Following earlier posts on poet laureate Andrew Motion and his observations on the need for young people to learn the biblical narrative, there is a wonderful interview with him in the April 2009 edition of Third Way. Andrew Rumsey conducted a model interview: brief questions that steered Motion and allowed him to speak and ruminate for himself without the interviewer intruding.
Motion says, ‘I don’t believe in God – though I wish I did and I can’t stop thinking about it.’ What follows is an illuminating and reflective conversation in which the poet speaks about words, poetry, life, literature, God, the church and so on. I quote just one further bit to whet the appetite – the interview needs to be read as a whole. Picking up on the theme of the need to understand the ancient texts if one is to understand art and literature and our own culture (how we got to where we are), he says:
‘I was saying this from a specifically non-believer’s point of view. I just think it’s appalling to contemplate a future society in which these things aren’t being enjoyed. And that’s the place to start, because they give such pleasure. And then on that basis you build a differently important point about how our understanding of ourselves in the present will not be anything near what it should be unless our doors to the past are open. If you forget all this stuff, or never had it taught to you, those doors warp tight shut.
Life shrinks. You go into the National Gallery or you pick up any book written before, well, yesterday and if you don’t know all the stuff that’s being echoed, alluded to, rephrased, parodied, bounced off, deepened – shallowed, sometimes – your experience is going to be enormously diminished.’
Wonderful stuff.
April 6, 2009 at 6:15 pm
“Life shrinks. You go into the National Gallery or you pick up any book written before, well, yesterday and if you don’t know all the stuff that’s being echoed, alluded to, rephrased, parodied, bounced off, deepened – shallowed, sometimes – your experience is going to be enormously diminished.”
Can’t disagree with that – but by AD 400 most of southern Europe had rejected the Greco-Roman religion that was interwoven with most of its inherited literature and art, so there is a historical precedent (of sorts). If Europe doesn’t recover its Christian heritage (and demographically speaking, that looks pretty unlikely), something else will take (is taking) its place. For the post-Christian indigenous population, ‘Harry Potter’ will likely be the received text for the future, and potted Islam for the rest – especially if the next generation of Europeans is increasingly Maghrebin and Turkish.
My question: why isn’t this man a Christian? What (humanly speaking) would be needed to bring him to faith?
April 6, 2009 at 6:16 pm
There does seem to be a definate lack of understanding, certainly of the PLACE of Christianity in (the history of) our culture.
Even worse,lack of understanding seems to have been replaced by indifference. At least you can try and address understanding.
News today (BBC) from the West Midlands that the Church of England are pleading that football fixtures are STOPPED on Easter Sunday. Aston Parish Church is in the “line of fire” for the football fans getting to the match. Allowing for media “hype” it looks as if both parties are at least trying to ensure those who want to get to church CAN do so safely. I would be interested in your comments Nick BUT..when the information was relayed in my office the main comment was that people thought it was “funny”, as in amusing. I could understand a view of “outrageous” from football fans, and church goers, or discussions about how to understand the issues of both sides (I am exaggerating slightly there to make a point) but “Funny”???????
Anyway, that aside, and debates/arguments about debaptising. I am one of the double dunkers, once as a baby and once as a 16 year old, no doubt that would upset some people…and how many times would I have to be debaptised, would one count for both or would it have to be twice ? OH FOR HEAVEN’S SAKE !
In the meantime…
YES Let’s all pray for Prime Minister Tsvangirai, and all those affected by the Italian earthquake to name but a few who are dealing with heartache and loss.They will be experiencing the true “sacrifice of praise”.
“The King of Love my Shepherd is, Who’s goodness faileth never. I nothing lack if I am His and He is mine FOREVER”. It is hard to sing sometimes.
Sharing the pain and the tears. The most wonderful thing about being human is the honour of “sharing” someone’s pain. I pray every day the great prayer “Help Me God, Help Me !!” To show kindness and compassion, because you never know when that is going to be the last thing anyone is going to experience in this life. And let’s be honest, with the pace of life today, it is often not the first thing that comes to mind.
In closing,at least the weather seems to be holding out in Minehead..and you aren’t suffering the seemingly apparent collapse of the marquee!
June 7, 2010 at 11:02 pm
[...] harks back to a long discussion last year about the (then) Poet Laureate Andrew Motion’s argument that people need to understand the [...]
June 8, 2010 at 8:39 am
[...] harks back to a long discussion last year about the (then) Poet Laureate Andrew Motion’s argument that people need to understand the Bible [...]