to do regularly until we cover the whole area so please let us know if you can help. Even delivering to your own street would help us cover the whole of Seven Kings much more quickly. All offers to Chris please. Thanks to Ali, Tyler, Fran, Peggy for their time and effort this time.
TASK public meeting
We now have a date for our first ever open meeting on Thursday March 6 from 7.30- 8,30pm. The venue is St. John's Church, on St John's Road. This will allow for us all to meet up, celebrate some of the successes since we were formed on January 1st and hear your ideas on what matters to you and what we might do next. We plan a really friendly and informal gathering, with a warm welcome guaranteed to all, so please make every effort to come along and get involved.
Seven Kings new library campaign
A desire for a new local library has united the whole community since the beautiful old Carnegie Library was cruelly closed down and sold off in the mid -1990s. Our recent discovery, using a freedom of information request, that the new Clayhall library was opened with no discernable public demand, has prompted us to make our case loud and clear on the basis that if another more affluent area can get a new service like this without even asking, it should be possible for us to do likewise, especially since we have strong support and an obvious social need.We also discover that Seven Kings and Newbury Park are now the only major areas of population in the borough without a static library within a one mile distance.We will be launching our petition for a new library on Thursday 14 February, Valentine's Day, and will circulating it to local shops, schools and faith groups as well as all our supporters in a bid to generate the maximum number of signatures over the next few weeks.
Timber: Outraged residents stop Saturday morning tree felling
We don't have that many trees in Seven Kings anyway, which is why any attempt to cut down what we still have invites a strong response. Attempts to cut down mature trees on private land between properties on Aldborough Road South and Durban Road were recently suspended after residents intervened, with a referral of the site - adjacent to the British Legion premises - to Natural England for a full environmental assessment on the basis that protected species like badgers and bats might live there. This offers a much needed temporary stay of execution, and we will keep you posted on what the assessment reveals.
Swimming pool
Following media coverage suggesting that Ilford Pool may close at Christmas 2008, Paul has contacted cabinet Member for Leisure, Cllr Barden, for clarification on what is happening. His senior Council officer Iain Varah advises that the borough has planning permission to build a leisure centre with a 50m pool at Cricklefields behind the existing complex but that apparently "the scheme is on hold while the Council identifies possible options to fund the complex". Iain Varah goes on to say that "the Council will be consulting the local Community over the priorities for our future spending and how we can raise the money to fund the communities priorities". From this, it does seem that there is a real risk we could lose our existing pool without any specific commitment to, or guarantee of, a new one. All of which suggests a really very poor deal for the area. We will be following this up with officers.
That's it for now. Thanks for reading and do please fee free to share the content with family and friends. We are very keen to spread the word about TASK and our various activities. Our next email newsletter will be out w/b 25 February. Please send all copy to chrisconnelley@ntlworld.com.
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Sex Pistols - Holidays In The Sun.
Lorry park
We have made direct contact with Swan Housing, who are the successful bidders for the controversial High Road car/lorry park development site, to find out more about their plans, especially around the quality of the build and planned community services. Chris recently met up with them locally - along with Audrey Shorer from the local Seven Kings and Newbury Park Residents Association - and can advise that they plan to design and develop the site themselves, using mixed housing arrangements, to include rental, shared ownership and sales. They also seem genuinely keen to consult local residents and traders on the non-housing aspects of the scheme; and ideas discussed included quite literally pitching a big tent on the lorry park itself, allowing for maximum local access, involvement and conversation. We very much liked this simple yet effective notion, and filled them in on the various bits of community consultation over the years, all of which signalled strong preferences for community use, including a new library. They were at pains to point out that they are a business with a clear social purpose, and are not the kind of commercial developer to build and run, so lets hope we can all keep talking and that they listen closely to local voices. Keep reading the newsletters. Our sense is that this one will run and run.
Traders for TASK
Doug has done great work over the last few weeks talking to our local traders and businesses about our new group. A number have signed up as supporters and others have generously made contributions to us, totally around £275. Thanks to all those who donated, who we will list in our next newsletter. We also will photograph their shop fronts for a new section of our website (http://www.task7.co.uk/) called 'traders back TASK'. This generosity has allowed for the printing of leaflets for door to door delivery. We used local business Nickel Press to do the printing.
Door to door leaflet drops
A few of us set off last weekend to deliver leaflets in the area around Aldborough Road South, and were blessed with a gorgeous sunny winter afternoon. It is something we plan to do regularly until we cover the whole area so please let us know if you can help. Even delivering to your own street would help us cover the whole of Seven Kings much more quickly. All offers to Chris please. Thanks to Ali, Tyler, Fran, Peggy for their time and effort this time.
TASK public meeting
We now have a date for our first ever open meeting on Thursday March 6 from 7.30- 8,30pm. The venue is St. John's Church, on St John's Road. This will allow for us all to meet up, celebrate some of the successes since we were formed on January 1st and hear your ideas on what matters to you and what we might do next. We plan a really friendly and informal gathering, with a warm welcome guaranteed to all, so please make every effort to come along and get involved.
Seven Kings new library campaign
A desire for a new local library has united the whole community since the beautiful old Carnegie Library was cruelly closed down and sold off in the mid -1990s. Our recent discovery, using a freedom of information request, that the new Clayhall library was opened with no discernable public demand, has prompted us to make our case loud and clear on the basis that if another more affluent area can get a new service like this without even asking, it should be possible for us to do likewise, especially since we have strong support and an obvious social need.We also discover that Seven Kings and Newbury Park are now the only major areas of population in the borough without a static library within a one mile distance.We will be launching our petition for a new library on Thursday 14 February, Valentine's Day, and will circulating it to local shops, schools and faith groups as well as all our supporters in a bid to generate the maximum number of signatures over the next few weeks.
Timber: Outraged residents stop Saturday morning tree felling
We don't have that many trees in Seven Kings anyway, which is why any attempt to cut down what we still have invites a strong response. Attempts to cut down mature trees on private land between properties on Aldborough Road South and Durban Road were recently suspended after residents intervened, with a referral of the site - adjacent to the British Legion premises - to Natural England for a full environmental assessment on the basis that protected species like badgers and bats might live there. This offers a much needed temporary stay of execution, and we will keep you posted on what the assessment reveals.
Swimming pool
Following media coverage suggesting that Ilford Pool may close at Christmas 2008, Paul has contacted cabinet Member for Leisure, Cllr Barden, for clarification on what is happening. His senior Council officer Iain Varah advises that the borough has planning permission to build a leisure centre with a 50m pool at Cricklefields behind the existing complex but that apparently "the scheme is on hold while the Council identifies possible options to fund the complex". Iain Varah goes on to say that "the Council will be consulting the local Community over the priorities for our future spending and how we can raise the money to fund the communities priorities". From this, it does seem that there is a real risk we could lose our existing pool without any specific commitment to, or guarantee of, a new one. All of which suggests a really very poor deal for the area. We will be following this up with officers.
That's it for now. Thanks for reading and do please fee free to share the content with family and friends. We are very keen to spread the word about TASK and our various activities. Our next email newsletter will be out w/b 25 February. Please send all copy to chrisconnelley@ntlworld.com.
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Sex Pistols - Holidays In The Sun.
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