View from the Potting Shed

My friend Nick sent me this by e-mail:

Then Jesus took his disciples up the mountain and gathering them around him taught them saying:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
Blessed are they that mourn.
Blessed are the merciful.
Blessed are they that thirst for justice.
Blessed are you when you suffer.
Be glad and rejoice for your reward will be great for you in Heaven.”

Then Simon Peter said, ‘Do we have to write this down?’
And Andrew said, ‘Are we supposed to know this?’
And Philip said, ‘I don’t have any paper.’
And Bartholomew said, ‘The other disciples didn’t have to learn this.’
And John said, ‘Do we have to hand this in?’
And Matthew said, ‘Can I go to the toilet?’
And Judas said, ‘What has this to do with real life?’

Then one of the Pharisees, who was present to watch Jesus’s lesson, asked to see Jesus’s lesson plan and enquired of him, “Where is your anticipatory set of objectives in the cognitive domain? May I see your differentiated scheme of work? How are you going to assess the criteria required to fulfil the objectives required of the National Curriculum?”

And Jesus wept.

I’m really excited! In October we’ve invited Professor Larry Hurtado, Professor of New Testament Language, Literature and Theology at New College, the University of Edinburgh, to give a lecture on the title “How on Earth did Jesus become a God?”

“How on Earth did Jesus become a God?”
Professor Larry Hurtado

Sunday 10 October 2004 @ 7:30 pm
Saughtonhall United Reformed Church, Saughtonhall Drive

Download the poster (PDF, 41 KB)

Prof. Hurtado taught one of my M.Th. in Ministry modules while I was at New College, and he was excellent. He made the subject come alive, and his knowledge of the New Testament was incredible. Someone should make him a Profess… oh! wow! that was quick.

I’ve bought his latest book, Lord Jesus Christ and look forward to finding the time to read all 700+ pages.

Lord Jesus Christ
Prof Larry W. Hurtado
Hardback, 746 pages (July 2003)
Publisher: Wm B Eerdmans Publishing Co
ISBN: 0802860702

I was on a Ministry Team quiet day at Carberry Tower, about 9 miles from Edinburgh. After morning coffee (a glass of milk for me) and Morning Prayer (Year 2, Week B) we descended into silence for 3 hours. Well, the other three team members did. I went outside to phone Jane to see if she know of the location of a convenient opticians near home.

When I sat down to say Morning Prayer, I took my glasses off to wipe the lenses and the leg of the frames came away in my hand. I was not pleased. Once I’d acquired two strips of cheap, non-3m, clear office tape to strengthen the legs I was fine… apart from the legs now gourging ulcer-sized holes in the back of my ears!

About two hours in, as I was sitting outside in the sunshine I decided to go for a walk. Thirty minutes later I was standing at the top of Carberry Hill, where apparently Mary Queen of Scots was captures in June 1567 by the Confederation of Lords and taken to be imprisoned in Edinburgh Castle and later Lochleven, before being executed. There is a large carved stone at the top of the hill — I didn’t just sense that historical gem from the atmosphere.

I was standing at the top of the hill, on a small wooden dias, with mud caked on my jeans and trainers. I had climbed the hill like a man possessed. I had no idea where I was going, but I climbed and slid and leapt my way up the hill. I’d seen a map of the estate on my way up the hill so had some idea that if I climbed I might just reach the summit.

I stood at the top, gained my breath a little and had a good pray. The experience reminded me of repentance: literally having to turn around and find my way back, trying to get a little less dirty on the way back down the hill.

I arrived in the dining room at 1:00pm on the dot. Hot, sweaty, tired, and very hungry. I think I overdid it a little, having not been particularly well last week, but it was good to get out and discover somewhere new.