Back to the Beginning

Early yesterday I set off on the 2 hour drive to St John's College, Nottingham, to begin the 'Top Up Your Theology' course that I have booked into.

I trained for ministry at St John's, arriving there in 1977 when Jim Callaghan was Prime Minister, the Queen had just celebrated her Silver Jubilee (25 years), and Geoff Boycott had just scored his 100th hundred at Headingley. In my first term I remember volunteering to sleep in a local old people's home as an emergency fire warden during the 9-week firemen's strike which gripped the country that winter. It was a different world, and a different Church that I was preparing to serve for the rest of my life.

So it is eerie to see things that haven't changed here, the layout of the bedrooms, some of the furniture and fixtures, and a carefree atmosphere that I remember with fondness and gratitude. I lived for one year in the single student accommodation before Kathryn and I were married. We then moved into the married flats in Peache Way as our first home. I'm staying in the single student block, known as 'Northwood' after the college's former home in London, but on a different corridor, which is a mirror image of the one I lived on. Last night I turned instinctively the wrong way out of the Common Room to go to my room, as though it was 1977  again.

I had three very happy years at St John's and have remained thankful to God for my training ever since. It was forward-looking in its time, and also ensured that I was parachuted gently into the real world after six years studying chemistry at Oxford. I have nothing but good memories, save for the sudden death on St Luke's Day 1978 of the Principal who was there when I arrived, Robin Nixon. This isn't the first time I've been back. I've been to a number of courses and events, the last one about 8 years ago, and I've had opportunity to visit other theological colleges for various reasons, but St John's still excites and inspires.


I am hoping that this week will do exactly what it says on the tin. My theology needs topping up, and I readily admit that I have not read or reflected nearly enough in the last four years. Each day is devoted to a different topic, with three lecture/seminars, two in the morning and one after an afternoon break. The subjects range far and wide:
- Contemporary Christian Apologetics and the New Atheism
- Christian Ethics and Economics
- Facing the Abyss: Women holding onto Scripture and Vocation in Ministry
- New Directions in Charismatic Worship
- Spirituality of Angels


All of these promise to speak to situations and issues that were unknown, or would hardly have registered on the scale of concern, when I was here 35 years ago. Some of them are especially topical, and most of them will take me some distance out of my comfort zones.


The group is a fairly even mix of clergy and laity. Most of the laity are St John's Extension Students. Some attend for single days. I've met some very interesting people already, including one clergyman in a Simeon's parish, and laity from other European countries.


I was on more familiar ground yesterday that I will be for the rest of the week. I have given some time and attention over the last few years to the New Atheism of Richard Dawkins and others. As a former scientist, albeit long since time-expired, I have needed from time to time to be able to produce some answers to the challenges they raise, and I gave a couple of talks on the subject in the twilight of my time in Beverley. But college staff member Tim Hull brought us right up to date, with the use of an impressive range of multimedia resources. My impression is that the New Atheists have gained far more ground  in popular culture than they should have done against a Church that has not given sufficient attention to Apologetics in recent generations. The media love their sound-bites and have no time for a carefully-argued Christian response. I was introduced to some writers and speakers who were new to me and  particularly appreciated elements of the day which considered Darwin's attitude to Christian faith, and Dawkins' contempt for Scripture, especially the Old Testament.


We awoke this morning to the news of the resignation of the Chief Executive of Barclays, and another banking scandal dominates the headlines. Roy McCloughry's day on Christian Ethics and Economics couldn't have been more topical, and was particularly valuable to me because I have never really taken the time and trouble to try to understand the ethical issues underlying the financial calamities of the last few years. It wasn't easy, but it was immensely worthwhile. And there was light relief.*


*A few years old, but relevant and enjoyable nonetheless.


Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel**

2 Cor 9:16

** St John's College motto